Radiohead Wouldn't Have Made It Without Releasing 'Creep' As Their First Single

[chipdip18]

Inspired by Togepi.



Prove me wrong. Discuss.

[Chromefox]

Disagree; Radiohead tap a slightly different audience on every album. Radiohead's general audience is so different from Creep's audience that had Radiohead not released Creep, then continued down the same path they did, it would only have eliminated the Creep audience.

Unless you're arguing that without the success of Creep, Radiohead wouldn't have had the same opportunities to expand as they have, which is feasible but ultimately just speculation and not something you can really debate.

:shrug:

I tried.

[Machu505]

I won't disagree.

[theguy77]

HAHAHA i love how this is directly inspired by togepi.

im sure they would have "made it" without creep, i mean much of the bends is pretty much right up the alley of the mainstream rock of that time. high and dry might have done quite well as a single, sounds like something howie day or switchfoot would write haha. they wouldnt be as ubiquitous or idolized as they are today but im sure tehy would have gotten somewhere; music like OK computer and kid A is simply too well-written to fall flat on its face. they'd at least be one of the more celebrated bands in underground scenes, especially given the fact both those albums got perfect 10s on pitchfork. these days that basically ensures popularity, even if short lived.

then again, kid A might not have been written without all that popularity, it was basically a negative reaction to the stress of the mainstream media exposure and its expectations, i mean thom was depressed and was squeezing a lot of that material out through a frustrated artistic drought.

[Chromefox]

then again, kid A might not have been written without all that popularity, it was basically a negative reaction to the stress of the mainstream media exposure and its expectations, i mean thom was depressed and was squeezing a lot of that material out through a frustrated artistic drought. Kid A was the result of OK Computer's success, and OK Computer is VASTLY different from The Bends OR Pablo Honey. If anything, without OK Computer, Radiohead would be nowhere, but The Bends and Pablo Honey strike me as moot.

[chipdip18]

Disagree; Radiohead tap a slightly different audience on every album. Radiohead's general audience is so different from Creep's audience that had Radiohead not released Creep, then continued down the same path they did, it would only have eliminated the Creep audience.

Unless you're arguing that without the success of Creep, Radiohead wouldn't have had the same opportunities to expand as they have, which is feasible but ultimately just speculation and not something you can really debate.

:shrug:

I tried.

You did well, we're getting discussion going.

I think that the success of 'Creep' drove them away from that sound. They were getting sick of that single, and sick of playing it live. It gave them enormous success for a debut, and yeah it did give them opportunities for a second album. They could have easily, without that success, faded away into the Britpop movement at the time, released another album, and dropped out of the picture and we'd be compared their second album to Oasis.

I think that this can also go beyond speculation and into debate since we can quote members saying how they felt about the single, and look at stats in terms of success.

[oddwithoutend]

I am a strong proponent of chaos theory, so I would have to agree that they would not have been much of a mainstream success without their debut single. On the flipside, without the success of "Creep" they may not have had the ambition to remain as daring with their later releases, and instead chose to release more radio friendly music in the future. Overall, the anochronistic nature of the question makes it quite ambiguous, as they would have released different material in the future if "Creep" did not exist, or perhaps something would exist in its place.

[chipdip18]

HAHAHA i love how this is directly inspired by togepi.

im sure they would have "made it" without creep, i mean much of the bends is pretty much right up the alley of the mainstream rock of that time. high and dry might have done quite well as a single, sounds like something howie day or switchfoot would write haha. they wouldnt be as ubiquitous or idolized as they are today but im sure tehy would have gotten somewhere; music like OK computer and kid A is simply too well-written to fall flat on its face. they'd at least be one of the more celebrated bands in underground scenes, especially given the fact both those albums got perfect 10s on pitchfork. these days that basically ensures popularity, even if short lived.

then again, kid A might not have been written without all that popularity, it was basically a negative reaction to the stress of the mainstream media exposure and its expectations, i mean thom was depressed and was squeezing a lot of that material out through a frustrated artistic drought.


No way, i don't think that without 'Creep' they would have even written The Bends like they did. From what i know, Radiohead wrote The Bends differently partly in spite of the succes from 'Creep' and how they were starting to dislike that song and sound.

[theguy77]

Kid A was the result of OK Computer's success, and OK Computer is VASTLY different from The Bends OR Pablo Honey. If anything, without OK Computer, Radiohead would be nowhere, but The Bends and Pablo Honey strike me as moot.

but then let me ask you this: would the mainstream have accepted OK computer so readily if it werent in transition from the popularity of their more accessible brit rock? i mean, unless you have people emotionally attached to the band because of their earlier material, the effort definitely would not be made to seek out the appeal in songs like "paranoid android".

[Chromefox]

You did well, we're getting discussion going.

I think that the success of 'Creep' drove them away from that sound. They were getting sick of that single, and sick of playing it live. It gave them enormous success for a debut, and yeah it did give them opportunities for a second album. They could have easily, without that success, faded away into the Britpop movement at the time, released another album, and dropped out of the picture and we'd be compared their second album to Oasis.

I think that this can also go beyond speculation and into debate since we can quote members saying how they felt about the single, and look at stats in terms of success. The Bends doesn't strike me as that great a leap from Pablo Honey. If anything, the transition from The Bends to OK Computer is more interesting, and also more crucial to their level of success. I don't disagree about the band's feelings regarding Creep, but I don't feel that Creep was the turning point.

but then let me ask you this: would the mainstream have accepted OK computer so readily if it werent in transition from the popularity of their more accessible brit rock? i mean, unless you have people emotionally attached to the band because of their earlier material, the effort definitely would not be made to seek out the appeal in songs like "paranoid android". If anything in that case, the popularity of The Bends and subsequent transition should have alienated their fanbase, rather than growing it.

[theguy77]

No way, i don't think that without 'Creep' they would have even written The Bends like they did. From what i know, Radiohead wrote The Bends differently partly in spite of the succes from 'Creep' and how they were starting to dislike that song and sound.

another argument i would make is, if not creep, another single would have taken its place. EMI signed them to that 6 album deal, not based on one song, but based on their overall sound and its relevance to the type of music that consumers were gobbling up at the time. i mean when you think about it, regardless whether the flagship song was creep or not, more than half the reason why it was so popular is because of the exposure that the record label gave it. the record labels, specifically the huge ones like EMI, are what control the prevalence and popularity of bands of that stature.

[chipdip18]

I am a strong proponent of chaos theory, so I would have to agree that they would not have been much of a mainstream success without their debut single. On the flipside, without the success of "Creep" they may not have had the ambition to remain as daring with their later releases, and instead chose to release more radio friendly music in the future. Overall, the anochronistic nature of the question makes it quite ambiguous, as they would have released different material in the future if "Creep" did not exist, or perhaps something would exist in its place.


Like i said, i think we can discuss this because i'm certain of a quote of the band's dislike for 'Creep' being a factor in trying to write a different sound.

[Chromefox]

Like i said, i think we can discuss this because i'm certain of a quote of the band's dislike for 'Creep' being a factor in trying to write a different sound. I'd love to see those quotes as well as the time frame in which they were made, just for reference.

[theguy77]

If anything in that case, the popularity of The Bends and subsequent transition should have alienated their fanbase, rather than growing it.

i dont know... i find it hard to believe, for example, that TDAG would get near the popularity it had if it didnt have so many tagalong militant scene kids who thought from YFW and deja that brand new could do no wrong. a fanbase, if devoted enough to particular band, will force themselves to overall embrace anything the band releases. also pertinent to the discussion at hand is that brand new, like radiohead, were given support from a major label that bolstered their exposure in the media, and regardless whether or not the newer music was different, they were bound to gain popularity from it.

[Chromefox]

i dont know... i find it hard to believe, for example, that TDAG would get near the popularity it had if it didnt have so many tagalong militant scene kids who thought from YFW and deja that brand new could do no wrong. a fanbase, if devoted enough to particular band, will force themselves to overall embrace anything the band releases.Deja Entendu is still more popular than TDAG. OK Computer is more popular than The Bends. Poor example.

[chipdip18]

The Bends doesn't strike me as that great a leap from Pablo Honey. If anything, the transition from The Bends to OK Computer is more interesting, and also more crucial to their level of success. I don't disagree about the band's feelings regarding Creep, but I don't feel that Creep was the turning point.

If anything in that case, the popularity of The Bends and subsequent transition should have alienated their fanbase, rather than growing it.

I agree, i think the jump from the sophomore to the third album was the big deal.

I think that Creep seriously altered what The Bends was, and the surprise success in the Bends prodded OK Computer. I'll try to get quotes from the band tomorrow.

another argument i would make is, if not creep, another single would have taken its place. EMI signed them to that 6 album deal, not based on one song, but based on their overall sound and its relevance to the type of music that consumers were gobbling up at the time. i mean when you think about it, regardless whether the flagship song was creep or not, more than half the reason why it was so popular is because of the exposure that the record label gave it. the record labels, specifically the huge ones like EMI, are what control the prevalence and popularity of bands of that stature.

EMI signed them for 6 albums before they released Pablo Honey? That sounds surprising, and they weren't signing them for Kid A, since they had no idea that would happen. There were signing them for that post-Grunge sound they were good at.

I understand that EMI and other big record labels alter what's out there, and i think that if Creep wasn't released as a single they would have pushed Radiohead to be more mainstream and follow the pack of Britpop.

[oddwithoutend]

Are we assuming that the lack of Creep had no effect on the future of the band's releases? If so, then I agree Radiohead wouldn't have been a mainstream success.

[chipdip18]

I'd love to see those quotes as well as the time frame in which they were made, just for reference.

I'll look for them now.


edit: Here's a quick bad example from wikipedia.

"Creep" was in heavy rotation on MTV (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MTV).[7] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radiohead#cite_note-ROSS-6) The song rose to number two on the US modern rock (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modern_Rock_Tracks) chart and then to number seven in the UK singles chart when re-released there later that year. Radiohead nearly broke up due to the pressure of sudden success as the Pablo Honey supporting tour extended into its second year.[14] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radiohead#cite_note-13) Band members described the tour as difficult, saying that towards its end they were "still playing the same songs that [they had] recorded two years previously ... like being held in a time warp" when they were eager to work on new songs

[Chromefox]

I don't think that without Creep, Radiohead would have remained artistically stunted and would never have reached potential, though I do think that potential would have manifested differently. Just based on the kind of artists they are and their personal tastes in music, I do not believe they'd have continued to dabble in post-grunge for long without Creep to motivate them to move on.

I'll look for them now.
No real rush, I'm just curious since I haven't read them myself and would like to see and interpret them just for my own knowledge.

[theguy77]

EMI signed them for 6 albums before they released Pablo Honey? That sounds surprising, and they weren't signing them for Kid A, since they had no idea that would happen. There were signing them for that post-Grunge sound they were good at.

yep it was a 6 album deal, in rainbows was the first one after the deal. they never had to be re-signed.

I understand that EMI and other big record labels alter what's out there, and i think that if Creep wasn't released as a single they would have pushed Radiohead to be more mainstream and follow the pack of Britpop.
why though? i mean its not like apart from creep, nothing they did fit in with the other britpop of the time. im just saying that if creep was never written, it would just have been another one of their post-grunge songs that was their first single, and it would have been promoted by EMI and gobbled up by consumers all the same.

[oddwithoutend]

Are we assuming that the lack of Creep had no effect on the future of the band's releases? If so, then I agree Radiohead wouldn't have been a mainstream success.

I really think this question has to be answered before we can all be on the same page.

[Chromefox]

I really think this question has to be answered before we can all be on the same page. My opinion varies depending on the answer to this question.

[oddwithoutend]

My opinion varies depending on the answer to this question.

Mine too.

[theguy77]

My opinion varies depending on the answer to this question.

mine doesnt. it would change if we were saying pablo honey didnt exist. but just pinning the whole thing on creep isnt enough, cause there are plenty of other songs on pablo honey that could have taken its place, and they would have fit in just the same among the other post-grunge bands, and they would have grown just as tired of the songs on tour... etc. etc.

[oddwithoutend]

mine doesnt. it would change if we were saying pablo honey didnt exist. but just pinning the whole thing on creep isnt enough, cause there are plenty of other songs on pablo honey that could have taken its place, and they would have fit in just the same among the other post-grunge bands, and they would have grown just as tired of the songs on tour... etc. etc.

Okay, I think we're still unclear. We have to assume they made the same choices for singles, released the same albums, did everything the exact same except release Creep. That doesn't change your opinion? Regardless, it's still two different questions and should be clarified.

[Chromefox]

Or we can discuss all of the possible outcomes, just not at the exact same time because it causes too much confusion.

[eliselovesmusic]

I semi-agree with the thread title.

Radiohead would have make a relatively popular indie band had they not gotten 'big'. Considering it was Creep that made them big, and that alot of thier other work is comparitively dull, I would have to say yes: if not for Creep, Radiohead wouldn't have made it.

[Chromefox]

I semi-agree with the thread title.

Radiohead would have make a relatively popular indie band had they not gotten 'big'. Considering it was Creep that made them big, and that alot of thier other work is comparitively dull, I would have to say yes: if not for Creep, Radiohead wouldn't have made it. It was not Creep that made them big. Creep found them fleeting mainstream success, but it was OK Computer that made them an enormous band and cemented their popularity. It's unfair to give Creep all the credit for their success in that fashion, when the fans of their more successful albums can't be bothered with Pablo Honey.

[theguy77]

Okay, I think we're still unclear. We have to assume they made the same choices for singles, released the same albums, did everything the exact same except release Creep. That doesn't change your opinion? Regardless, it's still two different questions and should be clarified.

but it cant work that way because regardless they had to release a single even if creep had never been written. i think the outcome is still the same given that another song would have to take creep's place. i dont think the label signed them on the basis of that ONE song; they had already built up a fanbase local to their region in england, and shown that their sound at the time is infectious -- its not like they were going to shows and played one song, its not like they were sending out demo CDs with only "creep" on them. so given that they were signed for songs other than creep, EMI still would have signed them and simply put another song out on the mainstream with the same effort and exposure.

[Chromefox]

Creep didn't even do that well. It was released in 1992, ignored for about a year, then rereleased in 1993 where it hit number 7 on the UK charts and PEAKED at 34 on the Billboard charts.

OK Computer peaked at number 1, and Karma Police, No Surprises, and Paranoid Android hit 8, 4, and 3 respectively in the UK. In the US, Karma Police hit 14, but the other singles failed to chart.

[TheOtherAndrew]

If it wasn't for Creep, they would have been that band that all the kids in MO go crazy over but sell 45,000 copies per album.

[TheOtherAndrew]

Oh, and this is official thread material. You kids aren't special.

[joss d.]

i fucking hate creep and radiohead is one of my favorite bands.

[TheOtherAndrew]

S8ui70rM6SQ

[theguy77]

If it wasn't for Creep, they would have been that band that all the kids in MO go crazy over but sell 45,000 copies per album.

i disagree, but if it wasnt for pablo honey and the bends as whole albums, then i agree.

Oh, and this is official thread material. You kids aren't special.

no its this new trend, discussion threads. the first one merely happened to be about radiohead. we're trying to stimulate the forum.

[thespearkid]

who is radiohead?

[s.t.e.v.e.n.]

I agree with Ryan. To a certain extent, big labels can decide to make a band big. If not Creep, it seems it could have been another song. Also seems we have major exposure to thank for the great albums they released later.

[chipdip18]

I don't think that without Creep, Radiohead would have remained artistically stunted and would never have reached potential, though I do think that potential would have manifested differently. Just based on the kind of artists they are and their personal tastes in music, I do not believe they'd have continued to dabble in post-grunge for long without Creep to motivate them to move on.
This is something i can agree on. They probably would have never been on the path to Kid A.

No real rush, I'm just curious since I haven't read them myself and would like to see and interpret them just for my own knowledge. I'll look some up now.

yep it was a 6 album deal, in rainbows was the first one after the deal. they never had to be re-signed.
Did not know that.

why though? i mean its not like apart from creep, nothing they did fit in with the other britpop of the time. im just saying that if creep was never written, it would just have been another one of their post-grunge songs that was their first single, and it would have been promoted by EMI and gobbled up by consumers all the same.You're right, they didn't fit in aside from the single. They would have been completely been dismissed without it. EMI signed a 6 album deal with them, most likely to make money off them. What are some of the best ways to make money off a band? Have them hit the mainstream. Radiohead could have done that two different ways. They could have taken the path they did, or could have become more like Oasis and other acts. I'm thinking that 'Creep' gave them enough 'mainstream creditability' that their next album would be successful no matter what they wrote (to a certain extent) and that gave the opportunity for The Bends. Without 'Creep', they, like many other bands in the same situation, would have been pressured into writing more radio-friendly material. After all, a record deal like that, and they're going to keep you in the ball game one way or another.

I really think this question has to be answered before we can all be on the same page.

I am assuming that the lack of 'Creep' would have a major effect on the band's future releases. That's what i'm saying in the thread title. 'Creep' has a bigger rudder in where Radiohead would go than most think.

[chipdip18]

Oh, and this is official thread material. You kids aren't special. I'm not special? oh.,...

I agree with Ryan. To a certain extent, big labels can decide to make a band big. If not Creep, it seems it could have been another song. Also seems we have major exposure to thank for the great albums they released later.

But what song would you put in place of 'Creep'?

[micahistheballs]

I'm inclined to agree.
What was togepi's exact quote that inspired this?

[Praetor]

Agree. They would have never have been hailed as such revolutionaries if they didn't come from such musically humble beginnings. An album like Kid A is far more impressive in the context of Radiohead's discography when they had such a shitty, boring album like Pablo Honey under their belt.

[chipdip18]

I'm inclined to agree.
What was togepi's exact quote that inspired this?

I'll dig it up, it's in the controversial thread or something.

[oddwithoutend]

Oh, and this is official thread material. You kids aren't special.

I wish I was special.

[danielineffigy]

No band would be the same with different reception to their first single.

[CS Lewis]

Won't like, not their biggest fan. But I'd have to say Karma Police and Fake Plastic Trees > Creep.

[chipdip18]

No band would be the same with different reception to their first single.

But would have Radiohead made OK Compter and Kid A? Or anything very similar?

Won't like, not their biggest fan. But I'd have to say Karma Police and Fake Plastic Trees > Creep.

Oh totally. Creep's not even that good.

[s.t.e.v.e.n.]

I'm not special? oh.,...



But what song would you put in place of 'Creep'?

I don't even really like early Radiohead. My post is completely based on the fact that I feel like if EMI signs you to a 6 album deal, they are going to make you big. Once that happens, a band like Radiohead reacts to the exposure like they did and we end up getting the same later albums. If they had been signed to the big deal after Creep, my opinion would be different.

[chipdip18]

I don't even really like early Radiohead. My post is completely based on the fact that I feel like if EMI signs you to a 6 album deal, they are going to make you big. Once that happens, a band like Radiohead reacts to the exposure like they did and we end up getting the same later albums. If they had been signed to the big deal after Creep, my opinion would be different.


I disagree that they wouldn't have released anything like Kid A or OK Computer, and the pressures may have caused them to break up.

[theguy77]

I don't even really like early Radiohead. My post is completely based on the fact that I feel like if EMI signs you to a 6 album deal, they are going to make you big. Once that happens, a band like Radiohead reacts to the exposure like they did and we end up getting the same later albums. If they had been signed to the big deal after Creep, my opinion would be different.

yeah my opinions are right in line with what this guy is saying.

[s.t.e.v.e.n.]

yeah my opinions are right in line with what this guy is saying.

To be fair, my opinions are based on my faith in you being right about the timing of the EMI deal ha.

[chipdip18]

C: The album has received overwhelmingly good reviews in the UK music press. Did you surprise yourselves with the quality of the album or did you always know this was in you? R: Oh blimey, how do I answer that without sounding really arrogant?! We've always known we've had good quality material. I think at points we've suffered from a lack of confidence in terms of whether we could make the most of it. It was quite frustrating with Pablo Honey, in as much as a lot of very good songs on there - admittedly songs that we didn't do brilliant justice to when we were recording them - became overshadowed by "Creep", so we wanted to produce this album where everything would be of a consistent quality. We feel that most of the songs off The Bends could actually be singles.


From an interview from this site. http://www.westnet.com/consumable/1995/May08.1995/revradio.html Which also makes my 'breaking up under pressure' argument wrong.

[theguy77]

To be fair, my opinions are based on my faith in you being right about the timing of the EMI deal ha.

yeah man. 6 album deal, starting with pablo honey and ending with hail to the thief.

[s.t.e.v.e.n.]

Interesting. Thanks for posting.

And yes, it does seem to establish that, at least in the band's opinion, without Creep their could have been an equally successful single.

[chipdip18]

Interesting. Thanks for posting.

And yes, it does seem to establish that, at least in the band's opinion, without Creep their could have been an equally successful single.


Not from Pablo Honey. They're talking about The Bends there.

[s.t.e.v.e.n.]

Not from Pablo Honey. They're talking about The Bends there.

Ah yes. I can read, I promise.

[chipdip18]

Ah yes. I can read, I promise.


And i believe you haha. But you had me scared for a second.

[TheFaceOfZach]

To me Creep is one of those out of the blue depressing songs that some how gets attention on MTV. It's my least favorite Radiohead song. And I love Radiohead so much. So to see that song get more attention than other songs that I think deserve it like e.g. House of Cards

[s.t.e.v.e.n.]

I feel like we may have exhausted this particular discussion. Good one though.

Do you think its possible that had it not been for such exposure due to Creep that albums may have come earlier? Or instead that those later albums were such a reaction to the success of Creep that without it they wouldn't have come?

/restating the original question in a way that when I started typing seemed like a different question.

[theguy77]

I feel like we may have exhausted this particular discussion. Good one though.

Do you think its possible that had it not been for such exposure due to Creep that albums may have come earlier? Or instead that those later albums were such a reaction to the success of Creep that without it they wouldn't have come?

/restating the original question in a way that when I started typing seemed like a different question.

i dont necessarily think OK computer is a reaction to creep's success, that was just them starting to get into more subversive music forms and write in those styles. they said that they were surprised that the media and consumers really were able to comprehend and enjoy it. kid A, however, is a whole different ballgame. THAT came out of a negative reaction to success.

[s.t.e.v.e.n.]

If the general consensus is that we have Creep to thank for Kid A, then I think I'll go listen to it.

[chipdip18]

Well? Is that we waht think?

[theguy77]

If the general consensus is that we have Creep to thank for Kid A, then I think I'll go listen to it.

listen to what? creep or kid A? haha.

thom underwent some serious depression in reaction to all the fame and exposure, becuase he said it felt like they were taking the songs you wrote, which were your passion and your soul and everything you loved, and completely stripped all the value away from it. he suffered a horrible period of writers block and thats what really pushed him and the rest of the band to completely strip apart their writing process and use differnet kinds of instruments and writing styles/structures. the result was their most subversive record to date.

[wewascontenders]

creep was on the radio when i got in the car after work, that's really all i have to contribute.

[s.t.e.v.e.n.]

listen to what? creep or kid A? haha.

thom underwent some serious depression in reaction to all the fame and exposure, becuase he said it felt like they were taking the songs you wrote, which were your passion and your soul and everything you loved, and completely stripped all the value away from it. he suffered a horrible period of writers block and thats what really pushed him and the rest of the band to completely strip apart their writing process and use differnet kinds of instruments and writing styles/structures. the result was their most subversive record to date.

I meant Creep. But upon further review, when I finish Blonde on Blonde, I'm just gonna listen to Kid A.

.....Did you see that? I managed to tell you that I was listening to Bob Dylan for no reason. Also I like Kid A. Do I get like 5,000 posts added to my count?

[theguy77]

I meant Creep. But upon further review, when I finish Blonde on Blonde, I'm just gonna listen to Kid A.

.....Did you see that? I managed to tell you that I was listening to Bob Dylan for no reason. Also I like Kid A. Do I get like 5,000 posts added to my count?

your name gets double bolded and the letters get bordered with unicorn hair.

[s.t.e.v.e.n.]

your name gets double bolded and the letters get bordered with unicorn hair.

ha, so much more than I could have ever hoped for.

[chipdip18]

Whoa whoa whoa, are you going to listen to the Beatles though? That gets you the unicorn hair.

[theguy77]

Whoa whoa whoa, are you going to listen to the Beatles though? That gets you the unicorn hair.

:hitself: how could i forget?

abbey road is his best bet. he might be able to get away with the unicorn hair if he listens to revolver, but only if he can make a case for it being better than sgt. pepper's.

[s.t.e.v.e.n.]

Whoa whoa whoa, are you going to listen to the Beatles though? That gets you the unicorn hair.

Yes. Sgt. Peppers. But only so I can think about how much better Abbey Road is.

[s.t.e.v.e.n.]

:hitself: how could i forget?

abbey road is his best bet. he might be able to get away with the unicorn hair if he listens to revolver, but only if he can make a case for it being better than sgt. pepper's.


hahaha perfect

[chipdip18]

:hitself: how could i forget?

abbey road is his best bet. he might be able to get away with the unicorn hair if he listens to revolver, but only if he can make a case for it being better than sgt. pepper's.


Hahaha true that, Abbey Road is so good. I love that album dearly.

Yes. Sgt. Peppers. But only so I can think about how much better Abbey Road is.

Sgt. Peppers in still rad though! The Beatles just own face.

[chipdip18]

:hitself: how could i forget?

abbey road is his best bet. he might be able to get away with the unicorn hair if he listens to revolver, but only if he can make a case for it being better than sgt. pepper's.


Hahaha true that, Abbey Road is so good. I love that album dearly.

Yes. Sgt. Peppers. But only so I can think about how much better Abbey Road is.

Sgt. Peppers in still rad though! The Beatles just own face.

[s.t.e.v.e.n.]

Oh comletely. Sgt. Peppers is great. And to be fair and honest, I should add that I'm actually listening to Amnesiac now.

[WafflesAreYAY]

Disagree; First of all the song is a lot different from the rest of their successful stuff. Second that song wasn't even that well received when it first came out...it kind of took awhile for it to catch on.

[micahistheballs]

I think that Creep led to their steering away from the styles that filled their first record. While I'm sure they would have progressed as musicians and a band regardless, that the unexpected success of Creep, made the band grow to dislike and choice to disassociate themselves with that sound and accelerated the process of their creating albums like Kid A.

[The Personist]

:hitself: how could i forget?

abbey road is his best bet. he might be able to get away with the unicorn hair if he listens to revolver, but only if he can make a case for it being better than sgt. pepper's.

Abbey Road = Sgt Pepper's > OK Computer > Let It Be

;-)

Though in fairness, the controversial nature of Let It Be's tracklisting and the fact that we can't really be sure if it was wholly the band's album is why it's so hard to take seriously the claim that Let It Be > Sgt. Pepper's.

Hahaha true that, Abbey Road is so good. I love that album dearly.



Sgt. Peppers in still rad though! The Beatles just own face.

This.

Oh comely.

Fixed.


I think that Creep led to their steering away from the styles that filled their first record. While I'm sure they would have progressed as musicians and a band regardless, that the unexpected success of Creep, made the band grow to dislike and choice to disassociate themselves with that sound and accelerated the process of their creating albums like Kid A.

I agree with this statement.

[kearn1tm]

It was an integral part of Radiohead achieving the "status" they enjoy currently, as least, I suspect so.

Having a Post-Grunge alt hit in their demos is what caught the eye of EMI, which is what made them marketable, which is why they were signed and made into a seemingly instant success, which is why they could get away with The Bends, which is still comprised of radio-ready singles, but without the same level of alt-rock simplicity, which is why OK Computer was permitted, which was seemingly less accessible, which is why audiences cared when they started to evolve to such a degree without leaving them, which is part of the reason why Kid A became the most hyped and well-documented album to come out in the last ten years - it was the unsuspecting, unforseen progression of "the band that started out making Creep," and it was the band who, because of their initial mainstream success, secured a major label backing and a solid fan foundation that allowed them to eventually become the band that made Kid A.

Had they started with, say, OK Computer, they'd be shunned by EMI, but embraced by a Sub Pop or a Barsuk or one of the other larger indie labels, and wouldn't have garnered the hype for Kid A that they were recipients of because they were well-known, because they had a large fanbase, because they had rock critics attention and because of the "done good" novelty story of having once been the band that was merely capable of "Creep" evolving into the band that cherrypicked from some of the best underground sounds of the past and turned it into near-pop perfection. Kid A would have merely received the attention and status one of the more luminary indie releases of the late '90s and '00s did: It would have been a In the Aeroplane Over the Sea or something to that effect. An indie release that cracks mainstream press, gets some strong music enthusiast buzz, eventually finds a way into a small subsect of crossover listeners but never really transcends that.

Creep gave the band a built-in audience and a major label that allowed for their stylistic, chameleon shifting effects.

[s.t.e.v.e.n.]

It was an integral part of Radiohead achieving the "status" they enjoy currently, as least, I suspect so.

Having a Post-Grunge alt hit in their demos is what caught the eye of EMI, which is what made them marketable, which is why they were signed and made into a seemingly instant success, which is why they could get away with The Bends, which is still comprised of radio-ready singles, but without the same level of alt-rock simplicity, which is why OK Computer was permitted, which was seemingly less accessible, which is why audiences cared when they started to evolve to such a degree without leaving them, which is part of the reason why Kid A became the most hyped and well-documented album to come out in the last ten years - it was the unsuspecting, unforseen progression of "the band that started out making Creep," and it was the band who, because of their initial mainstream success, secured a major label backing and a solid fan foundation that allowed them to eventually become the band that made Kid A.

Had they started with, say, OK Computer, they'd be shunned by EMI, but embraced by a Sub Pop or a Barsuk or one of the other larger indie labels, and wouldn't have garnered the hype for Kid A that they were recipients of because they were well-known, because they had a large fanbase, because they had rock critics attention and because of the "done good" novelty story of having once been the band that was merely capable of "Creep" evolving into the band that cherrypicked from some of the best underground sounds of the past and turned it into near-pop perfection. Kid A would have merely received the attention and status one of the more luminary indie releases of the late '90s and '00s did: It would have been a In the Aeroplane Over the Sea or something to that effect. An indie release that cracks mainstream press, gets some strong music enthusiast buzz, eventually finds a way into a small subsect of crossover listeners but never really transcends that.

Creep gave the band a built-in audience and a major label that allowed for their stylistic, chameleon shifting effects.

Yea, thats what I meant.

[theguy77]

Abbey Road = Sgt Pepper's > OK Computer > Let It Be

;-)

Though in fairness, the controversial nature of Let It Be's tracklisting and the fact that we can't really be sure if it was wholly the band's album is why it's so hard to take seriously the claim that Let It Be > Sgt. Pepper's.

sooooooo, so wrong. sgt pepper doesnt come close.