Thirty years ago Radiohead, desperate and anxious to shed their one-hit wonder label, dropped their second album, the Bends. What is its legacy? What creative seeds were planted? Just how drunk was Thom when they recorded Planet Telex? We explore these questions and more as we delve into what makes the Bends so unique and what people were saying then and now about their sophomore record. We also discuss the producer John Leckie’s illuminating talk about his experience with the boys recording the album. And as always, we dive into quite a hefty newspile with stories about Radiohead’s curious legal filing, Colin having a chat with Rolling Stone, Ed silently protesting AI copyright law, the announcement of Thom’s new album with Mark Pritchard and plenty more.
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1:59:00
Episode 73 – Attenzione!
It’s the holiday season and we have a special gift from a mysterious internet elf: OK Outtakes, a collection of even more unheard songs and snippets from the OK Computer recording sessions. There are brand new songs, curious versions of old favorites, plus the boys having a laugh! As always, we dig through the newspile and discuss an extortionately priced edition of Colin’s photo book, a lengthy and varied playlist from the Smile guys, and our favorite non-the Smile music of 2024. Happy holidays!
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2:06:07
Episode 72 – Back in the Game
Thom has finished his solo jaunt across Oceania and Eastern Asia and naturally, we have tons to talk about. Which songs stood out and which old songs did he breathe new life into? We review the tour stats and our favorite highlights of his “new kind of solo show”. Also, the newspile is dense with items like an interesting interview with the “director” of the Nosferatu Amnesiac/Kid A sync, a spooky song from Thom’s wife Dajana, a fashion collab between Thom and a Japanese designer, Roger Waters opening up a public feud with Thom, three very different Radiohead covers, and plenty more.
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2:01:36
Episode 71 – Codex
W.A.S.T.E. got their act together and finally sent us Colin’s fantastic photography book, How to Disappear: A Portrait of Radiohead. Join us as we journey through Radiohead’s history via Colin’s photos and essays, from their meager beginnings in Oxfordshire to the grandiosity of playing the Smoothie King arena and so many great tidbits about what it means to be in the greatest band on the planet. Also, we chat about Thom joining the call against AI stealing art and a new song he played on the first night of his solo tour that will certainly get the kids dancing.
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1:52:01
Episode 70 – Horror Vacui
’Tis the season, spooky season that is! We were very fortunate to attend a screening of the silent horror classic Nosferatu devilishly synced with the two most chilling Radiohead albums, Kid A and Amnesiac. What horrors do the albums unleash when paired with the ungodly sights of Count Orlok himself? Which songs pair the best with the vampiric frights and which left us perplexed? Also, the newspile is full of mysterious items such as Thom’s first pre-solo show interview, Tom Skinner’s illuminating radio interview, Jonny’s email Q&As, an enriching Cutouts review, and a coven of curious covers that might just put a spell on you.
Ireland