Radiohead HHV Records 28 Items

On a Friday afternoon in Oxford

In 1985, five boys got together in one of the best boarding schools in Great Britain to make music on a friday afternoon. Their name: “On a Friday”, their idols: REM, Joy Division, The Smiths and U2. They played a few gigs in and around Oxford, but nobody was really interested in them. They started studying and put music on hold for the time being. After four years, they started playing shows again and spreading their demo tape, which circulated the city and eventually ended up with a talent scout from EMI. One of the biggest record labels in the world then offered On a Friday a six album deal, but only if they would change their name to “Radiohead”.

Something magical

Radiohead then tried their hand a bit and released two EPs that didn’t sell well. Then, during the next recordings, something magical happened. Creep was recorded in just one take, and the band didn’t even know it. The producer had simply let the recording play along when the band was rehearsing the song. After a few tweaks, it then became the lead single of the album Pablo Honey (1993). It didn’t become popular in the UK at first, but in New Zealand, Israel and the US. Since alternative rock was in vogue in the US at that time, the band toured the album worldwide for 2 years and then almost disbanded. The Bends (1995) was the next masterpiece, which had less popular success due to more complex songs, but it received a lot of good reviews. With OK Computer (1997) Radiohead started into the age of the internet and published the first band website ever, fitting to the album title. After that it was time again for burnout, depression and writer’s block. In 1999, they locked themselves in the studio for 18 months and recorded a minimalist, electronic-experimental Album called Kid A, which was only available on the band’s website and made headlines for its stylistic break. The remnants of Kid A were then packaged and re-marketed on Amnesiac (2001). Two years later, they recorded Hail to The Thief (2003) in two weeks, combining electronic and rock. Songs like 2+2=5 became very popular and the band continued to tour around the planet. After that, the EMI contract ended and the band took some time off to be with their loved ones.

GIFs and headlines

Radiohead continued their career with headlines and masterpieces. In Rainbows (2007) went down in music history with its “pay what you want” motto and the exclusive availability on the band’s website. If you’ve never heard of Radiohead, you’ll still be familiar with the lead singer’s hilarious GIFs from The King of Limbs video (2011). The band kept reinventing themselves, offering regular shocks to their fans such as sending lyrics of the new album by mail or deleting all content from their website. Whatever it may be, the band that once started in shady pubs as “On A Friday”, shaped the course of music history. They sell out huge arenas, stunned and inspired millions, and rarely disappointed. They have five albums on Rolling Stones’ list of the 500 greatest albums of all time and couldn’t care less about such a list. They keep doing their thing whether anyone was following them or not.