Jonny Greenwood reveals his favourite Radiohead guitar part: “I’m more proud of what we’ve written than how I play”

Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood remains one of alt-rock’s most enigmatic guitarists, and now he’s revealed what he considers to be the best parts he’s written with the groundbreaking Oxfordshire band.

In an interview with The Guardian promoting his soundtrack to Paul Thomas Anderson’s Phantom Thread, the iconic player answered, “I’m more proud of what we’ve written than how I play. Ful Stop has good phasing arpeggios which are really satisfying.

“Also, talking of PTA, I like the version of Present Tense he filmed with me and Thom, performing in his back garden. That’s a nice guitar line, how it supports the song and dances around.”

As a point of interest, we posed the same question to Greenwood’s partner in tone, Ed O’Brien, last year, who cited In Rainbows’ All I Need and Amnesiac’s Pyramid Song as his own personal faves.

“Nothing’s more exciting”

Elsewhere in the interview with Jonny, the question was posed, ‘Do you still get days when you want to strap on your guitar, turn the amp up to 11 and just rock?’, which saw Greenwood reply: “Of course. Nothing’s more exciting than playing an electric guitar in a small room with a good drummer.

“And sometimes it’s worth recording what you play, and sharing that with other people - just not always.”

The answer marks a change in tone from the guitarist, who has previously stated he’s “always happiest trying new instruments - and honestly enjoy playing, say, the glockenspiel with Radiohead as much as I do the guitar”, labelling the guitar a tool akin to a washing machine or typewriter.