Happy Birthday Colin

It's Colin Greenwood's birthday!. Radiohead's bass player turns 33 today. Congrats and related stuff go here.

Flavour of the month, Benicassim & Video Interview

There's a video of Thom and Ed from last week's World Trade Lobby. It's from the Christian Aid website. Check it out Check it out here. [thanks melissa]

On BBC Radio 1 Thom Yorke said: "I used to be involved with jubilee 2000 and that was about dropping unpayable debts." "One of the things that came up quite a lot was really the way the west is involved with the rest of the world and the way it has managed to corrupt the relationships we have with the poorest countries in the world which means they’ll never really get off their knees."

The organizers of the Benicassim Festival confirmed today which day the bands are playing. Radiohead will be playing on Saturday August 3rd. It has also been announced that 1-day tickets will be available starting july 5th from the usual outlets and they will cost 43€ (50€ at the box office the weekend of the festival). [thanks david]

From w.a.s.t.e.: In a naive attempt to embrace the summer, w.a.s.t.e. has introduced a new section to the w.a.s.t.e. shop. The new section is to be named FLAVOUR OF THE MONTH. Every month we will be reducing the price of one of our more popular products. This product will then be known as the FLAVOUR OF THE MONTH. Ingenious don't you think? I think that's all I need to say about that. Enjoy the sunshine. All of us at w.a.s.t.e. hq www.waste.uk.com.

The first part of a Radiohead feature is published in the French issue of this month's Rock Sound. Part two will be published in the next issue.

Radiohead & justice in world trade lobby

[the news a bit later than usual because of my holiday]

Radiohead have spoken about their reasons for supporting a massive lobby on the UK Parliament today aimed at improving greater justice in global trade.

The band are expected to join an estimated 10,000 protesters outside Westminster (June 19) at the largest ever mass lobby of Parliament. They will line up to meet their MPs, forming a giant queue, which is expected to stretch along the south bank of the Thames.

The protest is being organised by the Trade Justice Movement (TJM), a collective of charities, aid agencies and campaigning groups working towards reform of international trade rules.

Speaking in today's Financial Times, singer Thom Yorke explained why the band feel the protest is important. "The Trade Justice Movement is the next step, and that's what I find exciting about it....these countries are going to stay on their knees until western people are made aware that these tariffs are being put on these countries' exports."

Guitarist Ed O'Brien added: "When you look at it rationally, it's a absolutely ludicrous situation. You have subsidised EU surplus grain going to these countries, when then can't impose any taxes on it to protect their farmers."

Yorke said that he expects politicians to take notice of the lobby, if only because they can use it to their personal gain. He concluded: "Politicians are always interested when you've got a reasonably strong movement, and they think they can get something out of it. If they can be seen to be doing good in one way or another then obviously they'll try and go for it. " [from nme.com]

Check out the interview from the financial times
here.
[thanks Chikara] And there's another interview at the BBC here. [thanks John] And one from the Guardian here [thanks Mike]

Radiohead and the rest of the world

[the news is a bit later than usual because of my holiday]

And now for something completely different: Noel Gallagher was interviewed by a Spanish reporter for the newspaper El Mundo this week, and this is what he said about Radiohead:

"I don't like Radiohead. Well, I'm lying, their music is cool but they are not. It's the way they believe that they are in a higher intellectual level. I think they're pretty arrogant"

Read the full interview (in Spanish) here. [thanks david]

In the new Kid Rock video that played today on Much Music, titles something like, "No MotherF***** Like Me", or something, Kid is sitting on the toilet looking at a Playboy of Pam Anderson and has toilet paper that says "RADIOHEAD" on it. He uses it predictably. [thanks Colleen]

Radiohead to support mass lobby for justice in world trade

Radiohead will join more than 10,000 people from across the UK when they take part in the largest ever mass lobby of parliament on global trade. On 19 June 2002, people from many of the UK's 659 parliamentary constituencies will converge on Westminster to meet their MPs and press for greater justice in global trade. Radiohead will be playing an important part in the lobby, which aims to send a clear message that British voters want the rules on international trade rewritten to favour the world's poorest communities and safeguard the environment. [read more here, thanks asiangirl]

News in brief

What happens if you put Radiohead, REM, PJ Harvey and Enrique Inglesias into a house with no exit for 6 weeks? Watch the drama unfurl at mogtv.com

If you want to read what Jonny posted on the official message board Monday Night, click here.

Christopher O'Riley who performed some Radiohead songs earlier has his web site online now. You can check it by clicking here.

Also, on the Chris O'Riley page of NPR, there's a little "easter egg." If you roll your mouse over the empty space below the nick drake album cover a ways down the page, you'll find a link to a hidden page containing full versions of riley playing "exit music," "karma police," "you," and "i can't." [thanks chris]

Thom Yorke mentioned in latest CND Magazine

For anyone who is a member of CND (Campaign For Nuclear Disarmement) you will already know this but there is a quote from Thom in the latest edition of the Campaigns magazine, this is what he says:-- "If Tony Blair and Jack Straw think they can allow America to have the bases for Star Wars in this country by putting up a few more fences and concrete, ignoring the misgivings of its own party, muttering quietly about "rogue states" without entering into any real debate, they are in for a nasty shock". Apparently Thom Yorke gave a statement to CND when they went marching to protest against Star Wars to read out at the protest [thanks danieljarrett]

Nigel, Thom, Colin and Radiohead's management are thanked in the booklet of new DJ Shadow cd, 'Private Press'. On track number 7 of the album, the same Fitter Happier voice was used.