Muchmusic Interview - April 12, 1998

Muchmusic Interview, April 12, 1998

Sook-Yin Lee: YOU'RE WATCHING MuchMusic AND I'M WITH THOM YORKE AND PHIL SELWAY, PERFORMING TONIGHT AT MAPLE LEAF GARDENS IN TORONTO. WHAT CAMERA ARE WE ON RIGHT NOW? OKAY.

I THOUGHT YOU WERE JUST REHEARSING.

SHALL WE START A IN?

Sook-Yin Lee: SO ARE YOU OKAY? WHAT HAVE BEEN YOUR CONCERNS TODAY?

TODAY?

Sook-Yin Lee: YEAH.

GETTING UP I THINK --

AND NOT THROWING UP, YEAH.

Sook-Yin Lee: THIS ALBUM HAS A "GI-NORMOUS CRITICAL --

GI-NORMOUS?

Sook-Yin Lee: GI-NORMOUS. I WAS READING LIKE YOU HAVE GOTTEN 5,000 AWARDS ALL TOTAL FOR THIS PARTICULAR ALBUM...

WELL, THE OFFICE IS JUST --

Sook-Yin Lee: AWARDS CENTRAL.

YES HOW MANY DID YOU SAY?

Sook-Yin Lee: 5,000 AWARDS, TOP-TEN LISTS, AND ALSO "Q" MAGAZINE HAD A READERS' POLL AND YOU WERE VOTED -- THIS ALBUM WAS VOTED THE BEST ALBUM EVER CREATED. (Screaming from outside) HOW DO YOU REACT TO THAT?
r> JUST LIKE THAT! ED'S WAS THE BEST REACTION, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY WE DIDN'T TAKE IT VERY SERIOUSLY. ED WENT OUT WITH HIS FRIENDS AND GOT BACK TO HIS HOUSE AND PUT ON "REVOLVER," WHICH IS NUMBER TWO -- WE BEAT "REVOLVER," YOU SEE, BY THE BEATLES AND HE JUST WALKED AROUND THE HOUSE GOING "NUMBER TWO." HE THOUGHT THAT WAS FUNNY, BUT HIS MATES DIDN'T.

Sook-Yin Lee: DOES IT MAKE YOU FEEL GOOD, THOUGH?

IT'S A JOKE.

LET'S SEE WHAT THEY SAY NEXT YEAR.

EX TLY. THIS PARTICULAR WAVE WILL PASS.

Sook-Yin Lee: COULD YOU EVER THINK EVEN IN TERMS OF YOUR FAVOURITE ALBUM EVER?

WELL, IT'S A DUMB THING TO RUN IN A MAGAZINE. IT'S LIKE, "OH, NO, HOW CAN WE FILL TEN PAGES?" IT'S A COMPLETE POINTLESS EXERCISE, REALLY. IT JUST MAKES YOU FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE ULTIMATELY, BUT IT'S KIND OF FUNNY AND YOU FEEL A BIT UNCOMFORTABLE.

Sook-Yin Lee: A LOT OF PEOPLE STRIVE, A LOT OF ARTISTS STRIVE FOR RECOGNITION, FOR VALIDATION OF T IR WORK. SOME GREAT CREATORS NEVER REALLY GET RECOGNIZED.

YEAH, EXACTLY.

Sook-Yin Lee: BUT DOES THIS MAKE YOU FEEL MORE CONFIDENT IN YOUR WORK, HAVING ALL THIS RECOGNITION FOR IT?

THE TWO SIDES OFFSET EACH OTHER, DON' THEY, REALLY?

BUYS US SOME SPACE, MAYBE.

YEAH, WE CAN TAKE A BIT OF TIME OFF NOW.

BUT I THINK -- IT'S ONE OF THESE THINGS, YOU KNOW. IT JUST DOESN'T ALTER HOW WE, YOU KNOW, INTRINSICALLY WORK AS A BAND, I DON'T THINK. ND IT WOULD BE VERY SAD IF IT DID, REALLY.

YEAH.

SO NO. I MEAN WE JUST MUDDLE ALONG IN OUR OWN WAY, I THINK.

YEAH, I MEAN, I THINK WE'RE JUST DAZED AND CONFUSED REALLY ABOUT THE WHOLE THING, COMPLETELY.

Soo Yin Lee: YOU HAVE BEEN MAKING MUSIC TOGETHER FOR A LONG TIME NOW. DO YOU SEE YOURSELVES AS BETTER ARTISTS NOW THAN BEFORE OR IS IT -- HAS IT BEEN A CONSTANT SORT OF --

I THINK WE'RE A BETTER UNIT NOW, BETWEEN THE FIVE OF US. WE WORK A T MORE EFFECTIVELY NOW. WE LISTEN TO EACH OTHER A LOT MORE.

AND IT'S KIND OF A LOT MORE FUN. THERE'S LESS FIGHTING GOING ON AND THERE'S LESS -- IT'S VERY MUCH SORT OF... EVERYONE IS WILLING TO EXPERIMENT AND NOT TAKE IT SERIOUSLY WHIC CONSIDERING THE POSITION WE'RE IN, I THINK, IS KIND OF AN EXCITING THING REALLY. WE NOW HAVE LOTS OF FRIENDS WHO SURROUND US THAT MAKE US CONFIDENT, AND THEY'RE WORKING IN OTHER AREAS AND --

THEY SAY "YES, YES, YES."

IT'S GR T. WE PAY THEM MONEY AND THEN THEY GO AWAY.

Sook-Yin Lee: DO YOU LISTEN TO YOUR OWN MUSIC?

NO.

NO. WELL, MAYBE SOME OF THE "B" SIDES SOMETIMES.

WHEN WE HAVE TO RELEARN THEM.

EXACTLY.

Sook in Lee: SO THEN THE MOST IMPORTANT PROCESS OF THE MUSIC IS WHAT, THE CREATION OF IT OR THE PERFORMANCE OR...

WELL, YOU KNOW, IT STARTS -- WE KNOW EVERY SINGLE NOTE AND WE HAVE HEARD IT OVER AND OVER AGAIN, SO THE LAST THING YOU WANT TO DO IS ACTUALLY SIT DOWN AND GO THROUGH IT ALL AGAIN. IT'S HEALTHY NOT TO -- BUT TOURING AS WELL, I THINK IT'S HEALTHY NOT TO LISTEN TO THE MATERIAL.

I THINK IT'S KIND OF THE WORST THING ABOUT THE W THE MUSIC BUSINESS WORKS NOW IS THAT YOU MAKE AN ALBUM AND THEN YOU -- I MEAN WE GOT TO THE POINT WHERE WE KNEW EVERY SINGLE NOTE, EVERY SINGLE TINY LITTLE SOUND IN THAT RECORD, TO THE POINT WHERE IT WAS JUST DRIVING US INSANE, AND NOW WE DON' HAVE THAT, AND THAT'S KIND OF A RELIEF BECAUSE YOU CAN MOVE ON. BUT I THINK REALLY IF YOU'RE A PAINTER OR A NOVELIST, YOU JUST MOVE ON. YOU WOULDN'T GO OUT AND HAVE TO SELL THE THING FOR A YEAR. AND... I MEAN IT'S A GOOD RECORD AND EVERYTHING YOU KNOW, BUT WE'RE FINISHED NOW.

IT WOULD BE LIKE IF YOU HAD PHOTOGRAPHS OF YOURSELF AROUND YOUR HOUSE EVERYWHERE.

Sook-Yin Lee: OR IF YOU WERE A NOVELIST AND WROTE A GREAT BOOK AND EVERY DAY SAT READING THAT BOOK THAT YOU WR E, THAT GREAT BOOK. ONE OF THE AWARDS YOU WON WAS THE GRAMMY AWARD FOR BEST ALTERNATIVE MUSIC PERFORMANCE. HOW IS IT LIKE THAT -- THE MUSIC IS VERY EMOTIONAL. HOW IS IT TO GET INTO THAT SPACE TO PERFORM MUSIC WHILE ON TOUR? IS IT AN EASY PLACE LIKE GO INTO?

UM... FOR ME PERSONALLY, I CAN'T -- I'D LIKE TO BE ABLE TO MEDITATE, RIGHT, BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE A NICE THING AND STOP ME FROM GOING CRAZY, BUT I CAN'T MEDITATE. THE WAY I DO IT IS WHEN WE PLAY. WHEN WE PLAY MUSIC, TH 'S WHEN I GET MY HEAD SPACE AND MY HEAD IS CLEAR.

Sook-Yin Lee: I HAVE NOTICED, TOO, THROUGH YOUR WHOLE CAREER, PLAYING TO LIKE MAYBE 50 PEOPLE IN THE RAILWAY CLUB IN VANCOUVER TO PLAYING ARENAS. THERE'S LIKE A WEIRD LOVE/HATE RELATIO HIP THAT YOU HAVE WHEN PERFORMING. LIKE AT THE RAILWAY CLUB SHOW, PEOPLE WERE BLABBING AND TALKING AND YOU COULDN'T HEAR YOURSELVES AND YOU GOT PISSED OFF, AND THEN SEEING YOU IN A BIG ARENA, SEEING ALL THESE MOSHERS SQUISHING PEOPLE UP FRONT.. THAT WAS A CAUSE FOR CONCERN. WHAT IS IT THAT BUGS YOU AT SHOWS THAT MAKES YOU SORT OF LIKE HAVE TO ADDRESS THE AUDIENCE AND SAY, "HEY..."

UM... IT'S -- WHEN YOU DO LARGE SHOWS, IT'S VERY FRIGHTENING. FOR ME IT'S VERY FRIGHTENING BEC SE IT SWITCHES BETWEEN BEING THE MOST AMAZING EXPERIENCE ON EARTH WHEN EVERYONE IS ON YOUR WAVELENGTH TO BEING THE FRONT OF A MOB, WHICH IS UTTERLY TERRIFYING. I MEAN I'VE ONLY SORT OF SEEN -- THE ONLY OTHER TWO BANDS I HAVE SEEN DO IT AND DO IT ELL ARE R.E.M. AND U2. BUT IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT -- I THINK IT TAKES A LOT OUT OF YOU MENTALLY. IT KIND OF -- TO HAVE ALL THOSE PEOPLE IN YOUR HEAD IS REALLY NOT VERY EASY. AND ANYBODY WHO SAYS IT IS LYING OR ON DRUGS.

Sook-Yin Lee: E'RE GOING TO TAKE A LOOK AT YOUR VIDEO "NO SURPRISES" AND WE'LL BE BACK WITH RADIOHEAD. IT'S A VERY STRANGE VIDEO FOR "NO SURPRISES." DID YOU HAVE TO HOLD YOUR BREATH THROUGH THE WHOLE TIME? AND WAS THAT A DIFFICULT -- YOU CAN REALLY HOLD YOU BREATH A LONG TIME!

WELL, IT TOOK TWO DAYS OF REHEARSAL AND STUNT PEOPLE AND -- IT WAS THE MOST TERRIFYING THING I HAVE EVER DONE IN MY LIFE.

Sook-Yin Lee: WOW. LOOKS LIKE IT. WE'LL BE BACK WITH THOM AND PHIL IN A BIT. "NO S PRISES." (Applause) (Video played)

Sook-Yin Lee: BACK WITH PHIL AND THOM OF RADIOHEAD. SO YOU HAVE E.P. "AIRBAG" BESIDES -- AS WELL AS A VIDEOTAPE CONTAINING SEVEN OF YOUR MUSIC VIDEOS.

SEVEN TELEVISION COMMERCIALS.


YES, BUT THEY'RE ALSO SADLY TELEVISION COMMERCIALS.

Sook-Yin Lee: SO THEN YOU DO APPRECIATE THE FORM?

YES... YES. THE ONLY THING ABOUT -- YEAH. T WOULD BE ODD IF YOU WEREN'T SELLING SOMETHING, BUT YOU'RE SELLING SOMETHING, SO IT'S NOT --

YOU APPRECIATE WORKING WITH GOOD DIRECTORS, WHICH FORTUNATELY WE HAVE.

Sook-Yin Lee: I SAW A RUMOUR ON THE INTERNET THAT, THOM, IN T "DRUGSTORE" VIDEO, IT FEATURES YOUR BUTT, YOUR NAKED BUTT?

YEP.

Sook-Yin Lee: IS THAT CORRECT? REALLY?!

YES, I WAS CRAWLING ALL AROUND ON THE GROUND IN THE MUD... NAKED. ACTUALLY, NO, BUT THAT WAS THE ORIGINAL SCRIPT THAT THEY T THROUGH AND WE DECIDED THAT WAS THE BEST WAY TO PROMOTE THE VIDEO, SO WE SENT OUT THAT SCRIPT BUT THAT'S NOT ACTUALLY...

Sook-Yin Lee: SO IT IS TRUE YOUR BUTT IS ON THEIR, YOUR MUD-COVERED BUTT?

I CAN'T CONFIRM OR DENY IT. aughter)

Sook-Yin Lee: SO WHAT ARE YOUR FUTURE PLANS THEN? YOU'RE GOING TO TOUR FOR A WHILE. DO YOU KNOW WHAT KIND OF DIRECTION THE NEXT ALBUM WILL BE TAKING?

DOWN.

I MEAN, WE HAVE BEEN TRYING SOME NEW SONGS ON THIS OUR BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S -- THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NO INDICATION OF HOW THE ALBUM IS GOING TO SOUND REALLY. SO AT THE END OF THIS -- WE'RE TOURING FOR ANOTHER WEEK AND THEN WE TAKE THE SUMMER OFF, HAVE A SUMMER HOLIDAY, FOUR MONTHS OF IT.

ok-Yin Lee: HAS FAME CHANGED YOUR LIFE A LOT? LIKE WHEN YOU GO BACK HOME TO OXFORD DO YOU GUYS HANG OUT TOGETHER OR WHAT SORT OF LIVES DO YOU LEAD THERE?

WE HAVE NO IDEA. WE HAVEN'T GOT ONE.

THAT'S WHY WE'RE TAKING TIME OFF. r>
Sook-Yin Lee: YEAH, 'CAUSE YOU'RE ALWAYS ON THE GO.

SIX YEARS WITHOUT ONE; WE THOUGHT WE OUGHT TO GO AND TRY AND FIND ONE; OTHERWISE, NO ONE WILL WANT TO HEAR THE MUSIC WE MAKE BECAUSE IT WILL BE DRIVEL BECAUSE WE WILL HAVE CEAS TO BE HUMAN BEINGS.

Sook-Yin Lee: THAT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE WHAT KIND OF -- IF YOU'RE HOMEBODIES OR...

THE SONGS WILL BE ALL ABOUT BABIES AND GOOD FOOD.

Sook-Yin Lee: SOME OF YOUR MUSIC REALLY CONVEYS A SENSE O PATHOS, A SORT OF AT ODDS WITH ONESELF OR WITH THE WORLD. DO YOU FEEL LIKE NOW YOU ARE IN A PLACE IN YOUR LIFE WHERE YOU FEEL THAT YOU'RE UNDERSTOOD A BIT MORE AND THAT YOU UNDERSTAND --

NO!

Sook-Yin Lee: NO. YOU'RE STILL PRE Y CONFUSED ABOUT THE WHOLE --

I DON'T THINK THAT HAPPENS.

Sook-Yin Lee: WHAT ABOUT YOURSELF, PHIL?

GO AHEAD, PHIL.

NO, NEVER! GOD... I'M ONLY 30. IT'S NOT MUCH TIME TO --

WHEN YOU'RE ABOUT 70, YOU ART GETTING THIS, ISN'T THAT RIGHT, CHRIS? WHEN YOU GET OLD, MATE, YEAH.

Sook-Yin Lee: THIS IS SORT OF -- MIGHT SEEM LIKE A NON SEQUITUR, BUT AS IT'S LIKE THE PASSOVER WEEKEND, EASTER WEEKEND, DO YOU --

AND WE'VE GOT NO EASTER GGS.

WE DIDN'T KNOW IT WAS EASTER.

THE HEN DOESN'T VISIT ON TOUR.

Sook-Yin Lee: WELL, YOU'LL PROBABLY GET A LOT OF EASTER EGGS TONIGHT AT YOUR SHOW. DO YOU FELLOWS BELIEVE IN AN AFTERLIFE? (Laughter)

WOW! br>
EASTER EGGS... AFTERLIFE. THERE'S A CONNECTION.

I THINK I PREFER THE EASTER EGGS.

YEAH, DEFINITELY. I'VE JUST BEEN READING ALL ABOUT THAT, SLEEPLESS NIGHTS, DURING SLEEPLESS NIGHTS.

Sook-Yin Lee: SO YOU GET A NSE THAT -- DO YOU BELIEVE IN -- LIKE THAT LIFE CONTINUES AFTER THIS PARTICULAR SPACE OF BEING A HUMAN BEING?

WELL, IT HAS TO, DOESN'T IT? IT'S OBVIOUS.

Sook-Yin Lee: AND YOURSELF, PHIL?

I'M A BIT SKEPTICAL, I'D HAVE O SAY. WELL, YEAH, IT WOULD BE VERY REASSURING TO THINK THAT IT DID, BUT SOMETHING IN ME JARS AGAINST THE IDEA, I THINK.

Sook-Yin Lee: WELL, I WAS TALKING WITH DAVE OVER THERE AT THE CONTROL BOARD AND HE WAS SAYING THAT HE'S BEEN READ G SOME STUFF IN WHICH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE SORT OF LIMITED; WE'RE KIND OF AN IN-BETWEEN TECHNOLOGY, LIKE AN EIGHT-TRACK PLAYER. WE REALLY HAVE OUR SENSES TO REALLY PERCEIVE THE WORLD... MAYBE THAT CHANGES ONCE WE DEVELOP OTHER PERCEPTIONS. I'M NOT RE. BUT IT IS KIND OF INTERESTING TO ASK PEOPLE THAT ARE INTELLIGENT HUMAN BEINGS --

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

Sook-Yin Lee: -- WHETHER OR NOT THEY BELIEVE IN THINGS.

SO WHEN ARE THEY COMING IN?

Sook-Yin Lee: WELL, HERE YOU GO. GOOD TO HAVE YOU IN HERE AGAIN.

WELL, SEE, THERE'S THIS GREAT BOOK THAT I READ, THAT I TAKE ON TOUR ALL THE TIME.

Sook-Yin Lee: OH, YEAH? WHICH IS THAT?

"THE TIBETAN BOOK OF LIVING AND DYING" WHICH IS A KIND OF REWRI OF "THE TIBETAN BOOK OF THE DEAD" BY SOGYAL RINPOCHE.

Sook-Yin Lee: HEY, DAVE, IS THAT THE BOOK YOU'RE READING?

NO! (Laughter)

Sook-Yin Lee: SO "THE BOOK OF LIVING AND DYING" BASED ON "THE TIBETAN BOOK OF THE DEAD"?

YEAH. HE'S FROM TIBET.

Sook-Yin Lee: I HAVE BEEN READING "THE TEACHINGS OF THE DALAI LAMA."

OH, YEAH.

Sook-Yin Lee: SO VERY GOOD. GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR SHOW TONIGHT, AND TOMORROW NIGHT YOU'RE IN MONTREAL. AND L THE BEST.

THANKS.

Sook-Yin Lee: WE'RE GOING TO END OFF WITH YOUR VIDEO "KARMA POLICE." RADIOHEAD. (Applause)

TOO MUCH COFFEE! (Video played)

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