Author: Jonathan

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JONNY GREENWOOD!

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.?
– xfm.co.uk
(thanks to Adam, Crystal, Chris, Keith, Manish, & Jamie)

Below are two photos of Thom’s performance at last week’s Bridge School Benefit concert.
– Thom performing on the piano
– Thom, James Taylor, and Neil Young
(photos by Jeff Gerst)

Here’s a review from last night’s show:
I saw that the set list has already been posted, but I figure I could add some review flavor for Sunday’s version of Thom’s performance. Although tonight was more ‘old stuff’ (he played 2 songs off of The Bends!), it was nonetheless a great performance.
Here was the set list with my take on it:
1. Street Spirit – Thom Yorke has shown what a capable guitarist he can be by flawlessly performing this song live, showing every Radiohead fan in the vicinity that he has improved much in his guitar playing.
2. Morning Bell – He sat on the piano, picked up a mug, and mumbled to himself “mm, nice cup of tea,” before starting into the Kid A version of Morning Bell. This song was played wonderfully in a solo performance,
3. Nice Dream – Back on the acoustic, he went right into this version while delivering an almost perfect vocal copy of the original song, complete with all the wails and echoes.
4. I Might Be Wrong – Probably just like last night, with Thom going somewhat crazy during the end of the song.
5. Sail to the Moon – Like last night, he introduced this as “a new song.” If Radiohead’s new album is even close to how beautiful the first few chords were, no one will be disappointed.
6. Like Spinning Plates – Remaining on the piano for one more song, he busted out with the typical live performance of Like Spinning Plates, never missing a single note on the piano while delivering piercingly accurate vocals.
7. True Love Waits – Anyone at this show should consider themselves lucky (pun intended) to hear perhaps one of the best acoustic songs Radiohead (or Thom himself) has ever written.
8. Paranoid Android – Before applause could subside from True Love Waits, he started into the all too familiar intro to Paranoid Android, which instantly became a jaw-dropping experience. He managed to pull off an entirely solo/acoustic version, while completely going nuts during the heavy guitar section.
Although we didn’t hear There There, Pyramid Song, or Lucky, getting to hear Sail to the Moon, True Love Waits and Paranoid Android today was probably more than I could have ever asked for.
– Vijay

As he did last night, Thom performed a solo set at tonight’s Bridge School Benefit concert in Mountain View, CA. Here’s the setlist:

Street Spirit
Morning Bell (piano)
Nice Dream
I Might Be Wrong
Sail To The Moon (piano)
Like Spinning Plates (piano)
True Love Waits
Paranoid Android

His set was about 35 minutes, and he played Neil Young?s upright piano for the piano tunes.
(thanks to Jeff)

Thom Yorke played a solo acoustic set at the Bridge School Benefit concert which was started by veteran rocker Neil Young and his wife Peggy Young.? The affair is intimate as the children who attend the Bridge School watch from the stage.
Thom was in rare form without his band mates and full of banter.? He introduced himself as, “Thom from a band called Radiohead.”? Waved to the children and thus began.? Here is the setlist:

Everything in it’s Right Place – Song was stripped of effects and played on the?piano compared to the album version on the organ.? Stood alone quite nicely.
I Might Be Wrong – (Thom tried to warm his hands up) “It’s gonna be a while can you wait ten minutes.” (Played kick drum with his foot) “Need a kick drum for this one.”? Brilliant version with Thom having the whole crowd bouncing to his maniacal rhythm.? Jonny could not have played it any better.
Sail to the Moon – “This is a new song” Gorgeous song played on the piano with the repeating chorus, “Sail us to the Moon” echoing across the landscape.
Like Spinning Plates – Same version played I Might Be Wrong live recordings as Thom vocalized the strings part as he played luscious piano repetition.
There, There – “This is new, this one is dedicated to all those at the Peace rally earlier today” Very, very good.? Thom shows his range in both vocal ability and guitar playing.? Those of you looking forward to the next album will be satisfied with There, There.? Think of it as a new RH sound with a guitar in hand.
Pyramid Song – This song will always haunt any audience listening and especially at Shoreline where the sound bounces like echoes across a canyon.? Huge crowd reaction.
Lucky – Only song played off OK Computer.? Confident and poised was Thom with an enigmatic delivery of a classic.
After the Gold Rush (Neil Young cover) — “This is Neil’s piano.? So I have to play this one” Crowd loved this song and delighted in Thom’s choice to cover Neil.

Thom later came out on stage to sing the last song with Neil Young, James “I don’t use a guitar pick” Taylor, Jack Johnson, the D, and a slew of others.? A wonderful night that any Radiohead fan would be a fool to miss.
By Jason Murray
Sparks, NEV.
More reviews:
– E Online
– Contra Costa Times