Radiohead Special Collectors Editions and Collectors Editions will feature some of the band’s greatest tracks such as the hit single Creep and My Iron Lung which was a top five hit in Canada.
There will also be a DVD including videos for High and Dry, Fake Plastic Trees, Just and Street Spirit (Fade Out) as well as footage from the Astoria London (1994), Later with Jools Holland (1995) and clips from Radiohead appearances on Top of the Pops (1995/6).
Radiohead’s Oxford Roots
Radiohead got its start in Oxford in the heart of The Cotswolds in England in 1989. The university town took to the band’s unique style and lead singer Thom Yorke’s stage presence and wide ranging vocals.
The boys - Thom Yorke on vocals and guitar, bassist Colin Greenwood, guitarists Ed O'Brien and Jonny Greenwood and drummer Phil Selway – honed their performance skills in locals clubs before landing their first record deal in 1992.
Creep Gives Radiohead First Hit
Radiohead’s debut album Pablo Honey featured the hit single Creep which peaked at number two on Billboard’s Modern Rock Tracks and remains the highest charting single for the band in the US. Sixteen years later Radiohead’s Creep is still on playlists and a new generation of rock fans is joining the band’s stalwart followers.
Creep launched Radiohead onto the American market. Its success helped to drive sales back home in the UK where the single had been largely overlooked before its re-release at the end of 1993. On the success of Creep and the album Pablo Honey Radiohead embarked on an extensive world tour.
OK Computer
When Radiohead’s OK Computer came out in 1997 the band was likened to greats such as Queen and Pink Floyd with some reviewers hailing the album a masterpiece. Much fuss was made over the band’s preference for its heavy handed use of rock guitar riffs thanks to its three guitarists.
But Radiohead wasn’t prepared to be pigeonholed by the critics and as the new millennium dawned so did a new electronic sound for the band. Released in 2000 its album Kid A debuted at the top of the charts in the US despite unfavourable reviews.
Thom Yorke Strikes Out on His Own
After the release of Radiohead’s Kid A Thom Yorke spread his artistic wings. In 2001 he appeared on PJ Harvey’s album “Stories from the City Stories from the Sea” singing on This Mess We're In. Yorke also played keyboard on the album.
That same year he also collaborated with Björk and in 2007 made an appearance on German electronic band Modeselektor’s Happy Birthday album.
Radiohead’s Download Deal
In 2007 Radiohead decided to shake up the music world offering its new album In Rainbows as an exclusive download via the Radiohead website. Out on Indie label XL Recordings In Rainbows download deal was a ‘pay-whatever-you-fancy’ proposition, but many industry pundits thought it a cheap publicity stunt.
And cheap it was. According to reports the vast majority of fans chose not to pay anything at all. Those who did averaged a $6 contribution. The band refused to confirm these figures, but when Yorke came to release his solo album that same year it was available as a paid download on iTunes.
Hedging their bets Radiohead also released In Rainbows as a double vinyl disc with a book, two CDs and eight bonus tracks.
Radiohead Special Collectors Editions and Collectors Editions will be available in March.
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