Radiohead have revealed they are working on new material and planning a summer tour.
Guitarist Ed O’Brien told Newsbeat the Oxford band would be hitting the studio soon.
“We are working on new material,” he explained. “We’ll be doing some more recording. It’s business as usual.
“We’ve sort of finished the bulk of [In Rainbows] touring,” he added. “We will be doing a little bit of touring in the summer, watch this space!”
O’Brien was speaking at the launch of the Featured Artists’ Coalition (FAC) lobby group in London on Wednesday.
He is joined on FAC’s committee by artists including Blur’s Dave Rowntree, Kate Nash and Billy Bragg.
“At the moment a lot of rights and revenue streams are being carved up in this new era,” he said, “and I think it’s really important that we’re in there fighting our corner.
“Radiohead signed very traditional record company contracts, and it was exactly what we wanted to do at the time and there’s no bitterness, but I think there’s an inherent feeling that they’re just a bit old school.”
‘Spokespeople for fans’
O’Brien explained that one of FAC’s main aims is to support younger artists coming through.
“There are some bigger names here but the whole essence of what we’re trying to do is really largely aimed at, and for the benefit of, the younger musician, the people coming into the music industry for the first time.”
He explained that the coalition also hopes to speak for fans – maybe even illegal file sharers.
“I hope that what the Featured Artists’ Coalition will [say to fans is], ‘We understand you, we’re not trying to criminalise you.’
“I think if we get our act together, we’ve possibly got a role to play in that as well, being spokespeople for bands and then, leading on naturally from that, for fans as well.”
(from BBC Newsbeat)
