Radiohead's Glastonbury gig voted best ever

Radiohead's set at Glastonbury 1997 has been voted the best gig ever in a Q Magazine poll. The set, hailed by Glastonbury boss Michael Eavis as "the most inspiring festival gig in 30 years", was the Saturday night headliner at that year's particularly muddy festival. Radiohead also got to No.33 with the Glastonbury gig in 2003. [thanks Ryan, Paul, soxisgod & Andrew]

Com Lag: Worldwide releases

The Com Lag EP should've been Japan only, but it seems like the disc will get a worldwide release. So far the following countries have released or will release the EP soon: Canada, Australia, Mexico, New Zealand, The Netherlands, Spain and Sweden. It seems like all copies will be imports from the new Japanese release (without the Skttrbrain error). [thanks Marc & Dan, Daniel]

A new batch of Com Lag EP's can be ordered from SoundWorld again for AUD$22.95 (approx. US$16.89 + P&H) If you want to order any of those, click here.

Q's 50 years of rock features Radiohead

Q magazine, in the latest installment of the 50 Years of Rock special issues, has listed "OK Computer" and "The Bends" as two (out of twenty) of the most important albums of the last 25 years. "OK Computer" was second only to Nirvana's "Nevermind", and Radiohead was the only group that had two albums on the list. "Creep" was listed as the third (out of 20) most important single in the past 25 years. [thanks Jonathan]

Radiohead still heading for Coachella

A lof of Radiohead fans are worried about the band's performance on Coachella this Saturday after the Melbourne cancellation. According to Radiohead management the band are still heading for California, hoping Thom's throat will be healed by then: "At the time of writing this the plans have not changed beyond the cancelled show in Australia".

An American spokesperson for the band tells Billboard.com there is no indication Yorke's ailment will prevent Radiohead from making its scheduled headlining appearance Saturday at the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival in Indio, Calif.

According to the NME Promoter Michael Chugg told radio station Triple J that Yorke has been put on antibiotics to assist with his recovery in time for the band’s appearance at the Coachella festival in California this coming weekend.

W.a.s.t.e. tickets refunds for cancelled show

A message from W.a.s.t.e. to all those holding tickets for the cancelled Radiohead concert in Melbourne on the 27th April.

In order for you to obtain a refund on these tickets please return them to the PO box address below as soon as possible. We will refund the full ticket price as soon as we receive them. Please enclose a note providing the purchaser's full name and address and the ticket order number.

W.a.s.t.e cannot refund any orders without the receipt of the original tickets.

Regards
all@waste

Waste Products Ltd.
PO Box 322
Oxford
OX4 1EY
England

Bodysong nominated for Ivor Novello award

The Bodysong documentary, with a score by Jonny Greenwood, has been shortlisted for 'Best Original Film Score' at the Ivor Novello awards. Winners will be announced in London at the end of May [thanks reminder]

Radiohead cancel Melbourne show

Radiohead manager Bryce Edge has announced that tonight's Radiohead show at the Rod Laver Arena has been cancelled.

Lead singer Thom Yorke complained of voice difficulties during last night's concert and was barely able to finish the concert.

This morning he was attended by a Melbourne ear nose and throat specialist who diagnosed Thom with marked hoarseness of voice, a significant upper airway infection and associated heavy inflammation of his vocal chords. It was advised that if Thom was to sing in the next few days it could cause irreparable damage to his voice. Consequently and regrettably tonight's concert had to be cancelled.

Thom and the band would like to apologise to all of their fans, they are aware that people have travelled from all over the country for tonight's show and would like everybody to know that this decision was not taken lightly. The band want to thank all of their Australian fans for their support at this time.

Refunds are available at point of purchase.

Thom's voice cracks in Melbourne

Radiohead played their first of the two gigs at the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne tonight. The band played only one encore, closing with the usual 'Everything it its right place' with a line of 'Fog' sampled. During the show Thom said: "Sorry about the throat, we almost nearly cancelled tonight. Please forgive or kiss my throat frog". For a full setlist, check the gigography.

Radiohead's second show in Melbourne, scheduled for tomorrow, is rumoured be postponed a day to let Thom's voice heal. In this case, the last Melbourne show would be on Wednesday April 28th.

Experimental Radiohead

Channel 4 (UK) has a show called 'Experimental' listed in their schedules: "From the makers of Banzai comes a new world of scientific madness. Tonight's experiments include an investigation into alternative energy sources using actors, a test into prostitution with dogs and a scientific safari with Masai, Busted and Radiohead." Sounds pretty scary to me. It'll be broadcast at 23:40 on Friday April 30th. [thanks penni]

Mexican Com Lag

The Japan-only (!) release of the b-sides compilation Com Lag will be available in Mexico as well, after the EP was announced to be out in Australia, New Zealand and Canada. EMI Music Mexico. [thanks woako]

Sydney Morning Herald reviews Sydney shows

The Sydney Morning Herald have a review online of Radiohead's Sydney shows from the past weekend: "They haven't lost the ability to pin you to your seat in the step-up of There There (it didn't get louder but bigger - like a rush of blood to the head) or the Nirvana-like thrashing change in My Iron Lung. And there's nothing quite like the innards-gripping synth bass in Climbing Up the Walls, or the bordering-on-manic guitar solo at the climax of Go to Sleep."

Thom reports from down under

Thom was on the official message board this afternoon, posting from Melbourne where the band will be playing their final gigs of the Australasia tour.

ziss is mellborne
theres a teeni boy band stageing a glamorous entrance to our hotel by hiring some teenage girls to scream endlessly in irritating fashion for the camera as they arrive on a poxy bit of red carpet in a borrowed range rover with stupid quiffs. they keep taking it again and again. i feel so old i might go and complain..or maybe ask for their autograph

can i have some of that cheese on toast?

thm

Vote for Radiohead

You can vote for Radiohead's 2001 performance on Pinkpop to be broadcast on Dutch television in May. Go to 3voor12.nl to give Radiohead 10 points and you might see the show (again) on Nederland 3 on Mat 23rd or May 30th. [thanks Gert]

Radiohead's second night in Sydney

The second night at Sydney's Entertainment Centre featured some changes in the set. 'Planet Telex', played on the previous shows of this tour was on the setlist but the band played 'You and whose army?' instead. Other songs played were 'Nice Dream', 'We Suck Young Blood', 'Just' and 'No Surprises'. Full setlist in the gigography.

Radiohead have a day off tomorrow and will play their two final Australian shows in Melbourne on Monday and Tuesday.

Sydney pictures online

The nice people at radio station Triple J have put the pictures online of the first Radiohead show at Entertainment Centre in Sydney last night. You can find them by clicking here.

Radiohead interview in 'The Age'

Australian paper 'The Age' lifted a story from The Independent. Some quotes: Yorke is vexed about Iraq, especially his own early views on the conflict. "I bought it," he admits, glumly. "I thought, OK, if he has these weapons, they should be taken off him. You'd think I'd know better."

This is a good place to start. Radiohead's last album, Hail to the Thief, was a distillation of the static that was buzzing in Yorke's head at the end of 2001. If all you had heard of it was the title, you could be forgiven for expecting an explicitly political tract. As is the case with Radiohead at their best, though, it is and it isn't.

"It's not an America-baiting thing," says Thom. "That's not the point at all. And the title keeps coming from different places, anyway. First, it's about that coup there, but look, there's another one here, and another one over there. And you could also think of it in terms of access and influence. It sets me off in different directions depending on what day of the week it is."

"And that wasn't the point either. The record definitely enters a dark place in the middle, but it isn't the whole thing. When we were doing Kid A and Amnesiac, I had this thing that we were entering a very dark phase. I mean, you know me, I've made a career out of saying things like that. But it did strike me that things were going to kick off one way or another, and at the same time there was a rise, politically anyway, in ignorance and stupidity, and all that lovely euphoria after the Berlin Wall came down had disintegrated into this global political and economic anarchy."

Click on the link below the read the full story

Radiohead in Sydney, 'Let down' soundchecked

It's been 6 years since Radiohead played the Entertainment Centre in Sydney, Australia. The band played 'Planet Telex' again. So we can safely say the setlist had no surprises at all. For the full setlist, check the gigography. Apparently, Radiohead did 'Let down' three times in their soundcheck. The band will play Sydney again tomorrow and two more gigs in Melbourne after the weekend.

Thom interview on Triple J

There's an interview with Thom Yorke available on the Triple J site. Listen to it here.

As reported earlier Radiohead's last Australian show will be broadcast live on Triple J. Rosie Beaton will be interviewing one of the band (probably Ed) before they go onstage. The concert will be streamed on the Triple J site for a week after the live broadcast.

Radiohead mellow but don't mention Mariah

The Australian have an interview with Colin Greenwood: On the face of it, one wouldn't expect to find much in common between British indie rockers Radiohead – who shot to fame 10 years ago with the hit Creep – and temperamental diva Mariah Carey.

But that's where Sydney comes in. When the Oxford quintet was last touring Australia, they were locked out of their dressing room by the at-times troubled crooner. Carey was playing at the Sydney Entertainment Centre the night after Radiohead – but had procured the dressing room ahead of time and wouldn't allow them in. "She could have been in there," said bass guitarist Colin Greenwood, "and that would have been good – if she was locked in."

Already well-versed in Australian cuisine, Greenwood sees his dawning maturity in terms of "a fine old Margaret River cheese". "Yes, we're maturing, like old cheeses, left on a shelf where someone comes along and takes a pole out to see how mouldy you've got."

But while having children has mellowed the band members personally – they are famous for their at-times paranoid self-introspection – it has not changed their political message. "It doesn't mean you can be any less emotional about the future, or any less angry about things like climate change or Iraq or Afghanistan," Greenwood said.

Click on the link below to read it in full.

OK again, after spike of success

The Sydney Morning Herald have an interview with Thom Yorke online. Some bits an pieces:

As Yorke says now, by the time Radiohead came to Australia in 1998, at the tail end of that tour, "we weren't talking to each other at the worst because there was no point" and he was so detached that he often felt as if he was observing his body from afar.

What some saw as a kind of madness afflicting Yorke when the band returned home - scrapping dozens of songs; rejecting anything that smacked of repeating patterns from the band's musical past; talking publicly of razing the band's collective ego to the ground - was one way of dealing with depression. Depression spawned by "months and months of seeing your own image projected and the echoes coming back at you, so you get to this level of detachment."

"[The depression] is debilitating and sort of destructive but I don't consider that I'm in any way unusual," he says. "I consider that I'm very lucky because I have a way of dealing with it, which is working. [Using the] highs and the lows too. The lows are when you are like litmus paper: you absorb more when everything is twice as loud and everything is twice as bright."

Click on the link below to read it in full.

14 Things that Disturb and Alienate Thom Yorke

Spin Magazine had a list entitled "Fourteen Things that Disturb and Alienate Thom Yorke"

01 - Technology (Subterranean Homesick Alien)
02 - Automobiles (Killer Cars)
03 - The media (Myxomatosis)
04 - Insincerity (Fake Plastic Trees)
05 - Personal responsibilty (Just)
06 - Death, aging, suburban living (Street Spirt [Fade Out])
07 - Not dying in a plane crash (Lucky)
08 - Not dying in a car crash (Airbag)
09 - Tony Blair (You and Whose Army?)
10 - Having sex, watching films, getting the mail (Motion Picture
Soundtrack)
11 - Hypocrites who spy on him while he casually chats with a friend, although it's entirely possible that the friend is, in fact, the same hypocrite who spies on him (Life in a Glasshouse)
12 - The coming Ice Age (Idioteque)
13 - Divorce (Morning Bell)
14 - Himself (Creep)

[thanks David]

Canadian Com Lag on May 4th

Earlier on Capitol Records Canada announced a release of the Com Lag EP for April 13th. But it looks like the Japanese imports will need some more time, because of the earlier reported mastering error. The new version will be in Canadian shops on May 4th. [thanks Cristina]

Pitchfork.com parody features Radiohead

The people of SomethingAwful.com have a parody of Pitchforkmedia.com online... or should i say Richdork.com? SA write: "In case you've never heard of Pitchfork Media before, it's one of those uber-scenester hipster indie shithead mags which allocates its time fawning over either "intelligent" bands like Radiohead or super-underground indie acts that nobody has ever heard of and usually have the word "project" or "experiment" in their name. It's a culture of pretending to be more intelligent and obscure than the next guy so your musical cock will be larger than theirs and all the ladies will flock to you like cosmetic surgeons to Thom Yorke's disturbingly mutilated face. If you'd like to check out some wonderful examples of their highly "oh holy hell we're so fucking smart" reviews, feast your eyes upon these winners."

Some of the album review titles:
.: Radiohead: A Very Radiohead Christmas
.: Radiohead: Big Ugly Headed Thom Yorke Likes the Black Chicks, Oh Yeah
.: Radiohead: A Tribute to Radiohead
.: Radiohead: The Best of Radiohead, Vol. 47
.: Radiohead: The Tool Remixes
.: Radiohead: Kid A+
.: Radiohead: The Discography (Remixed by P-Diddy and RZA)
.: Radiohead: Turboslut 3D
.: Radiohead: Thom Gets a New Face
.: Radiohead: President Bush, More Like President Push (Him Off a Cliff)
.: Radiohead: George Michael's Sex Machine
.: Radiohead: Let's Talk About Sex Baby
.: Radiohead: Let's Get a Little More Radiohead Up In This Piece, Son
.: Tool: The Radiohead Remixes

[thanks Travis]

Phil and Ed on New Zealand TV3 News

Phil and Ed were in New Zealand to do some interviews, including one for the New Zealand TV3 News tonight (Tuesday 20th). They talked about past tours and both said they were very sorry for not playing in New Zealand this year, because there were no suitable (large) venues for them to play, and recognized that the country gave them their 1st gold record outside the US.
On the next tour they would try to give themselves more time, so they can play more concerts and promised they would ‘repay’ New Zealand next time they could.
Phil mentioned that, even though their record contract had expired, he was "confident that (they) would be making a new album". Ed talked about his son, and how that’s changed his perspective on the band. They also said they're pretty much taking the rest of the year off from recording. The reporter said not to expect a new album until late next year. [thanks Adrian, Servilcat & Rich]

Radiohead TV DVD

A lot of people wrote in, to ask what was going to happen with Radiohead's dvd release: 'Radiohead TV: DVD'. The DVD won't be released just yet. It's uncertain if it will get a release at all. But for the moment you'll just have to wait for further announcements. [thanks to Garret for the reminder]

First day of Coachella festival sold out

The first day of the Coachella festival, Saturday May 1st, has sold out. Tickets for the second day are still available. Radiohead headline the first the day of the festival in Indio, California. Tickets for Onsite camping have sold out as well.[thanks joanna]

Ed interview on New Zealand radio station

New Zealand radio station Channel Z will have an interview with Ed O'Brien on Wednesday morning's (April 21st) James Coleman breakfast show (6-10 am).

Another New Zealand station, BFM have an announced an interview as well, but at the moment it's not sure when it will be broadcast. Both stations are available for internet streaming. [thanks Kev]

Radiohead J-file online

The earlier reported J-files special on Radiohead, presented by Richard Kingsmill, is now online on the Triple J website. For those want to listen (again) have a look here for a windows media or real player stream.

Last show in Japan: Bulletproof

Radiohead played their last of four gigs in Japan at the Makuhari Messe in Chiba/Tokyo. Just like the two previous nights 'Planet Telex' was played again. But, the Japanese fans got another surprise: 'Bulletproof'. Check the gigography for a full setlist.

Next gig will be in Sydney, Australia on Friday April 23rd.

Planet Telex played again in Tokyo

Radiohead played in Chiba (which is near Tokyo) tonight. Again, not many surprises in the setlist, although the band did play 'Planet Telex' again. 'The Gloaming', 'Just' and 'We suck young blood' debuted, compared to the first two Japanese shows in Osaka. A full setlist is available in the gigography.

Radiohead featured in Record Collector

Radiohead's back catalogue is the subject of a feature in the May 2004 issue of UK magazine "Record Collector". The feature is a 2 page UK discography, with all the singles, albums and EPs released by the band in the UK listed, along with important promos and their values. The Drill EP, Radiohead's first release, is now reckoned to be worth £250 on CD

Also included is a "Prog Planetary System" space chart, designed to look like a solar system, with bands shown as satellites of bands by whom they've been inspired. Radiohead are a satellite orbiting the planet of "King Crimson", along with Tool, Mansun and The Cooper Temple Clause. [Thanks Jamie W.]

New poster at the w.a.s.t.e. shop

W.a.s.t.e. informs us that they have a new poster added to their shop. The poster, pictured on the right, will cost ya 5 pounds... Also, on w.a.s.t.e. a lot shirts on sale ('for a limited period only')... have a look.

Radiohead special on PBS FM

Australian radio station PBS-FM (106.7) features a two hour Radiohead retrospective on Jacob Marshall's Coolin' by Sound on Tuesday (April 20th) at 9am, including live material, b-sides, interviews and more". Check their site at
pbsfm.org.au. [thanks abby]

Bodysong screening on Coachella Festival

As you already know, Radiohead are one of the headliners at the Coachella Festival in Indio, USA. An extra surprise for those who want to see Bodysong. The award-winning documentary with a score by Jonny Greenwood will be screened at the Coachella Film Festival. [thanks sarah]

Jonny Greenwood interview on Triple J

Australian radio station Triple J did an interview with Jonny Greenwood on their Friday morning Breakfast show with DJs Adam and Wil. Triple J will archive the show here. [thanks Robbie]

Nice Dream & Planet Telex on 2nd night in Osaka

Radiohead played 'Kid A', 'Nice Dream' and 'Planet Telex' on the second night at the Intex in Osaka, Japan. Thom dedicated 'Myxomatosis' to Dick Cheney. Ed was celebrating his birthday in Osaka. After a few songs Colin pointed at Ed and said "Birthday boy". Ed received a 'Happy Birthday' from parts of the crowd and Thom asked: "So how old are you?" Ed replied with ".. erm.. 30". Thom said: "Oh that was very showbiz of me". Colin pointed out it was actually 36. For a full setlist, check the gigography.

Also in Osaka, a new song in the soundcheck on both days at the Intex. Next (and the last) two Japanese gigs are at the Makuhari Messe in Chiba (near Tokyo) on Saturday and Sunday. [thanks neozero, zankou, will, sayoko & mandy]

Yes?! Radiohead Ringtones

Nope... no Creep or Karma Police, but Radiohead have two ringtones available for download on your mobile phone. 2 tracks, 'Friendly Fire' and 'I get louder' can be purchased through the waste site for about £3,- per download. Get more info and a preview of the audio files at www.waste.uk.com. [thanks leslie]

Happy Birthday Ed!

Ed O'Brien is celebrating his birthday in Japan. Ed turns 36 today. So congratulations to him. Have a great one. Hope those Japanese fans have their Happy Birthday singalong prepared at the Osaka Intex tonight.

Radiohead kick off tour in Osaka

Radiohead started their short tour through Japan and Australia at the Intex in Osaka. The band played a set like we´ve seen them do it last year. So... not many surprises in the setlist.

Backdrifts had a flase start. Thom: "don't know what the fuck we were doing on that one, let's go to the next one". Jonny started his bit on Airbag by mistake, when he was supposted to play 'Talk show host''. Thom razzes Jonny who then apologizes in Japanese. Full setlist in the gigography. Radiohead will play another gig at the Osaka Intex tomorrow. [thanks zankou]

New Radiohead.com online

As reported earlier, a new Radiohead.com was in the making. It was not Saturday as promised by Stanley Donwood, but a couple of days later. The new site is now online. Have a look.

Radiohead Skateboard auctioned for Amnesty Int.

Amnesty International have another Radiohead/Zoo York skateboard for auction on eBay. The skateboard is signed by the band and you can bid on this untill April 19th. Another nice auction is a Coachella Festival VIP Ticket Package. Bids for both auctions start at $200. Go here for an overview of all items auctioned for Amnesty International. [thanks cavalorn]

Triple J to broadcast Melbourne show

Australian radio station Triple J will be broadcasting the entire Melbourne show on the 27th April live to air. There's also a competition open to Australian residents to win tickets, travel, etc. to the show. More details here.

As already reported, there is a J file on Radiohead this Saturday (April 17) from 5pm (AEST). A streaming version will be available on the Triple J website from monday. [thanks Matt & John]

Creep story on 6Music

A bit late notice, but in Gideon Coe's show on BBC's 6Music, which is on at the moment, they will be doing the 'singles story' of Radiohead's Creep. If you miss it, you can listen to it 6music's website [thanks Dan]

'Split Sides' in Korea

For those in Korea who want to see the Merce Cunningham ballet piece 'Split Sides', with music by Radiohead and Sigur Ros, can see it live at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in Seoul from Thursday through Saturday.

Radiohead's half of the piece, created by Jonny Greenwood's keyboards and Thom Yorke's looped vocals, will be presented as a recording. Sigur Ros will make the trip to Seoul with Cunningham to perform their half of 'Split Sides' live.

Merce Cunningham Dance Company: 6 p.m. on Thursday and Saturday, 8 p.m. on Friday, Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, near Kwanghwamun Station on subway line 4. Tickets: 40,000 won to 120,000 won. Info: (02) 537-0300 or www.i-fine.co.kr

Radiohead's Musical Journey on Triple J

Australian Radio station Triple J have an hour long edition of the J Files, "Radiohead's Musical Journey", on this Saturday (17th of April) at 5pm in anticipation for the band's arrival in Australia. You can listen to Triple J online [thanks Pat]

Radiohead interview in The Age

Radiohead were interviewed for Australian newspaper The Age. Some bits and pieces from the interview:

According to bass guitarist Colin Greenwood, who plays the role of Radiohead's chief diplomat and peacemaker, "having fun" has now become a key factor in the band's working methods. A novel concept, it seems. "It's been pretty stable really," says Greenwood. "I used to think it's all going to end tomorrow, every day, but I don't think about that any more because it's really unhealthy. Am I ready for it to end? Probably not."

By his own admission, Thom Yorke was once an egomaniac dictator who ran Radiohead as his own personal fiefdom. His power within the band was "absolutely unbalanced," he admits, and he 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. Partly because I was so paranoid and uptight about not getting my own way. Growing a beard and starting to bake your own bread and stuff has made me realise that maybe I'm not right all the time."

That must have been quite a shock? "It was a f---ing nasty shock, man," Yorke nods with a guilty grin. "I was terrible, awful. I created a climate of fear, the same way that Stalin did. I was very paranoid that things would get taken away from me."

But in recent years, the loosening of Radiohead's power structure seems to have freed up their tortuous creative methods. With born-again fervour, all five band members have immersed themselves in the fringe subcultures of electronica, jazz and underground dance music. All acquired home studios and began to use computers as prime compositional tools.

"It was weird," Yorke recalls. "It was like starting the band again, in some ways, because a lot of the time you would have something written and go in and just bash through it. But now ideas come from all over the place, which is good, much better."

Is Yorke comfortable with his status as a corporate employee?

"Not really, I'm pretty touchy about it," he grumbles. "But if you want to actually have your record in a shop, then you've got no way round it because you have to go through major distributors. Personally one of the reasons that I wanted to be in a band was actually to be on the high street. I don't want to be in a cupboard. I write music to actually communicate things to people."

Go to The Age or click on the link below to read it in full

New Radiohead.com delayed

Stanley promised us a new Radiohead.com before lunchtime, which is about... now. Well, nothing yet, but MaxK said: "hopefully sometime before monday you'll get a new radiohead.com and hopefully you won't think its shit. we've worked on it lots and we're a bit fed up but i think its rather good. eh." [thanks maybemaybemaybe]

Kid606 vs. Creep

On the website of Tigerbeat6 Records, you can listen to tracks by Kid606. One of the mp3s, entitled "This is not my statement", you can hear a pretty messed up version of Radiohead's 'Creep'. Well, don't shoot the messenger;) [thanks Roy]

Courtney Love on Radiohead (again)

Sirius satilite radio stream 21, Alt Nation, played Nirvana all day Thursday April 8 to comemorate the 10 year anniversary of Kurt Cobain's death. In addition to the music Courtney Love was in the studio doing an interview. This taken from a question about if Courtney ever tries to match "Live Through This": "Everytime I'm in the studio I try on a daily basis to rip off "The Bends" by Radiohead. But I'm such a bad copycat that by the time it gets to me it's totaly fucked up." [thanks A.J.]

New Radiohead.com this Saturday?

Stanley Donwood posted on the official Radiohead message board, hinting that the new website will be online this Saturday.

Stanley:

ah ha.
and very very soon
get fresh for ze weekend
clicking and tapping away
is it nearly finished?
the... new... site...
saturday?

sorry about the last site [the red one with nothing much in it]
im really. really. sorry
it was SHITE

but very very soon
my sins will be washed away in a flood of hectic scripting

days to go
not many
thursday today
saturday approaching fast

all new shiny radiohead.com
you heard it here first
about lunchtime saturday
if nothing dreadful happens

dot commery
yes we have to finish it today
then fuck around with the server
then
we is rockin

Stanley was also in the Ziggurat waiting room, where he said there'll be a new radiohead.com site by saturday lunchtime. He added: "you'll like the new site, it's proper fucking weird". Well, no surprises there then ;)

The waste-gamers suspect Chapter 3 of the game will be starting soon, too. There was a pie chart thing counting down on the Byzantine Ziggurat login page, that finished counting down last night, so maybe a new game to coincide with the new rh.com? [thanks sirensong, BellyAche]

More news and new deal on Com Lag EP

More news on the Com Lag EP. The AtEase/SoundWorld offer has expired. SoundWorld have sold out all of their copies in this ateaseweb.com exclusive deal.

No worries, we have a new deal for you. The Com Lag EP can be shipped through TheIdealCopy.com in the USA, who have imported a limited number of EP's from Japan.

According to TheIdealCopy.com EMI Japan will be recalling those EP's with the mastering error in Skttrbrain. So this might become a collectible after all.

You can order yours for $29,99 right here.

Tears for Fears bury the hatchet

In this months Q magazine, theres a Q&A sesson with Tears for Fears, someone asked them:

What did you think when you found out that Radiohead were not best pleased with your performance of Creep?

Roland Orzabal: What can I say? I’m absolutely gutted by that. It destroyed me. I’m never going to cover another Radiohead song again as long as I live. [Starts speaking slowly.] They are such...an amazing.. band that, that.... You know, at the time I covered it he guesses some time in '93/'94], it was their only hit. I did it as a joke, and I enjoyed singing it, especially because I changed some of the lyrics. But my apologies right now to Thom Yorke. I do appreciate what they have gone on to do... immensely.. even though... even though I don't like them.

Ed O'Brien from Radiohead said that while they were your support act you treated them "like pigs". What did you do to piss them off so badly?

Curt Smith: Don't look at me, because I wasn't part of the band then.

Roland Orzabal: I didn't do anything to them. They were whingeing on and on about the monitors. We played just one show together, and there were loads of bands on the bill- I was headlining, of course. The stage manager, I seem to remember, was getting very angry with them.

Curt Smith: Of course, if I had been part of the band then, I would have been much nicer to them. [thanks mandy]

Eliza Lumley on Radiohead

Eliza Lumley, who plays the svelte if mute secretary in the London revival of Tom Stoppard's "Jumpers," transferring to Broadway this month.

But the 29-year-old actress-singer says, "it bothered me that the work I was singing was not the music I listen to; I thought, this can't be right." With that in mind, she began turning her attention to Coldplay, Radiohead and the like, on her way toward devising "the Radiohead project," as she bills her evening of song.

"It was a bit scary," she reports, "because Radiohead are so popular. They're so cool and 'cred' in that sense, so it was a bit of a sacred cow to go into their work." As soon as she did, "I found amazing, amazing stuff," suited to what she calls her "contemporary classical" approach.

And in Buffalo News music critic Jeff Miers talked about Radiohead's "OK Computer" in one of his articles: "Clearly the finest rock record of the '90s, the album is ambitious, textured and incredibly well- played. It's also extremely dramatic, occasionally morose, and consistently claustrophobia-inducing. For these reasons, it seems to capture the zeitgeist of a disembodied age.

More importantly, "OK Computer" is the direct result of a group of musicians following their collective muse, regardless of the cost and seemingly without a care for the commercial potential of such recklessness. That the album was a big success gives one hope; during a time of mass dumbing-down and corprate-mandated homogenization -- which, let's face it, many an "artist" has been more than willing to embrace -- "OK Computer" stands as a reminder of rock's potential to both inspire and to harvest unsullied land."

Com Lag gets a 4/10 from Pitchfork

Com Lag gets only 4 out of 10 from Pitchfork.com: "Com Lag splits down the middle, a ten-track collection of demos, remixes and DSP experiments often less deserving of running time than meager Amnesiac leftovers like "Fast Track" and "Trans-Atlantic Drawl". Oddly, one of that era's most ornate B-sides, "Fog", is a highlight here, reprised in solo piano form for a television audience as per Yorke's justly lauded, widely booted sets for the 2002 Bridge School Benefit. Simplicity is this EP's virtue, as its pairing of "Fog" with a one-track, acoustic recording of "Gagging Order" make for Com Lag's most valuable five minutes." [read it in full, thanks Joe]

Defy Magazine reviews Com Lag EP

Defy Magazine have a review online of the Japanese Com Lag EP: "Com Lag kicks off with a shimmering version of “2+2=5” performed live in London. The only live cut on the disc (and non b-side at that), it showcases the band perfectly in a live setting – where their songs are given new faces. Quickly the disc takes a more sinister tone with the Christian Vogel remix of “Myxomatosis”. Hauntingly detached, the mix finds Yorke’s angelic vocals robotic and choppy. It’s a reminder that the world’s greatest rock band can be sliced into a shadow of their former self and still retain the same brilliance by virtue of their very nature." [read it in full]

Com Lag EP - Skttrbrain update

And just another update on the Com Lag EP. According to sources at Toshiba-EMI, the CDs will not be recalled because of the error in Four Tet's remix of Scatterbrain. So the current release will probably be as limited as it is now. Although, the Australian version of the Com Lag EP will probably be released without the error. [thanks Spencer, Jon, Eiki]

New York theater play with Radiohead music

In New York City at the Manhattan Ensemble Theater, there is a new play based on the true love affair between the greatest 20th century philosopher, Martin Heidegger, and his former student, the political theorists Hannah Arendt. For Radiohead fans, there will be a pleasant surprise. The production company appears to be fans of Radiohead and there are many Radiohead songs played before the play starts. One can hear “Creep”, “Fake Plastic Trees”, “How to Disappear Completely”, etc. mixed with classical compositions.

One might hear over half of a Radiohead song fading into to a classical song and then a minute later will fade back to the Radiohead song just previously played to finish the song.

As “Hannah and Martin” finishes its last scene with the main character, Hannah, struggling with Heidegger’s mistaken political choices, the lights fade to black and one hears the discordant but stirring opening guitars to “Let Down”. As the song continues being played, the actors gather and the actors bow to the audience.

All this is presented by the Epic Theater Center @ the Manhattan Ensemble Theater in SoHo, 55 Mercer Street, New York, NY.

Minnesota Orchestra Sommerfest w/ Chris O'Riley

The Star Tribune reports: The Minnesota Orchestra's Sommerfest, in its second year under artistic director Andrew Litton, will feature some new forms and formats. Appearing this year, Litton said, are a bunch of "old friends," among them pianists Andre Watts and Christopher O'Riley. The festival's 25th edition will start with another 24-hour "Day of Music" at Orchestra Hall on July 9.

One of Litton's unconventional programming plans is a late-night event -- 11 p.m. on July 16 -- during which O'Riley will play his transcriptions of works by the rock band Radiohead, selections from a widely discussed CD that he released last year. Earlier that evening, in the regular concert, O'Riley will join the orchestra in a performance of Prokofiev's Piano Concerto No. 1.

Another Christopher O'Riley interview

'Patriot News' published an interview with Christopher O'Riley with the title 'Radio host and pianist redefines classical'. Some bits and pieces:

[..] His recording earned notice in Rolling Stone magazine and has made him a hit among Radiohead's most ardent listeners. One reviewer on Amazon.com called the recording "a must for obsessive Radiohead fans".
"It's not like this is from Mars," O'Riley said. "I've gotten a good response. I'm trying to tap into an audience that isn't exploited -- for lack of a better word -- at Market Square Concerts. But everybody will come away from this with the same thing they would from any recital I've done over the last 10 years."

The harmonic and textural dimensions of Radiohead's music happened to appeal to him, he said. He said the songs lend themselves naturally to piano. He's had the same reaction to R.E.M. and singer-songwriter Elliott Smith.

O'Riley said his work transcribing Radiohead consisted "mostly of negotiating and redistributing. I had to try to create the aura of extra sound from an electric guitar." [Click the link below to read the full interview]
[thanks Alex]

Radiohead is everywhere

From Washington Square News (via U-wire): Nine New York University computer network users could be facing charges between $750 and $150,000 per file for distributing copyrighted music. NYU users were charged with distributing songs like "Fake Plastic Trees" by Radiohead (owned by Capitol Records), "Criminal" by Fiona Apple (owned by Sony Music Entertainment) and "I'm Every Woman" by Whitney Houston (owned by Arista Records America).

The new liberal radio station, Air America, debuted Wednesday March 31, 2004. In between commercial breaks for the shows, Radiohead's "National Anthem" was used several times.

Also, in the latest Vanity Fair magazine (with Keira Knightley on the cover) Zach Braff, from the TV show "Scrubs" said that "Sulk" was one of his Top 10 most dowloaded songs. (FANFAIR section, pg.126.)

In popular british soap opera 'Eastenders', there was a scene out side a market stall on monday. The market stall had a line of the Radiohead album 'The Bends' with the face clearly visible.

Dutch drama series 'Rozengeur & Wodka Lime' on RTL4 had Radiohead's 'Talk Show Host' playing in the background in one of the recent episodes.

Hiphopsite.com lists a weird radiohead LP, entitled, 'Ale to the Thief'. If you want to get a (vinyl) copy, order it here for $8,00.

In an interview with Pulse, DJ's Eyedea & Abilities were asked: "You guys are Radiohead fans. Does their music and the way it’s evolved influence you?"
Eyedea: They exemplify true musicianship. They’re always growing and expanding. I think Outkast is the same way. I think Radiohead and Outkast are the two modern popular groups who you can actually say that about. We take inspiration from everywhere. We’re inspired by groups who always try to change and get better.

And finally, a lengthy story on Radiohead's 'Exit Music' on the website of 96.5 The Buzz. Read it here.

[thanks alex, chris g., chris t.]

Radiohead, band that changed the world

British newspapers The Evening Standard, Daily Star and Daily Express all report on the list, published by Q magazine, of '50 bands that changed the world'. Radiohead entered the list on the 11th spot. Number 1 were the Sex Pistols, leaving the Beatles on #2 and Nirvana on #3. British bands take 20 of the 50 places, with Germany's musical pioneers Kraftwerk one of the many surprises at No7. [thanks Alex]