The stars must have aligned when Arctic Monkeys scheduled their US tour in support of 2013's AM. One of the most lyrically romantic rock groups of our time will play a very sold out gig at First Avenue on the most romantic day of the year, Valentine's Day, across the river from the most romantic city in America.

On the other hand, the band's name doesn't exactly evoke the feeling of romance. Brit punk-poet John Cooper Clarke, the brain behind the lyrics of "I Wanna Be Yours," first heard of the Arctic Monkeys before Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not released in 2006 when Turner mentioned the band to Clarke (who eerily resembles '60s Bob Dylan) to which he replied, "What a great name. Sounds like a picture of trauma."

They've come a long way since that first record released over eight years ago. After tonight's show at First Avenue, Arctic Monkeys have one gig left in the States in St. Louis before heading back home to perform at the Brit Awards with two notable nominations: Album of the Year and Group of the Year.

Unfortunately the music video for AM's "Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High?" is not nominated for an award, but that doesn't mean it isn't worth talking about. Looch asks, "So who storyboarded out that video and said 'I've got this idea for the song and here's what I think you're going to do, Alex, you're going to be stumbling around the city and you're going to be watching people have sex'?"

Listen to the in-studio session to hear Arctic Monkeys' response, how the band met Queens of the Stone Age's Josh Homme in Belgium, "where black holes lead to," his involvement with their last two albums and how John Lennon has influenced frontman Alex Turner as a lyricist.

Songs Performed

"I Wanna Be Yours"
"Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High?"
"Do I Wanna Know?"

All songs off Arctic Monkeys' latest album AM, out now on Domino Records.

Related

• Album Review: Arctic Monkeys, 'AM'
• Arctic Monkeys perform live in The Current studios