ARCTIC MONKEYS - COVER STARS ARCTIC MONKEYS

COVER STARS ARCTIC MONKEYS

The Arctic Monkeys will appear on the cover of their new album for the first time since they formed in 2002.

The Arctic Monkeys took the photo for the cover of their new album with a camera that cost $1.

The British rock group posed for the image in the Californian desert, where they recorded most of their third studio album 'Humbug'.

It is the first time the group - consisting of frontman Alex Turner, guitarist Jamie Cook, drummer Matt Helders and bassist Nick O'Malley - have appeared on the cover of one of their LPs.

Matt explained to Britain's The Sun newspaper: "We were heavily involved in the album artwork this time. It's a bold thing to be on the front of our album, even though we are still slightly disguised.

"It's a photo I took with a dollar camera. I bought a camera for a dollar while we were in Joshua Tree in the Californian desert. There were film students selling all this stuff off at ridiculously low prices.

"I took a photograph in the national park at Joshua Tree."

Alex added: "We're on the cover because it feels like the album is more ours somehow."

It is also the first time the band - from Sheffield, North England - have recorded songs outside of the UK.

Matt is convinced the dramatic desert landscapes of Joshua Tree made the album - produced by Queens of the Stone Age rocker Josh Homme - better than anything they've released before.

He said: "The desert was quite a special place and none of us has been to anywhere like it. Just being there was enough to blow you mind."