This sums up the love/hate relationship I have with music videos. Many, many incredible film directors have cut their teeth here and there are a ton of videos that are simply beyond awesome. Then there’s this piece of shit, which is a total embarrassment. I actually like Radiohead. All I can think of is that they paid for this themselves, so went the cheapest way possible.
I can’t recall who the British rocker was, maybe Richard Ashcroft, who said that “thom yorke needs a pizza and a blowjob.”
I like Radiohead too but I admit I am starting to lose interest. But Radiohead are like Nirvana in a sense, in that the bands that they spawned are largely insufferable. That is to say, I’d rather hear Thom Yorke sing like Thom Yorke than hear somebody else try to sing like him.
I love this song and this video. The man can move! Although his movements are a la toddler, I would guess that none of us could execute them. It’s very hard to move like a spaz.
And I agree with cher – I’d rather hear Thom sing than the Thom wannabees.
However, this album hasn’t done it for me the way the previous ones have, despite it containing some interesting guitar work.
It’s an anti-video. It’s intentionally stupid in order to call into question the whole concept of the music video and the star-making machinery behind the popular song.
Just out of curiosity – what is so stupid about this video? Is it that you don’t like the song? Don’t like the dancing? Don’t like that Thom is the singular face of Radiohead? It seems that everyone except me is grousing about/can’t bear to watch “it” but what is “it?”
Good question, ladymiss, and I hope charter members of the Bad Attitude Club step forward with answers.
From my perspective, the music is fine – as decent as most Radiohead songs I hear – but take the point around 1:28, when Yorke stares into the camera and then does a spazz shimmy. Why? My training as a “Guy’s Guy” tells me that’s all wrong. It’s wedgie worthy in its preciousness and self-indulgence. Why can’t he save me the trouble of having to watch that sequence and just go out and get laid?
Then at the 2:12 mark he makes the lotus flower hand gesture. I don’t need to see that, do I?
Around 3:11 he really tires me with the stumbling routine, shot from afar. The second time he lifts his hat, around 4:18, is also really annoying.
What makes this more unbearable, though, because a part of me respects the artistry of him dancing around by himself, is simply how self-indulgent it is and how unrelated to my rock ‘n roll values it is. If he were dancing like that in the middle of a crowded New York street or even surrounded by “simple working people” on a dusty Indiana porch it might be more tolerable, it would have some context other than LOOK AT ME. I COMMAND YOUR ATTENTION. IT’S NOT ENOUGH THAT I SING EVERY SONG LIKE A DYING FATHER HOLDING HIS NEWBORN CHILD, BUT I MUST BE THE ONLY MEMBER OF MY BAND FEATURED IN OUR NEW VIDEO… I don’t know, it just goes too much against the “community spirit” that I love about music. If he’s not going to go out and get laid he could save me from watching this and go jerk off instead.
Other than that, like I said, the song wouldn’t bother me much at all if I simply heard it. The drums and bass remind me a bit of a Bjork song I like. She’s self-indulgent too, but at least I dig looking at her act like and idiot.
My kids like Radiohead. I just don’t see the appeal. They sound boring to me. Their guitar player is on his hands and knees playing things that aren’t guitars too often for me, and I just find it boring. Radiohead just doesn’t have any balls.
I don’t think anyone would say anything about Michael Stipe dancing that dance to an REM song, though. A lot of their songs are testosterone free too, but everyone seems okay with that. I don’t care one way or another for REM, but I can think of some whole albums by them I kind of like, and I can’t say that for Radiohead.
I just scored one of the newspapers they were giving out yesterday. I am wanting to listen to this album some more, but right now it’s being pushed out of the way by more immediately interesting thing to me including Charles Bradley’s album (a rock-solid throwback to classic Stax records from the folks at Daptone), the new East River Pipe and John Vanderslice (thanks Mr. Mod).
I’ve played it in the background a few times and it will never be properly heard that way. I don’t feel compelled to listen to it – as opposed to OK Computer which I just played repeatedly for weeks when I got it. I don’t think there is any really justifiable way to dismiss OK Computer, or to say that it lacks balls. Do you think “Bodysnatchers” from “In Rainbows” lacks balls? I don’t.
I don’t think this video matters. It’s a cheap, silly way to have a visual so you’ll listen to the song. It’s maybe a step above the video for “Bastards of Young.”
Radiohead to me is like the Smiths. Both bands are quite capable of interesting music on occasion but they’re led by mewling, precious, self-absorbed weenies who make rooting for the musical truffles in their catalog not worth the effort. I’ll take U2 over both – the band’s musical muscle makes up for Bono’s bleatings.
I can enjoy some Radiohead. Although I’ve questioned why Yorke always sings in that falsetto. Is it easier to cut through the band, which alternates between atmospheric and floaty and noisy and dissonant, with that vocal sound? He doesn’t have to do that, he uses a normal voice on “Creep” and that “Judge, Jury and Executioner” song on Hail To the Thief.
I still hate this band with the same blind passion with which I also hate U2. This just further confirms that my feelings are 100% correct.
Thom Yorke makes Bono look like a modest, unassuming man with a sense of humor. Wow.
Wait, this isn’t a Martin Short bit? Coulda sworn that was Marty….
This sums up the love/hate relationship I have with music videos. Many, many incredible film directors have cut their teeth here and there are a ton of videos that are simply beyond awesome. Then there’s this piece of shit, which is a total embarrassment. I actually like Radiohead. All I can think of is that they paid for this themselves, so went the cheapest way possible.
And this is what happens when there’s one clear leader of a band. the others get to sit back and let him make an ass out of himself.
Well said, on all counts!
Is he auditioning for a new production of The Elephant Man?
Thom Yorke as Martin Short as Joel Gray as The Elephant Man!
Martin Mull said “writing about music is like dancing about architecture.” This dancing proves that Radiohead is 70s suburban tract architecture.
I can’t recall who the British rocker was, maybe Richard Ashcroft, who said that “thom yorke needs a pizza and a blowjob.”
I like Radiohead too but I admit I am starting to lose interest. But Radiohead are like Nirvana in a sense, in that the bands that they spawned are largely insufferable. That is to say, I’d rather hear Thom Yorke sing like Thom Yorke than hear somebody else try to sing like him.
My soon-to-be four year-old has some of these moves when he has to go potty.
Wow, that’s really–wait a minute, what’s the word–stupid.
I love this song and this video. The man can move! Although his movements are a la toddler, I would guess that none of us could execute them. It’s very hard to move like a spaz.
And I agree with cher – I’d rather hear Thom sing than the Thom wannabees.
However, this album hasn’t done it for me the way the previous ones have, despite it containing some interesting guitar work.
It’s an anti-video. It’s intentionally stupid in order to call into question the whole concept of the music video and the star-making machinery behind the popular song.
In other words, I can’t bear to watch it.
It’s a meta-album, intentionally calling into question the whole concept of interesting guitar work.
Wait a minute: you’re not posting a meta-comment, are you?
Just out of curiosity – what is so stupid about this video? Is it that you don’t like the song? Don’t like the dancing? Don’t like that Thom is the singular face of Radiohead? It seems that everyone except me is grousing about/can’t bear to watch “it” but what is “it?”
Good question, ladymiss, and I hope charter members of the Bad Attitude Club step forward with answers.
From my perspective, the music is fine – as decent as most Radiohead songs I hear – but take the point around 1:28, when Yorke stares into the camera and then does a spazz shimmy. Why? My training as a “Guy’s Guy” tells me that’s all wrong. It’s wedgie worthy in its preciousness and self-indulgence. Why can’t he save me the trouble of having to watch that sequence and just go out and get laid?
Then at the 2:12 mark he makes the lotus flower hand gesture. I don’t need to see that, do I?
Around 3:11 he really tires me with the stumbling routine, shot from afar. The second time he lifts his hat, around 4:18, is also really annoying.
What makes this more unbearable, though, because a part of me respects the artistry of him dancing around by himself, is simply how self-indulgent it is and how unrelated to my rock ‘n roll values it is. If he were dancing like that in the middle of a crowded New York street or even surrounded by “simple working people” on a dusty Indiana porch it might be more tolerable, it would have some context other than LOOK AT ME. I COMMAND YOUR ATTENTION. IT’S NOT ENOUGH THAT I SING EVERY SONG LIKE A DYING FATHER HOLDING HIS NEWBORN CHILD, BUT I MUST BE THE ONLY MEMBER OF MY BAND FEATURED IN OUR NEW VIDEO… I don’t know, it just goes too much against the “community spirit” that I love about music. If he’s not going to go out and get laid he could save me from watching this and go jerk off instead.
Other than that, like I said, the song wouldn’t bother me much at all if I simply heard it. The drums and bass remind me a bit of a Bjork song I like. She’s self-indulgent too, but at least I dig looking at her act like and idiot.
PS – I hope I’m well aware of the multitude of hang-ups that color my perspective here.
I think that says it all, really. That, and I still don’t like the music as usual.
My kids like Radiohead. I just don’t see the appeal. They sound boring to me. Their guitar player is on his hands and knees playing things that aren’t guitars too often for me, and I just find it boring. Radiohead just doesn’t have any balls.
I don’t think anyone would say anything about Michael Stipe dancing that dance to an REM song, though. A lot of their songs are testosterone free too, but everyone seems okay with that. I don’t care one way or another for REM, but I can think of some whole albums by them I kind of like, and I can’t say that for Radiohead.
I just scored one of the newspapers they were giving out yesterday. I am wanting to listen to this album some more, but right now it’s being pushed out of the way by more immediately interesting thing to me including Charles Bradley’s album (a rock-solid throwback to classic Stax records from the folks at Daptone), the new East River Pipe and John Vanderslice (thanks Mr. Mod).
I’ve played it in the background a few times and it will never be properly heard that way. I don’t feel compelled to listen to it – as opposed to OK Computer which I just played repeatedly for weeks when I got it. I don’t think there is any really justifiable way to dismiss OK Computer, or to say that it lacks balls. Do you think “Bodysnatchers” from “In Rainbows” lacks balls? I don’t.
I don’t think this video matters. It’s a cheap, silly way to have a visual so you’ll listen to the song. It’s maybe a step above the video for “Bastards of Young.”
Radiohead to me is like the Smiths. Both bands are quite capable of interesting music on occasion but they’re led by mewling, precious, self-absorbed weenies who make rooting for the musical truffles in their catalog not worth the effort. I’ll take U2 over both – the band’s musical muscle makes up for Bono’s bleatings.
I can enjoy some Radiohead. Although I’ve questioned why Yorke always sings in that falsetto. Is it easier to cut through the band, which alternates between atmospheric and floaty and noisy and dissonant, with that vocal sound? He doesn’t have to do that, he uses a normal voice on “Creep” and that “Judge, Jury and Executioner” song on Hail To the Thief.