First For Music News

NME Festival Guide
2009

Radiohead speak about Reading And Leeds Festivals return

Colin Greenwood says band are looking forward to 'dark' headlining set

Radiohead have spoken exclusively to NME.COM about making their return to the Reading And Leeds Festivals after 15 years.

The band played the festival – back when there was no northern leg – in 1994, but will return this year to top the bill at the August Bank Holiday event (August 28-30) with Kings Of Leon and Arctic Monkeys.

"I was asking Jonny [Greenwood, guitarist] about the last time we played Reading and neither of us can remember it, other than Thom [Yorke] singing 'Song To The Siren' (Tim Buckley song) at the start," bassist Colin Greenwood told NME.COM. "We didn't it enjoy it, as Ed [O'Brien, guitarist] has just said to me, but that was as much to do with us. We hadn't played such a big stage and before and it was daunting, it's probably why we haven't been back in a while."

However the star said with plenty of experience under their belts over the last decade-and-a-half, the band would have no problems this summer.

"I think it's the chance for people to see our show in the UK and in the dark," he declared. "That's the coolest thing."

For the full exclusive Radiohead interview, get this week's issue of NME, on UK newsstands nationwide tomorrow (April 1).

Get the full Reading And Leeds Festival line-ups now on NME.COM.

Plus get your tickets exclusively from NME.COM via Seetickets.com/nmereadingleeds now.

You can also check out a special photo gallery devoted to the Reading And Leeds 2009 line-up.

Meanwhile, let us know what you think of this year's Reading And Leeds line-up over on the NME festivals blog.


Radiohead tickets:

More Radiohead tickets

 

More News

 

Comments (3)

Add a comment

Geo91 

Mar 31, 2009

It's gonna be amazing I just hope they play Climbing Up The Walls and Sail To The Moon and all will be right with the world. Sunday looks kiler Vampire Weekend, YYYs, Bloc and finally Radiohead and as long as KOL play exclusively from the first 3 albums on the Friday (never gonna happen) it should be sterling.

alex_01482 

Apr 1, 2009

any hope that they will only play songs from the bends?

TOMQ84 

Apr 1, 2009

What a bunch of cunts, Sunday night is absolute shite, the only way it could get worse is if Muse were playing aswell. Saturday night is good though especially Monkeys, Courteeners and the legend that is Ian Brown.

Add your comment

Radiohead drummer Phil Selway may be bald - but he's still popular enough to have his own fan club. "It's really touching," he explains. "They only do it because they don't like anyone to feel left out. We had dinner, they all gave me little presents, and then we played party games."
Pic: Redferns

Radiohead drummer Phil Selway may be bald - but he's still popular enough to have his...

Listen to full tracks now. Users outside the UK can hear 30-second clips of each song.

Free weekly music news, videos and MP3s in your inbox: