Arctic Monkeys’ new album almost became frontman Alex Turner’s solo record.
The indie rock band’s guitarist Jamie Cook has revealed that the tracks were more piano-led originally so Alex was planning on keeping them for himself.
However, in the end they decided to roll with the new sound and the tracks make up the band’s sixth LP ‘Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino’.
Cook told the latest issue of MOJO magazine: "I think at first, because it was quite basic – piano, vocal and no guitar – Al was in two minds about, ‘is this Arctic Monkeys or am I going somewhere else with this’
"And maybe at first I was a bit like that as well.
"It’s definitely not a guitar-heavy record, not typically what we’d do. It took a lot more thinking about."
The band’s new direction is partly due to the fact Turner was gifted a Steinway Vertegrand on his 30th birthday in January.
On his new writing process, he said: "I’ve tricked myself into writing – by sitting at the piano, doing this thing that I haven’t done before.
"That gave me permission to go somewhere I’d had trouble getting to before.
"It allowed me to put across how I feel more, more … broadly than before."
The Sheffield’s band’s sixth record – which is released on May 11 – pays homage to fellow British indie band The Strokes on the first line, which Turner has no regrets about.
He admitted: "Did The Strokes line feel too close to home? Yeah, absolutely.
"But you can’t let that stop you.
"That whole thing of ‘Oh my God, what they gonna think this means?
"You can’t really work like that."
‘Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino’ is Arctic Monkeys’ first record since 2013’s ‘AM’.
Arctic Monkeys’ new album was almost Alex Turner’s solo LP
