THOM YORKE has lambasted alternative rock, saying it needs to be “bludgeoned to death,” and hinted that RADIOHEAD will never return to their traditional guitar roots.
But he has also declared that he is in confident mood about returning to the studio after the success of ‘KID A’.
Radiohead recently set up a new website, [url=]www.spinwithagrin.co.uk, as a resource for journalists to ask the band questions. The first set of answers has been provided by Yorke, who has spoken about Radiohead’s plans to return to the studio.
He said: “It’s really exciting to go back into the studio now feeling confident again having learnt different stuff…having to learn to play music that was written in the studio using editing, sampling and sequencers is the way it makes you think about how you play differently….perhaps nowadays we look more to Can and electronica to work out how to structure stuff.”
Yorke said that ‘Remain In Light’ by Talking Heads was “our big record” while Radiohead recorded ‘Kid A’, citing it as a “massive reference point”.
He also took the opportunity to slam ‘alternative’ music, and said that the emergence of file-swapping software provider Napster – which was initially demonised by record companies but yesterday announced a ceasefire by sealing a deal with industry giant BMG – was “karma coming back at the majors”.
He said: “Alternative rock needs bludgeoning to death on a big stick and left on a bridge to warn passers-by. The Napster thing is the karma coming back at the majors flogging us endless failed formats and extortionate CD reissues over the last ten years.
“To be a record collector has been pretty hard recently…controlled access and racking bribery in major stores makes choice something of an illusion. Like buying food, if you go into a supermarket then you can only consume what the buyers have chosen for you, what they can make the most profit from. the illusion of choice.”
In other Radiohead news, Yorke has also updated his page on the official Radiohead website, [url=]www.radiohead.com/thom.html, to include a polemic by writer Naomi Klein in support of US Green Party Presidential candidate Ralph Nader.
The band have joined forces with fellow musicians including Pearl Jam vocalist Eddie Vedder in support of Nader. When Radiohead appeared on US TV show ‘Saturday Night Live’, Yorke held up a banner which appealed to allow Nader to take part in presidential debates.