Radiohead

Thom Yorke – Lead vocals/Guitar
Ed O’Brian – Guitar/Backing Vocals
Johnny Greenwood – Guitar/Keyboards/Various strange instruments
Colin Greenwood – Bass
Phil Selway - Drums

Upon releasing the seminal ‘OK Computer’ in 1997, Radiohead were lauded with immense critical praise – the like of which was never seen before. Throughout the twelve tracks they encapsulated a paranoid landscape that sound tracked the mood of an alienated pre-millennial society. Such an intelligent and meteoric record was far from the psyche when they first appeared in 1992.

Originally called On a Friday, the band who all hailed from Oxford first formed in 1989 whilst studying at various colleges and Universities. It wasn’t until the early nineties that they started to play regularly and get noticed. In 1992 they released their debut EP, ‘Drill’ which dented the top 100, but only received moderate praise. Following being snapped up by Parlophone later that year,  they released three singles “Creep”, “Anyone Can Play Guitar” and Pop Is Dead”, all of which were largely ignored by the music press and the public. These singles were followed by the debut album ‘Pablo Honey’ in early 1993. The album was highly Americanised, a bit derivative and lacked the vision and intelligence of their later works (the band themselves have admitted they now detest the album). Undoubtedly, the highlight was ‘Creep’ – an epic, sprawling track about hurt and self-loathing, packed with desperate vocals. After being heavily rotated on American radio stations, the single started to get the attention it deserved - upon its re-release in Britain it reached the top ten.

In 1994 the band hooked up with John Leckie and started work on 'The Bends'. The album came out in spring 1995 and was the sound of a more mature and complex band. Melancholy, beautiful and uplifting, it was a perfect juxtaposition to, and escape from, the Brit-pop movement engulfing the country. A huge tour supporting REM and a series of popular singles such as ‘Fake Plastic Trees’, ‘Street Spirit (Fade Out)’ and ‘Just’ helped boost the popularity of the album.

However, no-one was prepared for the success of ‘OK Computer’ – in the summer of 1997 the band went straight to the top of the charts in Britain and propelled the band into worldwide notoriety. Critics were keen to hail it as ‘one of the greatest albums of all time’ and ‘era defining’. The album was preceded by the six and a half minute opus ‘Paranoid Android’ – perhaps the most bizarre tunes ever to reach number two.

Amid the hysteria, the band were faced with a dilemma. Do they replicate OK computer and bring out a part II or change direction. They emphatically chose the latter and following a tour which they performed under a giant tent, they brought out the challenging 'Kid A' in October 2000. Influenced by their fascination with electronica and the Warp record label, the album was both groundbreaking and strange. Bizarre robotic noises replaced soaring guitars, indeed it was a bit too much for some people. The fact that they refused to release singles from it only added to their isolation.

Recorded at the same time as Kid A, Amnesiac came out in June 2001. Some predicted that it would be more accessible than Kid A, but it proved to be equally demanding. Singles ‘Knives Out’ and ‘The Pyramid Song’ were both highly successful and were perhaps the most comprehendible tracks on the album. The mini live album came out in November that year and featured the unreleased epic track ‘True Love Waits’ – one of only a couple of tracks that the band have written about love.

Two years the band released ‘Hail to the Thief’ – named after an anti- George W Bush protest slogan. The album followed the top five single ‘There There’ and was not quite as obscure as its two predecessors.