The Radiohead Story (2005-present)

Radiohead began work again in early 2005. As a result of the band’s work, Thom and Jonny debuted a new song, “Arpeggi,” in March 2005, playing it at London’s Ether Festival; Greenwood also debuted two of his own classical pieces, one written for the Ondes Martenot. Later that summer, Thom performed an acoustic set for the Trade Justice Rally, playing never-recorded fan favourite “Nude” (aka “Big Ideas”), debuting the new song “House of Cards,” reviving the unreleased “Reckoner,” and introducing “Last Flowers [to the Hospital],” a remnant of the OK Computer period. Radiohead did not perform live in 2005, but would perform some of these songs later by the full band.

Radiohead returned to regular recording sessions by late summer 2005, posting intermittently in their Dead Air Space blog on their progress. Recording continued into early 2006. On the initial sessions, the band chose to work with Mark “Spike” Stent instead of their longtime co-producer Nigel Godrich. As revealed by Ed O’Brien in December 2005, the switch was made amiably because the band felt too comfortable with Godrich and wanted to challenge themselves. However, Godrich closely followed their recording sessions and will work with the band in the future. The band also said that having “no contract or release deadline to fulfill – it’s both liberating and terrifying” to work that way.[11]

In early September 2005 the band recorded a new song, “I Want None of This” - a haunting piano-piece - for the War Child charity album Help: A Day in the Life - a sequel to the 1995 compilation to which the band had contributed “Lucky.” The album was sold on the Internet, and Radiohead’s contribution became the most downloaded track, though in contrast with “Lucky” it was not released as a single.

In May and June 2006, Radiohead toured England and major cities in Europe and North America, returning to Europe for several concerts in late August. The tour drew sold out crowds to smaller venues, such as clubs and theatres. 2006 also marked the first time the band had played the Bonnaroo and V music festivals; they played a massive 28-song set at Bonnaroo, and headlined both lineups of V.

In addition to playing old songs and re-arranged versions of “Arpeggi”, “Nude” and “House of Cards,” Radiohead premiered 10 new songs on their 2006 tour: “Bangers ‘n’ Mash”, “Open Pick”, “15 Step”, “4 Minute Warning”, “Spooks”, “Bodysnatchers”, “Go Slowly”, “Videotape”, “Down Is The New Up” and “All I Need”. According to interviews, these represent only a portion of the newly written material. O’Brien told Green Plastic, a fan site, that the band plans on recording with Godrich after their summer tour, although the band has also professed satisfaction with some work from the earlier sessions. Thom Yorke also has compared the lyrical concept of the new album to that of OK Computer: “It’s about that anonymous fear thing, sitting in traffic, thinking, ‘I’m sure I’m supposed to be doing something else’. Interestingly enough it’s similar to OK Computer in a way. It’s much more terrifying. But OK Computer was terrifying too - some of the lyrics were.”[12]

Radiohead likely will release their seventh album sometime in 2007,[13] whose release date and title are unconfirmed. The band recently extended their publishing contract with Warner/Chappell.[14] This still leaves speculation about who will release the record. As of early October, the band is recording in an old mansion in the English countryside.[15] Thom Yorke said on Dead Air Space that the band have “Started the record properly now… [And] starting to get somewhere I think. Finally.”[16] According to a blog posting on October 17th from the band’s roadie Plank, Radiohead has been recording properly for a while since the end of their summer tour. This period has been “incredibly busy and productive.”