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RADIOHEAD BIOGRAPHY

Thom, Jonny, Colin, Ed & Phil all hail from the Oxford area, where they all still live. The city still has a strong influence on their songs. Oxford had recently become famous for the birth of quite a few bands; Flide, Nubiles, Swervedriver, Candyskins and now Supergrass. Famed for its Jericho Tavern, [sadly now closed] it was a great opening for local bands to showcase their talents. More famous for its University, local music doesn't cross over into student life as the University is a ‘closed shop‘ to anyone other than students.

Radiohead all went to the same school just outside Oxford. We were in different class years, had different friends, and mostly different interests, save the obvious one: the “sweet rock”. The school was depressingly single sexed, ie. male, but had a great music school where we would all run and hide away from the tedious conformity of timetables and uniforms. There, we jammed endlessly around Joy Division and New Order covers. We ditched the drum machine, and drafted in Phil “mad dog” Selway. Thom wrote some great songs, and the few gigs we played involved us all wearing black and playing very loud. Some things never change - Colin

They met each other in their early teens when they were attending Abingdon School. Thom and Ed were in the same year at school, Phil was in the year above, Colin the year below, and Jonny, Colin's brother, a year below him. Initially Jonny was not a member of the band, he joined later, at first playing the mouth-organ, graduating to keyboards and guitar.

Although as yet they didn’t know each other, music was a means of escape from the rest of their regimented schooling. "When you‘re at school you get into a band and you get to be kind of a cool person in your year." - Phil. Whenever possible, Thom, Jonny, Ed, Colin and Phil used to retreat to the music school where they could experiment and create. They took their first influences from bands around at the time such as Magazine.

When the band formed they were originally called ‘On A Friday’, (“...the worst name in the fucking world..." Thom.) simply because that was when they rehearsed.

“Can’t you play any fucking faster?” First impressions are so important, and such was my initial greeting, as drummer, from the band. Despite having been at the same school for years, we’d had no contact until this exchange of ideas at my first rehearsal at the music school. We had been in different years, and most certainly weren’t a gang. Eight years on and aside from Thom’s hair, little has changed. We still argue about tempo and, finally, are in a gang of our own – thankfully without any bizarre initiation rites. - Phil

The band played sporadically at the Oxford Jericho Tavern and other local venues after recording their first demo at Union Street Studios in Oxford, which contained songs that have never been released.

Their second demo was recorded at The Dungeon Studio near Oxford, around the same time that Flide recorded their first demos that would later become their first EP.

Other names that the band toyed with included 'Gravitate‘ and 'Shindig', and at one time On A Friday had three saxophone players!

One after the other the band members left school to go on to University. Distance made it impossible for the band to keep together to rehearse or gig, so for a while their musical development entered a dormant period and they played only in the holidays, but did find time to record home demos. But on the completion of their courses, and with encouragement from their friends, Thom. Ed, Phil & Colin came back to Oxford, where Jonny was still studying, and On A Friday launched themselves back onto the Oxford music scene in the Autumn of 1991. They were a big success and made their mark as an exciting, raw and electrifying act. Oxford music paper, Curfew described one gig a follows, "On A Friday played the Jericho Tavern [Oxford] to a good sized crowd and there was a man from EMI there. A mere two weeks later they play the Tavern again and the place is heaving. There are twenty five record company A & R men there and what's more, they all paid to get in. To put it bluntly On A Friday are HAPPENING." [Curfew Dec. 1991]

Curfew wasn't wrong. Word went round fast and in a matter of weeks On A Friday was the name on the lips of every A & R man in the music industry. At the same time they were introduced to their current man-agers Chris Hufford, a local recording studio owner & producer, and his partner Bryce Edge. They were attracted to the bands fresh and exciting show and saw the potential for development. Colin spoke of his first meeting with Chris, "He heard about us through a mutual friend and he came to see us at the Jericho. Afterwards he was almost shaking. He said we were the best group he'd seen in 3 years and invited us to record with him at his studio. We see it as an investment". [Curfew 1991)

Only a dozen gigs old, there were lots of companies eager to sign them up and they had the luxury of being able to take their pick of the record deals. On A Friday signed to Parlophone Records on the 2nd March '92, because “...we liked the cut of their jib.” - Colin. Parlophone didn’t particularly like the name, nor so the band, so they changed the name to 'Radiohead', tipping a wink to the Talking Heads song.

The debut E.P “Drill” was released [now deleted] on 5.5.92, reaching no. 101 in the U.K. Gallup chart, with one reviewer saying that the E.P had “...a slight sixties feel and hints of Neil Young."

“Creep” E.P. was released 21.9.92 as a pre-cursor to the album Pablo Honey. ['Creep' was the first track the band recorded for the album.) After only three plays on Radio One the EP reached no. 78 in the charts.

Thom "That nervous twitch he does, that's just his way of checking that the guitar is working, that it's loud enough, and he ended up doing it while we were recording. And whilst we were listening to it, it was like ‘Hey what the fuck was that? Keep that! Do that!’"

Famous for Jonny's distinctive 'Kerchunnk' parts leading into the chorus, he was unhappy that the song was too ‘ballady' and wanted to pep it up a bit. Unbeknown to the band, the tape machine was running and from that one accidental take, ‘Creep’ was recorded, leading to it being hailed as one of the classic anthems of the nineties. Where the press had given it mediocre reviews the first time round they gave it rave reviews on its re-release claiming that they had always backed it as a huge hit. They had to edit out the ‘fuck’, for a radio friendly version because the stations weren't allowed / refused to play it, and replaced it with ‘very’. Fans have written in after hearing the single and buying the album complaining that there was swearing on the album version.

Proud of their live performances and wanting to build up a solid fan base, Radiohead toured for most of '92 (dubbed ‘the toilet tour‘) building up their repertoire, learning their craft and supporting Kingmaker, Frank & Walters, Sultans of Ping and Levitation, forging their exciting live performances into something that's highly critically acclaimed today.

Radiohead have been called, “The British music industry's best kept secret," because, they had worked hard all year but had been virtually ignored by the music press. Some say that the music press lost interest because the band are not the type of people to smash up hotel rooms, or make outlandish claims. Instead, they built up more of a dedicated underground following on the strength of their exciting gigs.

“Pablo Honey”, the first Radiohead L.P. (named from a Jerky Boys sketch) was released on 22.2.93, to much praise, picking up comments such as “…it blows just about every other album that will be released this year into a cocked hat…” and Thom was described as having, “…a nuclear powered voice that can scream and swoop like a randy jet fighter on heat.” In the Meldoy Maker, Thom was reported as having said, “…with this L.P. we’re actually going to save pop music.” “Pablo Honey” reached no. 25 in the U.K. album chart.

Their first trip out of the U.K. was the Black Session in Paris, where they played live on national radio. playing their cover of Glen Campbell‘s ‘Rhinestone Cowboy’ amongst other songs in their set. On the 21st of Feb. this year the band went to Paris again to record another Black Session with Weezer in support

March ´93 saw the release of the “Anyone Can Play Guitar” E.P., which reached no 32 in the UK., and was a Melody Maker single of the week, picking up praise such as “...sophisticated polish to their guitar band abrasion," and “If all journalists are indeed frustrated musicians then ‘Anyone Can Play Guitar’ is our anthem. " Before embarking on the ‘Anyone Can Play Guitar’ tour, the band played 3 dates in Tel Aviv in Israel, which were very well received indeed. In April they went on a pro- motional trip to the USA to dip their {nanny collective toes in the turbulent waters of American rock!

In May the band released ‘Pop Is Dead’ and embarked on a tour of the same name. The single received mixed reviews, one reviewer remarking that the song was "...another wonderfully sardonic swipe at society and culture...", whilst others blandly quibbling along the lines of “well if pop is dead then why are Radiohead bothering?" The single reached 42 in the charts.

In the summer of that year, due to radio stations in the U.S. being inundated with requests for ‘Creep, the single was released in the States, the album subsequently soared to gold record status, selling over half a million copies, Radiohead being the first British band to capture the interest of the American market in several years. ‘Creep’ stayed in the American charts for 4 weeks and MTV, showed the video continually. ‘Creep’ had become an anthem to the angst ridden, playing in every teenager's bedroom, a song that ordinary people could identify with, it meant something to them. The success of ‘Creep’ came as a total surprise to the band and their managers, they hadn't expected such a reaction. Time and time again it reached No l in countries all over the world, and the album went Gold in countries they wouldn't have expected such as the Philippines and Canada, and has just gone Gold here in the U.K. “Creep” became a hit in one country after another, USA, Canada, South America and the Far East. The press in the UK became uneasy that Radiohead were big news everywhere except in the UK. “Creep” was released again in the UK in September ‘93 going straight to No 7 in the UK charts, and gave the opportunity for Radiohead to wow the British public on Top Of The Pops. October saw Thom as the cover star of the Melody Maker.

Despite his image as an ‘angry young man of British Pop", Yorke has his more thoughtful side. Like when he's talking about coping with the inevitable waiting around involved with touring. “All the free time we get to think is very valuable. It sounds pretentious, but it gives you the chance to grow up." On touring America, “It was wild," says Yorke, "My first memory of America was waking up on a coach in Boston. I walked into the hotel at about 7 o'clock in the morning, switched on the the television, and there was ‘Creep‘." The single became a massive hit in America, and the band were instant superstars. “It was all such a contrast to what we were used to. But the thing I remember most about America is that it's silly. That can be quite a relief at times."

The success of “Creep” took them to America on tour twice in 1993, the first being a headline tour in June and July, the second tour came in September and October, co-headlining with Belly. The band totalled an incredible 130 gigs that year. Great to see the world but not very good for one‘s private life. They were applauded everywhere they went. As people discovered how exciting and energetic their live shows were, building up a dedicated following of fans. Whether the critics liked Radiohead or not, they agreed that the band were destined for greatness.

Meanwhile back in Europe the band experienced their first taste of the summer festival circuit, playing in both Belgium and Holland. Unfortunately their appearance at the Reading Festival had to be cancelled due to Thom suffering from laryngitis. In November Radiohead went off with James on a tour of Europe, ending in December with a run of British dates.

The New Year brought in an award! The NME readers voted “Creep” the best single of 1993, earning the band a Brat Award, a rather offensive looking hand statuette with a rigid middle digit. Radio 1 listeners voted “Creep” into second place in the Brit Awards, being pipped to the top slot by Take That. Ho Hum.

In May MTV filmed a blistering performance by the band at The Astoria in London [Video release on 13.3.95].

The first half of 1994 was taken to by rehearsals and recording for the new album, ‘The Bends”. Touring began again in May beginning with Europe, and then debuting in Japan, Hong Kong, Australia and New Zealand. After Australia the band finally managed to play at a British festival, the massive Glastonbury Festival in Somerset. Part of Radiohead’s set was later broadcast on U.K. radio. Glastonbury heralded the beginning of this year’s summer festival season with appearances in Denmark at the Roskilde Festival and the Sopot Festival in Poland, then back to England for the all important Reading Festival, much of the show has been broadvast on TV by Gary Crowley on The Beat.

After the busy summer, Radiohead released ‘My Iron Lung’ in the form of two E.R's with 6 other tracks spread between them. The song reached 24 in the U. K. charts, with Them saying that, “The E.P.s, rather than being a taster for the album, are more like the tracks that didn't get on the album because they were slightly too diverse.” One reviewer adding that ‘My Iron Lung‘ was a ”...slab of spine-tingling rock. "

September saw the band load up more for the gig trail. Beginning with the ‘Iron Lung’ tour of the U.K. running into October and then jetting off to Thailand for a two date stint in Bangkok. From Thailand, Mexico was the next place to touch down, with dates in Mexico City and Guadalajara. From Mexico to the U.S. for a couple of acoustic shows hosted by Thom and Jonny, the first in New York and then Los Angeles. Next stop back to England for Christmas.

In January the band flew back to the United States to shoot two videos in Los Angeles. The first, ‘Fake Plastic Trees’ was produced by Jake Scott [son of Bidley - who directed Blade Bunner], and was shot in a hangar at L.A.’s Van Nuys airport, where the end of Casablanca was filmed. ‘High And Dry‘ was shot just outside L.A. in Vasquez Canyon, near the location where old episodes of Star Trek were made, and the recent Flintstones film. The band had to suffer a freezing cold deluge of water being sprayed on them for the shoot. ‘High And Dry’ and ‘Planet Telex‘ a double A side single released on February 22nd, the NME giving it the ‘single of the week’ slot, “Thom Yorke‘s slender but elegant voice compliments the minimalist ‘flick tap‘ acoustic guitar. The clarity and separation of the production is excellent." ‘High And Dry’ giving Radiohead their second Top Of The Pops appearance. The single reached 17 in the British charts.

The new album ‘The Bends’, (released 133.95) recorded at RAK, Abbey Road. [home of the Beatles] and The Manor, [recently used by Paul Weller] in Oxfordshire, produced by John Leckie and mixed by the producers of ‘Pablo Honey’, Sean Slade and Paul ‘O’ Kolderie has already received excellent reviews in the music papers, with several "album of the week" pedigrees.
The tour for the new album began in March preceded by four more acoustic shows hosted by Thom and Jonny once again, with a sneak preview of ‘The Bends‘, being played after the acoustic set, over the PA.

my iron lung e.p.

my iron lung
faith you're driving me away
you do it every day
you don't mean it but it hurts like hell
my brain says i'm receiving pain
a lack of oxygen
to my life support
my iron lung

we're too young to fall asleep
too cynical to speak
we are losing it
can't you tell?
we scratch our eternal itch
our twentieth century bitch
and we are grateful for our iron lung

suck, suck your teenage thumb
toilet trained and dumb
and when the power runs out
we'll just hum
this, this is our new song
just like the last one
a total waste of time
my iron lung

Trickster
rust in the mountains,
rust in the brain
the air is sacred here
in spite of your claim
up on the roof tops
out of reach
trickster is meaningless
trickster is weak.
he's talking out the world.
hey! This is only halfway.
i wanted you so bad
and i couldn't say
all things fall apart
we wanted out so bad
and we couldn't say
these things fall apart

we're talking out the world
hey! This is only halfway.
truant kids — a can of brick dust worms
who do not want to climb down from
their chestnut tree
long white gloves
police tread carefully
(escaped from the zoo)
the perfect child facsimile is
talking out the world
talking out the world

hey! This is only halfway.

Lozenge of love
i am gone
everybody's raging
and these fruits
they still taste of poison.

i won't be around
when you really need me.

i can't sleep
why can't someone hold me?
i need warm
my restless body cracks and moans.

I wont have the strength
when you really need me

Punchdrunk lovesick singalong
i wrapped you inside my coat when they came to
firebomb the house, i didn't feel pain kos no-one can
touch me whenever i'm held in your spell;

a beautiful girl a beautiful girl can turn your world
into
DUST
sell me a car that goes sell me a house that stands
up
i never cared before i never cared before i never
cared before, before, before.

a beautiful girl a beautiful girl can turn your world
into
DUST
i stood in front of your face when the first bullet was
shot.

Lewis (mistreated)
bummed out again by your
only business friend the smell
of failure is thicker than you
think don't do it
don't.....jump.

changed shape to fit in the
end you just feel sick a million
lovesongs under anaesthetic
hey don't do it, don't……jump.

lewis save yourself the pain
you will never get there, lewis
save yourself the pain it never
really mattered.

we never noticed we never
understood he just got
crushed to fit he never even
smelt out the best it's the
best it's the best day of your
life.

lewis save yourself the pain
you will never get there, lewis
save yourself the pain it never
really mattered.

ohhh mistreated a low
corporate
hummmmmmistreated a low
corporate hum.

Permanent daylight
the easiest way to sleep at night is to
carryon believing that i don't exist the
easiest way to sell your soul is to
carryon believing that we don't exist,
-it must be hard with your head on
backward.

You never wash up after yourself
i must get out once in a while
everything is starting to die - the dust
settles, the worms dig, spiders crawl
over the bed.
i must get out once in a while, i eat
all day and now am fat - yesterday's
meal is hugging the plates, you never
wash up after yourself.

the bends

<01>planet telex

Phil - We used up some leftovers to create the drum loop - we cut up and re-arranged the outro section from the first version of 'Killer Cars', - Steve Osbourne remix is great.
Ed - A drunken evening that spawned probably my favourite track. Thom's one-take vocal crouching in the corner was particularly memorable, he may have been unable to stand. Love Colin's bass groove thang on this.
Jonny - This was the only song written in the studio - I remember helping Thom to write the verse, but not having the stamina to stay for the debauched recording session.
Colin - e r r...w h o o s h y ? Sitting in T.V. room at RAK studio whilst Thom, Ed and Leckie were working on it, thinking... 'what is this old bollocks?' ...then putting bass on, thinking... 'Oh yess, oooh yess, I like it!'
Thom - The product of a single sex education, romantic novels and art college. (And sensi?)

<02>the bends

Phil - I wanted to get away from the studio to view a house for rent. Consequently, this was the first take.
Ed - Weird to have finally recorded this song after playing it live so many times. This track really highlights Jonny's abusive guitar playing.
Jonny - Schlang! Schlang-schlang, schlang; schlang... schlang! That's 'The Bends', full of air.
Colin - A perennial hardy annual of a live favourite, faithfully committed live to tape.
Thom - Listen out for the recorders. I do. This song is so old I have no idea what it means anymore. For which I am glad.

<03>high & dry

Phil - One from the vaults - proof that demos are generally the best versions of songs.
Ed - I really don't remember the day that this was recorded with our sound engineer, Jim. All I do know is that we hadn't arranged the song before we went into the studio, but it ended up sounding great!
Jonny - This used to sound like Soul to Soul. A first take demo from ages ago.
Colin - Over 2 years old now...ah! so young, pure and innocent then - now I'm just old, pure and innocent! Damn!
Thom - An accident just like Evil Kenevil.

<04>fake plastic trees

Phil - Some of my favourite lyrics on the album - 'Gravity always wins' - what a line.
Ed - This took a while to record only because it was hard to better Thom just singing it with an acoustic guitar. Amazing lyrics.
Jonny - My favourite lyrics on the album. Writing the string parts was my studio highlight, in a megalomaniac kinda way.
Colin - Er..., Deep?
Thom - The product of a joke that wasn't really a joke and a very lonely drunken evening and well, a breakdown of sorts.

<05>bones

Phil -
Ed - Recorded something like first or second take, the same day as we recorded 'The Bends'. Love playing it live.
Jonny - This song and 'The Bends' were done on the same afternoon, easily the best day of recording.
Colin - It rocks like a mutha.
Thom - Have you ever been looking at someone's face talking and wondered what their skull must look like?

<06>(nice dream)

Phil - Nice song!
Ed - I remember when Thom first played the song to me on tape, just him and the acoustic. We were in my car and I had to rewind and play the song about ten times. We were supporting Kingmaker at the time at the end of 1992.
Jonny - A D D E A D D E Bm E A Aninth flat fifth A Aninth flat fifth A Bm E A B Bm B A.
Colin - Dreamy antithesis of 'Bones', it also features Leckie's 'whale songs' at end.
Thom - I don't remember my dreams. But this is one that won't go away.

<07>just

Phil - My favourite drum take on the album. Combination of sound rock and sassy grooves... well, I can dream, anyway.
Ed - This could have been about seven minutes long, as it was in rehearsal before the album. That whole rehearsal period stuck on a fruit farm in the middle of winter was amazing, just the five of us playing new songs. I think Phil's drumming on this is exquisite.
Jonny - Am G# Eflat F Am G# G F# F C F# F F C F# F F.
Colin - First track we put down properly at RAK.
Thom - A competition by me and Jonny to get as many chords as possible into a song.

<08>my iron lung

Phil - Recorded live at the Astoria, so slightly erratic at points, but has a brilliant atmosphere.
Ed - Recorded live from the Astoria in May 1994. A friend said he didn't like this song because it sounds like two songs stuck together. Yeah, great!
Jonny - This was recorded live at the Astoria show in London. Only the vocals were replaced.
Colin - Actually a live track from Astoria, tarted up a bit.
Thom - We just had to fuck it up. We had to.

<09>bullet proof..i wish i was

Phil - Did the drum take after a five mile run - it shows.
Ed - The only song that I've ever played on when I was not allowed to hear the backing track. "Just make whooping oodle noises for three minutes", was the cry from the control room. 'Bastards', I thought at the time.
Jonny - The backing vocal (counter-melody) in the final chorus is utterly beautiful - so are Ed's bubbles in the second verse....
Colin - More mellow stuff.
Thom - In L.A. if you drive round in a limo in the wrong area someone might resent it and shoot randomly into the blacked out glass.

<10>black star

Phil - Bit of a watershed during first RAK sessions - recorded in an afternoon, it got our creative juices flowing again.
Ed - This was recorded when John (Leckie) was away for a day - we rehearsed the song for about an hour then recorded it.
Jonny - This was done when John Leckie was at a wedding - there was a real 'teacher's away' larkiness to that day, hence the ace raggedness of the playing.
Colin - Wow! Fave 'heavy' rock number.
Thom - If Harry Niellson were alive today we'd beg him to sing this. He was dead however, so I had to bloody do it. Sober.

<11>sulk

Phil - Long time coming.
Ed - The last song to be recorded, done at Abbey Road and without doubt the hardest to finish - we'd made many attempts at it, but came back to how it sounded in rehearsal. I do however think this could have been mixed better.
Jonny - I was too ill to stand when this was done, I played on the floor, unable to tell what was good / bad. Mexico's revenge.
Colin - "...got a good beat"?
Thom - Listen out for the 100 tambourines. I do.

<12>street spirit (fade out)

Phil - Ed's guitar playing on this track is exceptional and without equal.
Ed - Jonny's favourite I think. No other way to finish the album but with this one.
Jonny - Our madrigal as written by Dowland and arranged by Scott Walker. My favourite song, like the last song on 'Pablo Honey' was.
Colin - Personal fave on a record of 'faves'. What do you mean there's no tower of feedback / distorted guitars etc.etc.??!!
Thom - Really not sure where this cam from. I would like it to be a Christmas single, because I like Christmas so much.

pablo honey

YOU You are the sun and moon and stars are you And I could never run away from you You try at working out chaotic things And why should I believe myself not you? You say the world is going to end so soon And why should I believe myself? You me and everything caught in the fire I can see me drowning Caught in the fire CREEP When you were here before, couldn't look you in the eye You're just like an angel, your skin makes me cry You float like a feather In a beautiful world And I wish I was special You're so fucking special (chorus) But I'm a creep, I'm a weirdo What the hell am I doing here? I don't belong here I don't care if it hurts, I want to have control I want a perfect body, I want a perfect soul I want you to notice When I'm not around You're so fucking special I wish I was special (chorus) She's running out again She's running out…. Whatever makes you happy Whatever you want You're so rucking special I wish I was special… But I'm a creep, I'm a weirdo What the hell am I doing here? I don't belong here I don't belong here. HOW DO YOU? He's bitter and twisted, he knows what he wants He wants to be loved and he wants to belong He wants us to listen, he wants us to weep He was a stupid baby who turned into a powerful freak But how do you? He lives with his mother, but we show him respect He's a dangerous bigot, but we always forget And he's just like his daddy Because he cheats on his friends And he steals and he bullies Anyway that he can. But how do you? STOP WHISPERING And the wise man say I don't want to hear your voice And the thin man say I don't want to hear your voice But they're cursing me, and they won't let me be And there's nothing to say, and there's nothing to do Stop whispering, start shouting Stop whispering, start shouting And my mother say we don't love you son no more And the buildings say we spit on your face some more And the feeling is, that there's something wrong Because I can't find the words and I can't find the songs. Stop whispering, start shouting Stop whispering, start shouting Dear Sir, I have a complaint, can't remember what it is THINKING ABOUT YOU Been thinking about you, your records are here Your eyes are on my wall, your teeth are over there But I'm still no one, and now you're a star What do you care? Been thinking about you, and there's no rest Shit I still love you Still see you in bed But I'm playing with myself And what do you care when I'm not there All the things you got All the things you need Who bought your cigarettes? Who bribed the company to come and see you? Been thinking about you So how can you sleep? These people aren't your friends They're paid to kiss your feet They don't know what I know And why should you care when I'm not there? All the things you got All the things you need Who bought your cigarettes? Who bribed the company to come and see you honey? Been thinking about you ANYONE CAN PLAY GUITAR Destiny, destiny protect me from the world Destiny, hold my hand protect me from the world Here we are with our running and confusion. And I don't see no confusion anywhere. (chorus) And if the worm does turn And if London burns I'll be standing on the beach with my guitar I wanna be in a band when I get to heaven Anyone can play guitar And they won't be a nothing anymore Grow my hair, grow my hair I am Jim Morrison Grow my hair, I wanna be wanna be wanna be Jim Morrison. Here we are with our running and confusion And I don't see no confusion anywhere (repeat chorus) RIPCORD Soul destroyed With clever toys For little boys It's inevitable, it's inevitable It's a soul destroyed You're free until you drop You're free 'til you've had enough And you don't understand - You've no ripcord Aeroplane do I mean what I mean? It's inevitable, inevitable, Oh aeroplane A thousand miles an hour On politics and power that you don't understand And no ripcord The answer to your prayers We'll drop you anywhere With no ripcord VEGETABLE I never wanted anything but this I tried hard, worked hard I ran around in domestic bliss I fought hard, died hard Every time you're running over me Every time you're running I can see (chorus) I'm not a vegetable I will not control myself I spit on the hand that feeds me I will not control myself I never wanted any broken bones Scarred face, no home You words surround me and I asphyxiate And I burn all hate Every time you're running out on me Every time you're running I can see (repeat chorus) The waters break, the waters run all over me The waters break, the waters run And this time your gonna pay (repeat chorus) PROVE YOURSELF I can't afford to breath in this town Nowhere to sit without a gun in my hand Hooked back up to my cathode ray I'm better off dead 'Prove Yourself' I wanna breath I wanna grow I'd say I want it but I don't know how I work, I bleed, I beg, I pray But I'm better off dead 'Prove yourself' Why? I CAN'T Please forget the words that I just blurted out It wasn't me it was my strange and creeping doubt It keeps rattling my cage And there's nothing in this world Will keep it down. Even though I might, even though I try I can't So many things that keep, that keep me underground So many words that I, that I can never find If you give up on me now I'll be gutted like I've never been before Even though I might, even though I try I can't If you give up on me now I'll be gutted like I've never been before. Even though I might, even though I try I can't. LURGEE I feel better, I feel better now you've gone I feel better, I feel strong I got better, I got better now there's nothing wrong I got better, I got better, I got strong Tell me something, tell me something I don't know. Tell me one thing, tell me one thing and let it go I got something, I got something heaven knows, I got something, I got something I don't know. BLOW OUT In my mind And nailed into my heels All the time Killing what I feel - And everything I touch turns to stone I am fused Just in case I blow out I am glued Just in case I crack out And everything I touch turns to stone Everything I touch turns to stone

PERSONAL FILES

Ed
GENERAL: Manchester Uni. Politics degree. Manchester United devotee. Tall. 26 years old.
JOBS BEFORE RADIOHEAD: Various jobs all involving alcohol-the serving of it. Photographers assistant.
PREVIOUS BANDS: ‘On A Friday‘, ‘Shindig‘.' 'Dearest'- Radiohead in previous lives.
RELATIONSHIPS WITH BAND: As Platonic as possible.
ON STAGE: As loud as possible.
FAVOURITE TOURED COUNTRY: America-because it is so strange.
THINGS THAT HAVE CHANGED YOUR LIFE: Signing to EMI, Recording ‘The Bends’.Various wanky books.
DESIRES: Jodie Foster. Single rooms on tour.
LIKES: The usual.
DISLIKES: Fanaticism.
FAVOURITE RADIOHEAD SONG: It's difficult to single out any one, but when I'm feeling melancholic, ‘Nice Dream’ will do nicely thank you very much. But when it's a Saturday night and I'm all decked out in my “Glad Rags” I like nothing better than to stomp around the house punching the air to ‘Planet Telex‘.

Colin
GENERAL: English graduate Peterhouse, Cambridge. Computer Spod. Likes American Literature
JOBS BEFORE RADIOHEAD: Our Price in Oxford. Did not enjoy because the manager was a soft metal fan.
PREVIOUS BANDS: “King of Thailand” and Mama Hung Me In The Closet, But I’m Still Feeling Funky”. Both college bands, both groovy. I supplied the low end on those two rocking combos.
RELATIONSHIP WITH BAND: Have a great time with Jonny, we never fight, we are the antithesis of the Gallagher brothers, we have always been mates. I’m Jonny’s moral guardian on tour I try to get him to drink and womanize, but he’s never interested.
ON STAGE: Is that really my brother? My goodness hasn’t he grown. I just think of him as a little boy. I remember him in the flared trousers and loud tops, nothing’s changed really. No bomshells to unearth, we are like old married couples.
FAVOURITE TOURED COUNTRY: Mexico, except Mexico City.
THINGS THAT HAVE CHANGED YOUR LIFE: Joy Division. University dons. College. Being signed to EMI “The Sweet Rock”. “The Red Fox” by Charles G. D. Roberts. “The Compassion Protocol” by Herve Guibert. Frank Capra’s “It’s a Wonderful Life”.
DESIRES: Anyone who buys our records, if that’s not a out off. Also, Seen Young in “No Way Out”.
LIKES: Good food and wine. Travelling. Everything to do with Radiohead. Meeting people.
DISLIKES: Tardiness. Bad manners. Having to clean the bath after someone else. Finding all the cheese in my fridge gone.
FAVOURITE RADIOHEAD SONG: Bones – allows me to “rock out” righteously.

Phil
GENERAL: Degree in English, History & Drama – John Moore University, Liverpool. Postgrad. Diploma in Publishing-Brookes Uni., Oxford. Next door’s cat and sizeable phone bill to support, so please give generously.
JOBS BEFORE RADIOHEAD: Desk editor for medical publishing house in Oxford.
PREVIOUS BANDS: Jungle Telegraph, Luigi Klingon and His Magic Of Italy Beat Group Sound Authority
RELATIONSHIP WITH BAND: I’m a professional and married, so purely Platonic
ON STAGE: When I’m playing, my reflex action is to stick my tongue out – not in a “Gene Simmons, foot on the monitor” way, but in a “having difficulty with tricky arithmetic” way. Consequently, I have a saliva rash on my lower lip when I come offstage.
FAVOURITE TOURED COUNTRY: New Zealand / Holland.
THINGS THAT HAVE CHANGED YOUR LIFE: Leaving the buffer zone of Higher Education, Meeting Cait. Signing to E.M.I.
DESIRES: Cait
LIKES: Next door’s cat. Chocolate.
DISLIKES: The heavy thud of my phone bill on the front-door mat.
FAVOURITE RADIOHEAD SONG: When playing, I prefer our more strident numbers like “Just”, “You”, or “Blow Out”. When listening, our mellower, more intimate tunes, like “Fake Plastic Trees” or “Lurgee”, appeal most.

Jonny
GENERAL: Jonny G. 5.1 1 .71. Born in Oxford.
JOBS BEFORE RADIOHEAD: Student-but only for 4 weeks, because of signing the record deal when I was 19.
PREVIOUS BANDS: ‘The Illiterate Hands‘, with Thom’s brother and our first Lighting Designer.
RELATIONSHIP WITH BAND: Fraternal with one, eternal with rest.
ON STAGE: Yes, and on stage.
FAVOURITE TOURED COUNTRY: Still Britain, really. And Dublin.
THINGS THAT HAVE CHANGED YOUR LIFE: My friends, Nigel, Andy, Later some teachers at school. My sister's record collection. Getting a recorder when I was 5.
DESIRES: To learn all l can about music.
LIKES: Art Blakey records are this year's passion.
DISLIKES: None.
FAVOURITE RADIOHEAD SONG: Street Spirit

Thom
GENERAL: Boy. Man. Fish. Thom.
JOBS BEFORE RADIOHEAD: Destroying architects‘ technical drawings. Selling crap suits on commission. Destroying cappucinis and swearing at waitresses. Smoking (full-time)
PREVIOUS BANDS: On A Friday [dodgy Talking Heads rubbish], Flickernoise [a computer with dreadlocks)
RELATIONSHIPS WITH BAND: Purely physical.
ON STAGE: The same.
FAVOURITE TOURED COUNTRY: Italy. Italy. Italy. I want to be smothered in beautiful scenery.
THINGS THAT HAVE CHANGED YOUR LIFE: Books. Music. College. Girls. [not in that order]
DESIRES: Girls. Computers. err...
LIKES: Shopping. Girls (from a safe distance]. Sleep [from a safe distance].
DISLIKES: Other bands. The media. Everything, pretty much.
FAVOURITE RADIOHEAD SONG: Today it’s Bones I think.