“Rip it Up” music magazine from New Zealand is currently celebrating its 25th birthday. They conducted a poll of its reader for the best 25 Albums of the last 25 years and OK Computer came in @ #2 behind “Melancholy and the Infinite Sadness” and ahead of “Nevermind” and “Joshua Tree”. The Bends came in @ #12.
{thanks to Jordan}
OK Computer was selected best record of all time by customers of one of Norways biggest record store chains “Platekompaniet”. The Bends got #23 and Kid A got 85th.
For the full list, please go here.
{thanks to Andr? & Trond}
Radiohead made it to # 15 in Spin magazine’s 50 Greatest Bands of All Time. Here’s the excerpt from the article:
On 1995’s The Bends, Radiohead were a compelling young Brit-pop band, but with follow-up OK Computer, they spooked rock fans into a new level of obsession. The album’s brooding minor chords and white-noise buzz grew more claustrophobic with each track, even as Thom Yorke’s personal-yet-impersonal lyrics made songs about car crashes and crushed insects somehow moving. Newer bands began to cop Radiohead’s paranoid but confessional, slurry but catchy approach. In response, they sighed deeply and recorded Kid A, somehow transforming glitchy prog rock into classic pop.
INFLUENCED: Travis, Sigur Ros, Coldplay, Clinic, JJ72, Doves, Elbow, Wes Borland
CLASSIC ALBUM: OK Computer
Chris Martin of Coldplay had the following to say about Radiohead: “When I saw Radiohead, I thought ‘Wow, maybe you really can do what you want and get away with it. They did exactly what they wanted and people responded…not everyone wants to listen to nonsense rock.”
{thanks to Lou}
Radiohead was included in the VH1 UK 100 Greatest Albums list with The Bends coming in at #6 and OK Computer at #11.
See the full list at VH1 UK.
{thanks to Marcel}
Radiohead Confirmed to play Saturday Night Live
Radiohead has been confirmed to perform Oct. 14 on NBC’s “Saturday Night Live” program, in support of the U.K. act’s long-awaited fourth album, “Kid A,” due on Capitol Oct. 2 internationally and a day later in North America. The brief U.S. visit will come less than a week after the band wraps a month-long European tour with a three-night stand Oct. 5-8 in Kildare, Ireland. The trek begins this Friday (Sept. 1) with the first of two shows at the Tredegar House in Newport, South Wales, U.K.
No proper North American tour dates have yet been scheduled, although rumors are swirling that Radiohead will turn up for surprise shows in New York and Los Angeles while its members are in the U.S. Billboard’s Sept. 16 issue will feature an interview with the band.
– From Billboard.com
Can’t make it to a playback of Kid A? No sweat…
The fine folks at chartattack.com will be streaming the whole album on September 18. In order for you to listen, you have to be a member of their eChart newsletter. You can subscribe to the eChart for free by going to http://www.chartattack.com/newsletter/. Information will soon be mailed to you about the streaming party and also to links to more Radiohead blips.
Radiohead is in Time
That’s right… you heard me. The Oxford five have made it into the pages of Time magazine. The September 4th issue, which features upcoming Autumn musical releases, has this to say about Radiohead:
Rock is dead. Rock is alive. Meaningful music is over. Meaningful music never mattered more. The British band Radiohead’s new CD, Kid A, out Oct. 3, arrives like Mark Antony delivering Caesar’s funeral oration: it comes not to praise rock but to bury it. The songs defy convention and categorization: one track, The National Anthem, begins like a full-on rock number, with a throbbing bass guitar and aggressive percussion, before the tune bursts open and jazzy horns tumble out. This is an album about atmosphere and mood, not easy hooks and catchy choruses. Listening to Kid A is like hearing one’s own heart– you feel every beat intimately. And you never want it to stop.
You can read the article here.
Radiohead’s “Just” voted best song of all time
The British radio station, XFM, held their annual poll of their listener’s favorite tracks of all time. Radiohead came in at first with their song “Just” from The Bends. Here’s the top ten:
1 Radiohead – ‘Just’
2 Davis Bowie – ‘Life On Mars’
3 Nirvana – ‘Heart Shaped Box
4 Stone Roses – ‘I Am The Resurrection’
5 Oasis – ‘Live Forever’
6 Ian Dury – ‘Sex Drugs & Rock & Roll’
7 Red Hot Chili Peppers – ‘Give It Away’
8 Coldplay – ‘Yellow’
9 Travis – ‘Writing To Reach You’
10 Clash – ‘London Calling’
[thanks to John]
Watch Juice
Make sure to keep your eye on www.juice.net today as they were one of only three media publications that were granted an interview with Thom Yorke. The other two were Q magazine (UK) and Spin (US). Juice, an Australian magazine, has this on their site:
Radiohead`s eagerly awaited new album is on its way and JUICE magazine has just completed one of only three interviews with Thom Yorke worldwide — and it`s an Australian exclusive!
Last night, our roving journo in the mother country, Lauren Zoric, sat down with Thom Yorke for a DNM (deep and meaningful) chat at a Cardiff cafe. It was Yorke’s first interview to promote the album and one of only three worldwide he has agreed to. The others are for Q (UK) and Spin (US).
Zoric, still on cloud nine after her major score, described the interview — which lasted for more than an hour — as “revealing.” We’ll have more details to tantalise you with tomorrow, so watch this space.
Watch Vintage Radiohead!
Well, it’s not really that vintage! Thanks to The Panic Button, you can now watch the 1995 performance of “The Bends” at Later with Jools Holland. Click here to see the video.
You will need the latest version of Windows Media Player.