Ed: " it’s
gonna be an album of three minute pop songs"
[Wednesday 30-10-02]
Speaking to Xfm Online during a week that saw
his band picking up the Q Magazine ‘Best
Band In The World’ award (“A nice
bit of fluff,” O’Brien says, “It’s
nice to be voted for by the readers. That’s
cool”) the guitarist talked about the
progress on the follow up to Radiohead’s
acclaimed 2001 album ‘Amnesiac’.
“We’ve done about four weeks.”
He explained, “Two weeks in Los Angeles
and two in our own studio in Oxford. It’s
sounding good. A lot of energy, really good.
It just feels really good. As I always say it’s
gonna be an album of three minute pop songs.
That’s what they always say but that’s
what it is this time.”
When asked if he was joking, or whether he
was serious about the sudden change of style
for the band’s, O’Brien remained
positive. “Yeah,” O’Brien
laughed, “Guitars? Yup, there are a few.
In fact there’s a bit of everything. It’s
sounding really good. It’s like ‘We’ve
honed our thing, we’ve done our thing’
so what we’re doing feels like the right
thing to be doing now. As vague as I am.”
He also confirmed that Radiohead would be playing
some UK dates soon, saying they would take place,
“Next year. Definitely.” He also
shrugged off comparisons between his band and
Coldplay, and seemed thankful that Radiohead’s
own career trajectory wasn’t quite as
steep, saying.
“I think they’ve has a lot more
success than we had initially, if we’d
have had their success that early I know we
would have imploded big time, so full marks
to them.” [from xfm]
Thom amazes again with
different set at Bridge School Benefit [Monday
28-10-02]
Thom's second night at the Mountain View Shoreline
Amphitheatre was as great as the first one,
with a different setlist as well. Introducing
himself with: "Hi my name is Thom Yorke
and I'm from a band called Radiohead" he
played a set of eight songs on acustic guitar
and piano. Tonight he played tracks like morning
bell, nice dream, true love waits and an amazing
version of paranoid android. For a full setlist,
check the gigography.
[thanks pearly* & virginia]
Here's
a review from the San Francisco Chronicle &
here's
one from Contra Costa Times.
Thom Yorke at the Bridge
School benefit: 1st Night [Sunday 27-10-02]
Last night was the first night of Thom Yorke's
rare solo appearance at this year's Bridge School
benefit concert in the US. The concert took
place at the Mountain View Shoreline Amphitheatre.
Thom played a set with old tracks, two new ones
from the recent tour (there, there & sail
to the moon) and a Neil Young cover (after the
gold rush).
The shows are aimed to raise funds for the
non-profit school co-founded by Neil Young,
which works with children with speech and physical
difficulties.
For a full setlist, check the gigography.
[thanks pearly*, jeff, audra, john & ben]
Thinking about you [Friday
25-10-02]
Rocky Mountain News writes: Justin Timberlake
points at the sultry, groove-laden ballad Take
It From Me as proof of his versatility. "It's
an R&B song, but I sang it like a rock track,"
he says. "I was thinking about Thom Yorke
of Radiohead and Mazzy Star as I was singing
that song. It's totally fresh and different.
It's also completely me - and that's what counts
most of all. There's a lot more to me than people
have previously believed." [full
story]
Not many DJs can say they opened for Radiohead,
but Kid Koala (a k a Eric San) can -- he toured
with Thom Yorke and Co. last year. Describe
your style before I try to and screw it up.
The Miami Herald asked him to describe his style:
"It's ''turntable cabaret.'' I go into
different areas, cutting up down-tempo breaks
into some hip-hop, shift to a bit of electro.
Now I have been playing with melody from watching
guys like [Radiohead guitarist] Jonny Greenwood.
I am using elements in sets that are pretty
and subtle, but you'd notice if they weren't
there."
What was it like opening for Radiohead?
"I was really nervous. I had been
in front of big crowds before when I toured
with Money Mark of the Beastie Boys, but this
time I was up there by myself in places like
a packed Madison Square Garden. I opted for
an artsy set. I knew it wasn't going to turn
into a bouncing hip-hop party, but that crowd
is forward-thinking and it went better than
I expected." [full
story]
Remember, Roch Voisine? Apparently, he's been
doing some live shows and performing Radiohead's
Highy & Dry.[full
story]
There's a story in the Las Vegas Mercury about
record companies trying to keep new music away
from the internet... and the press! Radiohead
were mentioned as well "In 2000, Capitol
invited select writers from key publications
to its office to hear Radiohead's hotly anticipated
album, Kid A. When the writers got there, they
found individual listening stations, where they
would get to spend limited time with the album.
We're talking a few hours, people. Ever had
to listen to a work repeatedly in one setting
and be forced to not only form an opinion over
it, but analyze it? Especially from a band like
Radiohead?! It's no wonder Kid A and the band
found itself on the wrong end of a few critics'
pens. To add insult to injury, the album was
leaked to the Net before release anyway. Luckily,
the album sold in the millions, and the band
went back to traditional press distribution
for its 2001 studio album, Amnesiac." [full
story]
Colin to join Thom on
stage at the Shoreline Amphitheatre? [Thursday
24-10-02]
It's rumoured that both Thom and Colin are flying
to San Francisco for the Bridge School Benefit
(October 26th & 27th). It's not certain
if this means that Colin will perform as well,
but it sure is a possibility.
Radiohead were at the Oxford Brookes University
Students Union for the DJ shadow gig 2 nights
ago. It seems that they skipped the Q afterparty
and went straight to the DJ Shadow show [thanks
Ryan]
Radiohead's 'Everything in it's right place'
was used on tonight's 'Home Front In The Garden'
on BBC 2 (UK). [ok, so no news then:)]
A commercial for Turner Classic Movies for their
Western movies had 'I Might Be Wrong' layered
over the commercial. [thanks Matthew]
Radiohead to be included
on Capitol box set [Tuesday 22-10-02]
Capitol Records 60th Anniversary is to be commemorated
with a limited-edition 6-CD boxed sets and photo
book. There's one CD for each decade from the
40s to the present. Radiohead are included
on the '90's disc with 'Creep' & Fake Plastic
Trees'. The Box set will be in stores this month.
[thanks Doug]
The Q award ceremony will be broadcast today
on Channel 4 [UK] at 11:35pm tonight. Radiohead
received the award for Best act in the world
[see below, thanks filtherator]
Radiohead: Best act
in the world today [Monday 21-10-02]
Despite leading the field of hopefuls with three
Q Award nominations, Oasis failed to collect
a single gong, losing the much-coveted Best
Act in the World Today award to Radiohead. The
Oxford rockers were presented the award by cult
comedians The League of Gentlemen at a star-studded
ceremony attended by the likes of Moby, So Solid
Crew and Ms Dynamite. It is the second time
that Radiohead have won the award in two years,
having originally collected it in 2001 off the
back of their critically acclaimed album, "Amnesiac."
"A lot of the time when we've made records,
we think we've done the most stupid thing we
could have possibly done," said a very
quiet Thom Yorke. "So things like this
mean a lot to us otherwise we wouldn't have
the confidence to do it because that's what
we're like." [from Q4music,
thanks Matthew & Matt]
Thom in Bjork documentary
[Friday 18-10-02]
You can see them Yorke in a Bjork documentary,
to be broadcast on various TV stations takes
look on her whole solo career, spanning from
1993 to 2002 - and broadcasts in conjunction
with the Greatest Hits and Family Tree releases.
In a preview, available here,
Thom: "She was born with a voice that is
very sexual and at the same time very childlike,
very viscious and powerful". [thanks pat]
The Documentary is already scheduled in RUV/Iceland,
TV2/Denmark, TV3 /Ireland, RTV/Slovenia, Canal+
/Spain, FLYTV/ABC Australia, NRK/Norway on 29
November, STARTV Switzerland will show it in
the week of album release. Channel 5 in the
UK on 3rd of November. [from bjork.com]
James Lavelle on Radiohead
[Friday 18-10-02]
In an interview with the Guardian, James Lavelle
(UNKLE) mentions Radiohead: Lavelle disproves
the theory that he is a style sponge by placing
two non-club albums at the top of his list:
The Bends by Radiohead and Revolver by the Beatles.
"Radiohead have only ever put out phenomenally
good records, and Tomorrow Never Knows [on Revolver]
is the first track to use a sample and it blows
me away every time. I'm quite boring, really.
I'm just waiting for the new albums by Radiohead
and Massive Attack to come out and I'll be happy."
[from the
guardian, thanks Lucy & Matthew]
Rock, rock, rock, rock
& roll high school! [Friday 18-10-02]
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Coldplay's
Chris Martin said: "'Thom Yorke ignored
me at a hotel in Los Angeles. I was secretly
a bit gutted. I'm sure he recognized me. I always
look at it like we're in a big musical high
school and Radiohead is in the year above us
and they still haven't come and sat with us
at lunch.'' On Thom ''Cold Shoulder'' Yorke
-- well, as Martin says, ''all our other favorite
bands, like U2 and Oasis, have been great to
us.'' [from EW.com]
Radiohead nominated
for 'Best act in the world today' [Thursday
17-10-02]
Radiohead are nominated for 'Best act in the
world today', part of an award ceremony by Q
magazine. The band have received this award
last year. If you want to help them with your
vote, click here.
Ride declined tour with
Radiohead [Thursday 17-10-02]
"OX4 - The Best of Ride," highlighting
the recorded output of Ride will soon be released.
An inteview the band said reports that there
are currently no plans for a full-scale Ride
reunion -- largely due to Bell's obligations
with Oasis -- he says it's not completely out
of the question. "The band were actually
asked by Radiohead to be openers
but they declined". [from billboard]
Everything in its Right
Place remix [Thursday 17-10-02]
There's a remix of "Everything in its Right
Place" burning up the UK dance charts right
now. According to UK's Muzik magazine This devastating
house bootleg of "Everything in its Right
Place" ditches Thom Yorke's pained vocal
and adds a mercilessly effective 4/4 beat. Skills.
The remix is a white label Head of the house
remix. [thanks todd]
Asian Dub Foundation release album preview [Thursday
17-10-02]
Asian Dub Foundation will release a preview
for the forthcoming album 'Enemy of the enemy'.
The 'Fortress Europe' EP will be released this
months and includes tracks from their new album,
which will released in January. As reported
earlier Radiohead's Ed O'brien has collaborated
with the Asian Dub Foundation. At the moment
it's not certain if there any tracks with Ed
on this EP. [thanks JuRgen]
James Oakes covering Let Down [Thursday 17-10-02]
James Oakes, opening for the semi acoustic Chameleons
UK gig, did an acoustic set with his bandmate
guitarist, and about halfway through they played
a killer rendition of Radiohead's "Let
Down" at the San Francisco Great American
Music Hall (Oct 16, 2002). [thanks Pearly*]
The Promise Ring on Radiohead
& working with Nigel Godrich [Thursday 17-10-02]
The Promise Ring have seen the release of their
new album Wood/Water bring them new media attention
and scores of new fans. The Promise RIng did
an interview with Kludge magazine and Radiohead
& producer Nigel
Godrich were mentioned:
Do you think the recent rise of bands
like Radiohead have made the industry liberalize
much? No not at all. I think the music
business is getting less liberal. Radiohead
is a fluke, they just wrote an amazing record
and they’re an amazing band. There isn’t
another Radiohead. There can’t be. Lightning
doesn’t strike twice. It’s not all
of a sudden there’s this big floodgate
of “Prog rock” bands, or modern
Prog rock or whatever you want to classify Radiohead
as. It’s not like there’s a whole
bunch of bands that are as good as Radiohead
that all of a sudden labels want to get into.
That’s not going to happen it’s
going to be constructed pop songs like the American
Idol stuff or its going to be like whatever
else is popular right now, you know. There’s
never going to be a point where it’s all
of a sudden like really thoughtful artistic
bands, “Let’s sign them,”
you know? Radiohead was absolutely a fluke like
that, they just happen to be totally amazing.
But wouldn't you agree that Radiohead
has opened the door for bands like Sigur Ros?
Yeah, I could see that, but I think
it’s also the people that listen to music.
It gets to a point where they’re kind
of sick what’s out there. Obviously people
are sick of the nu-metal constructed pop stuff
of like ‘N Sync and want something else.
As one falls something rises you know? So it
just so happens to be that certain stuff. I
don’t think just because Kid A and OK
Computer or any of the Radiohead stuff was all
of sudden just opening anything.
Davey: Kid A, especially here, is not a big
record. It might as well be an indie release.
Except for Beck, see like Beck is just such
a great musician, that because of his past success
he can do whatever the fuck he wants. He obviously
is and that’s amazing.
Do you think you guys would ever work
with Godrich? I think so, possibly.
I think especially after hearing that. I mean,
just like OK Computer, I especially listened
to that and now listening to the stuff that
they’re doing without him, how much of
that record was Nigel. It’s all about
the band. Like Beck, how much of that record
was Beck? You have to take into consideration
the genius of the people who are actually making
the music. But I would like to work with him
because he sounds great and can do some good
work. [full
story, thanks Peter]
Radiohead fans: sick
freaks? [Thursday
17-10-02]
Found this in the Guardian, where the author
of the article compares Manchester United and
Leeds united fans: "And I'll probably
finish by explaining that so many people hate
"trendy" Man United (because they're
"trendy") that it has now become "trendy"
to hate Man Utd. In fact Man Utd haters are
like Radiohead fans - sick freaks who are only
happy when they listen to music which makes
then sad. Which means that Leeds fans are, by
definition, weird perverts". [from
the
guardian]
Music columnist Ken Basin lists his favourite
albums, year by year. 1997: Radiohead, OK Computer.
As trendy as it has become to love Radiohead,
I readily admit that I am one of the masses
who waits expectantly for anything Thom Yorke
wishes to grace the rest of the world with.
OK Computer is my favorite of these gifts, blending
the sounds of the past ("Electioneering"),
present ("Karma Police") and future
("Paranoid Android") into a work I'd
call nothing short of genius. [from the
daily trojan]
Vote for ateaseweb.com
[Monday 14-10-02]
The IMAs highlight the best music sites on the
internet (both official and unofficial) and
this year dotmusic is hosting the People's Choice
Award - an award voted for by the fans. I'd
really appreciate it if you could click the
button on the right and cast your vote for ateaseweb.com.
Thanks in advance!
Blah, blah, blah...
[Saturday 12-10-02]
Former Smith's singer Morrissey has been rejected
by the music industry, but Morrissey's still
goes to see record companies in search of a
deal: "But they all ask me how much I'm
prepared to compromise and I say 'Nothing'.
One company said, 'Yes, we'll sign you, but
we'd like you to make an album with Radiohead',
which doesn't mean anything to me. [full
story]
Radiohead were mentioned in an interview with
Martin Grech. Everyone seems to think that Radiohead
are an obvious influence in your music, are
they and what have been your musical influences?
Martin Grech: "I did listen to a lot of
Radiohead in my early teens - I'm still a big
fan, but I also love Nine Inch Nails, Deftones,
Queen Adreena, Bjork. I was also raised on bands
like The Blue Nile and Peter Gabriel."
[full
story]
And of course lovely Noel had something to say
again; Question in the Sunday Morning Herald:
If you want to be the biggest band in England
or the biggest band in the world, it's going
to come with the territory, isn't it?
Noel Gallagher: "You can't sell 35 f---ing
million albums and be anonymous. Unless you're
a country and western artist. It's like you
can't be Elvis and not be famous, you can't
be the Beatles and not be famous. You can't
be Liam Gallagher and not be famous. Listen,
Radiohead are a pretty big band but I'm sure
they don't live it. We're Mancunians and we're
Irish as well so we're never going to be Radiohead,
we're going to enjoy what we do. It's not about
stroking your f---ing chin and wondering where's
music going, it's about time's running out man.
We're all dying, we're all going to die soon
and I intend living for you and me and all the
people on the streets to go, 'look there is
one band doing it'." [full
story]
Christopher O'Riley
playing Radiohead [Thurday 10-10-02]
