Radiohead Heads Radio

It’s the holiday season and we have a special gift from a mysterious internet elf: OK Outtakes, a collection of even more unheard songs and snippets from the OK Computer recording sessions. There are brand new songs, curious versions of old favorites, plus the boys having a laugh! As always, we dig through the newspile and discuss an extortionately priced edition of Colin’s photo book, a lengthy and varied playlist from the Smile guys, and our favorite non-the Smile music of 2024. Happy holidays!

W.A.S.T.E. got their act together and finally sent us Colin’s fantastic photography book, How to Disappear: A Portrait of Radiohead. Join us as we journey through Radiohead’s history via Colin’s photos and essays, from their meager beginnings in Oxfordshire to the grandiosity of playing the Smoothie King arena and so many great tidbits about what it means to be in the greatest band on the planet. Also, we chat about Thom joining the call against AI stealing art and a new song he played on the first night of his solo tour that will certainly get the kids dancing.

It’s here, the Smile’s third record (and second of this year), Cutouts! We digest every song and reveal our initial thoughts. Which songs are our favorites and what surprised us the most? Is this the Smile’s swan song or do they have more up their sleeves? Also, we chat about our excursion to a hole-in-the-wall electronics repair shop where we listened to part of the album on an old boombox. As always there’s plenty to dig through in the newspile, including an upcoming mash-up with a Shakespeare play, the news that the Radiohead boys had a good time dad jam, and some interviews with Colin in anticipation of his forthcoming book of photos.

There has rightly been lots of fervor online about Jonny recently playing two shows in Tel Aviv so we knew we had to dedicate a whole episode to it. We discuss Jonny’s official, muddled response, and Thom’s bonkers statement from 2017. We also delve into Jonny and Radiohead’s history with Israel. What happens when members of a band who have been overtly political throughout their career decide to not take a stand or stand on the side of the oppressor? Song at the end of the episode: TGLY by El Waili https://forpalestine.bandcamp.com/track/tgly-el-waili Pitchfork article about music compilations benefitting the people of Gaza: https://pitchfork.com/thepitch/cease-fire-now-16-benefit-compilations-for-palestine/ For the People, By the People charity compilation album: https://forpalestine.bandcamp.com Doctors Without Borders: https://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/ Palestine Children’s Relief Fund: https://pcrf1.app.neoncrm.com/forms/gaza-relief US Campaign for Palestinian Rights Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uscpr/

The Smile just finished the first leg of their European tour and as always there is plenty to talk about. Rocking new songs, Thom getting cranky with chatty crowds, and a fantastic one-off performance with the London Contemporary Orchestra. Also, we discuss the Smile’s eclectic playlists for BBC Radio 6 Music, an interesting interview with Noah Yorke’s “industrial” music duo Hex Girlfriend, Jonny’s upcoming eight-hour organ piece, Colin’s first solo release, and alas, more Radiohead music used in prestige tv. Come for the Smile, stay for our most fun song sommelier yet!

It’s 2024, the year of the Smile! We had the pleasure of attending the Wall of Eyes On Film cinematic experience. We share our thoughts on hearing the record for the first time in surround sound, seeing some intriguing behind-the-scenes footage from the making of the record, and the delightful music video for Friend of a Friend (SPOILERS: 1:42:25 - 1:47:05) . Also, we dig through the newspile and chat about Phil’s cozy Tiny Desk Concert performance, an interesting Radiohead list from writer of This Isn’t Happening, Steven Hyden, as well as Ed’s love of BOSS delay pedals, more interviews with Thom and Stanley, and a couple of head-scratching covers of beloved Kid A tracks.

Summer vacay is over and it’s time to get back to it. We pore over a fantastic interview Thom gave for an upcoming book all about singing. He reveals his pre-show preparations, his favorite singers, and the one time he got so high he forgot the words to arguably the simplest song in their catalog. Also, Sime went all the way to the UK to see Thom and Stanley’s art in person! As always the newspile, it overfloweth! We chat about Jonny, Phil, and Colin going out on different tours, Noah Yorke’s new, jazzy song, another movie trailer using a Radiohead cover, and Robbie Williams reaching out to Radiohead with an odd request. Spoilers for the last season of Peaky Blinders at 36:00-43:33.