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Radiohead in Recap: Secret Show and More

WEDNESDAY JANUARY 16 2008 11:00 AM

Submitted by Fatality. Edited By Fatality.

Line.

This seemingly simple, one syllable word is capable of eliciting such a variety of reactions. Drug users� hearts sing and soar, palpitating with excitement. Mathematicians might share a Euclidean insight. Actors are likely to rehearse and recite. But, today, to Radiohead fans in East London a line means one very good thing: a secret Radiohead show! And thus, like drug users, their hearts are likely to sing and soar.

At 1900 GMT, Radiohead will play a show at the Rough Trade East shop on Brick Lane. A secret show, yes. So secret, in fact, that even the staff of the shop did not know they would be hosting such an event. So, today, music lovers will line up on Brick Lane and wait and wait and wait, hoping for a chance to see Thom Yorke and crew.

Organisers are planning a numbering system to allow fans to take a few minutes break from the queue. Radiohead also hope those left outside will not lose out completely.

"For those who can't get in - and it's pretty small in there - we'll have some screens and speakers outside, if we're allowed. I think we are. And we'll also webcast it," the band said on their website.

The show will feature songs from Radiohead�s latest album, In Rainbows. While diehard fans have had a variety of reactions to the release � from absolute adoration to lamenting its purportedly more formulaic approach � the album has met praise from some particularly �big� sources. For instance, In Rainbows was named #1 Album of the Year by Billboard�s Critics Choice 2007 and #2 Album of the Year by Time Magazine.

The tracks were released for download in October 2007, but only in the first week of January 2008 did the physical version of the CD become available for purchase. Of course, this release meant that purchasers would be paying a set price for the music, rather than the original listener-dictated value of the downloads. This fact also meant that the album went to the top of the UK charts during the first week of the new year - particularly noteworthy in light of the previous "success" (i.e. large number of downloads) of the online version.

It was previously reported that most downloaders paid nothing for the album. This fact, however, is not particularly attributed to having motivated Radiohead to proceed with a physical release.

"We didn't want it to be a big announcement about 'everything's over except the internet, the internet's the future', 'cause that's utter rubbish.
"And it's really important to have an artefact as well, as they call it, an object," [Thom Yorke] added.

The musician said that an internet only release would have been insanity. Additionally interesting is the fact that the album is being distributed by XL Recordings � the first independent release for the band after a sixteen year relationship with EMI. Regarding this matter, Yorke grieved the major labels' inability to cater to the fans alongside their excessive profit cuts.

So, there you have it. Some recent Radiohead news. And in case any of you don�t see this until you get back from the show, be sure to fill us in.

Fatality only listened to three Radiohead songs while writing this article. She switched it up, she swears.

13 Comments

Postblank

New Brunswick, NJ

June 2004

JAN 16, 2008 05:07 PM

It's almost like the studies done in countries about when someone finds a wallet on the ground. People in most places will just make off with it.

Cassiel

Aurora, CO

September 2004

JAN 16, 2008 05:10 PM

Fatality, what Radiohead songs did you listen to?

Fatality

SUICIDEGIRL

Florida, USA

JAN 16, 2008 05:17 PM

Cassiel said:
Fatality, what Radiohead songs did you listen to?

Hmmm...not that they are my favorite, but I believe they were Planet Telex, A punch up at a wedding, and Exit Music. Though I may have slightly cheated and listened to Planet Telex twice

Cassiel

Aurora, CO

September 2004

JAN 16, 2008 05:21 PM

Fatality said:

Cassiel said:
Fatality, what Radiohead songs did you listen to?

Hmmm...not that they are my favorite, but I believe they were Planet Telex, A punch up at a wedding, and Exit Music. Though I may have slightly cheated and listened to Planet Telex twice

I've never really liked 'Planet Telex' all that much, though the rest of that album is awesome. 'Exit Music (For A Film)' is gorgeous.

Fatality

SUICIDEGIRL

Florida, USA

JAN 16, 2008 05:22 PM

Cassiel said:

Fatality said:

Cassiel said:
Fatality, what Radiohead songs did you listen to?

Hmmm...not that they are my favorite, but I believe they were Planet Telex, A punch up at a wedding, and Exit Music. Though I may have slightly cheated and listened to Planet Telex twice

I've never really liked 'Planet Telex' all that much, though the rest of that album is awesome. 'Exit Music (For A Film)' is gorgeous.

Yeah, Exit Music is definitely my favorite of the three, too

Cassiel

Aurora, CO

September 2004

JAN 16, 2008 05:24 PM

Fatality said:

Cassiel said:

Fatality said:

Cassiel said:
Fatality, what Radiohead songs did you listen to?

Hmmm...not that they are my favorite, but I believe they were Planet Telex, A punch up at a wedding, and Exit Music. Though I may have slightly cheated and listened to Planet Telex twice

I've never really liked 'Planet Telex' all that much, though the rest of that album is awesome. 'Exit Music (For A Film)' is gorgeous.

Yeah, Exit Music is definitely my favorite of the three, too

It's really the only reason for me to watch 'Romeo + Juliet'

Postblank

New Brunswick, NJ

June 2004

JAN 16, 2008 07:06 PM

Speaking of "Exit Music (For a Film)," I'd like to recommend Brad Mehldau's instrumental adaptation for the song as a piano trio.

asbestosman

Australia

October 2005

JAN 16, 2008 08:13 PM

Speaking of Brad Mehldau's instrumental adaptations of Radiohead songs, I'd like to recommend the 9-minute, live, piano only recording of Paranoid Android.

Fatality

SUICIDEGIRL

Florida, USA

JAN 17, 2008 08:35 AM

Speaking of instrumental adaptations of Radiohead songs, I'd like to recommend Eric Gorfain

Agincourtdb

I'm lost

November 2005

JAN 23, 2008 11:08 AM

I have the two Christopher O'Riley Radiohead-on-piano CDs... it's exactly as if he thought he was being paid by the note. Pure genius, however, is the Easy Star All Stars' Radiodread. Seriously, buy it right now. Toots Hibbert doing "Let Down" is so joyful it hurts.

Fatality

SUICIDEGIRL

Florida, USA

JAN 23, 2008 11:30 AM

Ah, yes, Easy Star All Stars for both Radiohead and Pink Floyd. I am enamored of both.

dufsmash13

I'm lost

August 2007

JAN 23, 2008 12:59 PM

i tried to buy this and was billed but never got the download code. i tried to contact twice with no response. i paid 5 bucks/pounds. i know its not much but...

Ainur

Alameda, CA

May 2005

JAN 24, 2008 12:36 AM

I do not think Radiohead is the greatest band ever, but at this point I'd be a liar if I didn't say they were a favorite. I love the new album, it's brilliant, IF you like Radiohead. So if you know you don't, then there's no reason to start listening now. If you do love em, I don't know how you couldn't love this album. It sounds, to me, like they applied the more experimental tendencies they'd been exploring lately to the old, more structured and straight forward songs they were doing in the early days. Everything is there, it's just more refined. The only major difference is that, for Radiohead anyway, the vocals are mixed way out front. Not muddy or hard to hear at all.

I do have two small complaints. First, the download quality compared to the CD or the vinyl was complete crap. Both "artefact" versions sound 1000 times better than the download version. The other complaint would be that it's completely lame that they only put 10 songs on the official one disc release, and that you had to pay $80 (or more) to get the box set and hear the other tracks. Don't get me wrong, the price for the box set is fine. It's beautiful, and they did it independently. Even the one disc version ($10 at the Virgin Megas) is completely unique in design. And it's a great album from beginning to end (if you like Radiohead). But it's lame that there's only 42 miutes of music on the one disc version, especially when if you add the 8 tracks from the bonus disc it's still only 69 minutes. That annoyed me a little.

Oh yeah, there's a pretty long interview with Johnny posted over on www.live105.com (scroll down) where he confirms the 1.2 million download figure that's floating around and said about half of those were paid for.