The Arctic Monkeys bass player Andy Nicholson has left the group 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," was the statement on their official website. "We have been mates for a long time and have been through some amazing things together that no-one can take away."
The statement also said: "Nick O'Malley, who stood in for Andy while he was absent from the recent tour of North America, shall carry on playing bass for the remaining shows this 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. At the time, his absence was attributed to "fatigue following an intensive period of touring".
Meanwhile, the Arctic Monkeys are having to deal with a higher drinking age in the US by buying fake IDs. The legal age to drink in the US is 21 and since the Arctic Monkeys are all 19 or 20, they have been forced to purchase fake IDs, according to The Daily Star.
The band's guitarist James Cook said, "We've all had to buy fake ID cards for ourselves off a couple of students at one of our gigs. It's either that or don't go out and get stuck in, which isn't really on. We've got away with it so far and no-one's questioned us at the bar, even though the pictures on them don't look like us at all."
