Thomīs influences
Biography|
Radiohead biography, Ok Computer
Thom Yorke
lead vocals, guitar, piano More......... /see thomīs diary
(Thomas
Edward Yorke) born october 7, 1968 in wellingborough, england. Education: Abingdon
School; studied English and Art at Exeter University. Previous
bands/jobs: played guitarin Exeter techno band Flickernoise,
worked as an ordely in a mental hospital.
Thomīs influences
life's rich pageant- REM
bitches brew- Miles Davis
king of america- Elvis Costello
..
......
guitar, keyboards, piano, xylophone, recorder. More....
(Jonathan
Greenwood) born november 5, 1971 in oxford, england. Education: Abingdon
School; began course in psychology at Oxford Poly.
Previous jobs: Went straight into band.
jonnyīs influences
turangallia symphony- Oliver Messian
free for all- Art Blakie & the Jazz Messengers
surfer rosa- Pixies
......
guitar, vocals, some percussion. More....
(Edward John
O'brien) born april 15, 1968 in oxford, england.Education:
Abingdon School; studied Economics at Manchester University
Previous jobs: Barman.
edīs influences
what's going on- Marvin Gaye
the unforgettable fire- U2
london calling- The Clash
...
bass, bass synth, etc. More....
(Colin Charles) born june 26, 1968 in oxford, england. Education: Abington School; read English Literature at Cambridge. Previous jobs: Ents officer at Peterhouse, Cambridge; assistant at Our Price, Oxford.
,Colinīs influences
unknown pleasures- Joy DIvision
everclear- American Music Club
greatest hits- Burl Ives
...
drums. More...
(Philip James)
born may 23, 1967 in nemmingford grey, england. Education: Abington
School; studied English and History at Liverpool Polytechnic.
Previous jobs: Drumming in pit bands for touring musicals;
sub-editor TEFL teacher.
philīs influences
unknown pleasures- Joy Division
five leaves left- Nick Drake
wha'appen??- Beat
...
It's around 1981and it takes the adolescent Thom Yorke about five seconds to realize that his new school is not going to be much fun.On his eighth birthday he gets a Spanish guitar. From that point on Thom knows what he wants. He wants to be a pop star.
Colin Greenwood is in the same year as Thom and, if anything, looks even thinner and sicker. They go to the same parties. One day Thom discovers that Colin can play the bass.
Ed O'Brien is a different kettle of fish altogether. Enormously tall Ed actually looks a bit like Morrissey - if you squint - but he does play the guitar
All they need now is a drummer. The only suitable candidate, a guy called Phil Selway, is a couple of years older than them.
Colin's younger brother, Jonny, is some sort of shit hot viola player. Still, Jonny is very keen, and is told he can play harmonica. They rehearse every Friday. In fact that's how they get their first name. On A Friday.
Thom has to say that he's staying at a friends house when they start doing gigs.
Then... school's out! Leaving Jonny behind they all go off to college in the autumn of 1987.
Thom shoots off to Exeter University to do Fine Art and Literature. He starts to mess around with samplers and plays with local techno outfit
Phil and Ed are at Liverpool Top
Colin has become Entertainment Officer at Peterhouse College in Cambridge.
Somehow the band continues to rehearse during the holidays. They play some gigs. The JerichoTavern in Oxford. London's Rock Garden
Jonny switches from harmonica to guitar.
1991. Time to get serious. They change their name to Radio head and move into a house together in Oxford.
After completing their respective college courses in 1991, schoolboy pals Colin Greenwood (bass) and Ed O'Brien (guitar) returned to Oxford and rented a semi-detached house near the centre of town. The house's blue plaque credentials were confirmed when they were joined by fellow Radioheaders Thom Yorke (vocals) and Colin's brother Jonny (guitar).
Thom: "At first it was quite a nice house but we turned it into a complete fucking hole."
They carry on practising. And gigging. And sending off demos. It's starting to sound good. In the end the band agree to sign with Parlophone at the end of 1991.
The band hit the road in earnest. They support everyone who's no one. Kingmaker. The Sultans Of Ping. Spiritualized. Doctor And The Medics
In May 1992 they release the 'Drill' EP. IT receives little radio play and only charts at 101
'Creep' is released in September '92. It reaches 72 in the charts the press seems to have turned on them.
The band record their debut album, 'Pablo Honey', in just three weeks...
The news that will change the lives of Radiohead comes from Israel. Some DJ starts playing 'Creep' .Creep' enters the Israeli Top Ten. Then it starts happening everywhere. New Zealand. Scandinavia. Spain. Finally the big one. America.
The band hit the road. They're ready for this
They play the Arsenio Hall show which they're told is a really big deal. They turn up at K-ROQ radio station and answer people's phone-in sex queries.
Back in England 'Creep' is re-released
Suddenly, all the papers that had written them off as no-marks suddenly want interviews.
Thom attempts to choke back his disgust.
Radiohead return to the States. And Canada.
Pablo Honey' ships half a million copies in America. Thom does an advert for jeans.
The band start getting weird mail. One is from a convicted murderer who says he identifies with Thom.
In the autumn of '93 they are forced to cancel an appearance at the Reading Festival due to a problem with Thom's voice.
There are still high points - some American gigs with Belly, meeting
R.E.M.'s Mike Mills and Bill Berry when they play the 40 Watt club in Athens, Georgia - but things just begin to fall apart.
At last it's over and the band return to England. Which is when things start getting really bad.
For their second album the band will record in London at RAK Studios and eventually move to the famous Abbey Road to complete work
They've chosen John Leckie as their producer .Things don't go well. The songs just aren't there. And all the time the pressure is mounting. From the record company. From the fans.
Ironically, what saves Radiohead is another tour.
Playing to people who, if they've heard of them at all, only know the song that is rapidly becoming the other C-word. They are, in short, people with absolutely nothing to lose. And it feels strangely good. The shows go well
By the time they return to England everything is just about alright again
My Iron Lung' is refused A-listing by Radio One in September of '94
In March 1995 Radiohead finally release their second album, 'The Bends
Once again the band head out on a world tour. Things start getting fun during the summer when the band start supporting R.E.M.. Radiohead are big R.E.M. fans.
The new single 'Fake Plastic Trees' is derided as 'angst rock' in the movie Clueless. But it's then played incessantly on the soundtrack (but not on Radio One).
They tour with Soul Asylum
On September 4 they record 'Lucky' for The Bosnia-aid 'Help' album.
It's not playlisted by Radio One
They've been 'That Band With The Great Single' and 'That Band With The Great Album' .....
Radiohead began writing Ok Computer in early 1996 at their rehearsal studio, Canned Applause, a converted apple shed near their homes in Oxford, England. By July they had recorded four songs with producer Nigel Godrich. The next month, the band returned to America to open for Alanis Morissette. While on the road, they sampled some of their new material live, including an epic, expansive version of "Paranoid Android."
"If you think it's a long song now, you should have heard it then," boasts O'Brien.
Last September, Radiohead moved their equipment from Canned Applause to St. Catherine's Court, a mansion in Bath once owned by the actress Jane Seymour. There, they recorded the rest of Ok Computer away from the pressures and distractions of the big city. "We set up in the ballroom," remembers bassist Colin Greenwood, "and the control room was set up in the library, which had these amazing views over the gardens. There were some magical evenings as we sat down with pieces of music with the windows open."
"Obviously there was still pressure, but it was in an environment where we could cope with it," says Yorke. In music, fear, like any intense emotion, can be a powerful creative tool. Radiohead not only harnessed their fear, they converted it into artistic genius. Ok Computer shudders with anxiety and insecurity, as pensive, vulnerable vocals and ricocheting guitars struggle to make sense out of chaos. In part, the volatile tone of the record was accomplished through many hours of experimentation and improvisation. "For me, the most exciting part comes when a song is just starting to come together, and we're sort of arguing and experimenting, and everything is still fresh," says Greenwood. "Lots of the parts and melodies this time were either improvised while we were recording, or written five minutes before recording it."
Possibly the most acclaimed album ever, with even its 'difficult' six-and-a-half minute first single'Paranoid Android' rocketing to Number Three. How has this affected Thom? "You can respond in two ways," he frowns. "You can either maintain your Richard III pose, heh heh, or you can get on a surfboard and go with it..."