Official RADIOHEAD thread

[MacGuffin]

EMI versus Radiohead: a pot of simmering tension at end of In Rainbows
First, competing box-set releases. Now, a mysterious yanked advert. The behind-the-scenes feud between the label and its former charges is bubbling to the surface
Source: Guardian Unlimited

Tension between Radiohead and EMI was highlighted again today when the band's former label removed a misleading ad for the group's back catalogue from the internet.

Until the end of last week, anyone typing in Radiohead into Google would be met with a paid-for ad at the top of the search results reading: "Radiohead - New Album 'Rainbow' now available as boxset".

Despite appearances, the ad led not to the special "discbox" edition of In Rainbows but to a website where EMI subsidiary Parlophone is selling a box-set of the seven albums Radiohead recorded while they were still signed to the label.

That the two box-sets are coming out at the same time in December and at the same price had already led some fans to believe that EMI is trying to compete with its former charges' independent release. While EMI has denied this, the ad (visible in a screengrab from Friday, above) raises new questions about the label's motives.

Attempts to ascertain the identity of the company behind the ad by Guardian Unlimited Music met with little success. Phone calls and emails to EMI's subsidiary Parlophone about the ad were not returned last week. Finally, a cryptic, one-sentence email arrived from EMI publicist Chris Latham yesterday.

"Parlophone were aware of the data source glitch and removed the link immediately," it read. When asked to confirm that this meant that the label had indeed placed the Google Ad and then removed it, the company spokesman twice declined any further comment or clarification.

This afternoon, Radiohead responded to Parlophone's removal of the ad. "We accept that it was a genuine error and that it has been rectified," the band's spokesman wrote in an email to Guardian Unlimited Music.

This may draw a line under what seemed like an escalation of a behind-the-scenes feud between EMI and Radiohead. Relations between the two have been frosty since the band, who fulfilled their contract with the label with 2003's Hail to the Thief, decided to not to resign with them. Days after the band decided to release the CD of their new album In Rainbows with independent label XL last month, EMI announced it was offering the rockers' output from 1993 to 2003 for sale as a seven-CD box-set.

It soon became clear that the back catalogue release was put together without the involvement of the band, who have distanced themselves from it. ("The band haven't released it," band spokesman Murray Chalmers said. "The band aren't in contract to EMI anymore.") The EMI box-set will be sent out at the same time as In Rainbows "discbox" box-set in December and at the same price, too.

While fans have accused EMI of releasing its Radiohead box-set as "retribution" for the band going elsewhere, the label has denied this.

[tpfkabi]

don't really see the idea behind this as there won't be much of a market to buy all of these at once. i guess they hope someone will mistakenly think this is the new album and once they realize different won't return it?

wonder how long before the EMI best of/greatest hits comp...

[MacGuffin]

Radiohead Interview (1 hr)
Broadcast on 6 Music Mon 19 Nov - 18:00

Radiohead's Thom Yorke and Ed O'Brien exclusively chat to Steve Lamacq about their latest LP 'In Rainbows'.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/aod/6music_aod.shtml?6music/radiohead_int

[Stefen]

So does anyone know what to expect on the B-Sides? Is it going to be studio versions of songs that didn't make the cut on In Rainbows (A B-Side) or is it going to just be an EP of rare and live stuff?

[Pubrick]

i'm expecting 25kbps ringtones.

[cron]

i think/hope it's all studio stuff.
thom said in that interview that 'down is the new up' is the best phil's ever been and that he regreted that they couldn't include it in the actual album but it just didn't fit with the rest of the songs.

[tpfkabi]

So does anyone know what to expect on the B-Sides? Is it going to be studio versions of songs that didn't make the cut on In Rainbows (A B-Side) or is it going to just be an EP of rare and live stuff?

I've always had all indications it was made up of studio tracks that didn't make the album.

At Ease had a report today about someone who was accidentally shipped the box set one week early. WASTE has already contacted him to make sure he doesn't leak it. He tells what MK1 and MK2 are (the only two tracks with unfamiliar names)

***spoilers***


he says they're just minute long noise fillers...seems odd to me though for them to do that.

[Stefen]

Maybe this is the TRUE OK Computer II and they are really called Fitter Happier I and II, respectively, respectively.

[MacGuffin]

http://www.radiohead.com/tourdates/

[Stefen]

So it begins.

[modage]

Hello,

Just to let you know...

Your "In Rainbows" discbox has now left w.a.s.t.e. in the UK

You can expect delivery of your discbox in the following estimated times.

UK 1-8 days

Europe 1-14 days

Rest of World 5-18 days

Wherever possible (especially to customers in the USA), we've sent these by road and sea.

December is a busy time of year for postal services globally, so please be patient.

We thank you for your custom and hope you enjoy your discbox when you receive it.

Best wishes.

us @ w.a.s.t.e.

[Stefen]

I wonder how long until it leaks.

[cron]

1-8 days

[Stefen]

It took 1 day.

My request was just filled at Waffles.

[cron]

oh god oh god oh god oh god oh god