It can't be stressed enough how important Jonny Greenwood is to the process. He's the true musical genius behind the band, and Yorke is more the conceptual/emotional/lyrical genius. Radiohead is an example of a band that is greater than the sum of its parts. The band simply could not exist without the two of them feeding off one another to create true masterpieces.
me too man, with my 16 year old son. his first ever gig was radiohead, pretty cool. if you like radiohead check out the song caronte by apparat. will blow your mind. then maybe go dawan, then arcadia, song wise. they have a live performance they play in a chapel, its on youtube, guarantee you'll not be able to stop watching it. easily as talented a group of musicians as radiohead.
I talk about this all over _everything Radiohead_ to the point that I am getting trolled now, but this seems like a safe place (?). My single Father of this only child/daughter (I did not know my "mother" until about 10 years ago, long story) died at 52 years old from lung cancer a year before In Rainbows was released. I quit my photo-chem engineering job, moved home and became his 24/7/365 Nurse/Maid/Cook/SHRINK/Pharmacist/Driver/Best friend _which I always had been,_ and anything else you can think of for just under four torturous years he battled. I even became a nurse during this time. However, _when he was gone and I was suddenly alone, with no purpose, family or friends, for the first time in my life, _*_I welcomed death and wanted to die._* Then this album was released and it sang to me. Especially "Where I End and You Begin." It was last year that I was able to listen to Video Tape again. Edit: Because of that loss, I have never married and decided to not have children. The only being that has loved me as unconditionally as my Father did was *my first dog,* who I died three years ago. I am done. 😺
I’m 50, still my favourite band, by far. First time I heard them (The Bends) I was I little older than your daughter, I was literally obliterated by it’s simplistic complexity. Gonna play some chess listening Kid A
This song took them 11 years to be happy with. There are demos of this track from 1996, when the studio version was released in 2007. They took their time and it’s paid off. Such a simple, beautiful song.
@@BarbaraClerc Isn't the song used backwards in Like Spinning Plates actually I Will, though? The keys *are* basically the same, but I'm pretty sure it's I Will.
There’s a reason we always had to wait years between albums. Nothing they record has an accidental moment; it’s all meticulously composed, with the most sincere intention. It’s hard to talk about Radiohead without sounding like a hyperbolic twit, but they really are phenomenal artists.
...when you first deep dive them and get confused because you're finding weird live versions of In Rainbows tunes that were allegedly recorded at shows in the late 90s or early 00s.
But live they throw a lot of the specifics away and just play with each other around the song ... they know where it's going but they get there with different steps.
You should consider reacting to "How to disappear completely", which Yorke considers their greatest song. And then do a deep dive into Jonny Greenwood, who is unquestionably the genius behind all of Radiohead's masterful compositons.
I did NOT know that Thom Yorke considers that.... but it has been my favorite Radiohead song since more than 2 decades ago. It truly is their magnum opus IMO.
The sequence with it in their digital art piece is an all time memory for me. Also, if people don't know, it's free on most digital storefronts like ps5 and steam.
I've always said In Rainbows is the best gateway drug for Radiohead. Listen to the whole album. It has an effortless and delicate beauty and is less abrasive than some of the other stuff. They're not the easiest band to "get" but once you do you have basically an almost endless well of good music to tap into. I pretty much love every sound they've made since OK Computer.
I would have to agree with this only because as a long time Radiohead nerd, IR is still the only album I loved in full instantly upon the first listen. Every other album took at least one to two years to fully digest and enjoy and get something out of each song.
@@ketchupdudee19 yeah it probably is a good starter. If I'm being honest The Bends is just not as jam packed with interesting songs like their later stuff. It's fantastic soft/dreamy rock music but they went on to so much more. For me In Rainbows is easy to listen to but still very unique and has loads of depth. The Bends is classic but I rarely feel like putting it on nowadays.
@@halfalligator6518 what’s crazy is to see their progression from Pablo Honey to the Bends to OK Computer…every album was leaps and bounds in talent. You’re watching them accelerate. I remember reading that during the Bends, Thom got deep into meditation and would play piano for hours on end. Pretty much didn’t leave the studio. He was becoming the man we see nowadays, he went at it.
Yas! Been my everything band since “talk show host” when Romeo and Juliet came out. Good days, bad days, creating, road trips, bedtime adventures….. omg it’s so soothing. I’m an extremely optimistic, extroverted person, but nothing hits like that Radiohead. ❤️
I scrolled the comments looking for this exact post because i wanted to say the same thing. This is the band that absolutely blown minds when you finally HEAR them. Cheers
My son at age 14 comes to me and says, "Dad, I've got to tell you something. I've really got a problem..." Oh God, what can this be...? "I only want to listen to Radiohead." *sighs* "Son, we've all been there, and some of us never come out the other side..." Still, it shows there is hope in this bleak and beautiful universe
Kind of out of context, but I had a similar experience when I was 14 in 2001, except it was Outkast that ruined the Hip Hop I had been following ever so closely on the radio.
Thankfully there's a lot of Radiohead to listen to, and more to come, if the reports are true. And it spans so many different subgenres, across all their albums, there's pretty much some Radiohead for any occasion.
@@fakecubedAccording to some articles I've read, a few months back Radiohead got back together to rehearse, but while on tour with The Smile, Jonny had to take a break from touring due to a serious infection. But they're back at it to some extent. Hopefully within the next couple years we'll see a new album, but we'll see.
I’ve loved Radiohead for so many years. I cried watching you dig this so hard. The most pure thing I’ve seen in an age is your weird faces when you are concentrating like nothing else in the world exists. Loved every second. Subscribed. Rock on.
Coundn't agree more! I had the same reaction. I dropped a couple of tears, watching his faces of excitement, confussion, grieve, and hapiness all together. That's Radiohead.
Same here! This channel was offered, I've been super into Radiohead for decades, and man, when you see someone that understands craftsmanship, finally get Radiohead, ya, had a tear too.
Came to say exactly the same thing. Im not a guitarist and dont even know what the rest of the channel is about but for this amazing moment alone, Im now a fan. Subbed.
Been a Radioheader for 23 years and just watching the look on someone's face who "gets it" in real time was absolutely priceless and reaffirming what makes this band so special.
I totally share that feeling !!! It is so exciting, I feel like sharing this video with the entire world lol. It's like a berth. A new aware musician is born lol
this is well-said. it takes some effort, but once it "clicks" it drifts into the obsession that is the mark of this band's base. So special to witness it happen to someone else in real time!
I don't pretend to know much about musical theory. I don't listen to music, I feel it, instead. I stumbled upon this video while searching for any orchestral adaptations of In Rainbows... and watching your facial expressions shift through my exact range of emotions... from detached and casual, to intrigued and confused, to focussed in estimation, to amused appreciation... to awe and gratitude. Watching your shift was an absolute joy. Thank you 💗
Man OK Computer hit me as a masterpiece from the first listen at age 19. I was suddenly a 40 year old wage slave mourning my youth and desperately yearning for beauty and sincerity in my life.
If you search the podcast called “dissect” season 11, they break down every note and lyric with an abundance of context. You won’t regret the 18 hours spent dissecting “In Rainbows” by Radiohead
Radiohead is one of those rare bands who's live performances rival and even transcend their remarkable studio achievements. Top 3 best concerts ive seen. No samples just a band creating all these sounds in realtime
Definitely. Only band I've seen top them live was The Allman Brothers. Saw Radiohead during their tour for The Bends, opening for Alanis Morrisette. They blew me away! They definitely came to PLAY that night. The other top 3 concert would have to be Martina McBride and Alan Jackson. There's a reason I've seen him 4 times- but SHE is a powerhouse, live!! Had the entire sold out arena in the palm of her hand from the first note. We were so enthusiastic, we made HER cry, lol.
In my frothiest and most excited states in which I've been explaining my love for RH this is one of the things I focus on. Everything else aside, the fact they can play their whacky shit live is what sets them so far apart from everyone else.
@@jada90 i agree but usually bands famous for their studio works, like radiohead, fall flat replicating that live. Not always the case, but there are a ton of delicate sonic textures that need to land just right for them to pull it off live. There are definitely plenty of bands that spend all their time perfecting a studio piece but cant pull it off live. Theyre a proper rock band
Weird Fishes should be analyzed at some point, probably not right away, but the From the Basement recordings are incredibly good at showing the full song, because its live, and because you get to hear a very deliberate performance, their more evolved versions of the songs.
The entire From the Basement concert is a masterpiece. To be able to see and hear the band live on that level of intimacy just shows how incredible the band is from the creation perspective to its execution. The best thing is that everything they perform in their music (effects, layers, instruments...) all is live and performed in the act. Nothing is sampled. Congrats on this video, really gives a good perspective to everyone not used to readiohead to have an idea how impactful their music is and how artistic the band is.
Listening to Dissect podcast covering In Rainbows (he's up to Reckoner at the moment) and I'm saving the basement for when I've had all the music theory stuff spoon fed to me. Need to learn an instrument, was always scared of the commitment and the thought that it might "ruin" music by knowing inside baseball but after this podcast and this video I'm convinced it will only compliment it.
@@ProjectMATHEW Go for it man, you can appreciate a song when it's sang to you; but you can really embody a song when you're projecting it, through voice or instrument. Radiohead has been some of the most fun to learn across all instruments for me, because they've got amazing compositions across the spectrum of technical accessibility.
Feel honored to have watched someone go through a life changing moment. Radiohead have a deeper understanding of the role of creating so much tension that you’re forced to tighten and almost try to shield and protect yourself (real fight or flight stuff), but you don’t entirely because of the woven in melody…it keeps you open…vulnerable…and when that cathartic crescendo comes…that payoff, is given to you, all you are left with is to fully embrace the journey you’ve just been on. And at the end, you’re just there smiling or tearing up or with the chills or shaking your head or speechless or all of it. Like you said (paraphrased) this is intentional performance art of the highest order.
Radiohead are like: "We'll just play whatever we want" and Thom's like "I'll just sing in some key that I feel like" and God's like "Yeah guys, I'll make that all work out".
Then Johnny’s like “I’m just gonna abuse the hell out of this guitar just to TRY to play something bad” and God’s like “nup not happening, that will now be the best part of the song”
Its not a random key, its not just that he feels it, its just that its very hard to understand. I dont understand either. I think there are useful comparisons to be made with Indian music.
Michael, this is one of my favorite videos on UA-cam. I've honestly come back to it at least 20 times since you recorded it. I've loved radiohead for so long and I've always felt like it was viewed as "Sad music for sad people" which just didn't resonate with me. There's such joy in their precision and it's so hard to share with people. My mom watched this video and she found it enlightening, like "oh that's why my son loves this band" lol.
They are a once in a century type of band. Their level of musicianship is just phenomenal. That vocal climb where he sings “you’ll go to hell, for what your dirty mind is thinking” is one of my favourite moments in music…ever. Thank you for sharing this video. This is a special group of guys.
Thats why this song talks about purity like it's title suggests. It's to be nude in this world. Nude as we humans actually are, not what we show to the world. Man, this guys are on the level of Shakespeare and Mozart. They are unmatched in their respective areas. Period.
Absolutely love these performance breakdowns. I implore you to watch their performance of Reckoner from this session. When the song starts you have a phenomenal guitarist and composer playing a lemon, one of the greatest understated bassists of all time playing a water bottle, the backing vocals and rhythm guitar god that is Ed looking like the happiest man on the planet to be playing a tambourine, all adding into the unbelievable sound of a stunningly beautiful song. The best thing about the entire song however is the moment around 1.25 when Colin discretely walks the bass into the performance, the mood changes, and I feel my entire body melt through the floor. All of the joy in the world is written onto Ed's face in that moment. It's magical.
Everytime I listen to them (especially this album) I always think 'this is right on the verge of going really, really wrong'. They leave themselves so exposed while leaving us right on the edge. It's delicate and elegant and emotional and personal. I love them so much. 🥰
As a hardcore Radiohead fan... I think is safe to say that... for RH fans, the music of this band is a huge part of our lives. We have listened these songs a zillion times, and every time we feel the same emotion, no matter what... We are not fans of Radiohead. We love Radiohead. It's a huge difference.
You could not have watched a better introduction to the awesomeness that is Thom Yorke and Radiohead. They are all top of their form musicians and From The Basement really showcases this.
Radiohead is the music you hear in a dream that even though it is so ethereal and mysterious and if you had to explain it to someone you’d be at a loss for words, it feels familiar, like you heard it when you were a child and you want to walk towards it like a siren
My Best Friend in the world since 2nd grade, died back in 2016. Radiohead was one of his favorite bands and He’d always try to get me into them, and I was interested but I was never super intrigued. Last summer, kind of as an homage to him, I started going through their catalog and I can definitively say, they’re my favorite band of all time. They go very well with mushrooms 🍄 too😊 R.I.P. Erin❤️
I feel you. A friend if mine died just as 'the bends was released'. He loved RH. That album always reminds me of him. I always wonder how much he would enjoy the albums that followed 😢
My best friend died 13 years ago and we listened to radio head of course but our band was Weezer and we would listen to the blue album over and over and fucking over. On the way back home from talking with his mom and the pastor discussing what we wanted to be said in the eulogy "say it ain't so" came on the radio. I was getting out of the car and I couldn't stand and I fell into my wife and listen to my self sob but the song let me stand up and enough to walk inside and sleep for 12 hours. Music will rip you apart and make you whole again.
Radiohead and Portishead are two of the most important bands to listen to, they are incredible and i know Jarring for many, they require listening to as if they are orchestra's in order to appreciate the incredible music they craft. just amazing work that i love that came around the same period, proving British music continues to evolve and bring new things to music.
Radiohead and Portishead are my two go-to bands. I could go the rest of my life not listening to anything else. Sure, I'd miss The Beatles, but Radiohead and Portishead are All I Need
It takes a while to figure them out ... some effort as the melody/beat/riff doesn't always sync with the mind at first. And then, it just clicks ... and you're hooked forever.
@@piteusx8440 Literally happening to me right now! It's insane how amazing they suddenly sound to me now. Currently listening to The Tourist, Lucky, Optimistic and Identikit on repeat! Absolutely love this band.
I've always felt that by not fully appreciating Radiohead, that it showed a fundamental character flaw in me. Like, all the musicians I worship, worship Radiohead. This is the first time that I'm getting a glimpse of what they see. Thank you.
Not a character flaw, just a lack of experience and/or ear training. I think art can be a study, like anything else. And it can be pursued until the individual is content, which means some people pursue it for a bit and stop, and others keep going. I think that for those who keep going, you eventually get to a point where you realize the importance of minimalism. That less, is in fact, more. And once you get there, then you can fully appreciate the placement of notes, harmonies, rhythms, and their context in the composition.
What speaks to you speaks to you! I think sometimes a work or an artist finds you at the right time and that's what makes it resonate for you. In theory, one could have these moments with just about anything, so I try to be grateful for the ones that have happened for me, and hopeful that more will come along over time.
I’ve been a Radiohead fan forever. It’s so cool to someone discovering the music, the layers and textures, the simplicity and complexity of their sound. A beautiful song to dissect.
HA! The way he goes from "Ive never really gotten into Radiohead" to "The waaay he sliiiides / Everything is so purposeful / Such a simple, incredibly difficult, masterful...Im using way too many of these powerful words... " ...and this reaction at 7:49. Praising them like a die-hard fan in less than 19 minutes. That´s Radiohead.
As a Radiohead fan, I loved watching your work your way through this song musically as a knowledgeable musician who hasn't yet listened a lot of Radiohead. Very enjoyable.
That’s my favorite video in this whole wide website. Just beautiful real time recognition of the amount of work and craftsmanship Radiohead puts into it. And a testimony to how much you care about things outside your own interests. Just beautiful
This arrangement was a decade in the making spanning 5 albums. They recorded it during the sessions for their third album OK computer and knew there was more there than they were able to unlock at that time. That simple bassline by Colin Greenwood (suuuuper underrated bassist) was the missing piece that let everything click together 10 years later.
Space, Texture, Rhythm, Groove, Intentional, Eerie, Haunting, Smooth, Warmth and Purposeful are words that come to me when I think Radiohead. And you used most of those, so I think you get it! You have such an eclectic back catalog to catch up on, would love to see more reactions to Radiohead.
History will look back at Radiohead and consider them as the best rock band of our current time. And probably one of the best that would have ever existed. Invest in your vinyls y'all
The fact that Radiohead had a few “hits “ threw so many off . They are pure brilliance to anyone who loves music and thank God we have them all alive today to keep doing their thing . Thank you Thom
@@kristinrogersdotter5492 I wouldn't say "fabulous" song. It's good but it sounds similar to other grunge style tracks around the time. I think Blow Out from Pablo Honey was the first time we got a glimmer of the real Radiohead.
@@liverbot4854 I'm genuinely trying to think of a grunge ballad now that sounds like Creep. I remember when I first heard it on the radio I stopped the car because to me at least it sounded unique. I guess I can sort of compare it to some Nirvana, with the instrumentation? The quiet then sudden gritty loud bits?
@@kristinrogersdotter5492 I think that’s a better way of putting it than mine. I didn’t find Creep too special because I heard music like it before (although in a different context).
They're the only band that has so consistently changed up their sound between albums and somehow still managed to keep my attention. I've been a fan since Pablo Honey, but their last album is in the running for my favorite album of all time. They just keep experimenting and somehow find the magic each time.
Thom's pocket and sense of groove is unmatched and often overlooked, imo, since he's a genius in so many ways but man alive that dude has a crazy internal pulse. You really see it in the Smile and also when he plays drums but just watching his right hand and the way he'll place melodies over the bars, its the secret sauce to radiohead
Well Michael, I didn’t get into Radiohead until my 30’s with OK Computer. I’m 46 now and it is still one of my favorite albums of all time. The song Let Down is so good!!! If you get a chance listen to the layering of guitar harmonics as the song plays!
The song that put me in RH territory is Climbing on the Walls. Sounds like nothing I ever heard before. The soundtrack if my nightmares yet, I want to listen to it again and again and again
Just found your channel because of this video. I'm a huge Radiohead fan since their first album over 20 years ago, and I still love their new stuff. I love to hear that you're a blues guy. I had a mentor when I was still a kid, who was a blues singer in a local band, and so I've always had a special place in my heart for the blues as well. I'll be checking out more videos on your channel. I can already see in the recommends you've reacted to some other Radiohead songs, looking forward to that and more.
I had the In Rainbows CD in my car for years, never took it out, would play every time I started driving anywhere. Was the soundtrack to every up and down I went through during a difficult 4 years of my life. Was cheering you on watching your eyes as you related to all the joy and pain I associated with that beautiful song.
I have to say I've watched this and the Weird Fishes reactions multiple times now, and it still makes me smile seeing someone experience the beauty of Radiohead for the very first time. The From The Basement sessions have created some wonderful live music, all engineered and produced by the utter maestro Nigel Godrich - the erstwhile sixth member of Radiohead. Godrich has in a way been the glue that has held the band together, and he works so well with Thom and Jonny when they're writing because he isn't afraid to tell them what is good and what is bad. The band tried working with other engineers/producers but every time they go back to Godrich because it's such a symbiotic relationship, and I can't imagine any other Radiohead music without Godrich as the engineer. They first met on the album The ends, when Godrich was engineer for John Leckie, and they got on so well that Thom made sure Godrich was producer on OK Computer - which in itself is a sonic clusterheck of an album, akin to Bitches Brew in its arrangement. I'm glad they did go with Nigel Godrich, because I just can't imagine OK Computer working with any other producer at all. Still as fresh and relevant today as it was on release 26 years ago.
This entire From The Basement session is masterful! Made me really appreciate Radiohead so much more. If you haven't listened to it from start to finish I highly recommend you do so immediately!
The song that changed everything for me was "There, there" off of Hail to the Thief. After I heard that one song, I went from being pretty dismissive of their music to being blown away by all of it. Definitely one of my favorite bands of all time for a long time now
I am the EXACT same way- 10 years ago it totally blew my mind after not understanding KidA or most of thee early stuff. That song is transcendent and is still so, so brilliant. The lyrics, the key changes, the drop- all of it make it a top 5 song for me
@@DonaldTurner I can play all 3 of the guitar parts with a loop pedal, that's tied for my favorite Radiohead song. I'm a very big fan and have been for about 20 years haha
for me (as a Brit), Radiohead are the best band we've ever produced. from the songwriting, musicianship, skill, emotion and feel they are just leagues ahead of anyone else (imo)
As much as I like Radiohead idk if I can agree that they are the best the UK has ever produced. You got so many legendary bands, for example the Beatles, Zeppelin, and Sabbath. However I will say that the Brits make great songwriters and are often times better at portraying emotions than their US counterparts.
@@zoogie980 that's ok man we can agree to disagree. not exactly a bad selection of bands! I've actually met Mcartney and Plant as it happens, both very cool guys
Finally just got to listen to this. My grandfather died late last week and his funeral was this morning. Saw the video pop on my notifications and been waiting all day to watch. To say the least, you totally delivered! Thank you for doing this one justice and super glad you dig it. I enjoyed all the nuances you pointed out along with the technical analysis. Really appreciate you, buddy. Thanks for all that you do and keep up the good work ❤️
Not many things make me as happy as when people fall for Radiohead ahaha. Also thank you so much for getting deep into a song I've loved for so many years, and allowing me to understand it from a whole new perspective. Just started year two of lessons on GuitarGate also :D Thanks for everything Michael!
Thanks Michael. And welcome to Radiohead. This song has been in Radiohead's repertoire for years before it appeared on In Rainbows - in very different iterations like in the 'Meeting People is Easy' documentary. And when they finally recorded it, it was a shock to hear it in this way. But as you so eloquently explained here - it a well thought out and executed piece of art. And that's one of the band's key differences. Albums often have songs that have been in the mix for years. They don't churn out songs for a new record. They're writing all the time. Crafting the piece. Then they put together the best collection of songs they can for a particular project. Another example is 'Big Boots' also seen being recorded in the 'Meeting People is Easy' which was then officially released years later as 'Man of War'.
Everything is one of the best somethings ever made these days. Not good enough to say something is incredible, has to be a grandiose comparison to everything that has ever been released.
I have to say, I've watched this a few times. I genuinely admire your talent and your generosity and... I absolutely love the incredible enthusiasm you have for the discovery. It's authentic and infectious. You have a wonderful gift Mr Palmisano, thanks for sharing it (lot of your other content is equally brilliant).
As someone who has adored Radiohead’s very unique and innovative sounds for many years, it was suuuuper enjoyable to watch you experience this and break it down academically
I've been a Radiohead fan since the 90s and I love this performance. It was great to see you break it down and explain it. I always knew they are incredibly talented. It's great to see someone break it down and help us understand how they do it.
Hey Michael, I just bumped on this vid of yours mainly because UA-cam "knows" I'm a Radiohead fan but let me tell you that watching you just trying to decompose the song in a way that only a musician can, well it was just wonderful! The way you realize that even for a guy like you that comes from other musical worlds, and you find these guys are not just "rockstars" but well crafted artists who masters their job of putting emotions into sound and lyrics is wow! Touching! 😥 Thank you for the vid man.
This whole song/performance is illusion of simplicity. Great song and band aswell. I teach in music college and Radiohead songs are great examples of songwriting. In band lessons these songs challenge players like no other (harmonywise), especially if they come from classical background as quite a few of our students does. Keep up the good work Mike!
Not only is the music intoxicating, but your explications and search for the tune are incredible xD probably late here but this is what a good reaction video is, good stuff mate xD
Welcome to the party, Michael. Great to see you get it in real time. I had that experience recently listening to Madison Cunningham. I envy you a bit. Radiohead is some of the best guitar music to grace the planet in the past few decades. You have a TON of material to dig into.
Just watching you go through this song made me for some reason so happy. The excitement in your whole body throughout this experience is what music really is all about. Thanks for sharing.
This is my first time watching your channel; I clicked for the title. Radiohead has been in my life forever; my father would play it in the house or car since I was born. There were other bands, of course, but Radiohead was the one band that I ended up consistently listening to to this day. It was such a pleasure to see someone, not only realize an appreciation for the music, but provide an explanation as to why as well. And yes, of course I sound like THE stereotype of a Radiohead fan.
radiohead takes you to places that don't yet exist. they create new worlds for each person individually every time someone hears them play a new sound.
Because they occupy different parts of my musical brain I never connected Radiohead with Jeff Buckley but man there are so many similarities there vocally. Always liked Radiohead but for whatever reason they were a band I never pursued more.
I’m pretty sure there is a story I heard somewhere about Thom being inspired by seeing Jeff Buckley live, when they were recording The Bends. I think your intuition is right on there.
Literally shocked you've never got into Radiohead. Been listening to them since I was a teen in the early 90s. They just stick out. In a world where music gets bland over and over again. This band constantly just creates and creates and creates. Thom's vocals are always so haunting and incredible and the chord progressions they use are so beyond what you hear in rock music. I just love these guys so much. Huge influence on my playing and writing.
The thing of it is, their best music isn't really the popular stuff that gets played on the radio a lot. People don't really get exposed to Radiohead's depth and breadth all that easily. While I will defend Creep, Paranoid Android, and Karma Police, if that's all anyone has heard then I can understand why they may not be in such a rush to listen to more.
What a champ for having an open mind and trying to figure it out. You're definitely out of your comfort zone trying to find the scales they're using, but you don't get mad at it and write it off and you find so much from it. Thanks for listening to my favorite band ❤️
I think I was 13 when I started listening to radiohead and I was blown away. Each frequency brings up an emotion and sends my mind into a inspirational montage of artistic imaginary scenes. I have phases when I’m more or less drawn to their music but I find it’s always been more prominent in my life during times of depression. I guess it’s the kind of eerie minor chords that appeal to the lower frequencies of sadness etc, but they’ll usually include some major chords with powerful vocals that instil a sense of hope, personal power and in a weird way, grief. Has always resonated with me 😊
Almost envious that I will never get to feel these firsts again, but it’s almost as fulfilling to experience it vicariously through you. It’s been quite a ride for 28+ years, and the fabric of Radiohead’s music is woven into my being at this point. Superb.
I dont know how many times Ive watched this since you posted it but man the way you get into this and your eyes light up in those mindblowing masterful moments gives me SO much passion and appreciation for the magic of music. That IS the real stuff!
in rainbows, for me, are the best radiohe- no, not just radiohead but one of the best album of all time. you just make me more confident to said that. subscribed.
One of the inspirations for this song, so long in the making, eleven years at least, is Al Greene’s “How Can You Mend A Broken Heart”, and listening to them both, Yorke’s breathyness and the bass, line and the vibe… just makes sense
@@jaycole2109 This is "Nude" from the album In Rainbows. The whole album is a must-listen. (But then, I think every Radiohead album deserves a listen!)
First time seeing this channel. Such a great breakdown of a beautiful song. It's cool to see someone "get it" right off the bat. Instant subscription...
My favorite song on my favorite UA-cam channel. Made my week. I once drove 13 hours and waited 10 hours in line for a 2 hour radiohead concert. Then drove 13 hours home right after the show. They played this song (Nude) and I was so captivated by Thom Yorke. At one point he made eye contact with me and smiled like “yeah, this guy’s vibing.” Thanks for the video.
There's something transcendent about this group and Thom Yorke's vocals. I only discovered them recently myself, and the experience has just swept me away into near-obsession.
I can’t play guitar and I don’t understand it but it sounds impeccable to my ears. Your enthusiasm and excitement has made me watch this a few times. Excellent song, excellent band.
Really enjoyed your analysis of this song. Thank you! You have an amazing ear. Love love all of these songs from the basement. His voice is so beautiful. It's an amazing instrument. An incredible writer and composer. They are all such incredible multi faceted musicians. 💚
That was beautiful watching you fall in love, I'm so excited for the journey you'll go on with their albums
Рік тому+5
Thank you for this! After not really getting them for years, I fell hard into working to live Radiohead recordings during working-from-home-times (they released a bunch of concerts to entertain the masses), and they've stayed with me since. I appreciate you illuminating to a novice some of the possible reasons why I don't seem to tire of them (Vibe! Space! Artistry! Craftsmanship!) , as I continue just switching between like four different live performances according to need, this being one of them. :)
this was so entertaining to watch, the way you were freaking out (relatable), the PASSION in which you explain to us, the moments when the music makes your eyes light up and OH MY GOD, your music knoweledge is INSANE . very much a vibe. it was like seeing myself hear "Nude" for the first time ever
@Michael Palmisano I can’t express how happy I am watching you experience Radiohead like this! I come from primarily blues-based music too, so hearing them in high school after Hendrix and Allman Brothers being my whole world of guitar was mind blowing. In case anyone else hasn’t mentioned - Phil Selway is a criminally underrated drummer. They sometimes use drum machines, but his timing is so precise without being robotic that it’s hard to distinguish. Also, you’ll love anything from OK Computer because at times they are a 3 guitar band like Foo Fighters. Lastly, Jonny Greenwood (guitarist with the Tele in the dark that’s barely showed) is a classically trained violist and studied a lot of 20th century classical music that’s outside the bounds of diatonic harmony.
This is so inspiring. What I think I'm going to take away though is when you said "learn the melody of every song you learn, not just the guitar parts". I do that subconsciously, but I'm going to try to be intentional with that from now on. Great video.
One of the things that I've always loved about RH is that in many of the songs Thom's voice actually serves as one of the instruments, and this song is a great example.
@@ttixolo Al Green's incredible, and for me, definitive version has that distinctive electric guitar arpeggio throughout. That comparison completely makes sense!
People usually get hooked by Creep, but it's their depth and width that have kept them in my library for decades. They are fearless in their experimentation and innovation. And their music takes me places, both from the perspective of a musician and as a listener, that few other groups can. All of their compositions have been brilliantly thought out and arranged. And while they follow many rules, it's the ones they break that brings the most joy. Beautiful stuff. And you're in luck. If you were blown away by this track, they have a lengthy catalog to explore.
I didn't get into Radiohead for a long time either. I remember seeing the Karma Police video on MTV when i was a kid, but for some reason it just didnt hit me the right way. I ended up going with a friend to see them live probably 15 years ago. That's all it took. I got it instantly that night and they're now one of my favorites. Great song choice to dig into!
Thom Yorke is a genius.
No 🙄duh
I think all 5 a geniuses
And Johnny Greenwood
@@harri00413 I had no idea that Greenwood did the film scores for some pretty amazing films. Looking deeper, that man is insanely talented.
It can't be stressed enough how important Jonny Greenwood is to the process. He's the true musical genius behind the band, and Yorke is more the conceptual/emotional/lyrical genius. Radiohead is an example of a band that is greater than the sum of its parts. The band simply could not exist without the two of them feeding off one another to create true masterpieces.
The In Rainbows Basement performance is my all time fav Radiohead performance. So good.
the basement performances where its just johnny greenwood and thom yorke are also amazing
You could get into Deadhead level obsession with Radiohead performances.
Personally, 2008 Santa Barbara Bowl is the band at their best.
Those performances are what made me a fan a few years ago. Just perfect.
I just wish they had puzzle piece falling into place on that set list, their most energy pumping song about blacking out 😍
What’s the deal with in the basement…. Is it still going? I love the queens of Stone Age
Been a Radiohead fan since I was 16. My favorite band. I’m 40 now and seeing my 15yo daughter enjoying into their music fills my soul.
Cool
me too man, with my 16 year old son. his first ever gig was radiohead, pretty cool. if you like radiohead check out the song caronte by apparat. will blow your mind. then maybe go dawan, then arcadia, song wise. they have a live performance they play in a chapel, its on youtube, guarantee you'll not be able to stop watching it. easily as talented a group of musicians as radiohead.
I talk about this all over _everything Radiohead_ to the point that I am getting trolled now, but this seems like a safe place (?).
My single Father of this only child/daughter (I did not know my "mother" until about 10 years ago, long story) died at 52 years old from lung cancer a year before In Rainbows was released.
I quit my photo-chem engineering job, moved home and became his 24/7/365 Nurse/Maid/Cook/SHRINK/Pharmacist/Driver/Best friend _which I always had been,_ and anything else you can think of for just under four torturous years he battled. I even became a nurse during this time. However, _when he was gone and I was suddenly alone, with no purpose, family or friends, for the first time in my life, _*_I welcomed death and wanted to die._*
Then this album was released and it sang to me.
Especially "Where I End and You Begin."
It was last year that I was able to listen to Video Tape again.
Edit: Because of that loss, I have never married and decided to not have children. The only being that has loved me as unconditionally as my Father did was *my first dog,* who I died three years ago.
I am done. 😺
ive been i fan of them since I was 16, I'm 17 now lol. But they are now my favorite band, I will listen to them forever
I’m 50, still my favourite band, by far. First time I heard them (The Bends) I was I little older than your daughter, I was literally obliterated by it’s simplistic complexity. Gonna play some chess listening Kid A
This song took them 11 years to be happy with. There are demos of this track from 1996, when the studio version was released in 2007. They took their time and it’s paid off. Such a simple, beautiful song.
Even deeper than that : Nude is the song used in reverse in SPINNING PLATES released in 2000/2001. Yes I know... Mind blown...
@@BarbaraClerc for real?
@@BarbaraClerc Isn't the song used backwards in Like Spinning Plates actually I Will, though? The keys *are* basically the same, but I'm pretty sure it's I Will.
@@BarbaraClerc No, the song used backwards is I Will. But Like Spinning Plates was supposed to be a version of Nude
Ho yes apologies, you are absolutely correct. Thank you !
There’s a reason we always had to wait years between albums. Nothing they record has an accidental moment; it’s all meticulously composed, with the most sincere intention. It’s hard to talk about Radiohead without sounding like a hyperbolic twit, but they really are phenomenal artists.
I believe it. Very TOOL-esque.
Yes I try not to be such a fanboy but with Radiohead i can not help myself.
...when you first deep dive them and get confused because you're finding weird live versions of In Rainbows tunes that were allegedly recorded at shows in the late 90s or early 00s.
Radiohead SUCKS SHIT their only good song is Creep. Radiohead is just a one hit wonder.
But live they throw a lot of the specifics away and just play with each other around the song ... they know where it's going but they get there with different steps.
You should consider reacting to "How to disappear completely", which Yorke considers their greatest song. And then do a deep dive into Jonny Greenwood, who is unquestionably the genius behind all of Radiohead's masterful compositons.
Kills me every time.
Learning about Johnny's influences and song writing process is mind blowing.
I did NOT know that Thom Yorke considers that.... but it has been my favorite Radiohead song since more than 2 decades ago. It truly is their magnum opus IMO.
Completely agree. I really do feel it is their ultimate masterpiece
The sequence with it in their digital art piece is an all time memory for me. Also, if people don't know, it's free on most digital storefronts like ps5 and steam.
I've always said In Rainbows is the best gateway drug for Radiohead. Listen to the whole album. It has an effortless and delicate beauty and is less abrasive than some of the other stuff. They're not the easiest band to "get" but once you do you have basically an almost endless well of good music to tap into. I pretty much love every sound they've made since OK Computer.
I would have to agree with this only because as a long time Radiohead nerd, IR is still the only album I loved in full instantly upon the first listen. Every other album took at least one to two years to fully digest and enjoy and get something out of each song.
and the bends?
@@ketchupdudee19 yeah it probably is a good starter. If I'm being honest The Bends is just not as jam packed with interesting songs like their later stuff. It's fantastic soft/dreamy rock music but they went on to so much more. For me In Rainbows is easy to listen to but still very unique and has loads of depth. The Bends is classic but I rarely feel like putting it on nowadays.
Kid A is my fav album by them because I’m mentally ill
@@halfalligator6518 what’s crazy is to see their progression from Pablo Honey to the Bends to OK Computer…every album was leaps and bounds in talent. You’re watching them accelerate. I remember reading that during the Bends, Thom got deep into meditation and would play piano for hours on end. Pretty much didn’t leave the studio. He was becoming the man we see nowadays, he went at it.
Watching someone realise how amazing Radiohead are in real time is intoxicating
Agree. Saw them at the Roseland Ballroom in NYC in 2001 after Kid A. They were stunning.
Absolutely!
I was going to write a comment, but yours was much better.
Yas! Been my everything band since “talk show host” when Romeo and Juliet came out. Good days, bad days, creating, road trips, bedtime adventures….. omg it’s so soothing. I’m an extremely optimistic, extroverted person, but nothing hits like that Radiohead. ❤️
I scrolled the comments looking for this exact post because i wanted to say the same thing. This is the band that absolutely blown minds when you finally HEAR them.
Cheers
My son at age 14 comes to me and says, "Dad, I've got to tell you something. I've really got a problem..."
Oh God, what can this be...?
"I only want to listen to Radiohead."
*sighs*
"Son, we've all been there, and some of us never come out the other side..."
Still, it shows there is hope in this bleak and beautiful universe
Kind of out of context, but I had a similar experience when I was 14 in 2001, except it was Outkast that ruined the Hip Hop I had been following ever so closely on the radio.
Thankfully there's a lot of Radiohead to listen to, and more to come, if the reports are true. And it spans so many different subgenres, across all their albums, there's pretty much some Radiohead for any occasion.
Wow, This makes me want to have a child.. almost
Since every album almost sounds like a different band you can absolutely do this lol
@@fakecubedAccording to some articles I've read, a few months back Radiohead got back together to rehearse, but while on tour with The Smile, Jonny had to take a break from touring due to a serious infection. But they're back at it to some extent. Hopefully within the next couple years we'll see a new album, but we'll see.
I’ve loved Radiohead for so many years. I cried watching you dig this so hard. The most pure thing I’ve seen in an age is your weird faces when you are concentrating like nothing else in the world exists. Loved every second. Subscribed. Rock on.
Coundn't agree more! I had the same reaction. I dropped a couple of tears, watching his faces of excitement, confussion, grieve, and hapiness all together. That's Radiohead.
Same here! This channel was offered, I've been super into Radiohead for decades, and man, when you see someone that understands craftsmanship, finally get Radiohead, ya, had a tear too.
Came to say exactly the same thing. Im not a guitarist and dont even know what the rest of the channel is about but for this amazing moment alone, Im now a fan. Subbed.
I was crying the entire time I’m not even close to afraid of admitting that
Love it! Thanks so much my friend!
Been a Radioheader for 23 years and just watching the look on someone's face who "gets it" in real time was absolutely priceless and reaffirming what makes this band so special.
I totally share that feeling !!! It is so exciting, I feel like sharing this video with the entire world lol. It's like a berth. A new aware musician is born lol
✊🏽
this is well-said. it takes some effort, but once it "clicks" it drifts into the obsession that is the mark of this band's base. So special to witness it happen to someone else in real time!
Radioheadist
Ravioliheader
I don't pretend to know much about musical theory. I don't listen to music, I feel it, instead. I stumbled upon this video while searching for any orchestral adaptations of In Rainbows... and watching your facial expressions shift through my exact range of emotions... from detached and casual, to intrigued and confused, to focussed in estimation, to amused appreciation... to awe and gratitude. Watching your shift was an absolute joy. Thank you 💗
This man loves music. It pours out of every living cell in his body. It's incredibly contagious. Continue being this way please.
“This isn’t just a reaction where we makes faces” … 😂😂😂😂😂😂
But.. it's so good, that he still can't help but make a few..
Edit: and not trying to call Michael out on it.. Just saying it's so good!
@@dprahn02 Even Saint Beato makes faces.
@@MarcosElMalo2 😆.. but seriously how can you not.
I was a fan and subscribed the second I heard him say that lol
9:20 was such a mood and then he’s speechless for a moment
Man OK Computer hit me as a masterpiece from the first listen at age 19. I was suddenly a 40 year old wage slave mourning my youth and desperately yearning for beauty and sincerity in my life.
Get well soon!!😊😊😊
Bro, what happened? Did you have your head in the clouds for too long?
Same
Radiohead turned me into an artist at 23 and I’ve never looked back
If you search the podcast called “dissect” season 11, they break down every note and lyric with an abundance of context. You won’t regret the 18 hours spent dissecting “In Rainbows” by Radiohead
Radiohead is one of those rare bands who's live performances rival and even transcend their remarkable studio achievements. Top 3 best concerts ive seen. No samples just a band creating all these sounds in realtime
Definitely. Only band I've seen top them live was The Allman Brothers. Saw Radiohead during their tour for The Bends, opening for Alanis Morrisette. They blew me away! They definitely came to PLAY that night.
The other top 3 concert would have to be Martina McBride and Alan Jackson. There's a reason I've seen him 4 times- but SHE is a powerhouse, live!! Had the entire sold out arena in the palm of her hand from the first note. We were so enthusiastic, we made HER cry, lol.
lots of acts are better live than in the studio, which always feels somewhat unfortunate to me but it does make going to the shows amazing experiences
Thom's 'scream' vocal in the bands performance of Creep, at Reading is one of the most visceral moments it has ever been my pleasure to witness.
In my frothiest and most excited states in which I've been explaining my love for RH this is one of the things I focus on. Everything else aside, the fact they can play their whacky shit live is what sets them so far apart from everyone else.
@@jada90 i agree but usually bands famous for their studio works, like radiohead, fall flat replicating that live. Not always the case, but there are a ton of delicate sonic textures that need to land just right for them to pull it off live. There are definitely plenty of bands that spend all their time perfecting a studio piece but cant pull it off live. Theyre a proper rock band
Weird Fishes should be analyzed at some point, probably not right away, but the From the Basement recordings are incredibly good at showing the full song, because its live, and because you get to hear a very deliberate performance, their more evolved versions of the songs.
Yes!!!!!
You know it!
Agree
Weird Fishes is what caused me to fall in love with Radiohead 😍
Totally!
The entire From the Basement concert is a masterpiece. To be able to see and hear the band live on that level of intimacy just shows how incredible the band is from the creation perspective to its execution. The best thing is that everything they perform in their music (effects, layers, instruments...) all is live and performed in the act. Nothing is sampled. Congrats on this video, really gives a good perspective to everyone not used to readiohead to have an idea how impactful their music is and how artistic the band is.
Agreed about that From the Basement gig. It is truly stunning.
Listening to Dissect podcast covering In Rainbows (he's up to Reckoner at the moment) and I'm saving the basement for when I've had all the music theory stuff spoon fed to me. Need to learn an instrument, was always scared of the commitment and the thought that it might "ruin" music by knowing inside baseball but after this podcast and this video I'm convinced it will only compliment it.
@@ProjectMATHEW Go for it man, you can appreciate a song when it's sang to you; but you can really embody a song when you're projecting it, through voice or instrument. Radiohead has been some of the most fun to learn across all instruments for me, because they've got amazing compositions across the spectrum of technical accessibility.
Feel honored to have watched someone go through a life changing moment. Radiohead have a deeper understanding of the role of creating so much tension that you’re forced to tighten and almost try to shield and protect yourself (real fight or flight stuff), but you don’t entirely because of the woven in melody…it keeps you open…vulnerable…and when that cathartic crescendo comes…that payoff, is given to you, all you are left with is to fully embrace the journey you’ve just been on. And at the end, you’re just there smiling or tearing up or with the chills or shaking your head or speechless or all of it. Like you said (paraphrased) this is intentional performance art of the highest order.
Amen to that, they are pioneers, they evolve and test, which is why not one of their albums is the same. Performing live, they are unreal.
Lolololol
This is one of Radiohead fan of all time
Thom Yorke and co really have mastered creating tension in even the most serene and chill composition.
Your description is probably the best description that I could fathom for Radiohead. They bring about feelings and emotions I did not know I had.
Radiohead are like: "We'll just play whatever we want" and Thom's like "I'll just sing in some key that I feel like" and God's like "Yeah guys, I'll make that all work out".
Then Johnny’s like “I’m just gonna abuse the hell out of this guitar just to TRY to play something bad” and God’s like “nup not happening, that will now be the best part of the song”
Its not a random key, its not just that he feels it, its just that its very hard to understand. I dont understand either. I think there are useful comparisons to be made with Indian music.
@@ryanbuckley3314 Oh please. That's just pure pretentiousness.
Haha I love this 😂🥰
What a beautiful comment
Michael, this is one of my favorite videos on UA-cam. I've honestly come back to it at least 20 times since you recorded it. I've loved radiohead for so long and I've always felt like it was viewed as "Sad music for sad people" which just didn't resonate with me. There's such joy in their precision and it's so hard to share with people. My mom watched this video and she found it enlightening, like "oh that's why my son loves this band" lol.
They are a once in a century type of band. Their level of musicianship is just phenomenal. That vocal climb where he sings “you’ll go to hell, for what your dirty mind is thinking” is one of my favourite moments in music…ever. Thank you for sharing this video. This is a special group of guys.
Thats why this song talks about purity like it's title suggests. It's to be nude in this world. Nude as we humans actually are, not what we show to the world. Man, this guys are on the level of Shakespeare and Mozart. They are unmatched in their respective areas. Period.
the first time I heard this part of the song, I told my roommate it felt like I had been punted into the universe.
my favourite vocal moment of all time. Pure gold.
Seeing this line live made me cry as a baby. Such a beautiful moment
Absolutely love these performance breakdowns. I implore you to watch their performance of Reckoner from this session. When the song starts you have a phenomenal guitarist and composer playing a lemon, one of the greatest understated bassists of all time playing a water bottle, the backing vocals and rhythm guitar god that is Ed looking like the happiest man on the planet to be playing a tambourine, all adding into the unbelievable sound of a stunningly beautiful song. The best thing about the entire song however is the moment around 1.25 when Colin discretely walks the bass into the performance, the mood changes, and I feel my entire body melt through the floor. All of the joy in the world is written onto Ed's face in that moment. It's magical.
I think I‘m in love with this comment.
100% agree. Reckoner is one of my favorite all-time songs. And, I'll fight you if you don't like it.
I came here to recommend Reckoner. I was already a Radiohead adherent. Reckoner rebroke and reformed me.
YES. Everything on this but x2 for Colin Greenwood the best most underrated musician ever.
My favorite song by Radiohead. I saw them perform at live at Osheaga in Montreal in 2016.
Everytime I listen to them (especially this album) I always think 'this is right on the verge of going really, really wrong'. They leave themselves so exposed while leaving us right on the edge. It's delicate and elegant and emotional and personal. I love them so much. 🥰
As a hardcore Radiohead fan... I think is safe to say that... for RH fans, the music of this band is a huge part of our lives. We have listened these songs a zillion times, and every time we feel the same emotion, no matter what...
We are not fans of Radiohead. We love Radiohead. It's a huge difference.
Agree🙂
agreed
Yeah, RH is my higher power
@@likespinningpats Amen
You guys have a real nack for whiney singers huh.
You could not have watched a better introduction to the awesomeness that is Thom Yorke and Radiohead. They are all top of their form musicians and From The Basement really showcases this.
From the basement is sick as fuck. Was hoping this track would be weird fishes, but nude is an amazing choice too
Completely agree
Weird fishes from the basement is what got me into Radiohead.
Bodysnatchers is what reeled me in
100%. Like a prize fighter at 18-0.
Radiohead is the music you hear in a dream that even though it is so ethereal and mysterious and if you had to explain it to someone you’d be at a loss for words, it feels familiar, like you heard it when you were a child and you want to walk towards it like a siren
If you are just getting to understand Radiohead, I envy you. There is SO MUCH to discover in their music.
You could go by EOB.
@@beachcomber4141 same here 👊🏼
New fan, I've gone through their entire discography within 3 days, lol.
@@claytonstrickland8336 he IS EOB. 😂
@@dave2863 Which album is your favorite?
My Best Friend in the world since 2nd grade, died back in 2016. Radiohead was one of his favorite bands and He’d always try to get me into them, and I was interested but I was never super intrigued. Last summer, kind of as an homage to him, I started going through their catalog and I can definitively say, they’re my favorite band of all time. They go very well with mushrooms 🍄 too😊 R.I.P. Erin❤️
I feel you. A friend if mine died just as 'the bends was released'. He loved RH. That album always reminds me of him. I always wonder how much he would enjoy the albums that followed 😢
Mushroom comment checks out...
lol
@@amskelton fffuuuccckkk yeah dude👌🏼😄👏🏼
My best friend died 13 years ago and we listened to radio head of course but our band was Weezer and we would listen to the blue album over and over and fucking over. On the way back home from talking with his mom and the pastor discussing what we wanted to be said in the eulogy "say it ain't so" came on the radio. I was getting out of the car and I couldn't stand and I fell into my wife and listen to my self sob but the song let me stand up and enough to walk inside and sleep for 12 hours. Music will rip you apart and make you whole again.
Radiohead and Portishead are two of the most important bands to listen to, they are incredible and i know Jarring for many, they require listening to as if they are orchestra's in order to appreciate the incredible music they craft. just amazing work that i love that came around the same period, proving British music continues to evolve and bring new things to music.
Radiohead and Portishead are my two go-to bands. I could go the rest of my life not listening to anything else. Sure, I'd miss The Beatles, but Radiohead and Portishead are All I Need
@@ytghanimahaha 'All I Need' is so good
Thom Yorke is an amazing vocalist. He bends quartertones all over the place, pulling your emotions in strange new directions. Amazing.
I never got Radiohead.. until I actually listened.. they will always be THE band for me.. the most important band in my life forever and always
Funny how it works like that
It takes a while to figure them out ... some effort as the melody/beat/riff doesn't always sync with the mind at first. And then, it just clicks ... and you're hooked forever.
@@piteusx8440 Literally happening to me right now! It's insane how amazing they suddenly sound to me now. Currently listening to The Tourist, Lucky, Optimistic and Identikit on repeat! Absolutely love this band.
Yes.
@@nirvanaflame6241Optimistiv my fav song of theirs. And motion picture soundtrack. Man Kid A is such a masterpiece
13:30 it's like when you drive fast over a hill and you feel your body weightless for a moment then you catch yourself
I've always felt that by not fully appreciating Radiohead, that it showed a fundamental character flaw in me. Like, all the musicians I worship, worship Radiohead. This is the first time that I'm getting a glimpse of what they see. Thank you.
Not a character flaw, just a lack of experience and/or ear training.
I think art can be a study, like anything else. And it can be pursued until the individual is content, which means some people pursue it for a bit and stop, and others keep going. I think that for those who keep going, you eventually get to a point where you realize the importance of minimalism. That less, is in fact, more. And once you get there, then you can fully appreciate the placement of notes, harmonies, rhythms, and their context in the composition.
What speaks to you speaks to you! I think sometimes a work or an artist finds you at the right time and that's what makes it resonate for you. In theory, one could have these moments with just about anything, so I try to be grateful for the ones that have happened for me, and hopeful that more will come along over time.
That ending with the ebow + the high pitch from the martenot and Thom's vocal is just pure harmonic perfection.
I’ve been a Radiohead fan forever. It’s so cool to someone discovering the music, the layers and textures, the simplicity and complexity of their sound. A beautiful song to dissect.
HA!
The way he goes from "Ive never really gotten into Radiohead" to "The waaay he sliiiides / Everything is so purposeful / Such a simple, incredibly difficult, masterful...Im using way too many of these powerful words... " ...and this reaction at 7:49.
Praising them like a die-hard fan in less than 19 minutes.
That´s Radiohead.
It's around 12 minutes
As a Radiohead fan, I loved watching your work your way through this song musically as a knowledgeable musician who hasn't yet listened a lot of Radiohead. Very enjoyable.
That’s my favorite video in this whole wide website. Just beautiful real time recognition of the amount of work and craftsmanship Radiohead puts into it. And a testimony to how much you care about things outside your own interests. Just beautiful
This arrangement was a decade in the making spanning 5 albums. They recorded it during the sessions for their third album OK computer and knew there was more there than they were able to unlock at that time. That simple bassline by Colin Greenwood (suuuuper underrated bassist) was the missing piece that let everything click together 10 years later.
wow had no idea!!
"unlocking" - what a great way of putting it!
The early versions were so different! You're right about the bassline
Space, Texture, Rhythm, Groove, Intentional, Eerie, Haunting, Smooth, Warmth and Purposeful are words that come to me when I think Radiohead. And you used most of those, so I think you get it! You have such an eclectic back catalog to catch up on, would love to see more reactions to Radiohead.
History will look back at Radiohead and consider them as the best rock band of our current time. And probably one of the best that would have ever existed. Invest in your vinyls y'all
Man I’m so jealous that you get to get into Radiohead now. It’s a ride my man. Greatest band ever
Imagine getting to re discover radio head all over again! That was the start of a good journey
The fact that Radiohead had a few “hits “ threw so many off . They are pure brilliance to anyone who loves music and thank God we have them all alive today to keep doing their thing . Thank you Thom
Very good points. A lot of their best and most meaningful tracks are album tracks
Yes, this! So many people know Creep and then just stopped. It's a fabulous song but Radiohead is an entire WORLD
@@kristinrogersdotter5492 I wouldn't say "fabulous" song. It's good but it sounds similar to other grunge style tracks around the time. I think Blow Out from Pablo Honey was the first time we got a glimmer of the real Radiohead.
@@liverbot4854 I'm genuinely trying to think of a grunge ballad now that sounds like Creep. I remember when I first heard it on the radio I stopped the car because to me at least it sounded unique. I guess I can sort of compare it to some Nirvana, with the instrumentation? The quiet then sudden gritty loud bits?
@@kristinrogersdotter5492 I think that’s a better way of putting it than mine. I didn’t find Creep too special because I heard music like it before (although in a different context).
They are in the conversation of greatest band of all time. There’s no definitive answer, but Radiohead is definitely in that conversation.
They're the only band that has so consistently changed up their sound between albums and somehow still managed to keep my attention. I've been a fan since Pablo Honey, but their last album is in the running for my favorite album of all time. They just keep experimenting and somehow find the magic each time.
Thom's pocket and sense of groove is unmatched and often overlooked, imo, since he's a genius in so many ways but man alive that dude has a crazy internal pulse. You really see it in the Smile and also when he plays drums but just watching his right hand and the way he'll place melodies over the bars, its the secret sauce to radiohead
watching thom sing and play guitar at the same time convinces me he's some sort of alien. unbelievable musician
Best musician of all time imo
Yeah, it was seeing Thom play The Clock solo on Jools Holland that convinced me Radiohead were worth further exploration.
@@101RadioheadCovers I’m addicted to Thom’s solo stuff, and pretty much anything else he’s contributed to
He’s the man of endless melodies. So magical
Well Michael, I didn’t get into Radiohead until my 30’s with OK Computer. I’m 46 now and it is still one of my favorite albums of all time. The song Let Down is so good!!! If you get a chance listen to the layering of guitar harmonics as the song plays!
Did this unconventional “Let Down” cover earlier today because why not
ua-cam.com/video/VZf6I06NbVQ/v-deo.html
Let Down makes me cry.
The song that put me in RH territory is Climbing on the Walls. Sounds like nothing I ever heard before. The soundtrack if my nightmares yet, I want to listen to it again and again and again
Just found your channel because of this video. I'm a huge Radiohead fan since their first album over 20 years ago, and I still love their new stuff. I love to hear that you're a blues guy. I had a mentor when I was still a kid, who was a blues singer in a local band, and so I've always had a special place in my heart for the blues as well. I'll be checking out more videos on your channel. I can already see in the recommends you've reacted to some other Radiohead songs, looking forward to that and more.
From the Basement is what really got me into Radiohead. They are without a doubt one of the truly great bands of our time.
I had the In Rainbows CD in my car for years, never took it out, would play every time I started driving anywhere. Was the soundtrack to every up and down I went through during a difficult 4 years of my life. Was cheering you on watching your eyes as you related to all the joy and pain I associated with that beautiful song.
I have to say I've watched this and the Weird Fishes reactions multiple times now, and it still makes me smile seeing someone experience the beauty of Radiohead for the very first time. The From The Basement sessions have created some wonderful live music, all engineered and produced by the utter maestro Nigel Godrich - the erstwhile sixth member of Radiohead. Godrich has in a way been the glue that has held the band together, and he works so well with Thom and Jonny when they're writing because he isn't afraid to tell them what is good and what is bad. The band tried working with other engineers/producers but every time they go back to Godrich because it's such a symbiotic relationship, and I can't imagine any other Radiohead music without Godrich as the engineer. They first met on the album The ends, when Godrich was engineer for John Leckie, and they got on so well that Thom made sure Godrich was producer on OK Computer - which in itself is a sonic clusterheck of an album, akin to Bitches Brew in its arrangement. I'm glad they did go with Nigel Godrich, because I just can't imagine OK Computer working with any other producer at all. Still as fresh and relevant today as it was on release 26 years ago.
This entire From The Basement session is masterful! Made me really appreciate Radiohead so much more. If you haven't listened to it from start to finish I highly recommend you do so immediately!
The song that changed everything for me was "There, there" off of Hail to the Thief. After I heard that one song, I went from being pretty dismissive of their music to being blown away by all of it. Definitely one of my favorite bands of all time for a long time now
One of my faves to.
I am the EXACT same way- 10 years ago it totally blew my mind after not understanding KidA or most of thee early stuff. That song is transcendent and is still so, so brilliant. The lyrics, the key changes, the drop- all of it make it a top 5 song for me
ya, There There is one of my top 5. Check out Weird Fishes off In Rainbows. the blend of rhythms and such, makes me swoon every time.
@@DonaldTurner I can play all 3 of the guitar parts with a loop pedal, that's tied for my favorite Radiohead song. I'm a very big fan and have been for about 20 years haha
That's my fav song off my fav album. My all time fav song is Climbing Up the Walls though. Both these songs have made me cry :,)
Why am I crying I haven’t ever seen this channel but your instant cosmic connection with this perfect music is beauty.
for me (as a Brit), Radiohead are the best band we've ever produced. from the songwriting, musicianship, skill, emotion and feel they are just leagues ahead of anyone else (imo)
And what about PF which is near by mood?
Great Britain and psychedelic/alternative rock bands. Can't name a better duo.
As much as I like Radiohead idk if I can agree that they are the best the UK has ever produced. You got so many legendary bands, for example the Beatles, Zeppelin, and Sabbath. However I will say that the Brits make great songwriters and are often times better at portraying emotions than their US counterparts.
@@zoogie980 that's ok man we can agree to disagree. not exactly a bad selection of bands! I've actually met Mcartney and Plant as it happens, both very cool guys
Now THAT is some high praise!!
Finally just got to listen to this. My grandfather died late last week and his funeral was this morning. Saw the video pop on my notifications and been waiting all day to watch. To say the least, you totally delivered! Thank you for doing this one justice and super glad you dig it. I enjoyed all the nuances you pointed out along with the technical analysis. Really appreciate you, buddy. Thanks for all that you do and keep up the good work ❤️
What a great introduction to Radiohead. Nude wholly encompasses what Radiohead is musically.
Sorry for your loss.
@@TooStonedToBobsled Thanks, man 🙏 Nothing to soothe your sorrows like a little Radiohead on repeat.
This is some of the best singing he’s ever done. It’s astonishing
My personal favorite was ‘You’ live performance. Showed off his falsetto and grunge tone in one song
Also "Bloom" from electric lady studios
Videotape
Not many things make me as happy as when people fall for Radiohead ahaha. Also thank you so much for getting deep into a song I've loved for so many years, and allowing me to understand it from a whole new perspective. Just started year two of lessons on GuitarGate also :D Thanks for everything Michael!
This is one of my favourite songs and youve articulated whats beautiful about it better than i ever could... loved watching you enjoy it!!!
Thanks Michael. And welcome to Radiohead. This song has been in Radiohead's repertoire for years before it appeared on In Rainbows - in very different iterations like in the 'Meeting People is Easy' documentary. And when they finally recorded it, it was a shock to hear it in this way. But as you so eloquently explained here - it a well thought out and executed piece of art. And that's one of the band's key differences. Albums often have songs that have been in the mix for years. They don't churn out songs for a new record. They're writing all the time. Crafting the piece. Then they put together the best collection of songs they can for a particular project. Another example is 'Big Boots' also seen being recorded in the 'Meeting People is Easy' which was then officially released years later as 'Man of War'.
I'm shocked that you haven't heard this album. One of the best albums ever made
Agreed - I'd call it one of my top 5-10 albums of all time (along with 2-3 other RH albums!)
I'm shocked that we have the same profile pic, name and taste in music...🤔
Everything is one of the best somethings ever made these days. Not good enough to say something is incredible, has to be a grandiose comparison to everything that has ever been released.
@@BlueZirnitra I get that, however… In Rainbows really is one of the greatest albums ever made
@@BlueZirnitra Well, it's one of the best albums ever made. Not sure what the issue is.
I have to say, I've watched this a few times. I genuinely admire your talent and your generosity and... I absolutely love the incredible enthusiasm you have for the discovery. It's authentic and infectious. You have a wonderful gift Mr Palmisano, thanks for sharing it (lot of your other content is equally brilliant).
As someone who has adored Radiohead’s very unique and innovative sounds for many years, it was suuuuper enjoyable to watch you experience this and break it down academically
I've been a Radiohead fan since the 90s and I love this performance. It was great to see you break it down and explain it. I always knew they are incredibly talented. It's great to see someone break it down and help us understand how they do it.
love how positive the reaction is without even paying much attention to the lyrics,
they really are amazing artists
Hey Michael, I just bumped on this vid of yours mainly because UA-cam "knows" I'm a Radiohead fan but let me tell you that watching you just trying to decompose the song in a way that only a musician can, well it was just wonderful! The way you realize that even for a guy like you that comes from other musical worlds, and you find these guys are not just "rockstars" but well crafted artists who masters their job of putting emotions into sound and lyrics is wow! Touching! 😥 Thank you for the vid man.
This whole song/performance is illusion of simplicity. Great song and band aswell. I teach in music college and Radiohead songs are great examples of songwriting. In band lessons these songs challenge players like no other (harmonywise), especially if they come from classical background as quite a few of our students does. Keep up the good work Mike!
Not only is the music intoxicating, but your explications and search for the tune are incredible xD probably late here but this is what a good reaction video is, good stuff mate xD
Welcome to the party, Michael. Great to see you get it in real time. I had that experience recently listening to Madison Cunningham. I envy you a bit. Radiohead is some of the best guitar music to grace the planet in the past few decades. You have a TON of material to dig into.
Just watching you go through this song made me for some reason so happy. The excitement in your whole body throughout this experience is what music really is all about. Thanks for sharing.
This is my first time watching your channel; I clicked for the title. Radiohead has been in my life forever; my father would play it in the house or car since I was born. There were other bands, of course, but Radiohead was the one band that I ended up consistently listening to to this day. It was such a pleasure to see someone, not only realize an appreciation for the music, but provide an explanation as to why as well. And yes, of course I sound like THE stereotype of a Radiohead fan.
radiohead takes you to places that don't yet exist. they create new worlds for each person individually every time someone hears them play a new sound.
Yes, they are the band version of DMT
beautiful
Because they occupy different parts of my musical brain I never connected Radiohead with Jeff Buckley but man there are so many similarities there vocally. Always liked Radiohead but for whatever reason they were a band I never pursued more.
I hear Loudon Wainwright lll also in Thom's vocal approach
I’m pretty sure there is a story I heard somewhere about Thom being inspired by seeing Jeff Buckley live, when they were recording The Bends. I think your intuition is right on there.
I don't know how anyone who has heard Jeff Buckley could NOT think they are on the same wavelength. Great stuff!!
11:52 the moment he became a real Radiohead fan
Literally shocked you've never got into Radiohead. Been listening to them since I was a teen in the early 90s. They just stick out. In a world where music gets bland over and over again. This band constantly just creates and creates and creates. Thom's vocals are always so haunting and incredible and the chord progressions they use are so beyond what you hear in rock music. I just love these guys so much. Huge influence on my playing and writing.
The thing of it is, their best music isn't really the popular stuff that gets played on the radio a lot. People don't really get exposed to Radiohead's depth and breadth all that easily. While I will defend Creep, Paranoid Android, and Karma Police, if that's all anyone has heard then I can understand why they may not be in such a rush to listen to more.
What a champ for having an open mind and trying to figure it out. You're definitely out of your comfort zone trying to find the scales they're using, but you don't get mad at it and write it off and you find so much from it. Thanks for listening to my favorite band ❤️
I think I was 13 when I started listening to radiohead and I was blown away. Each frequency brings up an emotion and sends my mind into a inspirational montage of artistic imaginary scenes.
I have phases when I’m more or less drawn to their music but I find it’s always been more prominent in my life during times of depression. I guess it’s the kind of eerie minor chords that appeal to the lower frequencies of sadness etc, but they’ll usually include some major chords with powerful vocals that instil a sense of hope, personal power and in a weird way, grief. Has always resonated with me 😊
One of the top five bands of all time. Keep going.
Almost envious that I will never get to feel these firsts again, but it’s almost as fulfilling to experience it vicariously through you. It’s been quite a ride for 28+ years, and the fabric of Radiohead’s music is woven into my being at this point. Superb.
I dont know how many times Ive watched this since you posted it but man the way you get into this and your eyes light up in those mindblowing masterful moments gives me SO much passion and appreciation for the magic of music. That IS the real stuff!
in rainbows, for me, are the best radiohe- no, not just radiohead but one of the best album of all time. you just make me more confident to said that. subscribed.
One of the inspirations for this song, so long in the making, eleven years at least, is Al Greene’s “How Can You Mend A Broken Heart”, and listening to them both, Yorke’s breathyness and the bass, line and the vibe… just makes sense
What is the name of this song, please? I want to look up the lyrics but don’t see the name anywhere. Thx!!
@@jaycole2109 This is "Nude" from the album In Rainbows. The whole album is a must-listen. (But then, I think every Radiohead album deserves a listen!)
First time seeing this channel. Such a great breakdown of a beautiful song. It's cool to see someone "get it" right off the bat. Instant subscription...
My favorite song on my favorite UA-cam channel. Made my week. I once drove 13 hours and waited 10 hours in line for a 2 hour radiohead concert. Then drove 13 hours home right after the show. They played this song (Nude) and I was so captivated by Thom Yorke. At one point he made eye contact with me and smiled like “yeah, this guy’s vibing.” Thanks for the video.
There's something transcendent about this group and Thom Yorke's vocals. I only discovered them recently myself, and the experience has just swept me away into near-obsession.
Same for me. I can be away from all other technology and listen and just escape to one of their albums. Nobody makes music like Radiohead
Wait until you get to see them live once. Then the obsession might even step up a notch.
I can’t play guitar and I don’t understand it but it sounds impeccable to my ears. Your enthusiasm and excitement has made me watch this a few times. Excellent song, excellent band.
This reaction made me laugh in joy out loud. Love this & you. Thank you.
First time watcher, now new sub
Nude is a track of astonishing beauty. No other way to describe it. Radiohead are masters
Really enjoyed your analysis of this song.
Thank you!
You have an amazing ear.
Love love all of these songs from the basement.
His voice is so beautiful.
It's an amazing instrument.
An incredible writer and composer.
They are all such incredible multi faceted musicians.
💚
It is so lovely to see your enjoyment.
I will look at more of your videos.
That was beautiful watching you fall in love, I'm so excited for the journey you'll go on with their albums
Thank you for this! After not really getting them for years, I fell hard into working to live Radiohead recordings during working-from-home-times (they released a bunch of concerts to entertain the masses), and they've stayed with me since. I appreciate you illuminating to a novice some of the possible reasons why I don't seem to tire of them (Vibe! Space! Artistry! Craftsmanship!) , as I continue just switching between like four different live performances according to need, this being one of them. :)
this was so entertaining to watch, the way you were freaking out (relatable), the PASSION in which you explain to us, the moments when the music makes your eyes light up and OH MY GOD, your music knoweledge is INSANE . very much a vibe. it was like seeing myself hear "Nude" for the first time ever
I forgot how good "From The Basement" is. This is a great reminder and I love the breakdown. I love understanding what makes it so special.
@Michael Palmisano I can’t express how happy I am watching you experience Radiohead like this! I come from primarily blues-based music too, so hearing them in high school after Hendrix and Allman Brothers being my whole world of guitar was mind blowing.
In case anyone else hasn’t mentioned -
Phil Selway is a criminally underrated drummer. They sometimes use drum machines, but his timing is so precise without being robotic that it’s hard to distinguish.
Also, you’ll love anything from OK Computer because at times they are a 3 guitar band like Foo Fighters.
Lastly, Jonny Greenwood (guitarist with the Tele in the dark that’s barely showed) is a classically trained violist and studied a lot of 20th century classical music that’s outside the bounds of diatonic harmony.
Jonny is also a brilliant film score composer.
This is so inspiring. What I think I'm going to take away though is when you said "learn the melody of every song you learn, not just the guitar parts". I do that subconsciously, but I'm going to try to be intentional with that from now on. Great video.
One of the things that I've always loved about RH is that in many of the songs Thom's voice actually serves as one of the instruments, and this song is a great example.
Fun fact: Radiohead’s producer Nigel Godrich stated in an interview that this song was inspired by Al Green’s “How Can You Mend a Broken Heart”
They had been working on this song for nearly 10 years. Since OK Computer, I think. There are like 4 of 5 versions out there.
@godleveltroll2353 they were only inspired by the al green version tho
@@ttixolo can't blame them for that. Al's version is phenomenal.
@@ttixolo Al Green's incredible, and for me, definitive version has that distinctive electric guitar arpeggio throughout. That comparison completely makes sense!
@@MaquiladoraIII absolutely! it immediately stands out as an influence
People usually get hooked by Creep, but it's their depth and width that have kept them in my library for decades.
They are fearless in their experimentation and innovation. And their music takes me places, both from the perspective of a musician and as a listener, that few other groups can.
All of their compositions have been brilliantly thought out and arranged. And while they follow many rules, it's the ones they break that brings the most joy.
Beautiful stuff.
And you're in luck. If you were blown away by this track, they have a lengthy catalog to explore.
I didn't get into Radiohead for a long time either. I remember seeing the Karma Police video on MTV when i was a kid, but for some reason it just didnt hit me the right way. I ended up going with a friend to see them live probably 15 years ago. That's all it took. I got it instantly that night and they're now one of my favorites. Great song choice to dig into!
Complex musical arrangements with haunting/gorgeous melodies....yes please. Radiohead is phenomenal