How Arctic Monkeys Came Up With Their New Album Title
6 September 2018, 13:28 | Updated: 6 September 2018, 13:31
Alex Turner has told Radio X's John Kennedy how the band named their Tranquility Base Hotel + Casino album.
Arctic Monkeys' Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino is undoubtedly their most daring album yet, and Alex Turner has revealed how the band came up with its equally striking title.
Earlier this year, the frontman sat down with Radio X’s John Kennedy after the record's release for an X-Posure track-by-track playback special, where the rocker explained the meaning behind its name.
"There was that conspiracy theory that Stanley Kubrick faked the moon landing… it was a hoax," began the Four Out of Five rocker.
"I embellished that slightly in my mind, so he faked the moon landing in his garage with a couple of movie lights he borrowed and some NASA lenses and something.
“Those were the sort of things we were talking about, and before I knew it the spare bedroom where all my musical instruments and machines are became known as ‘The Lunar Surface’".
The Arabella singer added: "I’ve got some cups that are Apollo mission cups and the word tranquility is in reference to the site of the first moon landing, folks. There’s a picture of the eagle and I think it says tranquility base. I think that’s where that comes from. "
“When it comes to giving the record its title, I’ve never found its like something you want to convey and you might have this title that does that perfectly, but then something comes along like Tranquility Base Hotel And Casino that just fits the bill better than the other thing could.”
On the album's title tack, he mused: "I think it was first of all, there was a bloke with a phone and he says ‘Mark speaking’ and I’m like, where is he? And I decided that he was there [at the Tranquility Base]. It happened backwards like that.”
Alex Turner also revealed that he's essentially responsible for the album's artwork, which sees a model he made of his fictional destination sitting on top of a tape machine.
Despite the album boasting various high-brow and niche influences, when it comes the the model's rotating sign fans need look no further than a humble LA coffee shop and resturaunt.
“I was driving back from the art supply shop and I saw a rotating sign - of which there are many in Los Angeles - and this one was outside a place called House Of Pies, which I’ve actually never been inside. I ought to really - I think we can all agree on that.
"I thought this place should have a rotating sign like House Of Pies."
Alex Turner also told John Kennedy why he thinks the new album differs so much from their 2013 AM record.
When asked if the new album's sound was due to all of the literary influences he'd gained, the rocker responded: “I think it has a lot to do with that. There’s probably a list of reasons why it’s different to AM, but that’s certainly one of them."
"I think in the past, what I was reading and watching didn’t come into the music as much as it has now. I didn’t think I was letting it in.
"I think I thought while I knew it would inform my style as a writer, it always seemed like where I would get away from songwriting, but I don’t think that’s the case anymore”.
See Arctic Monkeys 2018 UK Tour Dates:
Thursday 6 September Manchester Arena - SOLD OUT
Friday 7 September Manchester Arena - SOLD OUT
Sunday 9 September The O2 Arena, London - SOLD OUT
Monday 10 September The O2 Arena, London - SOLD OUT
Wednesday 12 September The O2 Arena, London - SOLD OUT
Thursday 13 September The O2 Arena, London - SOLD OUT
Saturday 15 September Birmingham Arena - SOLD OUT
Sunday 16 September Birmingham Arena - SOLD OUT
Tuesday 18 September FlyDSA Arena, Sheffield - SOLD OUT
Wednesday 19 September FlyDSA Arena, Sheffield - SOLD OUT
Friday 21 September FlyDSA Arena, Sheffield - SOLD OUT
Saturday 22 September FlyDSA Arena, Sheffield - SOLD OUT
Monday 24 September - Dublin 3Arena - SOLD OUT
Tuesday 25 September - Dublin 3Arena - SOLD OUT
Thursday 27 September Metro Radio Arena, Newcastle - SOLD OUT
Friday 28 September Metro Radio Arena, Newcastle - SOLD OUT
Support on the tour comes from New York's Lemon Twigs.
