Arctic V's Desert

Exclusive: Queens Of The Stone Age man to produce new Monkeys record

24 August 2008 - Speaking to the Music Week on 6 Music, Queens Of The Stone Age frontman Josh Homme exclusively revealed that he will be producing new material by the Arctic Monkeys.

And rather than recording in the UK, the band will relocate to the Californian desert to work on songs for their third album: “Yes, they’re gonna come out to the desert,” Homme confirmed.

“Being Arctic Monkeys, the polar opposite would be Desert Monkeys, so they’re gonna come out and just experience that, and their idea is to submerge themselves in something else and do some tracks.

“That’s the sort of pressure-free ‘Lets do something cool’ environment that really pays musical dividends at the end y’know? They’re a talented bunch of guys, its gonna be a lot of fun.”

Arctic’s drummer Matt Helder and singer Alex Turner have often spoken about their admiration for the Californian group, name checking them in recent interviews as an influence, and the bands played a show together in the US late last year.

“We’re gonna do some tracks and I’m really looking forward to it, cos I like them a lot.” Josh Homme

Over the past ten years Homme has overseen a series of Desert Sessions albums, which feature various artists including PJ Harvey and Mark Lanegan, who collaborate on tracks at the Rancho De La Luna studios in Joshua Tree.

However, Homme was clear to point out that the Arctic Monkeys sessions won’t fall under that banner and they wouldn’t be enlisting any other musicians: “Being in a band is about betting on yourself and believing in yourself and chasing your passion for music,” Homme explained.

“And I don’t think they have any problem doing that. I don’t think there’s any reason to bring anyone else in. I think they just want to experience something that’s opposite to what they’re used to over here [in the UK] and it’s a good place to go to - Joshua Tree and make some music for the sake of making music.

“We’re gonna do some tracks and I’m really looking forward to it, cos I like them a lot.”

To listen to the interview in full listen again to The Music Week or download the free Music Week podcast.

Matt Everitt