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Radiohead

Radiohead are an English rock band from Oxfordshire, initially formed in 1986 under the name On a Friday. Radiohead's lineup has remained the same since their inception, with Thom Yorke (vocals/rhythm guitar/piano/electronics), Jonny Greenwood (lead guitar/ondes martenot/keyboards), Ed O'Brien (guitar/backing vocals), Colin Greenwood (bass/synthesizers) and Phil Selway (drums/percussion).

Radiohead released their first single, "Creep" in 1992, followed by their debut album Pablo Honey (1993). The song was an unexpected worldwide hit, and the band were widely branded as a one-hit wonder.[1] However, Radiohead met with success at home in the United Kingdom with their second album, The Bends (1995), earning fans with dense guitar atmospheres and frontman Thom Yorke's falsetto singing.[2] Radiohead's third album propelled them to greater attention; popular for an expansive sound and themes of modern alienation, OK Computer (1997) was named a landmark record of the 1990s by many critics.[3]

With their polarising albums Kid A (2000) and Amnesiac (2001),[4] Radiohead reached their peak of global popularity[5] even as their musical style changed, drawing on diverse sounds including experimental, jazz and electronic music.[6] Their latest album, Hail to the Thief (2003), mixed guitar-driven rock, electronic influences and topical lyrics, and was seen to blend styles from throughout the band's career.[7] Radiohead are currently without a label, and are working on their seventh studio album, expected for release sometime in 2007.[8]

History

Formation and first years: 1985–1991

Abingdon School, where the band initially formed.

Radiohead were formed in 1986 at the Abingdon School, a boys-only public school which all five members attended.[9] Yorke, Colin Greenwood, and O'Brien were in the same form, Selway was one form older, and Jonny Greenwood two forms lower. The group began to practice in the school's music room, which led to the formation of their first band On a Friday, so named because of their usual rehearsal day.[10] On a Friday played their first gig at Oxford's Jericho Tavern in late 1986.[11] Jonny Greenwood, as the youngest member, joined as a harmonica player but soon developed into the band's lead guitarist.[10] The band's early lineup was flexible, at one point including several girls on saxophone.[12]

Although Selway, Yorke, Colin Greenwood and Ed O'Brien had left Abingdon by 1988 to attend university, the band continued to rehearse often on weekends and holidays.[13] In 1991, when all the members except Jonny had completed their university degrees, On a Friday regrouped, though for a brief period they changed their name to "Shindig".[14] The band recorded demos, such as the Manic Hedgehog demo tape, and they began to perform live around Oxford again, becoming notable enough to appear on the cover of the local music magazine Curfew.[15] Although Oxfordshire and the Thames Valley had an active indie scene in the late 1980s and early 1990s, it was centred around shoegazing bands like Ride and Slowdive. Radiohead were not seen as fitting into this trend, and later commented that they had missed it by the time they returned from university.[16]

As the band's live bookings increased, record labels and producers began to show interest in them.[13] Chris Hufford, the co-owner of Oxford's Courtyard Studios, came to an early On a Friday concert at Oxford's Jericho Tavern.[13] Impressed by the band, he, with his partner Bryce Edge, produced a demo tape and became On a Friday's managers. [13] They remain the band's managers today.[13] The band finally signed a six-album recording contract with EMI in early March 1992,[10] thanks to a chance meeting by bassist Colin Greenwood with label representative Keith Wozencroft at the record shop where Greenwood worked.[13] At the request of the label, the band changed their name to Radiohead, inspired by the title of a song on Talking Heads' True Stories album.[13]

Pablo Honey, The Bends and early success: 1992–1995

Drill, Radiohead's debut EP, was produced by Hufford and Edge at Courtyard Studios and released in March 1992. However, it did not do well on the charts, and shortly after, the band hired producers Paul Kolderie and Sean Slade, known for their work with the Pixies and Dinosaur Jr., to produce their first album. Radiohead's debut album, Pablo Honey, was recorded in three weeks in an Oxford studio in autumn 1992.[10]

With the initial release of the single "Creep" in late 1992, the band began to receive attention from the British music press, not all of it favourable. The NME described them as "a lily livered excuse for a rock band,"[17] and the song was not played on Radio 1 because it was felt to be "too depressing".[18] The band subsequently released another single, "Anyone Can Play Guitar," followed by Pablo Honey in February 1993, and by the stand-alone single "Pop Is Dead" soon after. Another track from Pablo Honey, "Stop Whispering", followed later that year, also performing under commercial expectations.

Resigned to chart indifference in the UK, the band began their first tour of the United States in spring 1993, but "Creep" had unexpectedly built momentum, spreading from popularity in Israel[19] to a college radio station in San Francisco.[13] By the time Radiohead arrived in America, "Creep" was in heavy rotation on MTV,[20] eventually rising to #2 on the Billboard modern rock charts and charting at #7 when re-released in the UK that autumn. Radiohead nearly broke up due to the pressure of sudden success[21] as the Pablo Honey supporting tour extended into its second year, and the album continued to rise in popularity internationally, fuelled by "Creep", which remains the band's largest worldwide hit.[1]

After the end of their American tour, Radiohead began work on their second album, hiring veteran Abbey Road studios producer John Leckie. Tensions were high, as the band felt smothered both by "Creep's" success and the mounting expectations for a superior follow-up.[22] According to Leckie: "It was either going to be 'Sulk', 'The Bends', 'Nice Dream', or 'Just'. We had to give those absolute attention, make them amazing, instant smash hits, number 1 in America. Everyone was pulling their hair and saying, 'It's not good enough!' We were trying too hard".[23]

File:Radioheadjust.jpg
Four members of Radiohead in the enigmatic 1995 video for "Just". (Left to right: Colin, Phil, Thom and Ed)

The band sought a change of scenery, touring Australasia and the Far East in an attempt to reduce the pressure. However, once again confronted with their newfound popularity, singer Thom Yorke began to feel discomfort at being "right at the sharp end of the sexy, sassy, MTV eye-candy lifestyle" he felt he was helping to sell to the rest of the world.[24] Yorke said, "these songs are very personal. But 'Creep' has been taken into so many contexts that it's everybody else's song now."[25] The 1994 EP My Iron Lung, featuring the single of the same title, was the band's reaction, marking a transition between the style of Pablo Honey and the greater depth they aimed for on their second album.[26] The single was a flop on commercial radio—but promoted through underground channels, it sold better than expected, seeing the beginnings of a loyal cult fan base for the band.[27] Having developed the remainder of the new songs on the road, Radiohead returned to the UK and completed the album in a fortnight in late 1994,[28] releasing The Bends in May 1995. Template:Sample box start Template:Multi-listen start Template:Multi-listen item Template:Multi-listen item Template:Multi-listen end Template:Sample box end

While the Britpop scene dominated the media's attention, Radiohead were viewed as "outsiders", but they finally earned success in their home country with The Bends.[16] The album was driven by dense riffs and ethereal atmospheres from the band's three guitarists, as well as greater use of keyboards than their debut.[10] The singles "Fake Plastic Trees", "Just", and "High and Dry", featuring Yorke's expressive falsetto, achieved some chart success. Looking back in 1998, Jonny Greenwood said, "I think the turning point for us came about nine or 12 months after The Bends was released and it started appearing in people's [best of] polls for the end of the year. That's when it started to feel like we made the right choice about being a band, I think."[2] Yet major success for the album did not come until the release of the final single "Street Spirit (Fade Out)", which hit #5 in the UK, the band's highest chart position to that point.

In summer 1995, Radiohead toured in support of R.E.M., one of their formative influences and at the time one of the biggest rock bands in the world.[29] Introducing his opening act, Michael Stipe said, "Radiohead are so good, they scare me".[30] The buzz generated by such famous fans, along with a series of distinctive music videos such as "Just" and "Street Spirit", helped to expand Radiohead's popularity outside the UK.

Drummer Phil Selway said, "When The Bends came out everyone went on about how uncommercial that was. Twelve months later it was being hailed as a pop classic. The record company were worried there wasn't a single on it- and we ended up with five top 30 hits from it!"[31] However, while critically acclaimed, the album and its singles failed to match the worldwide commercial success of "Creep".

OK Computer, fame and critical acclaim: 1996–1998

Thom Yorke in concert

Thom Yorke said that The Bends succeeded because "we had to put ourselves into an environment where we felt free to work. And that's why we want to produce the next one ourselves, because the times we most got off on making the last record were when we were just completely communicating with ourselves, and John Leckie wasn't really saying much, and it was just all happening".[10]

One new song was already recorded: "Lucky", released as a single to promote the War Child charity's The Help Album. Radiohead also contributed two songs to Baz Luhrmann's 1996 adaptation of Romeo and Juliet, "Talk Show Host" and "Exit Music (For a Film)". The former was a remix of one of the B-sides to "Street Spirit (Fade Out)", while the latter was a new song, eventually included on the band's next album.

With the assistance of audio engineer Nigel Godrich, their collaborator on "Lucky" and "Talk Show Host," Radiohead produced their next album themselves, beginning work in early 1996. By July they had recorded four songs with Godrich at their rehearsal studio, Canned Applause, a converted apple shed[32] in the countryside near Didcot, Oxfordshire. Having learnt from The Bends, they decided to perfect the songs live, touring as an opening act for Alanis Morissette, before completing the record. The rest of the album was recorded in actress Jane Seymour's 15th-century mansion, St. Catherine's Court, near Bath.[33] The recording sessions were relaxed, with the band playing at all hours of the day, recording songs in different rooms, and listening to The Beatles, DJ Shadow, Ennio Morricone[10] and Miles Davis for inspiration.[2] The album was finished by the end of 1996, and by March 1997, it was mixed and mastered. Template:Sample box start Template:Multi-listen start Template:Multi-listen item Template:Multi-listen item Template:Multi-listen end Template:Sample box end Radiohead released OK Computer in the summer of 1997 to widespread critical acclaim.[10] Largely composed of melodic rock songs, the new record also found Radiohead introducing more uncommon musical elements, experimenting with song structures, ambient noise and electronics.[34] The band released "Paranoid Android", "Karma Police" and "No Surprises" as singles, while planned single "Let Down" had its release cancelled. OK Computer was the band's first #1 UK chart debut, eventually propelling Radiohead to commercial success in many markets around the world. In the US, the album received the band's first Grammy recognition, an award for Best Alternative Album and a nomination for Album of the Year. Commenting on the album's success, Yorke has admitted that he is "actually amazed it got the reaction it did. None of us fucking knew any more whether it was good or bad. What really blew my head off was the fact that people got all the things, all the textures and the sounds and the atmospheres we were trying to create."[35]

The release of OK Computer was followed by the "Against Demons" world tour. Grant Gee, the director of the "No Surprises" video, accompanied the band on their tour and filmed the proceedings. The results were released as the 1999 "fly on the wall" documentary Meeting People Is Easy. Rather than depicting stereotypical rock n' roll behaviour, the film portrays the band's disaffection with the music industry and press that feted them, and shows their burnout as they progressed from their first concert dates in mid-1997 to mid-1998, nearly a year later.[10] During this time the band released 7 Television Commercials, a compilation of their music videos, and two EPs which compiled B-sides from OK Computer. One of them, Airbag/How Am I Driving?, had tracks that were seen as a bridge between that album's progressive alternative rock and their subsequent more atmospheric, electronic work.[36]

Kid A, Amnesiac and a change in sound: 1999–2001

Exhausted by fame and on the verge of burning out following their 1997–1998 world tour, Radiohead were largely inactive during the rest of 1998. The band's only public performance was at an Amnesty International concert in Paris,[37] while in 1999 only Thom and Jonny made an appearance at the Tibetan Freedom Concert in Amsterdam, performing a new song. Yorke later admitted that during that period the band came close to splitting up, and that he had developed severe depression: "New Year's Eve '98 was one of the the lowest points of my life... I felt like I was going fucking crazy. Every time I picked up a guitar I just got the horrors. I would start writing a song, stop after 16 bars, hide it away in a drawer, look at it again, tear it up, destroy it."[6]

In early 1999, Radiohead began work on a follow-up to OK Computer, though in a less organised fashion than with their previous albums. Although there was no longer any pressure or even a deadline from their record label, tensions during this period were high. The members all had different visions for the band's future, and Yorke was still experiencing writer's block,[38] influencing him toward a more abstract, fragmented form of songwriting.[6] Eventually, all the members agreed on a new musical direction, redefining their instrumental roles in the band.[39] For the first time the band recorded without considering live performance, secluding themselves with producer Nigel Godrich in a series of different studios from Paris to Copenhagen to Gloucester, to their own studio, newly complete in Oxford. In the process, they pared their 40 new songs down to the 30 which ultimately featured on their subsequent two albums and accompanying B-sides.[40] In 1999 and 2000 the band also played several of the new songs in a series of live webcasts for the first time, alerting fans to their progress.

Rather than creating a stylistic sequel to OK Computer, Radiohead released new tracks featuring a minimalist and textured style with less overt guitar parts. The tracks also featured more diverse instrumentation, including guitar, bass, drums, and keyboards, but also the ondes martenot, programmed electronic beats, strings and jazz horns. "The trick is to try and carry on doing things that interest you, but not turn into some art-rock nonsense just for its own sake", Colin Greenwood said of the recording sessions,[6] which were completed in April 2000, after nearly 18 months.

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"Everything In Its Right Place"
from Kid A - The opening track from Radiohead's fourth album, this song emphasizes the band's increasing use of electronic music and distortions of Thom Yorke's vocals.
Problems playing this file? See media help.

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Kid A, released on October 2, 2000, was the first of two albums created from these recording sessions. Synthesised, cryptic and claustrophobic, the album stunned the music industry and much of Radiohead's fan base with its departures from their past work and from pop conventions. Although the band did not release any singles from Kid A, promos of "Optimistic" and "Idioteque" received some radio play.[41] Instead of singles, a series of "blips" or "antivideos" were created by directors Chris Bran and Shynola, together with the band's longtime artistic collaborator Stanley Donwood, and distributed free over the Internet; these 30-second largely animated videos were seen to tie in with the album's anti-consumerist themes.[42] Yet Kid A achieved Radiohead's highest worldwide chart placement to date, debuting at number 1 in many countries, including the United States. Its debut atop the Billboard chart, where OK Computer had peaked at #21, marked a first for the band, identifying them as one of the few modern British pop acts to penetrate the American market,[43] though the album fell off the chart soon after. Radiohead's sudden commercial success has been variously attributed to hype; to the availability of the entire album on the Internet file-sharing network Napster a few months before its release [44]; and to anticipation after OK Computer.[45]

File:Jonnyelectronic.jpg
Jonny Greenwood on Saturday Night Live in 2000, using a modular synthesizer, an instrument that featured heavily in the recording of Kid A and Amnesiac.

In early 2001, Kid A received a Grammy Award for Best Alternative Album and a nomination for Album of the Year. Many critics branded Radiohead one of the world's most "important" bands, and the record was seen to cement the band's enigmatic image, gaining them plaudits for courage and innovation.[46] However, Kid A did not inspire universal praise. "I think a lot of writers [critics] expected us to come back with a combination of OK Computer and The Bends. The fact that we didn't do that means people who got their guitars out have had to put them back into the wardrobe", said Jonny Greenwood.[47] Some others criticised Radiohead for appropriating underground styles of music and receiving the credit. The band's fans were similarly divided; along with those who were appalled or mystified, there were many who saw Kid A as the band's best work.[48]

On previous tours, Radiohead had performed in large, corporate-sponsored venues, but had expressed their distaste for them.[49] In autumn 2000, the band was inspired by Naomi Klein's anti-globalization book No Logo to mount a tour of Europe in a custom-built tent free of advertising;[50] the band also performed a mere three concerts in North America, their first performances there in over two years, selling out smaller theatres.[51] Along with songs from Kid A, the band used their tour to perform songs that had been recorded during the sessions, but not yet released.[50] Having rejected the possibility of a double album before Kid A, Radiohead settled on the release of another album to contain the remaining material. Template:Sound sample box align leftTemplate:Sample box end Amnesiac, released in June 2001, comprised those additional tracks. Conceived by the band as complementary but distinct sequences of songs, the two albums' connection was made explicit with different versions of the song "Morning Bell" appearing on both records. Amnesiac saw the band's sound coalesce into a similar hybrid of avant garde electronic music and art rock, though in contrast to Kid A it featured more influence from jazz, and slightly more accessible songs. The piano ballad "Pyramid Song" was released as Radiohead's first single since 1997, hitting the UK top 5, and the guitar single "Knives Out" followed. Although criticised for a lack of cohesion, Amnesiac was critically acclaimed and a commercial success.

After Amnesiac's release, the band embarked on a world tour, visiting North America, Europe and Japan. They staged a summer mini-festival in Oxford's South Park—their first hometown concert in years—featuring Beck, Sigur Rós, Supergrass, and Humphrey Lyttelton, who played trumpet on the last track of Amnesiac, "Life in a Glasshouse". "I Might Be Wrong," initially planned as a third single, expanded into the band's first and thus far only live record. Released in autumn 2001, I Might Be Wrong: Live Recordings featured performances of Kid A and Amnesiac songs from various international concerts, and an acoustic performance of the previously unreleased "True Love Waits".

Hail to the Thief and a hiatus: 2002–2004

Several months after the Amnesiac tour, Radiohead toured Portugal and Spain during July and August 2002, playing new songs. Using this opportunity to test and finalise the songs before an audience of their fans, the band completed the album in two weeks in a Los Angeles studio with Nigel Godrich, with a few additional recordings done later in Oxford. Band members described the album as having a more relaxed recording process, in contrast to the tense Kid A/Amnesiac sessions.[9]

Radiohead released their sixth album, Hail to the Thief, in June 2003. Upon its release, Hail to the Thief was critically acclaimed for its mix of influences from all aspects of Radiohead's earlier work, combining guitars, electronic atmospheres and topical lyrics.[7] Although the album received many positive reviews, some critics felt that the band was treading water musically rather than continuing the "genre-redefining" trend that OK Computer had begun.[52]

Nonetheless, Hail to the Thief was Radiohead's fourth consecutive UK #1 album. It had more moderate commercial success in the US, debuting at #3 on the Billboard chart with the band's highest first week sales to date, but falling off soon after. The album's lead single, "There There", peaked at #4 in the British charts, while subsequent singles "Go to Sleep" and "2+2=5" charted at #12 and #15 respectively. "There There", however, was a #1 hit in Canada, and returned the band to U.S. modern rock radio favour, after several years without a song on playlists. At the Grammy Awards, the album was nominated for Best Alternative Album, Radiohead's fifth straight nomination in that category. Producer Godrich received the Grammy Award for Best Engineered Album.

Template:Sound sample box align rightTemplate:Sample box end Although Hail to the Thief's title was assumed be a comment on the controversial 2000 American presidential election, Yorke has denied this, explaining that he first heard the phrase during a Radio 4 discussion of John Quincy Adams, "who stole the election and who was known as 'The Thief' throughout his presidency".[9] Yorke explained that the album was, to an extent, influenced by world events of late 2001 and early 2002, but he also said, "It struck me as the most amazing, powerful phrase... I feel really strongly that we didn't write an [exclusively] protest record, we didn't write a political record."[9]

After the release of Hail to the Thief, Radiohead embarked on an international tour, which began with a June 2003 headlining performance at the Glastonbury Festival, and finished in mid-2004 with a performance at the Coachella Festival. Following the tour, the band began writing and rehearsing in their Oxford studio, but soon went on hiatus, as both O'Brien and Colin Greenwood were expecting sons, and needed some time with their respective families. Free of any contractual obligations, Radiohead spent the remainder of 2004 resting and working on solo projects. The band released a DVD version of their webcast television show The Most Gigantic Lying Mouth of All Time in December 2004.

Current recording sessions: 2005–present

Main article: Radiohead's seventh studio album

Radiohead began work on their seventh album early in 2005, though to date the album has no confirmed title or release date. In mid 2006, the band toured Europe and North America, and debuted 13 songs they have been working on. Although the band began by working with mixer Mark "Spike" Stent, since late 2006 they have been recording with longtime producer Nigel Godrich in several rural locations in England. Radiohead have stated that they will not tour until their new album is completed, according to Yorke "We are going off for the rest of the year basically, until it's done - we're not let out 'til it's done."[53]

The band is currently without a record contract, having fulfilled their six-album contract with EMI. In interviews in 2006, they admitted that "for the first time, we have no contract or release deadline to fulfill - it's both liberating and terrifying".[54] Radiohead have stated that they will not make a decision on how to release their new material until the album is completed.[55] Yorke has hinted at the possibility of releasing a series of EPs rather than a full album, although he has ruled out the possibility of Internet-only distribution.[56] To date it is unknown whether the band intends to negotiate a new contract with a label for the release of current and future recordings.

Radiohead's new music has been characterised by the band as "almost embarrassingly minimal," "sparse with lots of bass," and, more recently, "lush", according to Stanley Donwood, who is working closely with them on the artwork of the new album. Yorke described the lyrical concept of the album as, "It's about that anonymous fear thing, sitting in traffic, thinking, 'I'm sure I'm supposed to be doing something else'... it's similar to OK Computer in a way. It's much more terrifying. But OK Computer was terrifying too - some of the lyrics were."[57] On recent postings on Dead Air Space, the band's blog, Yorke has posted extracts of J.G. Ballard's anti-consumerist book Kingdom Come and links to sites against the use of nuclear power and for the promotion of global warming awareness[58] providing a possible glimpse at the lyrical content of the album.

Style and songwriting

Musical influences

Among Radiohead members' earliest influences were post-punk acts such as Joy Division[13] and Magazine[10] and 1980s alternative rock bands such as R.E.M., Pixies, The Smiths,[13] and Sonic Youth.[24] 1980s dance act Soul II Soul was another early inspiration, with several early demos, such as that for High and Dry, layered with dance beats.[14] Scott Walker was another early influence on the band, especially on "Creep", inspiring Radiohead to dub it their "Scott Walker song".[59]

By the mid-1990s, around the release of OK Computer, Radiohead began mentioning an interest in electronic music, such as that of trip-hop act Massive Attack and the instrumental hip hop of DJ Shadow, which they claimed as major influences on the sound of OK Computer.[60] Other influences on the album, according to band members, were Miles Davis and Ennio Morricone, along with 1960s pop groups such as The Beatles and The Beach Boys.[2][10] Jonny Greenwood also cited composer Krzysztof Penderecki as an inspiration on the sound of OK Computer. [61] Although Radiohead members publicly disdained progressive rock in general, critics noted similarities with Pink Floyd. [62]

Greenwood's interest in 20th century classical music was increasingly apparent on Radiohead's next album Kid A, largely inspired by his former teenage idol, Olivier Messiaen,[13] and Penderecki.[39] Radiohead's continuing influence from electronic music and their abandonment of a traditional rock sound on Kid A was the result of Yorke's admiration for glitch, ambient techno and IDM as typified by the Warp Records label and acts such as Autechre, Aphex Twin and Boards of Canada.[39] Jazz, such as that of Charles Mingus and Alice Coltrane, and 1970s Krautrock bands such as Can and Neu!, were other influences on Kid A and Amnesiac. [63] [6]

With Hail to the Thief, Radiohead continued their electronic influences of their previous two albums, although with renewed emphasis on guitar rock.[7] Accordingly, the band said they had tried to achieve the same "swagger" in their live performances as The Rolling Stones.[64] Although The Beatles and Neil Young were a source of musical inspiration during this period,[65] the band also continued to cite their influence by classical musicians and Can.[66]

Since 2005, while working on new material, the band have continued to mention experimental rock, electronic, and hip hop musicians as favourites—particularly Liars, glitch act Modeselektor, and Spank Rock.[67] Band members have also emphasized their interest in reggae and dub music,[68] as shown by the 2007 Trojan Records release Jonny Greenwood Is the Controller, a compilation of songs Greenwood selected by his favourite dub artists.

Changing roles

Radiohead's evolving musical style has been seen as a consequence of band members' varied tastes and accomplishments. Lead guitarist Jonny Greenwood is the only classically-trained member of the band and currently serves as the BBC's Composer in Residence. Greenwood is a multi-instrumentalist. Aside from guitar and keyboard, he plays the Ondes Martenot, banjo, viola and harmonica, but not all of these instruments have appeared on record. Greenwood has also arranged string orchestrations for Radiohead songs, including "Climbing Up the Walls", "How to Disappear Completely" and "Pyramid Song". Yorke plays guitar and piano and, at Exeter University, was once a DJ and part of a techno group, "Flickernoise".[39] In recent years he has focused on the digital manipulation of sound, claiming in 2003 that if forced to choose, he would rather make music only on computer than only on guitar.[69] Yorke's 2006 solo album, The Eraser, relied heavily upon electronic beats and samples, as well as piano.[70]

Since their formation, Radiohead have, lyrically and musically, been dominated by Yorke. In a 2000 interview, referring to the working of the band, Yorke said, "We operate like the UN, and I'm America."[39] An exception to this dynamic is songwriting. Although Yorke is responsible for writing nearly all the lyrics, songwriting is actually a collaborative effort, as interviews have revealed that all members have had an integral songwriting role.[6] As a result, all the band's songs are officially credited to "Radiohead".

The Kid A/Amnesiac sessions brought about a change in Radiohead's musical style, and an even more radical change in the band's working method.[6] Ed O'Brien described the situation in 2000: "If you're going to make a different-sounding record, you have to change the methodology... everyone feels insecure. I'm a guitarist and suddenly it's like, well, there are no guitars on this track, or no drums. Jonny, me, Coz, and Phil had to get our heads round that."[6] Since the band's shift from standard rock music instrumentation toward an emphasis on electronic sound, band members have had greater flexibility and now regularly switch instruments depending on the particular song requirements.[6] On Kid A and Amnesiac, Yorke sometimes played keyboard and bass, while Jonny Greenwood often played ondes martenot rather than guitar, bassist Colin Greenwood worked on sampling, and O'Brien and Selway branched out to drum machines and digital manipulations, also finding ways to incorporate their primary instruments, guitar and percussion, respectively, into the new sound.[6]

The relaxed 2003 recording sessions for Hail to the Thief led to a different dynamic in Radiohead, with Yorke admitting in interviews that "his power within the band was absolutely unbalanced and [I] would subvert everybody else's power at all costs. But it's not as bad as that any more. It's actually a lot more healthy now, democracy wise, than it used to be."[71] In live performances, the band have sometimes adapted studio versions of songs to rock instrumentation, although band members each play multiple instruments on stage.[6]

Collaborators

The band maintains a close relationship with their producers and engineers, in particular Nigel Godrich, as well as with graphic artist Stanley Donwood. Godrich made his name with Radiohead by working with the band as coproducer ever since OK Computer, and has sometimes been dubbed the "sixth member" of the band in an allusion to George Martin's work with the Beatles.[72] Donwood, another longtime associate of the band, has produced all of Radiohead's album covers and visual artwork since 1994, often together with Yorke, whom he met at art school (Yorke is credited for artwork under the pseudonym "Tchock" or "The White Chocolate Farm"). Examples of Donwood's art range from oil paintings and computer-generated imagery to collages and antique style posters. In interviews, he has said that he works near where the band is recording so as to find a visual equivalent for their sound.[73] Together with Yorke, he won a Grammy in 2002 for a special edition of Amnesiac packaged as a library book.

Other collaborators include Graeme Stewart, Dilly Gent, and Plank. Stewart has been Radiohead's sound engineer since their Kid A/Amnesiac sessions. He has also engineered Jonny Greenwood's and Yorke's respective solo albums Bodysong and The Eraser. Gent has been responsible for commissioning all Radiohead music videos since The Bends, working closely with the band to find a director suitable for each project. Plank, the band's guitar roadie, has worked with the band since The Bends, and has achieved a degree of fame in his own right.[74]

Legacy

Despite the increasing profile and popularity that Kid A and Amnesiac brought to the band,[43] the continued popularity of The Bends and OK Computer ensured the influence of Radiohead's earlier style on British rock music. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, many critics compared the sound of contemporary bands to that of Radiohead at some time during their recording output, and in some cases, these bands utilized the band's own producers Nigel Godrich or John Leckie. When asked in 2001 by MTV, "How do you guys feel about the fact that bands like Travis, Coldplay and Muse are making a career sounding exactly like your records did in 1997?", Yorke replied, "Good luck with Kid A."[13] However, other bands such as Bloc Party claimed to be influenced by Radiohead's later albums, and acts in various genres including The Roots, Hanson, The Flaming Lips, and John Mayer, as well as jazz and classical musicians, have covered Radiohead songs from their Kid A and Amnesiac period.[75]

Solo work

Main articles: Jonny Greenwood, Ed O'Brien, Phil Selway, and Thom Yorke
  • Jonny Greenwood appeared on Pavement's Terror Twilight in 1999, playing harmonica and guitar on several tracks. In 2003, he released Bodysong, an instrumental soundtrack he wrote for the documentary of the same name. His brother Colin Greenwood contributed bass and programming to the soundtrack. Since 2003, Jonny has composed "Smear," "Popcorn Superhet Receiver" and "Piano for Children" in his capacity as the BBC's resident composer. In late 2004 Jonny contributed, with Thom, to the Nigel Godrich-produced Band Aid 20 project. In 2005 Greenwood, along with Radiohead drummer Phil Selway, appeared in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire as part of a fictional band fronted by Pulp's Jarvis Cocker; they recorded several songs available on the official soundtrack to the film. In 2006 Greenwood was chosen as Composer of the Year in the British Composer Awards voted by BBC Radio 3 listeners, for his piece "Popcorn Superhet Receiver".[76]
  • In late 2000, Phil Selway toured for '7 Worlds Collide'. In 2005 Selway, along with Jonny, appeared in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire as part of a fictional band fronted by Jarvis Cocker; they recorded several songs available on the soundtrack. Later that year, Selway performed live with Nigel Powell's band Dive Dive; Powell had once recorded On a Friday's demo tapes, and was the former drummer of Andy Yorke's band Unbelievable Truth.

Discography

Main article: Radiohead discography
  1. Pablo Honey - February 22 1993 - #22 (UK) Platinum , #32 (U.S.) Platinum
  2. The Bends - March 13, 1995 - #4 (UK) 3x Platinum , #88 (U.S.) Platinum
  3. OK Computer - June 16, 1997 - #1 (UK) 3x Platinum , #22 (U.S.) 2x Platinum
  4. Kid A - October 2, 2000 - #1 (UK) Platinum, #1 (U.S.) Platinum
  5. Amnesiac - June 4, 2001 - #1 (UK), #2 (U.S.) Gold
  6. Hail to the Thief - June 9, 2003 - #1 (UK) Platinum, #3 (U.S.) Gold

Notes

  1. ^ a b Stoute, Lenny (1995-06-01). "Runaway hit a mixed-blessing for U.K.'s Radiohead". Toronto Star. followmearound.com. Retrieved 2007-03-18. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  2. ^ a b c d DiMartino, Dave (1997-05-02). "Give Radiohead to your computer". myLaunch. Followmearound.com. Retrieved 2007-05-05. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  3. ^ "Acclaimed Music: OK Computer". Acclaimed Music. Retrieved 2007-02-21.
  4. ^ "BBC/Your views on Amnesiac". BBC News. Retrieved 2007-03-01.
  5. ^ "US success for Radiohead". BBC News. 2001-06-14. Retrieved 2007-03-19. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Eccleston, Danny (2000-10-01). "Kid A". Q magazine. FollowMeAround.com. Retrieved 2007-03-24. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  7. ^ a b c "Radiohead: Hail to the Thief (2003): Reviews". Metacritic.com. Retrieved 2007-03-17.
  8. ^ Spin, "Radiohead Returns to Studio". 19 January, 2007.
  9. ^ a b c d McLean, Craig (2003-07-14). "Don't worry, be happy". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2007-03-25. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Randall, Mac (1998-04-01). "The Golden Age of Radiohead". Guitar World. Green Plastic Radiohead. Retrieved 2007-03-18. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  11. ^ Clarke, Martin. Radiohead: Hysterical and Useless, 2000.
  12. ^ 1993 interview with Colin Greenwood. [1]
  13. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Ross, Alex (2001-08-21). "The Searchers: Radiohead's unquiet revolution". The New Yorker. Retrieved 2007-03-26. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  14. ^ a b "On A Friday/Shindig Demo Tape 1990". radiohead.com.hk. Retrieved 2007-05-05.
  15. ^ "The first ever Radiohead interview". Curfew. followmearound.com. 1991-11-01. Retrieved 2007-05-05. {{cite news}}: |first= missing |last= (help); Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  16. ^ a b Kent, Nick (2001-06-01). "Happy now?". Mojo. AtEaseWeb. Retrieved 2007-04-01. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  17. ^ "Radiohead: The right frequency. [[BBC News]]". Retrieved 2007-03-11. {{cite web}}: URL–wikilink conflict (help)
  18. ^ "BBC Music Profiles: Radiohead.". Retrieved 2007-03-11.
  19. ^ "W.A.S.T.E. #4 official newsletter, 1993". Retrieved 2007-04-01.
  20. ^ "Creepshow". Melody Maker. Citizen Insane. 1992-09-12. Retrieved 2007-04-09. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  21. ^ Richardson, Andy (1995-12-09). "Boom! Shake The Gloom!". NME. Retrieved 2007-03-17. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  22. ^ Black, Johnny (2003-06-01). "The Greatest Songs Ever! Fake Plastic Trees". Blender. Blender.com. Retrieved 2007-04-15. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  23. ^ Irvin, Jim (1997-09-01). "We Have Lift-Off!". Mojo Magazine. citizeninsane.eu. Retrieved 2007-04-15. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  24. ^ a b "Reynolds, Simon. Walking on Thin Ice. The Wire, July 2001". Retrieved 2007-03-11.
  25. ^ Los Angeles Times 1993 interview with Yorke
  26. ^ Mallins, Steve (1995-04-01). "Scuba Do". Vox magazine. followmearound.com. Retrieved 2007-03-18. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  27. ^ Randall, Mac. Exit Music: The Radiohead Story, 2000. p. 98–99.
  28. ^ Yorke interview, 1995. [2]
  29. ^ Dennis, Jon (2003-05-02). "Radio days". The Guardian. Retrieved 2007-03-17. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  30. ^ Lowe, Steve (2000-08-01). "Radiohead: Tivoli, Barcelone". Q magazine. FollowMeAround. Retrieved 2007-03-26. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  31. ^ "Rounding the Bends. Mark Sutherland. Melody Maker, May 24, 1997". Retrieved 2007-03-11.
  32. ^ "Bikini Magazine, Volume 25". Retrieved 2007-03-11.
  33. ^ "The All-Time 100 albums. Time Magazine, November 13, 2006". Retrieved 2007-03-11.
  34. ^ Request magazine interview, 1997
  35. ^ "Citizen Insane. OK Computer". Retrieved 2007-03-11.
  36. ^ "Airbag/How Am I Driving? . RateYourMusic.net". Retrieved 2007-03-11.
  37. ^ "Radiohead extra: Amnesty International. AtEase Web.com". Retrieved 2007-03-11.
  38. ^ "Interview with Jonny Greenwood. Mondosonoro. June 2001". Retrieved 2007-03-11.
  39. ^ a b c d e Smith, Andrew (2000-10-01). "Sound and Fury". The Observer. Retrieved 2007-03-17. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  40. ^ "O'Brien, Ed. Studio diary from Kid A and Amnesiac recording sessions, 1999–2000.". Retrieved 2007-03-11.
  41. ^ "At Ease. Radiohead News Archive: 2000". Retrieved 2007-03-11.
  42. ^ "Tate, Joseph. "Radiohead's Antivideos: Works of Art in the Age of Electronic Reproduction." Postmodern Culture, May 2002. Volume 12, No.3". Retrieved 2007-03-11.
  43. ^ a b "BBC News. "US success for Radiohead." 14 June, 2001". Retrieved 2007-03-11.
  44. ^ "Menta, Richard. "Did Napster Take Radiohead's New Album to Number 1?" MP3 Newswire, October 28, 2000". Retrieved 2007-03-11.
  45. ^ "Oldham, James. "Radiohead - Their Stupendous Return." NME, 24 June, 2000". Retrieved 2007-03-11.
  46. ^ "Drowned in Sound: Reviews. Radiohead's Kid A". Retrieved 2007-03-11.
  47. ^ "At Ease Web. Radiohead discography: Kid A." Retrieved 2007-03-11.
  48. ^ "Metacritic compiling of reviews for Kid A". Retrieved 2007-03-11.
  49. ^ "W.A.S.T.E. 12. 1997. Archived at GreenPlastic.com's Cold Storage". Retrieved 2007-03-12.
  50. ^ a b Hermida, Alfred (2000-09-26). "Radiohead's big top thrills". BBC. BBC. Retrieved 2007-04-01. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  51. ^ "Radiohead Press Cuttings. Kid A's Alright". Retrieved 2007-03-11.
  52. ^ "Radiohead: Hail to the Thief. Guardian Unlimited: Arts. Alexis Petridis. June 6, 2003". Retrieved 2007-03-11.
  53. ^ "Radiohead. No tour 'til 2007". NME. 2006-09-08. Retrieved 2007-03-11.
  54. ^ "Exclusive - Radiohead UK tour revealed. NME. March 21, 2006". Retrieved 2007-03-11.
  55. ^ "AtEaseWeb.com Information for Radiohead's LP7.". Retrieved 2007-03-11.
  56. ^ "Radiohead's Thom Yorke on Going Solo". Rolling Stone. 2006. Retrieved 2007-03-11. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  57. ^ "NME, April 3, 2006". Retrieved 2007-03-11.
  58. ^ "mood music". Retrieved 2007-03-15.
  59. ^ Quotes from band
  60. ^ Gillespie, Ian (1997-08-17). "It all got very surreal". London Free Press. GreenPlastic. Retrieved 2007-05-05. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  61. ^ The Guardian, December 20, 1997
  62. ^ Cordes, Marcel (1998-01-29). "Jonny interview". FollowMeAround. Retrieved 2007-04-13. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  63. ^ Zoric, Lauren (2000-10-01). "Fitter, Happier, More Productive". Juice Magazine. followmearound.com. Retrieved 2007-05-03. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  64. ^ "Radiohead compare themselves to Rolling Stones". ateaseweb.com. ateaseweb.com. 2003-01-31. Retrieved 2007-05-05. {{cite news}}: |first= missing |last= (help); Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  65. ^ Duno, Borja (2003-05-30). "Ed & Thom interview at Mondosonoro". Mondosonoro. ateaseweb.com. Retrieved 2007-05-05. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  66. ^ Liner notes of Hail to the Thief, 2003.
  67. ^ Solarski, Matthew (2007-01-23). "Yorke Pimps Liars, Spank Rock, Malkmus on iTunes". Pitchfork. Pitchfork Media. Retrieved 2007-04-15. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  68. ^ Greenwood, Jonny (2005-09-23). "Dead Air Space: Clocking on again". Dead Air Space. Radiohead.com. Retrieved 2007-04-15. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  69. ^ Jo Whiley radio show, June 2003
  70. ^ "Thom Yorke, free agent". LA Times. At Ease Web. Retrieved 2007-03-24. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  71. ^ Dalton, Stephen (2004-04-01). "Are we having fun yet?". The Australian Age. Retrieved 2007-03-26. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  72. ^ "Everything In Its Right Place. Matthew McKinnon. July 24, 2006. [[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|CBC]]". Retrieved 2007-03-11. {{cite web}}: URL–wikilink conflict (help)
  73. ^ "Latest Art interview with Stanley Donwood. 2006". Retrieved 2007-03-11.
  74. ^ "Plank's blog". Retrieved 2007-03-11.
  75. ^ See List of cover versions of Radiohead songs
  76. ^ "NME. Radiohead win composer award. November 25, 2006". Retrieved 2007-03-11.

Further reading

Online articles

Books

  • Radiohead: An Illustrated Biography by Nick Johnstone (1997, ISBN 0-7119-6581-1)
  • Radiohead: Hysterical and Useless by Martin Clarke (2000, ISBN 0-85965-332-3)
  • Exit Music: The Radiohead Story by Mac Randall, (2000, ISBN 0-385-33393-5)
  • Radiohead: Back to Save the Universe by James Doheny (2002, ISBN 0-82641-663-2)
  • Radiohead's OK Computer by Dai Griffiths (2004, ISBN 1-56025-398-3
  • The Music and Art of Radiohead edited by Joseph Tate (2005, ISBN 0-7546-3980-0)

Dissertations

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Radiohead.
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