This Week is Radiohead Week
The June issue of THE WORD starts reaching subscribers today, and will find its way to the newsagents towards the end of next week. Or you can buy it online.
There'll be more detail for you on Tuesday, but we can reveal that the magazine contains five (FIVE!) glorious, exclusive, brand-new interviews with the members of Radiohead by THE WORD's Andrew Harrison.
It's accompanied by particularly fine set of documentary pictures by new-to-WORD photographer Shamil Tanna. The shoot provides a peek into the band's private world as they rehearse at the Hospital Studios, London, where they recorded much of In Rainbows.
"I talked to Radiohead one member at a time, over a period of weeks," says Andrew, "and it was surprising to see that the intense persona of the band is sustained by a shared sense of humour and sometimes pretty frank disagreement among its individual members.
"We talked about TV comedy, football, the way the band's politics aren't as cut and dried as you might think, and why Thom will sometimes hear himself talking and think 'For God's sake just shut up'. They have an insight into what makes their music work that's rare among any bands, let alone the biggest."
As a taster, here's a sound clip of Thom Yorke talking to Andrew about the way his often opaque lyrics are scrutinised for meaning by Radiohead's obsessive fans (the "Stanley" he mentions is Stanley Donwood, who co-designs Radiohead's CD sleeves with Thom).
Radiohead interviews in The Word are like buses...
you wait ages for one and then five come along at once!
Can't wait for the issue to come out so I can read them.
I've just taken out a Word subscription
and for my 2nd issue you land 5 dollops of elephant shit on my doorstep.
To say nothing of the cover.
Perhaps
You could wipe it down, and try and enjoy the 130+ pages in the magazine that won't be devoted to Radiohead. I doubt it's personal.
No pleasing some people
Elephant dung - but that's a good thing, right? http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/226000.stm
I've been reading/subscribing Word for 5 years. And I don't even like Pink Floyd
Chris Ofili
If he makes me an offer, once I've read the non Radiohead bits, he's welcome to take it away.
I've been reading word from issue 1, but I can't say it's struck me as being overly Pink Floyd biased. But no doubt I stand to be disabused.
I suggest Word employ a medium for an interview with Syd's ghost rather than having to put up with Tiny Whiny Tommy.
Oh no ...
not Radiohead. I've tried, but I can't for the life of me get what people see in them.
Don't bloody read it, then.
Jeez. I wouldn't wipe my backside on a copy of dark side of the moon, but I found the Waters interview fascinating.
Can i ask what the problem
Can i ask what the problem is with Radiohead, I'm a fan but do not get why so many people on here dislike them
Because
they're very dull and they take themselves very seriously.
Whereas...
The artists you like have all been to clown college?
If you don't like Radiohead's music, fair enough. But that doesn't mean that they're dull. Like the poster above who mentioned Roger Waters, you don't have to like someone's catalogue to find an interview with them fascinating.
Of course it's true that
"you don't have to like someone's catalogue to find an interview with them fascinating".
For instance, I've never bought anything by The Smiths or the Pet Shop Boys but always read interviews with Morissey and Neil Tennant because they are entertaining and definitely not dull.
But that doesn't apply to Radiohead, IMO. I find their music monotonous and in the interviews I've read they never say anything interesting. Therefore, in summary, dull is how I would describe them and their work.
Seconded
Johan, I couldn't put it any more concisely than that.
6th form politcs
Thom Yorke is self-righteous t**t. Sorry, but all the half-arsed sixth form politcs really gets on my nerves, particularly his bashing of the hand that so royally fed him - his record label and the 'industry' in general.
If Radiohead's label hadn't stood by them in the early days they would never have been in the position to bypass the system now. The fact is that they owe Parlophone and all the good people that worked their arses off for years a real debt of gratitude. With Radiohead fleeing in the nest in the wake of EMI's takeover, half of those who helped build Radiohead's career will be looking for new jobs in the not-too distant future..
I'd like to donate my subscription copy
to science, but there's no rational reason why science would want it.
I love Radiohead
and am looking forward to it. Nice to see an artist featured who is making some of their best music now, rather than 20 or 30 years ago (not that previous issues have not been good, they have - not been disappointed yet).
SOMEBODY tell me please...
... why it is the June edition, when REALLY, deep down inside, we know it is the May edition? Is it to make us believe we are always ahead of our times?
Good Question..
... and all monthly mags do the same. Why?
Hoorah!
I've been asking for ages for a Radiohead cover!
Indeed, I'd like to think it was my idea.....
Come on guys,
Why do monthly magazines work a month ahead of everybody else?
On the matter of Radiohead, can't say I'm overwhelmed with joy at them being the main players in this issue, but a) hopefully the rest of the mag will be up to scratch and b) the interviews might be interesting - you never know.
As I understand it, the theory is this:
Imagine that magazines did put accurate months on the cover. So, the May edition of Word hits the shops on May 1st. Casual browser in WH Smith on 28th May, sees Word, but he thinks, hang on it's 28th May, might as well wait a few days and get an up to date June edition.
As things stand, though, on 28th May he'll see Word with June on the cover, and be happy to buy it.
I'm not in the magazine publishing world, but that was explained to me once by someone who is.
Monthly cover dates
It's to do with keeping your magazine on display as long as possible. Bit like "Best Before" dates on foodstuffs.
cover dates
...although most mags publish 13 issues per year now, each on sale for four weeks - the 13th cover month usually labelled 'Christmas'. Or 'Xmas' to fit on the barcode.
This Madonna you sold me has "turned" slightly...
Which begs the question why so many music monthlies insist on placing artistes well past their sell-by dates on the cover.
(evil laugh woaahahahahaha!!)
So the Martin Stone cover has been postponed?
.
Not to complain, but...
The new issue started reaching subscribers last Friday? Today's Tuesday and I haven't got it. Normally I wouldn't expect to have had it this early in the month (second Thursday and all), but you went and got me all excited.
This Thursday...
Is the second Thursday. I'm sure your copy will be with you shortly.
I know
I meant that, until the above announcement, I wouldn't have expected it before this Thursday. No biggie. Keep up the good work.
Good Cover
Grizzly Adams, The Wilderness Years.
Murder ballads
The Pink Floyd one is the odd one out as the 'axe' he's talking about is his favourite, bestest guitar and the song ends with "Why are you running away?" hence said groupie hasn't in fact been dispatched in a grisly fashion but is merely weirded out by one of Pink's 'turns'. Is there a prize?
Scruff
I have no objection to a long Radiohead interview, but I DO think that Thom Yorke could have washed and shaved if he knew his face was going to be all over WH Smiths for the next month.
Hmmm
An unwashed (doesn't look it to me - not sure how you can tell that), unshaven rock star. How shocking. And he needs a decent short back and sides too.
What a horrible cover
I know it’s Radiohead and everything, and lots of people love them and it is, I presume, a big deal to get them and really good for the magazine.
But still. It’s horrible.
“Radiohead Week”? Not round ours, matey. I’ll buy the magazine though.
Agreed
Couldn't the photo ed or whoever does that job have put in a pic where the man looks at least interested?
People above are saying I should be broadminded and read the bon mots of a man who probably has never said anything that has ever interested me. I'll give him a go, but lord above, you could have picked a better picture.
Or is it the thought that "moody" = interesting?
Have I been reading a different mag?
Or have the last few covers not been men's faces set to 'moody mode'?
We've had Moody Moz, Moody Costello and Moody Waters (not to be confused with Muddy Waters), and not a person has raised a peep about it.
Is it just because ol' Thom is a bit odd looking? Or is it his suspicously tidy beard? Or is it just because it's Radiohead, a band that seem to be a four letter word around many here, whilst Phil Collins (Phil Collins? Are you mad?) is ripe for reappraisal.
I read the interviews today. Quality writing, as I've come to expect, and a couple of very interesting and insightful points about the members of the band. Keep it up, chaps!
Did the subscribers not get a CD this month?
My copy arrived yesterday. In their eagerness to read about Radiohead my 2 dogs opened up the package before me, but no sign of the CD seems apparent. Could they have eaten it? As both being yorkshire(ish) terriers, anything is possible, but I feel their size would go against it.(See blog bio photo)
Please advise.........
I should take the dogs in for questioning
One of them's bound to shop the other.
Possibly so.....
But how do I get either a first copy (innocent until proven guilty) or a replacement?
(What do you think of Radiohead, Rover? Rrruff. Nuff said.)
Probably best to
Drop Jerry an e-mail - he'll sort you out.
Cut off in his prime
What happened to Colin Meloy? That track on the CD finishes rather abruptly (cue Mark Ellen doing an impression of the mighty Peel).
That was the way the master was supplied...
...and we were too late to do anything about it. Sorry about that.
Well...
...I DO like Radiohead, and am thoroughly enjoying my latest edition of my favourite mag (on my second sub now - huzzah!).
I feel obliged to point out that my enjoyment has absolutely nothing to do with the assortment of pictures of Martha Wainwright's legs, Isobel Campbell's cleavage and Kate Mossman looking rather fetching in her Word-branded clobber. Nothing at all.
I was going to say
that the Dido cover which you are down on yourselves about is much better than this bloody Thom Yorke geezer. Will read the interviews but dont particularly like the music - certainly isnt groundbreaking.
BTW got my subscription issue on Tuesday - Lucas do you live in the Outer Hebrides or something?
No, Hertfordshire
Got it this week - Wednesday - which is pretty much when I usually get it. No problem. I just got ahead of myself when they said subscribers were getting them last Friday.
Rather wish I'd kept quiet...
|Loved the best/worst opening lines feature
though I feel I should point out, that as much as I love Howard Devoto and Magazine, their "song From Under The Floorboards" is nicked wholesale from Dostoyvsky's Notes From The Underground, and the opening line is nicked, depending on what translation you read, almost word for word.
Great idea for a song, though.