Radiohead pair air new songs at Big Ask gig

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by Mike Diver [Edit this content] ▾ 22 comments 11:40 May 2nd, 2006

Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood of Radiohead performed on behalf of Friends Of The Earth at London's Koko venue last night, airing no fewer than three new songs during their set.

The gig - The Big Ask - saw the pair play in a semi-acoustic fashion. Alongside crowd favourites such as 'Paranoid Android', Yorke (pictured) and Greenwood performed 'Arpeggi' and 'Bodysnatchers', both new to most in attendance (we're assuming Colin Greenwood and Ed O'Brien, both watching, had heard them before!).

Another new song was performed, but no name was forthcoming*. Radiohead's tour proper - UK dates are scheduled for the middle of May - begins on Saturday in Copenhagen.

*We've since heard that it's been given the title 'Cymbal Rush', but this isn't official or owt.

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I've heard

two of them.
They're what you expect really.

Nuts_N_Gum | 2 May '06, 11:43 | X | Reply

new song

Is called cymbal rush.
Im about 90% sure anyway.

yes_ @Nuts_N_Gum | 2 May '06, 11:47 | X | Reply

balls

Didnt read the last line.
Now im embarrassed.

yes_ @yes_ | 2 May '06, 11:48 | X | Reply

'Cymbal Rush'

was the name on the setlists so it is 'official' although it may well be a working title.

great stuff.

Zoo1 | 2 May '06, 11:54 | X | Reply

i 'heart' radiohead

and can handle it if the new songs are gash

prole-art-threat @Zoo1 | 2 May '06, 12:01 | X | Reply

i can't imagine

anyone having a problem with Bodysnatchers, seeing as it has the kind of exciting rockist climax people seem to miss.

the other two are Radiohead songs, and thus will be attacked for being miserable and whiny, you know the drill. nevertheless, lovely melodies.

Zoo1 @prole-art-threat | 2 May '06, 12:09 | X | Reply

Sorry but

their recent stuff is little more than a dull rewrite of their 'glory days'. At least with Kid A they were trying to do something different, even if it was hit and miss.

tom_edwards @Zoo1 | 2 May '06, 12:25 | X | Reply

I actually love Hail To The Thief

so hush it, you...

Mike_Diver @tom_edwards | 2 May '06, 12:26 | X | Reply

seconded

its my favourite album. anyway hail to the thief is hardly radiohead by numbers i.e. bends, ok computer. its an awesome album. i love sit down stand up.

comradephil @Mike_Diver | 2 May '06, 12:55 | X | Reply

sometimes i think

Radiohead's reputation for 'progressing' has done them more harm than good, if people demand they change genre or re-invent the fabric of music every time they want to play a tune.

it's unlikely they'll ever again change quite as many instuments as they did between OKC and Kid A, they don't need to, but they still seem to write distinctive material. these new songs wouldn't fit on any of their previous albums.

Zoo1 @Mike_Diver | 2 May '06, 12:59 | X | Reply

WHY

has no one mentioned yorke's awful hair and sunglasses combo yet????

bobj @Nuts_N_Gum | 2 May '06, 13:49 | X | Reply

i dunno

i've never got into hail to the thief like i did with bends, computer, kid a. i mean, it's still more enjoyable tha pablo honey and amnesiac, but the best radiohead albums, you kind of make a leap with to a point of realisation of "wow, this is awesome". httt's good, but it's not THAT good.

brusma @comradephil | 2 May '06, 14:13 | X | Reply

Listen to Hail To The Thief with headphones and on ful volume

Then you appreciate how incredible that album is.

Jambo31 @Zoo1 | 2 May '06, 16:11 | X | Reply

Has anybody heard the new songs yet?

Bodysnatchers sounds catchy. Arpeggi, well I've heard it before and I think it's beautiful. But Cymbal Rush, sounds incredible. A mix of Everything in its Right Place with Sit Down, Stand Up.

Jambo31 @Smike | 2 May '06, 17:21 | X | Reply

jealous

Thom_fa | 3 May '06, 00:59 | X | Reply

The Big Ask...

I was there it was a great gig but not without fault i suspect they were a bit drunk i mean he was even cracking jokes! very un-nerving, but yeah the new songs more retrospective than innovative however i'm pleased the "experimental" phase is over however this may mean my mum borrows my radiohead cds again!