Andy Nicholson

An attendee of Stocksbridge High School, Nicholson was the only member of the Arctic Monkeys to not live in the High Green district, residing in nearby Hillsborough.{{cite news|url=http://www.blender.com/guide/articles.aspx?id=1897 |newspaper=Blender |title=The Lads Are Alright |date=May 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060504063027/http://www.blender.com/guide/articles.aspx?id=1897 |archive-date=4 May 2006 }} Nicholson played bass guitar, and was seen as "the band wit, reliably swift with a self-deprecating quip". He played on Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not and the EPs Five Minutes with Arctic Monkeys and Who the Fuck Are Arctic Monkeys?.

The band announced in May 2006 that Nicholson would miss the band's forthcoming North America tour as he was suffering from "fatigue following an intensive period of touring", and would be temporarily replaced by Nick O'Malley of The Dodgems while Nicholson recovered.{{cite news| url=http://www.nme.com/news/arctic-monkeys/23130| publisher=NME| title= Arctic Monkeys lose a member| date=22 May 2006}}{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/arctic-monkeys-too-much-monkey-business-479704.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220507/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/arctic-monkeys-too-much-monkey-business-479704.html |archive-date=7 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Arctic Monkeys: Too much monkey business|work=The Independent|date=25 May 2006 }}{{cbignore}} However, on 20 June 2006, it was announced that he was no longer part of the band,{{cite news| url=http://www.nme.com/news/arctic-monkeys/23380| title=Arctic Monkeys bassist leaves band| publisher=NME| date=19 April 2006| access-date=2007-09-25| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20071119022317/http://www.nme.com/news/arctic-monkeys/23380| archive-date=19 November 2007| url-status= live}} with Alex Turner later stating "we sorta found ourselves in a situation where we wanted to move forward".{{cite news| url=http://www.nme.com/news/arctic-monkeys/24039| title=Arctic Monkeys on split: "We wanted to move forward"| date=23 August 2006| publisher=NME| access-date=2007-09-25}} The band asked Nicholson to leave. Drummer Matt Helders later remarked: "It’s not for everyone, the travelling, I suppose ... He didn’t get specific. We didn’t want to drag all of that out of him ... We took [Nick] out to America and we just couldn't see going back to the way things were for whatever reason."{{cite web|url=http://www.drummagazine.com/features/post/matt-helders-pop-success-with-arctic-monkeys/|title=Matt Helders: Pop Success With Arctic Monkeys|website=Drummagazine.com|date=11 July 2011 }}

It was not until 2019 that Nicholson himself opened up on his departure. In an interview with podcast The Michael Anthony Show, Nicholson told the host that leaving the band that he co-founded was "soul destroying". The bassist added that news of his imminent departure came as a huge shock and was far from mutual. Nicholson went on to detail the meeting which ended his time in the band and also painted a vivid picture of life in the years that followed, which included struggles with mental health as well as a new search for identity. Despite this, Nicholson did state that he has since been on good terms with his former bandmates, with them often meeting up whenever they return to Sheffield.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/former-arctic-monkeys-bassist-andy-nicholson-on-his-soul-destroying-departure-from-band-2574471|title=Arctic Monkeys' former bassist Andy Nicholson considered suicide following "soul-destroying" departure |website=Nme.com|date=12 November 2019}}

Initially, Nicholson began making a name for himself in Sheffield as a DJ, mainly as a resident at Threads,{{Cite web|url=http://www.threadsproductions.com/content/view/45/189/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080214190600/http://www.threadsproductions.com/content/view/45/189/|url-status=dead|title=Threads Residents|archive-date=14 February 2008}} but also performing at Reverend Soundsystem (under the name AndyGun).{{cite web|url=http://www.myspace.com/andygun|title=Featured Content on Myspace|work=Myspace}} He also remixed a Reverend and The Makers song "You Get So Alone Sometimes it Just Makes Sense". In November 2007 he made his DJ debut in London at a club event called Threads vs Filthy Few.{{cite news |title = Former Arctic Monkey Andy Nicholson to play London |url = http://www.nme.com/news/arctic-monkeys/32172 |publisher = NME |date = 31 October 2007 |access-date = 2008-01-05 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080103112854/http://www.nme.com/news/arctic-monkeys/32172| archive-date= 3 January 2008 | url-status= live}}

In 2008, Nicholson formed Mongrel, which consisted of himself, Jon McClure of Reverend and the Makers, Babyshambles bassist Drew McConnell and Matt Helders from Arctic Monkeys, as well as London rapper Lowkey from the Poisonous Poets. They released their first album, Better Than Heavy on 7 March 2009.

He was also in the band Lords of Flatbush,{{cite web|author=UK |url=http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=371169722 |title=Lords of Flatbush | Gratis muziek, tourneedata, foto's, video's |publisher=Profile.myspace.com |access-date=2012-01-03 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100805013605/http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile |archive-date=5 August 2010 }} with Sheffield-based singer Steve Edwards and Louis Carnall formerly of Milburn, but left to concentrate on Mongrel. The position was handed over to his brother Rob Nicholson of Sheffield band Dead World Leaders.{{cite web|url=http://deadworldleaders.com/|title=Deadworldleaders.com|access-date=6 November 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081229101423/http://www.deadworldleaders.com/|archive-date=29 December 2008|url-status=dead}}

In August 2009, Nicholson joined ex-Milburn frontman Joe Carnall's band The Book Club, but left later that year when, on 23 December Jon McClure announced via his Twitter account and official website that Nicholson would be made an official member of Reverend and the Makers. He remained in the group until their 2010 hiatus but when they reformed in January 2012 Nicholson was replaced by his friend and former bandmate in The Book Club, Joe Carnall.

Nicholson is currently producing and performing in hip-hop group Clubs & Spades with Maticmouth from Reverend Soundsystem. They made their live début at The Plug on Saturday 20 July 2013 as part of Tramlines Festival{{cite news| url=https://www.the-plug.com/events-and-tickets/live/tramlines-steve-papa-edwards-hot-soles-clubs-and-spades-scoundrel-fallen| title=TRAMLINES WITH STEVE PAPA EDWARDS, HOT SOLES, CLUBS AND SPADES & SCOUNDREL, FALLEN TREES| date=20 July 2013| publisher=The Plug| access-date=2013-12-03| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131208004013/https://www.the-plug.com/events-and-tickets/live/tramlines-steve-papa-edwards-hot-soles-clubs-and-spades-scoundrel-fallen| archive-date=8 December 2013| url-status=dead}} and their début album Stand Up was released on Monday 22 July 2013.{{cite news| url=https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/stand-up/id677964430| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140305034456/https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/stand-up/id677964430| url-status=dead| archive-date=5 March 2014| title=iTunes Preview: Stand Up by Clubs & Spades | date=24 July 2013 | publisher=iTunes| access-date=2013-12-03}} He is also part of production duo Sticky Blood with Jamie Shield.

In November 2019, along with 34 other musicians, Nicholson signed a letter endorsing the Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn in the 2019 UK general election with a call to end austerity.{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/nov/25/musicians-backing-jeremy-corbyns-labour|title=Musicians backing Jeremy Corbyn's Labour|work=The Guardian|date=25 November 2019|access-date=1 December 2019}}{{cite news |last=Gayle|first=Damien|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/nov/25/musicians-backing-jeremy-corbyns-labour|title=Stormzy backs Labour in election with call to end austerity|work=The Guardian|date=25 November 2019|access-date=1 December 2019}}

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Category:Living people

Category:English record producers

Category:English rock bass guitarists

Category:English male bass guitarists

Category:Arctic Monkeys members

Category:Musicians from Sheffield

Category:1986 births

Category:21st-century English bass guitarists

Category:Mongrel (band) members