Radiohead - Genius or Junk?

[The Somberlain]

Ahem. Old thread, I know, but I was trawling through the Vespers and thought I'd drag it up.

I think that there are probably several international laws against my level of Radiohead-obsession.

They comprise a good 20-30% of all the music I listen to. The music, the lyrics, the artwork, even their website make me feel all... er... tingly inside. I simply adore them.

And - just to show off now, and because I like listing things - my music/merchandise collection currently consists of:

Creep US Live EP (Ltd. numbered 12")
Pablo Honey (CD)
Itch EP (CD)
My Iron Lung EP (CD)
High And Dry CD2 (CD)
The Bends (CD)
The Bends (LP)
Fake Plastic Trees CD2 (CD)
Street Spirit (Fade Out) CD2 (CD)
OK Computer (CD)
OK Computer (LP)
Karma Police CD1 (CD)
Paranoid Android CD1 (CD)
Paranoid Android CD2 (CD)
No Surprises CD1 (CD)
No Surprises CD2 (CD)
Kid A (CD)
Kid A (Ltd. CD + Book)
Pyramid Song CD2 (CD)
Amnesiac (CD)
Amnesiac (Ltd. CD + Book)
Knives Out CD1 (CD)
Knives Out CD2 (CD)
I Might Be Wrong (Live Recordings) EP (CD)
I Might Be Wrong (Live Recordings) EP (12")
There There (CD)
Hail To The Thief (CD)
Hail To The Thief (Special Edition CD)
Com Lag EP (CD)
Kicking Squealing Gucci Little Piggy T-shirt
"Fitter Happier" poster
"Notice To The Public" poster
"Tokyo" poster

To be continued when I get a bit more money.

Sometimes I feel a little bit ashamed... but that passes swiftly. No other band, in my opinion, holds up to comparison. Not even remotely. They're far and away the greatest band I've listened to, ever.

Unfortunately I've not yet had the chance to see them live. This will all change on the next tour. Several times, I hope.
And I have ordered tickets to a drum workshop with Phil Selway (their drummer) next Sunday. I hope not to get too hyperactive when it happens.

But yeah. I can listen to them in any mood, at any time, and they always, always make me feel wonderful. OK Computer is my favourite album of theirs, purely for the sublime way that they combine their characteristic dark undertones with the cohesiveness of the album itself. Kid A comes close, but, although it has no *flaws* that I could name, it's just not quite up to the same standard.

I'll shut up now

[matrixman]

No need to shut up about something you have a passion for, Somberlain.

If I can rant and rave about Radiohead (as in my earlier posts in here), so can you -- and I was someone who didn't even care about the band at first.

My interest in Radiohead is nowhere near as deep and wide as yours. While I love OK Computer and Kid A and believe they rank among the two finest albums by anybody I've heard, I can't say the same about the band's other work that I've listened to thus far. Oh well, time will tell.

Re: your list - I didn't know they put out a limited edition Kid A CD and book. Too bad I missed it.

[Usivius]

Kid A is my favourite. "Anthem" (I think the second song is called) is absolutely kick-a$$! Love that one. I recall seeing them perform it live on SNL or some other show. I was in awe. I had not bought an album of theirs yet at that time, and when I saw them perform that somg live, I said to my self, "Self, if that band can play that song live, you HAVE to get an album." And so I did. I have since picked up OK Computer and Hail to the Thief, liking both very much, but not as much as Kid A.

[The Somberlain]

Oh my.

Phil Selway was running a drumming workshop yesterday.
And I went.
And met him.

I still can't wipe the grin off my face. It's beginning to hurt.

[amanibhavam]

Hail to the Thief is starting to get under my skin (rarely left my CD player in the car in the last few days). It's not that stunningly good as OK Comp, but still. Ang glad to hear some powerful guitar work on it, after Kid A (not that it was bad).
Although I am a Pink Floyd obsessee, Radiohead are really one of my favourites.

[The Somberlain]

That album is such a grower. When I first got it I only liked about three songs. Now I adore all of them.

[The Laughing Man]

[Cord Hurn]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3M_Gg1xAHE4

[Radiohead: Pyramid Song]

[Brinn]

Interesting. I started this thread way back when. Boy have my views changed since then. I can now say with 100% certainty that Radiohead is genius. Great band!