Category: Radiohead

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In Rainbows Kid A OK Computer Radiohead

The Lost Radiohead album

Take some time today to read this article about how Radiohead’s OK Computer and In Rainbows were meant to complement each other. Now, this is just speculation but some interesting points have been raised. What do you think?

Ten years after OK Computer shocked the world, Radiohead released In Rainbows on October 10 (10/10). Though no one was expecting the album to be released until 2008, Radiohead announced In Rainbows just ten days in advance. In Rainbows, which consists of ten letters, has ten tracks, and would be downloadable from a rumored ten servers.

Radiohead preceded the release of In Rainbows with nine cryptic messages. They repeatedly emphasized X, the Roman Numeral for ten, in phrases such as “March Wa X”, and “Xendless Xurbia”. The tenth message was posted on October 10 with a photo of the band drinking tea.

There has been a lot of speculation over Radiohead’s emphasis of ten surrounding the release of In Rainbows. One theory suggests that Radiohead was typifying a binary code of ones and zeros,1010101010. This has come to be known as the Binary Theory, also called the TENspiracy by some.

Puddlegum first addressed the Binary Theory in Radiohead: 1010101010. Someone associated with Thom Yorke contacted Puddlegum, sharing Thom’s reaction to Puddlegum’s article:

“The meaning behind all of this is right in front of our faces, we’re just overlooking it. [Thom] has been expecting an article much like this one for a couple of years, as have I. But I’m willing to wager he’ll have fun waiting a few more. On the other hand, it seems to annoy him that no one ‘gets it’ yet, given the mountain of clues.”

Ten days after our original article, we have come to believe that OK Computer and In Rainbowswere meant to complement each other. During the writing and recording process of OK Computer, Radiohead used the working title of Zeros and Ones. If OK Computer is represented by 01, and In Rainbows is represented by 10, then we have 01 and 10. In binary code 01 and 10 complement each other.

Consider that In Rainbows was meant to complement OK Computer, musically, lyrically, and in structure. We found that the two albums can be knit together beautifully. By combining the tracks to form one playlist, 01 and 10, we have a remarkable listening experience. The transitions between the songs are astounding, and it appears that this was done purposefully.

The lyrics also seem to complement each other. There appears to be a concept flowing through the01 and 10 playlist. Ideas in one song is picked up by the next, such as “Pull me out of the aircrash,”and “When I’m at the pearly gates, this will be my videotape.”

To create the 01 and 10 playlist, begin with OK Computer’s track one, Airbag, and follow this with In Rainbow’s track one, 15 Step. Alternate the albums, track by track, until you reach Karma Police onOK Computer, making All I Need the tenth track on the 01 and 10 playlist. Follow Karma Police withFitter Happier from OK Computer, for tracks eleven and twelve. These two tracks act as a bridge between the first ten and the following ten tracks on the 01 and 10 playlist. Then continue to alternate the albums again, picking up with Faust Arp on In Rainbows, with Electioneering on OK Computeras the following track.

Radiohead – 01 and 10 playlist:
1. Airbag (OK Computer)
2. 15 Step (In Rainbows)
3. Paranoid Android (OK Computer)
4. Bodysnatchers (In Rainbows)
5. Subterranean Homesick Alien (OK Computer)
6. Nude (In Rainbows)
7. Exit Music (For A Film) (OK Computer)
8. Weird Fishes/Arpeggi (In Rainbows)
9. Let Down (OK Computer)
10. All I Need (In Rainbows)
11. Karma Police (OK Computer)
12. Fitter Happier (OK Computer)
13. Faust Arp (In Rainbows)
14. Electioneering (OK Computer)
15. Reckoner (In Rainbows)
16. Climbing Up The Walls (OK Computer)
17. House Of Cards (In Rainbows)
18. No Surprises (OK Computer)
19. Jigsaw Falling Into Place (In Rainbows)
20. Lucky (OK Computer)
21. Videotape (In Rainbows)
22. The Tourist (OK Computer)

Cracked.com has more about this, as well as a conspiracy theory about Kid A.

(via Kottke)

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Jonny Greenwood Radiohead The King of Limbs

Jonny Greenwood Responds: “We haven’t quite finished the album”

Jonny GreenwoodJonny Greenwood wrote on the band’s blog, Dead Air Space, that the Italian reporter who interviewed him “mistranslated” him about the new album being almost done.

I think this italian writer (referred to here) has, either through over-enthusiasm, or frustration at all my non-committal answers, mistranslated me a little….in fact we haven’t quite finished the album – in the studio at the moment – nor have we yet considered any touring. The plan is to have no plan until the record is finished….hope that’s a little clearer!

Well, that clears up that then.

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Radiohead The King of Limbs Thom Yorke

Finally, an update!

Old School
Old School

Sorry for the lack of updates. I recently moved from San Francisco to New York and it’s been quite a circus.

Here’s what has been happening in the world of Radiohead:

Stay tuned for more updates!

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Colin Greenwood Ed O'Brien Radiohead

New Documentary about Radiohead/Oxford Music Scene

Anyone Can Play GuitarJon Spira writes in to tell us about a new documentary he made called Anyone Can Play Guitar:

My documentary about the music scene that inspired, nurtured and launched Radiohead is now finished. Ed, Colin and their manager Chris Hufford all took part in the interviews and there is a bunch of hugely significant never-before-seen archival material including early live footage and what we believe to be the earliest ever band photos (taken during the recording of their first demo). We need to raise a few thousand pounds to fund the sound mix and picture grade, so we’ve signed up with indiegogo.com.

Anyone who donates to the project via the link below will get perks packages which include tickets to the premiere, credits on the film and free very limited edition pre-release DVDs of the film with extras that will never be available elsewhere. This is really your only guaranteed chance to see the film as early as possible.

The link to see the trailer and donate is:

http://www.indiegogo.com/Anyone-Can-Play-Guitar

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Pablo Honey Radiohead

On this day in 1992: Creep released

It was on this day in 1992 that Radiohead’s U.K. record label released “Creep” as the first official release from the band. While Radiohead is one of the biggest bands in the world today, “Creep” did not initially do too well. In fact, it wasn’t until the end of 1992 that the song started getting attention. First in Israel and then in America when a DJ at San Francisco’s Live 105 started playing the song. “Creep” was re-released in 1993 and became the huge hit that it was. Legend has it that Jonny Greenwood disliked the song and attempted to sabotage it by thrashing his guitar during the chorus. Little did he know that this actually made the song.

Do you remember the first time you had heard Radiohead? Was it this song? What were you doing in 1992?

Respect.

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Phil Selway Radiohead The King of Limbs

Radiohead returning to studio next week

Radiohead is heading back to the studio in a week’s time to “take stock” of new material and assess when — and how — it should be released to the world.

Drummer Philip Selway told The Canadian Press the band will regroup next Monday to determine how close the followup to “In Rainbows” is to being ready.

“We’ve been working on material on and off for a year now and we’ve had the summer off so yes, we’re basically taking stock on Monday and seeing what we need to do with the material to move it to those final stages,” Selway said in a telephone interview from Amsterdam on Monday.

“We’re just returning to it with fresh ears and taking stock of where we are and how close we are to finishing stuff, really, and we won’t know till Monday.”

The band is working on the eagerly anticipated followup to its seventh album, “In Rainbows,” which sent shock waves through the music world in 2007 when it was first released digitally online, through the band’s own website, and at an indeterminate “it’s up to you” price. The band also streamed a free concert to fans months later on New Year’s Eve, and Selway hinted the band might have some more digital or online plans up its sleeves — although he wouldn’t say what exactly.

“Whatever we do with any record, it always has to come from the music we’ve made, whatever we release, and because we’re not at that stage at the moment — we haven’t finished anything — we don’t know how or what’s the most appropriate way for getting it out there,” he said.

“Then again, you look at the track record of what we’ve done over the past decade in that area and I suppose, you know, it’s probably a safe bet to say there’ll be something in there somewhere along the line.”

While “In Rainbows” was largely shaped by extensive touring and live experimentation with the songs, Selway said that won’t be the case with the new project.

“Uh, no,” he said laughing.

“I don’t know what we’ll be doing but the process of making ‘In Rainbows’ — so much came about through what we were doing live — has been quite the opposite so far. But you never know, we might get back together on Monday and after discussing stuff we might just throw this all out and say maybe we need to go back to the drawing board. Who knows, as I say, it’s all up in the air at the moment.

“But we’ve been enjoying what we’ve been doing.”

(from 570News, thanks to Caroline)