RADIOHEAD’s THOM YORKE has revealed that when the band confounded critics and went to Number One in the US and around the world with ‘KID A’ they felt they had turned into THE BEATLES.
After reeling off each of the countries in which the album took the top spot
on its week of release – in so doing putting pay to the belief that they were
not interested in any form of commercial success – Yorke
described the buzz he got from what they achieved saying “We were the Beatles – for a week.”
Speaking exclusively to Steve Lamacq for broadcast next
Wednesday (December 20, 8pm GMT) on his BBC Radio 1 Evening Session the Radiohead frontman also described the feeling behind ‘Kid A’ as “the idea that we’re giving birth to the lifeform that will inherit the earth after we destroy it in about 50 years”. The idea is also related, he said, to his feelings about the new millennium, working through “apocalyptic thoughts” he couldn’t get out of his head.
Joining Yorke were bassist Colin Greenwood and guitarists Jonny Greenwood and Ed O’Brien.Drummer Phil Selway was at the birth of his second child.
The band also expressed frustration at suggestions that they were trying to
be difficult with ‘Kid A’.
“When people said we were being difficult – that freaked me out actually,”
admitted Thom. “We just moved on – I mean, is writing and being creative and being in a band just supply and demand? It was only people in the press who said we were trying to piss people off. ”
Ed added that they were haunted by the phrase “wilfully
perverse”.
You can hear the rest of the interview, which finds the band relaxed and
self-deprecating discussing why Ed thinks Asian Dub Foundation are the “best live band in the world”, about Thom’s inspiration for songwriting and on solo albums in the future next week, December 20, 8pm BBC Radio 1.
The NME also brings you an exclusive interview with Colin and Ed in the Christmas double issue, in shops in London on December 19 and throughout the UKthe following day.
In the meantime, NME.COM would like to hear from you.
Do you agree that in the week when Radiohead shot to Number One and saw tickets for their New York and LA shows swapping hands for thousands of dollars, they were our generation’s
Beatles?. Or maybe you think they’re now bigger than the Fab Four.
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