Arctic Monkeys Bassist Quits Band

As recently rumoured, the Arctic Monkeys bass player Andy Nicholson has left the rock band for good after pulling out of their North American tour last month.

"We are sad to tell everyone that Andy is no longer with the band," his former bandmates said on their website. "We have been mates for a long time and have been through some amazing things together that no-one can take away."

Nick O'Malley, who replaced Nicholson in May, will continue playing with the group for the rest of the summer. The bass player's initial departure last month came days before the band were due to start a 17-date tour of the US and Canada.

This explanation is certainly consistent with other reports of Nicholson's behaviour on the road. When the rest of the band trooped off to a star-studded party in honour of Coldplay at the celebrated Manhattan restaurant The Spotted Pig last month, the bass player cried off, pleading "fatigue". "I find that sort of thing right awkward, so I stopped in bed," he explained.At the time, his absence was attributed to "fatigue following an intensive period of touring".

The Sheffield-based four-piece will be in Germany on Friday to play at the Hurricane Festival in Scheesel, near Hamburg. That will be followed by appearances in France, Spain and Italy.

The Arctic Monkeys' album Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not became the fastest-selling debut in UK chart history when it was released in January.

Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk