Brilliant work as always Eve. I'd also recommend that people read this Rolling Stone article where Thom points out how offensive it is that people assume that they don't know anything about the Israel/Palestine Conflict:
"The person who knows most about these things is [Radiohead guitarist] Jonny [Greenwood]. He has both Palestinian and Israeli friends and a wife who’s an Arab Jew. All these people to stand there at a distance throwing stuff at us, waving flags, saying, “You don’t know anything about it!” Imagine how offensive that is for Jonny. And imagine how upsetting that it’s been to have this out there. Just to assume that we know nothing about this. Just to throw the word “apartheid” around and think that’s enough. It’s fucking weird. It’s such an extraordinary waste of energy. Energy that could be used in a more positive way."
I wish the perverse reason for my introduction to your writing on rock never happened, but since it did, I am embracing the collateral benefit. Thanks again for the gift of music and the peep into your chaotic soul!
Funny; I was never a Radiohead fan in the 1990s. However, over the last few years, and completely independent of their steady support of Israel, I have come to appreciate their musicianship, and certainly their moral clarity. Would that many others in the entertainment field had their integrity.
From standing up for israel to being complicit in the murder by Muslims .
Muslims killed over 400,000 Muslims in the Saudi Yemen war…
Muslims killed over 80,000 blacks in Nigeria….btw where are the black music artist supporting their black relatives in Nigeria who are being killed by Muslims ….
No shit MM from TV show Suits and Harry's wife did dna and found out she is close to 40 percent Nigerian…
Muslims have killed over 45,000 Christians in Nigeria …Christian rock is huge ….I ran an all age venue once and Christian rock is huge …where are all the white Christian rock bands supporting Christians being killed by Muslims…..Muslims persecute Christians world wide…..yet zero support of persecuted Christians from Christian rock bands
So these people who support Hamas are really supporters of Muslim murders.
I am too old to have listened to Radiohead but I am grateful to them for showing solidarity with Isreal and for being the stimulus for this wonderful reflection.
That was a so enjoyable piece of writing. Music transcends borders and time. The great Tony Gatlif understood this well. His film Latcho Drom is a pure delight.
Great article. I never knew that Radiohead was such a supporter of Israel. I love them and listen songs from to Ok Computer on repeat. I also love Burn the Witch song (I tend to love songs from soundtracks, collabs with other bands, or "B-Sides" :). Hope to actually see them one day. Btw, music has been a balm for my soul during this shit show of a time. As a Jewish mother, I just pray for my daughters future and am so grateful for your words, actions and dedication.
Thanks for this, Eve. I've had to unfollow (and stop listening to) so many musicians in the past few months. I'm excited to dig back into Radiohead after sort of forgetting about them.
A few weeks ago I was looking for a cover by Nicola from Girls Aloud of “Creep” that she performed on one of their concert tours. I can’t find it anywhere. One of my fave Radiohead songs. Through Eve’s eyes we see Radiohead’s arc of character development and the culmination of JG’s steadfast bond with Israel. Brave soul.
There should be a peace concert with Radiohead in Israel & hope we all get to see it.
Radiohead has always been true to themselves, a quality which is so lacking in the current cultural and musical desert of pandering.. I do have an interesting one-off project for your consideration.. Neil Finn’s 7 Worlds Collide in Auckland, a “busman’s holiday” of a concert of friends having fun in 2001. It is very un Radiohead like.. but the members of the band include Ed O’Brien and Phil Selway, Eddie Vedder, Johnny Marr, Neil and Tim Finn, Lisa Germano of the Cocteau Twins and Sebastian Steinberg… this project flew under the radar, but is filled with goodies..
Interesting lot, aren’t they? Considering that Neil joined the band after Phil Judd departed, he has become the most prolific Finn brother. The second Finn Brothers album, Everyone Is Here, is quite good.. Tim’s Covid project, ForENZics, with Eddie Rayner, Noel Crombie and Phil Manzanera is a very interesting reboot of ancient Enz songs.. Of course, Crowded House is now Neil’s Family, Nick and Mitchell Froom.
that Neil Finn Auckland concert was amazing. I listened to the whole thing. As an aside have you heard the band Boy & Bear's rendition of "Fall at Your Feet" - it's worth a listen :)
Thanks Eve, great piece as always. Until recent events, my favorite rock guitarist for the past 40 years or so had been Clapton, but I have no desire to listen to him anymore. I stopped listening to new rock bands in the 80s and branched off to other genres like bluegrass, jazz, and classical. Time for me to check out Radiohead, look forward to listening to your playlist.
Your deep engagement inspires us all to avoid dwelling complacently in an unexamined life. Also appreciate learning about Radiohead’s moral clarity. Anybody with half a brain should be outraged by the notion of boycotting Israelis in any field. Stay strong
Fantastic piece. I just learned that the Israel connection goes back to 1992 when Creep was released as a single (and flopped in UK) but caught the ear of an Israeli DJ and caught fire and spread … check out this great episode of the One Song podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/il/podcast/one-song/id1696154359?i=1000652150388
Thank you, Eve. I haven't been a fan, but I like what I listened to, thanks to you, and definitely endorse them as rare and precious balanced minds. Great essay!
Brilliant work as always Eve. I'd also recommend that people read this Rolling Stone article where Thom points out how offensive it is that people assume that they don't know anything about the Israel/Palestine Conflict:
"The person who knows most about these things is [Radiohead guitarist] Jonny [Greenwood]. He has both Palestinian and Israeli friends and a wife who’s an Arab Jew. All these people to stand there at a distance throwing stuff at us, waving flags, saying, “You don’t know anything about it!” Imagine how offensive that is for Jonny. And imagine how upsetting that it’s been to have this out there. Just to assume that we know nothing about this. Just to throw the word “apartheid” around and think that’s enough. It’s fucking weird. It’s such an extraordinary waste of energy. Energy that could be used in a more positive way."
https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/thom-yorke-breaks-silence-on-israel-controversy-126675/
I wish the perverse reason for my introduction to your writing on rock never happened, but since it did, I am embracing the collateral benefit. Thanks again for the gift of music and the peep into your chaotic soul!
Funny; I was never a Radiohead fan in the 1990s. However, over the last few years, and completely independent of their steady support of Israel, I have come to appreciate their musicianship, and certainly their moral clarity. Would that many others in the entertainment field had their integrity.
Let's reverse it:
From standing up for israel to being complicit in the murder by Muslims .
Muslims killed over 400,000 Muslims in the Saudi Yemen war…
Muslims killed over 80,000 blacks in Nigeria….btw where are the black music artist supporting their black relatives in Nigeria who are being killed by Muslims ….
No shit MM from TV show Suits and Harry's wife did dna and found out she is close to 40 percent Nigerian…
Muslims have killed over 45,000 Christians in Nigeria …Christian rock is huge ….I ran an all age venue once and Christian rock is huge …where are all the white Christian rock bands supporting Christians being killed by Muslims…..Muslims persecute Christians world wide…..yet zero support of persecuted Christians from Christian rock bands
So these people who support Hamas are really supporters of Muslim murders.
Just brilliant
Just superb writing Eve. Thank you yet again.
I am too old to have listened to Radiohead but I am grateful to them for showing solidarity with Isreal and for being the stimulus for this wonderful reflection.
Exceptional writing and much thanks for the Radiohead playlist.
That was a so enjoyable piece of writing. Music transcends borders and time. The great Tony Gatlif understood this well. His film Latcho Drom is a pure delight.
Great article. I never knew that Radiohead was such a supporter of Israel. I love them and listen songs from to Ok Computer on repeat. I also love Burn the Witch song (I tend to love songs from soundtracks, collabs with other bands, or "B-Sides" :). Hope to actually see them one day. Btw, music has been a balm for my soul during this shit show of a time. As a Jewish mother, I just pray for my daughters future and am so grateful for your words, actions and dedication.
Thanks for this, Eve. I've had to unfollow (and stop listening to) so many musicians in the past few months. I'm excited to dig back into Radiohead after sort of forgetting about them.
Jonny Greenwood = Rockstar
A few weeks ago I was looking for a cover by Nicola from Girls Aloud of “Creep” that she performed on one of their concert tours. I can’t find it anywhere. One of my fave Radiohead songs. Through Eve’s eyes we see Radiohead’s arc of character development and the culmination of JG’s steadfast bond with Israel. Brave soul.
There should be a peace concert with Radiohead in Israel & hope we all get to see it.
Radiohead has always been true to themselves, a quality which is so lacking in the current cultural and musical desert of pandering.. I do have an interesting one-off project for your consideration.. Neil Finn’s 7 Worlds Collide in Auckland, a “busman’s holiday” of a concert of friends having fun in 2001. It is very un Radiohead like.. but the members of the band include Ed O’Brien and Phil Selway, Eddie Vedder, Johnny Marr, Neil and Tim Finn, Lisa Germano of the Cocteau Twins and Sebastian Steinberg… this project flew under the radar, but is filled with goodies..
https://youtu.be/wJVJsWxlkXM?si=5Iss2-5D4JQhznCp
I profiled the Finns once.
Interesting lot, aren’t they? Considering that Neil joined the band after Phil Judd departed, he has become the most prolific Finn brother. The second Finn Brothers album, Everyone Is Here, is quite good.. Tim’s Covid project, ForENZics, with Eddie Rayner, Noel Crombie and Phil Manzanera is a very interesting reboot of ancient Enz songs.. Of course, Crowded House is now Neil’s Family, Nick and Mitchell Froom.
https://youtu.be/70jJTeu-06o?si=0mDG8LRp6-PchD3M
that Neil Finn Auckland concert was amazing. I listened to the whole thing. As an aside have you heard the band Boy & Bear's rendition of "Fall at Your Feet" - it's worth a listen :)
Thanks Eve, great piece as always. Until recent events, my favorite rock guitarist for the past 40 years or so had been Clapton, but I have no desire to listen to him anymore. I stopped listening to new rock bands in the 80s and branched off to other genres like bluegrass, jazz, and classical. Time for me to check out Radiohead, look forward to listening to your playlist.
Your deep engagement inspires us all to avoid dwelling complacently in an unexamined life. Also appreciate learning about Radiohead’s moral clarity. Anybody with half a brain should be outraged by the notion of boycotting Israelis in any field. Stay strong
Fantastic piece. I just learned that the Israel connection goes back to 1992 when Creep was released as a single (and flopped in UK) but caught the ear of an Israeli DJ and caught fire and spread … check out this great episode of the One Song podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/il/podcast/one-song/id1696154359?i=1000652150388
Thank you, Eve. I haven't been a fan, but I like what I listened to, thanks to you, and definitely endorse them as rare and precious balanced minds. Great essay!