Arctic Monkeys are to begin work on their third album this month, according to the band's guitarist Jamie Cook.

“We are gonna make a start... (we'll) get back in his (Alex Turner) room in Sheffield and start writing some tunes," he told the BBC.

Both of the band's first albums topped the charts in the UK and enjoyed almost universal critical acclaim.

But Cook admitted that he wasn't sure what direction the band will head on album number three.

“I don't know yet, we could go any way. I'm excited yeah... End of last year when we had been touring for a long time, we just needed a bit of a rest.

“But I think as a band we are just eager to get back in and really... I don't know what," he explained.

As previously reported, Arctic Monkeys frontman Alex Turner will head out on his first UK tour with side-project The Last Shadow Puppets in the Autumn.

(by Jason Gregory)