They are the best band of their generation. They will be remembered as such.
They have continued to grow, evolve and challenge themselves with every album. So few bands can do that and maintain it at the level they have.
It’s totally fine to feel left behind by or straight up disinterested in some of their changes, and not be as in to some of the newer stuff. It is in parts less accessible and at times a bit esoteric, but they are, sonically , in a league of their own.
I am a bit of a fanboy (as my posting history will show), I got in to them relatively late when they had already made a move into there more out their stuff. Whilst I was of course aware of their biggest hits, the first album of theirs I listened to with any regularity was In Rainbows (pay what you feel + student = win), and it just all grew from there for me.
Typical … now I’ve got time to elaborate on my earlier post, KRG’s said it all for me !!
In Rainbows was the album that fully opened my eyes up to them aswell and to then find such an amazing back catalogue was a mind blower. OK Computers the stand out for me, still listen to it regularly and it still never feels long enough…
Portishead is the epitome of an overflow town - the sort of dire, nothing place where nothing happens. The equivalent might be South Wonston (for any of you who come from Winchester).
With the exception of Kid A (which is fucking brilliant by the way) I’ve never really bothered with them. I’m looking forward to immersing myself at some point.
I actually agree with you KRG - I just don’t like them, and I’m never going to listen to an album of theirs. (But then I never listen to albums anyway)
Radiohead.
Genesis of the current generation.
True Fans of Genesis insist that the Prog Rock days and Peter Gabriel are all that count and chart their progression in music as they experimented as some Golden Era.
Then the Johnny come lately’s are treated with utter disdain because we enjoyed, hell loved, their later work.
Could say similar about U2 - Joshua Tree was a work of genius and then they went sort of up their own asses. Difference being at least U2 have stayed in the realm of Air Play.
I held identical views about another “musical Legend” In fact I simply hated his music with a passion and thought mates that bought his albums while I was at college were “weird”. His music simply did not find any connection in my DNA or soul that I had back then.
And then, thanks to Glasto, on one magical MAGICAL moment purely by luck and timing I heard and saw this
And no, there is no “proper video” of that moment in time, as sadly he declined to allow the Beeb to film him.
Unfortunately even though we walked through the Pyramid Field on our way home towards the end of the Radiohead set, our only reaction was “thank fook we missed this”
Interesting point SoS. For me the tipping point is usually at about the 4 album mark. I cant think of any bands that I have stayed with for their whole career apart from The Beatles. Some I continue to dip in and out of though. Artists either replicate their earlier stuff ad infinitum to the point you get bored, go in directions you dont care for or lose the plot entirely. What I love about music is finding a band that you never bothered with and discovering that you wish you had and diving into their back catalogue.
I have to remind myself from time to time, music isn’t competitive. It usually happens after someone says, “this is the best band ever” and everyone else jumps on it and gives their opinion on “the best band ever” and why your selection is shit.
YouTube is the exemplar for this kind of idiocy…“Clapton’s not fit to string Hendrix’s guitar” etc etc…why would someone look out music they don’t like on YouTube to comment on it? It’s not a competition, it’s music, one is not better than the other…they exist side by side.
I have favourites like everybody else. I’m trying to listen to all the music ever recorded…when I’ve finished, I’ll let you know who is the best.
Yeah, “Machine Head” does have a better ring to it than “Twiddly Bits” - @steveintheforest Don’t think the fans would have rushed out to the local record shop* to ask “Can I have Deep Purple’s Twiddly Bits please”
*For the young’uns, a Record Shop is the analogue version of your new fangled digital downloads. It came with free exercise i.e walking / cycling to the shop & social interaction i.e talking to a shop assistant. All overrated tbf.
Absolutely. Like all art it is very subjective and, as they say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder (I still dont know what the feck that means but it seemed to go well with my point).
I remember John Peel saying once that Teenage Kicks was the best single ever written and a thought bubble pinged above my head with the word “cunt” written in bold type inside it. If he had prefaced that assertion with the words “in my opinion” I am sure my view of Peel would not have changed forever. As it was, from that point on I could not take him seriously.
But arsed enough to bung a cowardly downvote my way?
I think Loach has got more substantive input into the topic.
Radiohead are important to a lot of people around the world, not just because they are accomplished and very distinguished musicians, but also because they are perceived to be a progressive political band. None of us want to see them make the mistake of appearing to endorse or cover up Israeli oppression. If they go to Tel Aviv, they may never live it down.
Remember what the South African anti-apartheid hero, Desmond Tutu, often told us: there is no neutrality in situations of grave injustice. Radiohead need to decide if they stand with the oppressed or with the oppressor. The choice is simple.
