Ian McAndrew, manager degli Arctic Monkeys, intervistato da Music Week ha dichiarato che la band attualmente sta lavorando su nuova musica e che le registrazioni in studio, già in programma per questa estate, sono momentaneamente rimandate a causa della pandemia.
Dopo qualche domanda sul Live At The Royal Albert Hall, pubblicato lo scorso 4 dicembre, McAndrew ha spiegato a cosa si sta dedicando la band di Sheffield:
They’re working on music. In this rather disjointed time, the guys are beavering away and I hope that next year they’ll start working on some new songs, new ideas, with a view on a future release.
Dopo questa rivelazione a sorpresa gli è stato chiesto se al momento ci sono canzoni già pronte:
Well, you never know! What I will say is that they’ve been working hard and I’m so looking forward to hearing new music from the guys in the new year. There were recording plans in the summertime that got canned as a result of the travel restrictions. I think with most bands, certainly the other bands we work with as well, it’s had a pretty significant impact on, on those artists recording and writing and certainly the ones that hoped to release records and promote them with touring. Trying to make records and create music at this time has been a little bit more challenging, primarily because of restrictions on travel, and that’s what has presented some issues for Arctic Monkeys. It’s also presented an opportunity in some ways. If you’re literally locked down, you’re going to knuckle down to some work at home, and that’s what’s been going on.
Dopodiché ha aggiunto:
Oh, I get to hear things from time to time. When the restrictions permit I do get along to have a listen to what’s going and to check out some new ideas, which is always very exciting. We periodically get together and check out stuff. We haven’t really started any proper work, any recording with a full band, and that’s because the guys aren’t able to be together. I’m hoping that next year, when the restrictions lift, we’ll be able to get together and get on with it.
McAndrew ha poi spiegato come mai il settimo album in studio degli Arctic Monkeys non è stato pubblicato poco dopo Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino, come ipotizzato dai media:
We followed that release with a fairly robust touring plan that went on until October 2018. There weren’t any prearranged plans to get back in the studio quickly, so I don’t quite know the basis of that rumour honestly. It’s fair to say that plans to write and record music have been deferred or postponed in terms of difficulties in getting together. Nevertheless, it in some ways creates a welcome opportunity, more time, more space and ability to go away and devote a bit more time to the creative process. That’s been a blessing in a weird way.
Infine è stato chiesto a McAndrew se durante questo periodo di restrizioni la band ha lavorato servendosi di Zoom:
In the same way that the Arctic Monkeys don’t interact on social media, they don’t interact via audiovisual communication. I have never had a Zoom with a member of the Arctic Monkeys and I don’t think I ever will! This year has been very much heads down working on song ideas from home.
