Radiohead's Thom Yorke confirms Atoms

Radiohead's Thom Yorke confirms Atoms For Peace album plan

The group, which also features Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea, Radiohead's producer Nigel Godrich, drummer Joey Waronker and percussionist Mauro Refosco, first played live together in 2010.

Rumours briefly circulated that an album was in the pipeline, but little has been heard of them over the last 18 months.
Their first single, Default, finally surfaced on YouTube and iTunes on Thursday, and Yorke has now confirmed there is plenty more to follow. .
In a statement on Radiohead's official website, he said: 'You may have heard that I have a new project called Atoms For Peace.
'The name comes from some shows of The Eraser that happened a couple of years ago with Mauro, Joey, Nigel and Flea.
'We got a big buzz from them and discovered loads of energy from transforming the music from electronic to live, and so afterwards, we carried on for a few days in the studio and decided to make it a loose, ongoing thing.'
He added a 12-inch vinyl version of Default would be released next month and 'an album will eventually follow that next year'. 

Charity set up in memory of Radiohead stage collapse victim

Charity set up in memory of Radiohead stage collapse victim 

The family of Radiohead drum technician Scott Johnson, who died after a stage collapse in Toronto, have set up a charity in his memory.

The Scott Johnson Bursary will fund musical equipment in Johnson's hometown of Rotherham.

Posting on the band's Facebook page today, Radiohead drummer Philip Selway announced the launch of the charity, writing: "Over the past couple of months, a number of people have asked if there is anything they can do in memory of Scott. Scott's parents have now created the Scott Johnson Bursary Fund for Young Musicians. This will fund musical equipment for young people in Rotherham in the UK, where Scott grew up."

Johnson's parents have set up the page www.scottjohnsonbursary.com, writing: "It has been heart-warming to receive the kind wishes from you all. We have had many requests for donations in place of flowers and have set up an account that will be the Scott Johnson Bursary for Young Musicians. This will be managed by his friends locally as a fund primarily in Rotherham Schools."

They add: "Frankly we cannot equate to the financial aspects but if it helps anyone to contribute in this way the account is established to ensure that no other fund is created in error. It may take a while, but we will keep you informed on how the money is spent in due course."
Radiohead paid a special tribute to Johnson last month (July 10) during their first gig since his death. The band, who were performing at the Les Arenes in Nimes, France, filled the screen with photos of Johnson as they played 'Reckoner'.

It was their first rescheduled show since their drum tech died during a stage collapse in Toronto last month. A further three people were injured in the incident at Downsview Park, Toronto.

The stage collapsed an hour before the gates opened to the public and queues were already forming outside the venue. The victims were all part of the team setting up equipment. Radiohead rescheduled seven shows following the tragedy after the accident also destroyed the band's unique lightshow and parts of their backline set-up.
 

Sheet music release by Beck seems dubious

Sheet music release by Beck seems dubious

Popular music is no stranger to what some may consider antics by a performer to make a point:
—John Lennon and Yoko Ono held two-week bed-ins to protest war.
—Radiohead allowed fans pay whatever they wanted to download the 2007 album “In Rainbows” (If you’re wondering, I don’t mind admitting I paid a whopping $0.00 for that initial download. But, I later bought it on vinyl).
—Lady Gaga wore a meat dress to promote … her unique style … ?

The latest is an album released exclusively as sheet music. Indie rocker Beck will release his next album, “Song Reader,” entirely as sheet music.
That’s right:
Twenty songs.
No recorded music.
No mp3s.
Only notes on paper, with a carrying case and art to go with each song.
Part of me views this as a bold experiment to make every buyer into a performer and, ultimately, a collaborator.
But to the more cynical side of me, this sounds like one musician’s way of holding up two not-so-subtle middle fingers to all the fans who’ve downloaded his music for free?
I want to give Beck the benefit of the doubt on this one.
He’s one of the more dynamic and experimenting song-writers around today, going from accidental anthem “Loser” to funky hit albums like “Odelay” to the hauntingly beautiful album “Sea Change.”
Plus, he has a track record of successful musical experiments. Beck was the driving force behind studio performances called Record Club where he, along with other musicians like MGMT and Wilco, covered classic albums like “The Velvet Underground and Nico” and “The Songs of Leonard Cohen” in one day and posted them to Youtube.
McSweeny’s, the publishing firm behind “Song Reader,” refers to the album by describing it as “an almost-forgotten form” and saying it is a medium “that enlists the listener in the tone of every track.”
It all seems so neat, hip and well-intentioned, right?
But, the organizers continue to warn, almost tauntingly, that if you want to listen to Beck’s “unfailingly exciting” songs, then “bringing them to life depends on you.”
And there lies the rub.
Two problems, Beck: I don’t play the guitar, and I haven’t read music routinely in about seven years. It’s not exactly going to be easy for someone like me to bring this album to life.
Don’t play guitar and read music? Well, you can learn or find a friend who does. Music, in the form of “Song Reader,” requires effort, and not just a few clicks of the Internet-savvy hordes.
Surely a highly-dedicated, select group (like your acoustic-guitar armed college students) is going to snarf this up, champion it and lambaste others for not knowing the best songs off this album.
But the fact is that most music listeners are lazy, and it’s difficult to expect many to go through the motions of buying and performing this album — at least very few are going to.
It seems like a move that will at best serve as a cult classic.
Don’t compare this too much to “In Rainbows” or “Record Club,” which were both based first in music. “Song Reader” appears to be a social statement/experiment first and album second.
Even if the sales are dismal, maybe it’s succeeding in its purpose by revealing something about the musical masses. Maybe it’ll show just how easy we’ve come to expect our entertainment.
Maybe it will reinstate the folk-method of sharing music almost as if by word of mouth.
Whether the result be for good or ill, I suspect it will go largely unnoticed.

 

Radiohead, Mumford and Sons

Quick Hits: Muse, P!nk, Beyonce & Jay-Z, M.I.A., Radiohead, Mumford & Sons, The Monkees

After penning the official track for the Olympics, Muse has confirmed that they also will perform the song, "Survival," at the closing ceremony. "I'm happy with the song. It's a proper Muse song," drummer Dom Howard told NME. "It's not something we just did for the Olympics. They sowed a seed by asking us to do some music but then five months went by. We showed them a few songs when they asked us about [playing the] closing ceremony and they loved it. It represented the enormous competition of what the Olympics is." Meanwhile, A Symphony of British Music: Music For The Closing Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games, an album containing music performed on the final night, will be released digitally on August 12. The lineup for the closing ceremony is being kept a secret, with only Muse, Ed Sheeran and George Michael confirming that they will perform at the event.

P!nk revealed that Eminem duets with her on her new album, The Truth About Love, which comes out September 18. Em appears on an "alternative club banger" track dubbed "Here Comes the Weekend." P!nk told Australia's Herald Sun that the decision was pretty simple, saying: "He said, 'Do you want to do a song with me?' 'F--- yeah!' I said, 'Do you want to do a song with me?' and he said, 'F--- yeah!" Handshake. Nothing signed. Done." In addition, P!nk also worked with Lily Allen (now Lily Rose Cooper) on a track called "True Love" and fun.'s Nate Ruess on "Just Give Me a Reason."

Beyoncé and Jay-Z are the world's highest-paid celebrity couple, according to a new list from Forbes. This year, Beyoncé raked in about $40 million while Jay earned about $38 million. The #2 couple on the list is New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and his supermodel wife Gisele Bundchen, followed by David and Victoria Beckham at #3, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie at #4 and Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith at #5.

M.I.A. revealed in a Twitter chat with fans that her fourth studio album will be out by December. She said the album is "still in the making" and it features "no collabs," as well as producers "that don't act like fame whore coloniser." M.I.A. clarified that "Bad Girls," her single released earlier this year, will appear on the forthcoming album, and she described the record's sound as "paul simon on acid."

A fund has been started in memory of Radiohead drum tech Scott Johnson, who was killed when the band's stage collapsed in Toronto in June. Radiohead wrote on their website: "Scott's parents have now created the Scott Johnson Bursary Fund for Young Musicians. This will fund musical equipment for young people in Rotherham in the U.K., where Scott grew up." To make a donation

Mumford & Sons have revealed the first single from their long-awaited second effort, Babel. The song is called "I Will Wait" and it was released to radio yesterday, along with the video posted below. Babel is set for release on September 25.

Radiohead's Thom Yorke blasts the banks at Spanish festival

Radiohead's Thom Yorke blasts the banks at Spanish festival

Radiohead singer Thom Yorke slammed the Spanish banks during their headlining set at the BBK festival in Bilbao this weekend.

The band were headlining the Spanish festival on Friday (July 13) when he urged fans to take to the streets over the actions of the banking sector and its effect on the country's economy. The comments were especially controversial since the festival was sponsored by savings bank Bilbao Bizkaia Kutxa (BBK).

In between the band playing 'The Daily Mail' and 'Myxamatosis', Yorke said: "We know in Spain you're having a lot of trouble. Cuts cuts, no money no money. Well we think you should be taking to the streets. Someone stole that money off you. The banks." 
Meanwhile in London, Tom Morello made a similar statement during his show at Hard Rock Calling on Saturday. Speaking in solidarity with the Occupy movement, who had a dedicated field at Latitude, the singer held up a 'Bang Up The Bankers' banner and gave a spirited tribute.

Before performing the Woody Guthrie song 'Ease My Revolutionary Mind' on what would have been his 100th birthday, he said: "Currently on stages across the country right now, the Occupy movement is hanging up the 'Bang Up The Bankers' sign. So in solidarity across this great nation with Woody's legacy and with the global struggles of the 99% against the malfeasance of the corporate sector that has torpedoed the global economy and caused so much misery for millions of families, I'd like to say Happy Birthday to Woody Guthrie that your struggle is alive in song on this stage today."
The Occupy Latitude site saw a 'Move Your Money' flashmob, a Q&A with former St Paul's Canon Chancellor Giles Fraser, and appearances from comedians Josie Long and David O'Doherty.

Radiohead, Pink Floyd Say Artists Should Get EMI Share

As it seems increasingly likely that the Universal Music Group will sell-off sections of EMI Music in order to get regulatory approval for their $1.9 billion purchase of the company, debate as to exactly where those divestments should end up is growing.
With indies arguing that it should go to smaller companies and Warner no doubt thinking that they want to keep on turns with the bigger Universal and Sony, the latest opinion comes from the Featured Artists' Coalition, a lobbying body for artists.
A recent letter from the FAC's co-chairs, Ed O'Brien from Radiohead, Nick Mason of Pink Floyd and Sandie Shaw, was published in the Financial Times this week read, "Divestments in the wake of mergers should first offer copyrights, at market rates, to the artists who created them."
They added, "To sell them to other corporations, whether large or small, is just a perpetuation of an old business model, which has seen the recorded music business halve in value over ten years. During that time, the technological revolution has displaced the old music business players. We do not need to repeat the mistakes of the past.
Both Radiohead and Pink Floyd have back catalogue material tied up in the EMI vaults (as the label proved when they somewhat cheekily released a Radiohead best of after they got out of their deal) and would be no doubt be interested in buying back those rights.
The Financial Times are also reporting that Universal's Chief Executive Lucian Grange is offering independent labels represented by European lobby group Impala a first-right opportunity to bid for EMI assets. He's even throwing in €15m as part of a finance plan to help them financial any such deals.
AMongst the assets offered are believed to be Chrysalis UK (bar Robbie Williams' rights), Ensign, Muse, Virgin Classics, Jazzland and Sanctuary.
Impala co-founder Patrick Zelnik told the paper that he, a support of the Universal-EMI deal, plans to resign from Impala as it had not 'respected its mission' and is eyeing off Virgin with Sir Richard Branson.
Branson said, "I have known Lucian for 30 years, he is a great record man and has committed to revitalise Virgin Records which has been mismanaged in the last 10 years. He and I feel it is now a ‘sleeping beauty’ which could become again an innovative and leading label.”
The FAC letter comes as Universal offer a larger number of divestments to the European Commission in order to get the deal green-lit. Earlier this week The Guardian reported that their first offer of divestments had been knocked back.
Universal have guaranteed the deal to EMI's controllers Citibank and are desperate to get regulatory clearance before they have to hand over money.

 

Radiohead teams up with Greenpeace

Radiohead teams up with Greenpeace to Save the Arctic

In an effort to increase awareness about the oil companies who are currently planning on "heading toward the Arctic to exploit melting sea ice to drill for more oil," Radiohead has lent their song, "Everything In Its Right Place," to Greenpeace's campaign to Save the Arctic.

In the above video titled "A Homeless Polar Bear In London," we see the lost and lonely bear visit a gas station, walk between traffic, look through a bakery shop's window and hunt through the trash possibly looking for something to eat.
It's heartbreaking to see one of the world's most beautiful creatures in a state of such disorientation, which is greatly amplified by the spine tingling sound of Radiohead's frontman Thom Yorke's voice as he sings the epic "Kid A" album track.
"We have to stop the oil giants pushing into the Arctic," Yorke says on Greenpeace's website. "An oil spill in the Arctic would devastate this region of breathtaking beauty, while burning that oil will only add to the biggest problem we all face, climate change. That's why I'm backing this campaign."
"As the Arctic sea ice melts, polar bears are being forced to go far beyond their normal habitat to find food and look after their young," the video's narrator English actor Jude Law said. "This film is a powerful expression of how our fates are intertwined, because climate change is affecting all of us no matter where we live."
The UK band is best known for classic songs like "Creep," "Fake Plastic Trees" and "Karma Police."

Radiohead Postpones Seven European Shows

Radiohead Postpones Seven European Shows Due to Toronto Stage Collapse

 

Radiohead announced they're postponing the first seven dates of their European tour due to a series of logistical problems in connection to the stage collapse at Toronto's Downsview Park Saturday which killed their drum tech Scott Johnson.

"The collapse also destroyed the light show – this show was unique and will take many weeks to replace," the band said in a statement yesterday afternoon. "The collapse also caused serious damage to our backline, some elements of which are decades old and therefore hard to replace."

The band said while they are still "dealing with the grief and shock ensuing from this terrible accident" they have been forced to postpone dates in Rome (June 30), Florence (July 1), Bologna (July 3), Codroipo (July 4), Berlin (July 6-7) and a show in Canton de Vaud, Switzerland (July 9). "We aim to announce the new dates for these shows on Wednesday 27th of June and will also supply information on how to obtain refunds on tickets if you cannot come to the show on the new date."
Radiohead said they'll begin playing again July 10 in Nimes, France.
"We will make every effort to offer the fans the very best show possible under the circumstances -- thanks for your understanding and support."
Meanwhile, Ken Johnson, Scott Johnson's father, spoke out for the first time since the tragedy. According to the South Yorkshire Times, Ken Johnson said Radiohead's management team phoned him following the incident to say Scott was unaccounted for. A second phone call at 5 a.m. Sunday morning local time broke the grim news.

"There will be an inquest but Scott will come home, probably in seven to 10 days," Ken Johnson told the paper, adding that the family is devastated but "so many people have sent messages. We can't thank them enough. It's hard." He also said Scott's partner Sarah may prefer a private funeral service, but no details have been announced.
Billboard -- via a CBC news item -- reported yesterday that weight and not enough preparation time may have played a role in the stage collapse which killed Johnson and injured three others.
"CBC news has learned the lighting crew expressed concern there was too much weight, but the engineer gave the okay," CBC reporter Jeff Semple said.
A source Billboard used also noted how quickly the Radiohead stage was erected with the lighting and video gear arriving the day of the Toronto show after the band performed in Montreal the previous evening. The Downsview Park staged was reportedly erected in two and a half days, while for comparison, the large outdoor stage at the MuchMusic Video Awards was constructed over a week before the June 17 show.
"The thing that's unique about this type of facility is the speed that it goes up and the speed that it comes down and it may very well be that the pace of the industry is just too fast to follow normal protocols to do their job," Toronto structural engineer David Bowick told the CBC.
The Ontario Ministry of Labour is continuing its investigation and have asked promoter Live Nation, Toronto's Nasco Staffing Solutions, Toronto's Optex Staging and Service, Inc. and Radiohead's Ticker Tape Touring for information as to the roles each played in the staging process.
Finally, while Radiohead's show was cancelled Johnson's death was not lost on bands that performed in Toronto on Tuesday (June 19). Foster the People performed at Downsview Park but instead set up a few hundred yards away at Downsview Park's "meadow" locale. Singer Mark Foster addressed the issue before saying all bands were an "extended family" and expressing condolences to Radiohead and the families of those injured.
Oddly enough, Keane -- who knew Johnson very well and worked with him for several years -- also performed at Toronto's Sound Academy Tuesday evening. The group acknowledged Johnson's passing early on.
"It's been a very difficult time for us the last few days for us as a band," Tom Chaplin said as captured on YouTube. "We'd like to dedicate this whole evening, this whole set to our great friend Scott Johnson."