May 6, 2003 17:50

HAIL TO TO THE MISCHIEF MAKERS! Radiohead Tickets

The band take an unusual step in promoting 'Hail To The Thief' in Hollywood...

Photo Gallery: Radiohead

Wannabe HOLLYWOOD stars looking for their big break are being fooled by a secret poster campaign to promote the new RADIOHEAD album.

Posters appeared across Los Angeles last week that, on the surface, looked like a recruitment ad for a 'Pop Idol'-style talent competition.

However, closer inspection reveals it to be made up from the lyrics to the new Radiohead song 'We Suck Young Blood' from 'Hail To The Thief' - a track Thom Yorke recently said was about Hollywood lifestyle.

The poster reads 'Hungry? Sick? Begging for a break? Sweet? Fresh? Would you do anything? We suck young blood? We want sweet meats.' The poster gives a number, 1-866-868-4433, which translates to: 1 866-tot-hief.

NME.COM tried to get through to offer their services, but the phone remained unanswered.

In other Radiohead news, the band are launching their own Internet television station next month.
www.radiohead.tv is currently live, and will be updated throughout the year.

A source close to the band told NME.COM: "Thom wants it to be called www.the-most-gigantic-lying-mouth-of-all-time.com, but for ease of reference, it'll bewww.radiohead.tv! The concept is that it will be an online TV station wholly dedicated to new Radiohead.

"Footage will include promo videos, webcast footage from live gigs as well as webcast footage from the studio. There are also a number of actual new Radiohead TV style programmes being put together which will be half an hour in length. Fans are being asked to contribute to the station by sending in tapes or video files of their own versions visual footage set to new Radiohead tracks. The contributions will be selected by the band and edited together and screened on TV."

The first two-minute trailer will go live with the promo video for 'There There' on May 10, and the site will fully launch on May 26 with a 30-minute show.

For our exclusive track-by-track guide to 'Hail To The Thief', by the band, see this week's NME, dated May 10, out now in London and nationwide from tomorrow (May 7).