Comments on: Is Radiohead Genius?

By: Dan Lewis

Dan Lewis — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 14:57:33 +0000

Just before In Rainbows came out, I heard OK Computer in its entirety for the first time. Several months later, I can't remember what it was like before I knew all their songs...

They are awesome. And incidentally, check out bt.etree.org for many recordings of their live show. I never get tired of them.

What makes them so great? They fearlessly push the envelope... they are a great musical team and play off of one another extremely well... they make epic, instant classic songs...

By: Jay

Jay — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 21:59:06 +0000

@ Pete… Thanks for adding the Beatles to the mix. The chord changes in songs like “Karma Police” are definitely Beatlesque.

By: blurb

blurb — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 17:19:33 +0000

There are very few acts that put as much energy into their live presentation as they do in the studio. Radiohead is likely the pre-eminent act in this regard.

Radiohead is unique in that their songwriting and recording sonics are visually evocative. I wouldn't say just psychedelic. They deliver a new kind of trip; one of SSRIs/MAOIs, alcohol and energy drinks. It's a new psychological mix. Instead of an outward trip, it's an inward one.

I believe that they are art nerds as well as musicians and that helps them push boundaries and explore performance options. When one sees a Radiohead show, one is overwhelmed visually as well as aurally. Genius, indeed.

Great show in San Francisco, even with the two outages. Best touring band, without a doubt.

By: ibeck

ibeck — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 13:13:41 +0000

Saw them for the first time a few weeks ago at APW, what a show! The band played for over two hours, did three encores and ended with "Idioteque." I can't tell you the last time I was in a crowd of people who were both utterly ecstatic AND sober, eyes closed singing along to each song.

Definitely worth the hour plus wait to get back to the ferry.

By: CK1

CK1 — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 10:50:13 +0000

There’s only one thing to call a band that has successfully broken the mold as many times as Radiohead: masterful.

By: Fiyat

Fiyat — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 08:30:31 +0000

This is what you get,
this is what you get
This is what you get,
when you mess with us )))

By: Pete

Pete — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 07:44:33 +0000

John,

Yes, Radiohead is genius. I was there Friday night at GG park as well and they blew my mind. Thom Yorke has a little of the Bob Dylan demi-autistic creative genius in him. Also like Dylan in the 60s, the music captures something ineffable in the zeitgeist.

I couldn’t help but think of Clay Shirky’s “Here Comes Everybody” when thousands upon thousands of people crammed into that field, iPhones raised and recording devices feeding the CrowdFire, whispered along with Yorke:

This is what you get,
this is what you get
This is what you get,
when you mess with us

“Web 2.0″ Summit theme for down the road:
For a minute there (the body politic) lost itself?

Looking forward to your “pretty clear answer” to the hundred billion dollar question.

By: Pete

Pete — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 01:34:17 +0000

Absolute genius. Tight and psychedelic, yes. But also so inventive. At every moment you feel like they are taking you someplace but you don't know where.

@ Jay - I can see the Pink Floyd comparison, I feel like they are an extension of the Beetles. They are pushing Rock forward.

By: Don RB

Don RB — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 18:29:24 +0000

My wife and I saw them on our 10th anniversary in our hometown (serendipity, if anything). Needless to say, they are our favorite band, and we have seen them many times over the years, including a show in Paris, and 4 in the states one year.

Tight in the studio, awesome live. Something extremely moving about hearing them reproduce the songs your grow to love over many, many listens.

By: Arthur Freydin

Arthur Freydin — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 14:22:10 +0000

I saw them live 2 or so weeks ago. While I can listen to OK Computer from beginning to end all day, it's really hard for me to truly like their other stuff. Did I like the show? Yes and no.

No because they barely played any tracks from my favorite album. Yes because the sound was so incredibly tuned and their performance was just amazingly captivating.