Matt Helders says returning to the studio with Arctic Monkeys for ‘Opening Night “was like we were never apart”
Arctic Monkeys drummer Matt Helders has opened up about recording their new single ‘Opening Night’, stating that returning to the studio with his bandmates “was like we were never apart”.
The new single arrived on January 22nd to launch War Child Records’ upcoming charity compilation album, Help (2) and marks their first release as a band in almost four years.
The full album is set to arrive on March 6th, 2026, and also features Damon Albarn, Fontaines DC, Big Thief, Oliva Rodrigo, Wet Leg, The Last Dinner Party, Cameron Winter, Pulp, Depeche Mode, Ezra Collective, English Teacher, Anna Calvi, King Krule, and many more.
For the project, Arctic Monkeys regrouped at Abbey Road Studios in London with longtime producer James Ford, which Helders, who now lives in Los Angeles, discussed with Zane Lowe on Apple Music 1 on January 22nd.
The drummer said of the chemistry between the band, “Sometimes we might not see each other for six months, but when we do, it’s like we were never apart. That’s just how we are as people with each other. It translates musically as well I think. We just had a couple of days together doing this, and it felt like nothing had happened. There was no space between.”
In the same interview, Helders also confirmed that ‘Opening Night‘ was a song that Arctic Monkeys had been trying to get right for many years, but had never managed to get to the stage of completion until now.
Helders explained, “It was something that was never completed. It’s not another version of something we already did, but I just know that there’s elements of it. That is often the case with us. There’ll be thing that we kick around for a bit that aren’t ready yet or aren’t the right time or just didn’t make the cut at the time.”
He then talked specifically about ‘Opening Night’, explaining “there’s parts of it I remember” but noted that it’s developed as “our sound has changed over time“.
Helders added, “I always go back to the fact that some of this stuff we couldn’t have done 10 or 15 years ago. We’re still getting better at doing stuff.”
Due to Arctic Monkeys’ last releasing music in 2022, Helders knew there would be “talk about” whatever they do next, which he said is why they chose to team up with War Child to deflect the noise to a good cause.
The drummer shared, “If people are talking about, then they’re talking about War Child, and that’s the point in this. I think everyone involved probably feels that a little bit.”
He also said of the vital work that War Child do across the world, helping those in need, “For us, it’s like you said, it’s like nobody can deny this is a call, Everyone agrees that this is a good cause. No one’s on the fence about whether we should help the kids or not. I think it was like a no-brainer for us, definitely.”
The full tracklist for Help (2) is listed below.
Help (2) tracklist:
- Arctic Monkeys – ‘Opening Night’
- Damon Albarn, Grian Chatten and Kae Tempest – ‘Flags’
- Black Country, New Road – ‘Strangers’
- The Last Dinner Party – ‘Let’s do it again!’
- Beth Gibbons – ‘Sunday Morning’
- Arooj Aftab & Beck – ‘Lilac Wine’
- King Krule – ‘The 343 Loop’
- Depeche Mode – ‘Universal Soldier’
- Ezra Collective and Greentea Peng – ‘Helicopters’
- Arlo Parks – ‘Nothing I Could Hide’
- English Teacher and Graham Coxon – ‘Parasite’
- Beabadoobee – ‘Say Yes’
- Big Thief – ‘Relive, Redie’
- Fontaines DC – ‘Black Boys on Mopeds’
- Cameron Winter – ‘Warning’
- Young Fathers – ‘Don’t Fight the Young’
- Pulp – ‘Begging for Change’
- Sampha – ‘Naboo’
- Wet Leg – ‘Obvious’
- Foals – ‘When the War is Finally Done’
- Bat For Lashes – ‘Carried My Girl’
- Anna Calvi, Ellie Rowsell, Nilüfer Yanya and Dove Ellis – ‘Sunday Light’
- Olivia Rodrigo – ‘The Book of Love’
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