As speculation amongst Radiohead fans grows about their future plans – whether their rehearsal this summer might be the prelude for a tour, a new album next year etc etc – two band members have reacted in their own inimitable ways.
In an interview with NME to promote his photo book How To Disappear, nice Colin Greenwood remarked that the rehearsals were “really fun and amicable” and that: “It was great, but beyond that get-together, I’m sure we’ll get together and make plans – but for what, I don’t know.”
Meanwhile frontman Thom Yorke – as is his wont - immediately threw a bucket of cold water over the idea that the rehearsal could presage any new Radiohead activity. Interviewed by Australian radio station Double J about the reunion speculation, Yorke said: "I am not aware of it and don't really give a flying f***."
He added: "No offence to anyone and er, thanks for caring.
"But I think we’ve earned the right to do what makes sense to us without having to explain ourselves or be answerable to anyone else’s historical idea of what we should be doing.”
In other words, don’t get yer’ hopes up.
In any case, as Greenwood explained in his interview, the respective band members are all busy on their own projects at present. The bassist is about to go on tour with Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, his brother, guitarist Jonny and Yorke are busy with The Smile – they’ve recently released their third album Cutouts - and Ed O’Brien is currently working on a new solo album that should see light of day in 2025.
Greenwood did admit that the band were in a fortunate position. Whilst their 90s contemporaries are all at various stages of becoming fossilised heritage acts, Radiohead’s best days may yet lie ahead.
“I was talking to Nick (Cave) about this (…and) he was saying that Radiohead would be in a position to go and do whatever we wanted in terms of when we play, what we play and how we play.”
“There’s a freedom that we have that we should appreciate,” he added. “It’s not like we’ve reached a point where people are only interested in listening to something from the first three albums. I think we’re still a band where people might want to know what might happen next. We’re very lucky to have that.”
