Some may be questioning the validity of the recently discovered On a Friday demo tracks. While we can’t say that we’re 100% sure that this is definitely Radiohead, we feel pretty confident that they are. Here’s some more info I received from Marc Gommans about how these were discovered:
This is an extract taken from the From A Great Height book:
…
“Around the beginning of 1991, a young man named John Butcher visited the {Courtyard} studio. In his pocket was a tape of fifteen sonds made by a band that featured two of his former classmates at Abingdon, Thom Yorke and Colin Greenwood. It was the first recording by On A Friday. {Chris} Hufford’s response was one of reserved interest. “There were some good tunes but it was all obviously ripped off mercilessly,” he remembers. The final track stood out for him, though; he describes it as a “weird looped-up dance thing which was completely mental.” Hufford was interested enough to ask for more.”
googlyamnesiac, a member of the Atease messageboard, picked up a CD in a record store (Bleeker Street Records) in New York which contained all these unreleased tracks + bonus tracks (for more information about the tracklist + scans, click here: http://koti.mbnet.fi/latez/demo/)
This CD is obviously not real (because it was originally recorded on tape). But the material IS real. Sure, only 14 tracks were reveiled yesterday (instead of 15), so there is either one track missing from the originally recorded demotape, or the information in the book (From A Great Height) is inaccurate.
But it makes sense, right? This last track Hufford was talking about, must have been “The New Generation”. And it obviously IS a completely mental looped-up dance thing.
My guess is that someone got his hands on this demo tape a couple of years ago, and decided to make some money out of it. So this person started to make several bootlegs discs (with extra bonus tracks), and sold it to record stores. And now, after all these years, the tracks finally got leaked onto the internet.
Stereophonics, who probably wouldn’t have a record deal if it weren’t for Radiohead, have decided to go on the offensive, calling Thom Yorke a “miserable twat.” Read the article…
(thanks to Steve, Wes, & Andrea)
Some very rare On a Friday demo tracks have recently become available for download. If you don’t know, On a Friday is name Radiohead used before signing their record deal.
Here are the track names:
1. Keep Strong
2. Somebody Else
3. I Want To Know
4. I’m Coming Up
5. Jerusalem
6. What Is That You Say?
7. Something You Hate
8. I Can’t
9. Without You
10. Give It Up
11. How Can You Be So Sure?
12. Everybody Lies Through Their Teeth
13. Rattlesnake In The Big City
14. The New Generation
To download them, head on over to http://www.fullyclothed.org/hats/.
(thanks to rhfreak, audiothief, stimp, googlyamnesiac, Mark, & Marc)
There are a couple of showings of Radiohead’s Meeting People Is Easy coming up. One will be at the Walter Reade Theater on Aug 21 (2:45pm & 6:45pm) and Aug 22 (1:00pm, 5:10pm, & 9:15pm).
On August 23 and 24, The Dundee Theater in Omaha will be holding midnight screenings.
(thanks to Radiohead25 & Alex)
Radiohead ended their short tour of Portugal and Spain and last night in Salamanca could only be described as spectacular. The band were in a festive mood and even took audience requests! Songs played included Can’s The Thief, You, Big Ideas, Exit Music, Lucky, Fog, and Big Boots! Setlist available here.