March 12, 2009 16:26

Radiohead working on new material

Ed O'Brien confirms that the band have started the follow up to 'In Rainbows'

Radiohead guitarist Ed O'Brien has revealed that the band have started working on their new album, the follow up to 2007's 'In Rainbows'.

Speaking after the Featured Artists Coalition (FAC) meeting in London last night (March 11), O'Brien said that the Oxford band have now completed the majority of 'In Rainbows' touring - leaving them able to start work on new material.

"We are working on new material," he explained to BBC Newsbeat. "We'll be doing some more recording. It's business as usual."

The guitarist then hinted that fans could expect to see the band live this summer.

"We've sort of finished the bulk of ['In Rainbows'] touring," he said. "We will be doing a little bit of touring in the summer, watch this space!"

Speaking about the http://www.nme.com/news/nme/43403]FAC meeting, which was also attended by Robbie Williams, Kate Nash and Blur's Dave Rowntree, O'Brien said he hoped the group - which features 140 British musicians in total - could prove helpful both to new bands and music fans in general.

"There are some bigger names here [at the FAC meeting] 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.

O'Brien also backed up Billy Bragg's proposal (also at the FAC meeting) that music fans should not be punished for illegally downloading.

"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."