Photo: Ben Jablonski
The notion that Radiohead might well be planning something special to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their third album, OK Computer, has been ramped up several notches after a mysterious video appeared on the band’s website.
As previously reported on Gigwise, a series of cryptic posters bearing what appear to be references to album track ‘Fitter Happier’ appeared in cities around the world including London, Amsterdam, Berlin, Los Angeles and New York. They all contained different messages but all signed off with “1997 – 2017”.
Now, the band – or minions guided by their hand – have posted an enigmatic video on their website in which glitchy computer visuals resembling the age of MS-DOS are screened. A young girl’s distorted voice intones selections of lyrics to ‘Climbing Up The Walls’ which is taken from – yes – OK Computer.
May 21 marks the album’s 20th anniversary and fans are speculating as to whether the band are planning to release new material on that date or whether some kind of re-issue, complete with demos or alternate versions, might be on the cards.
Other fans are speculating that Radiohead will be releasing a new teaser per day until the anniversary date is reached but no one can agree as to what will happen then. Some have even suggested that Radiohead might even play OK Computer in full when they headline the Glastonbury Festival at the end of next month.
Elsewhere, pressure group Jewish Voice for Peace have also called for Radiohead to cancel their forthcoming concert in Tel Aviv, Israel.
A letter to their supporters reads: “The band knows what social justice means —they’ve stood up for Tibet, and against the War on Terror. York even tweeted about not normalizing Trump. And as artists with a conscience, Radiohead should stand in solidarity with Palestine...
“They’d be far from alone. Ms. Lauryn Hill, Roger Waters, Brian Eno, Elvis Costello, Bjork and many others have heeded Palestinian civil society’s call. These artists see apartheid Israel for what it is. And most importantly, they’ve embraced their role in making change.
“Palestinians don't have a choice to reject or accept apartheid in Israel. It is a daily, grinding experience. Radiohead has a choice to do the right thing. I still hold out hope that they will.”
