Arctic Monkeys’ Matt Helders says Alex Turner has “definitely got a Bond theme in him”
Arctic Monkeys‘ Matt Helders has said that Alex Turner has “definitely got a Bond theme in him”.
The drummer was speaking to NME upon the Sheffield band’s seventh studio record ‘The Car’ being crowned our 2022 Album Of The Year, beating the likes of Wet Leg, Beyoncé and Fontaines D.C. to the top spot.
At one point in the conversation, Helders was asked whether the Monkeys had further considered trying their hand at a James Bond song given the cinematic, orchestral sound of their latest LP.
“I’m sure it’s something we would still be interested in, but I don’t think it’s officially been proposed,” the musician responded.
“However, it is almost like Alex is already writing Bond themes, there just ain’t a film that’s been made and is ready [for his songs] yet! But I would say that he’s definitely got a Bond theme in him.”
Back in 2011, Turner said: “I’d love to do a tune for Bond. Definitely.” The comment came shortly after the frontman released a soundtrack EP to the 2010 film Submarine, which was directed by Richard Ayoade (who’s helmed music videos for AM previously).
NME then hailed Arctic Monkeys as “the perfect band to take on the challenge” of penning a single for a future Bond movie in 2018.
As the group have continued to evolve musically, many fans have also suggested that an AM track would suitably fit into the world of the long-running spy franchise.
Acts to have written a Bond theme in recent years include Billie Eilish, Sam Smith, Adele, Alicia Keys & Jack White, and Chris Cornell.
Elsewhere in NME‘s new conversation with Helders, the drummer spoke about the experience of bringing a full orchestra into the studio for ‘The Car’.
“Everything that was the band’s responsibility was taken care of in the traditional sense, like we always have done, but then the strings were added separately,” he explained. “It was a different type of recording process, but one that I’ve always been interested in exploring.
“Recently, we had the opportunity to do these radio sessions with six people from an orchestra in order to try and play some of these new songs live, and I think what we learned is how to be disciplined, and how much to use [the orchestra] in the music.”
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Helders added: “On the record, it comes in and out when it’s appropriate – there’s just the right amount of strings on there.”
Meanwhile, Arctic Monkeys’ singles ‘Body Paint’ and ‘There’d Better Be A Mirrorball’ appeared on NME‘s ‘best songs of 2022’ list this week at Number 24 and Number Five, respectively.
NME praised Turner’s “truly earnest, open, romantic and human” lyrics on the latter track, calling it a “slow-dance waltzing beauty”.
In other news, Arctic Monkeys were recently announced as headliners for NOS Alive 2023.
The band are set to embark on a UK and Ireland stadium tour in May, with a North American leg following in September. AM will be in Europe in late April and early May before returning for extra gigs there in July.
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Tom Skinner
NME
