http://www.radiohead.co.uk/



Although Thom Yorke says it's lack of sleep that inspires his songs, maybe his stint as an orderly in a mental hospital also had something to do with it.

Born October 7th, 1968 in Oxford, Thom Yorke (nee Thomas Edward Yorke), Radiohead frontman, was already a reasonably talented guitarist and vocalist at 14 years of age. Thom and hometown friend Colin Greenwood, a bassist, played in a punk band called TNT at the Abingdon Boys School. Looking to expand their sound, they asked fellow classmates Ed O'Brien and Phil Selway to play guitar and drums, respectively. Colin's brother, Johnny, also joined the group with his guitar.

a different name

Naming themselves On A Friday, the Oxford boys started doing the pub circuit, and recorded demos that got them in the local press. They were seen as a promising band with a knack for creative dance/rock blends. Predicting a future hit, EMI signed the band.

Before producing their debut in 1992, the Drill EP, they were hit by a certain critic's remark that the name On A Friday was terribly uninteresting. Being Talking Heads fans, they renamed themselves after a song in True Stories: "Radio Head."

During a studio rehearsal where they would record their next two singles, the band broke into a new song they had just written. Though the song was coolly greeted by the British press, it became a smash hit in America, getting tremendous radio time and MTV attention. The song was called "Creep."

they test-drove their music

Pablo Honey, their debut album, received mixed reviews (the band still hates it to this day) but the success of "Creep" gave the album gold status. They toured the U.S. and rereleased the song in the UK, where it became a #7 hit.

Radiohead's new following had high expectations for a sophomore release. But instead, in 1994, the group released another EP called My Iron Lung, made up of live songs from a London gig. In the meantime, Radiohead toured the Far East to regroup and crystalize their identity.

The group returned home and recorded The Bends in two weeks, which was released in 1995. The following year, the fifth single, "Street Spirit," put the band in the Top Ten once more. With inspiration to spare, the band began writing their third effort OK Computer in early 1996. But this time they decided to test-drive their songs live before recording them in an LP, opening for Alanis Morissette on a U.S. tour.

Songs like "Paranoid Android" and "Electioneering" were well received, and secured a place in the album's track listing. Dabbling into electronic sounds and complex musical acrobatics, OK Computer was given carte blanche by the label: the band had full liberty in its production and release schedule. It came out in June 1997 to very flattering reviews, including a Grammy for Best Alternative Album.

album after album

After a huge tour and its resulting documentary Meeting People Is Easy, the band took some time off. They isolated their collective genius to work on an even more ambitious new project. They put away their guitars and manned the computers. Standard rock metric timing was discarded, and the songs would debut not on the stage, but on the Internet. In October 2000, Radiohead released Kid A.

Now the band really made a stir. Fans were delighted even though radio stations pouted, as not many tracks were radio-friendly. Critics were trying to figure out exactly what the band was up to.

Radiohead ended up earning their second Grammy, and before anyone could catch their breath, they released their fifth album, Amnesiac, in 2001.

They could now headline their own festivals and enjoy the liberties of great bands. The band was being touted worldwide as this generation's most innovative and influential rock band.

a grave dedication

Known to be highly political (the band played in Amnesty International and Free Tibet goodwill concerts), they decided to dedicate their next album to the lying and conniving politicians of the post 9/11 world.

2003's Hail to the Thief blended the progressive-rock styles of OK Computer with the electronic commotions of Kid A. Its irate, dissenting lyrics lash out at a world filled with fear and uncertainty. It again received overwhelming praise as its sales approached the one million mark.

Radiohead is spending the rest of 2003 touring the world, where they will also promote their Internet TV station, radiohead.tv. Their songs have been featured in 10 feature films including Clueless and Romeo and Juliet. Thom Yorke currently lives with his long-time girlfriend Rachel, and they have one child together.