Colin Greenwood has a fondness for photographic texts that are not only pleasant on the eye but offer a tactile sensation, a tangible item to possess. He admits to having an assortment of such books and always yearned for something that not just presented an aesthetic allure but was also a great read and visually mesmerising even if one was not particularly a fan of Radiohead.
Greenwood appears contemplative on this serene Sunday in South England, taking a break from his role in Nick Cave’s band, The Bad Seeds. With the house tranquil post the dog walks, he expresses readiness to delve into discussion about his strikingly curated new photography book titled, “How to Disappear: A Portrait of Radiohead”, as well as the band he’s been a part of for nearly forty years.
With a jovial disposition, characteristic of a modern indie-rock elite, Greenwood reveals his preference for listening to music chiefly on CDs and vinyl, considering them tangible precious artefacts. An admission of his subscription to three streaming services accompanies an ambiguous expression of whether it’s a reluctant confession or discomfort. Yet, he finds them resourceful for work, given each service delivers unique features.
Furthermore, he cherishes the concept of owning a physical piece of art, a product that’s been thoughtfully crafted and delivered to you by artists or designers, enhancing the ambience of one’s living space. He deems this experience worthier than a concept directly virtually streamed into your home. For Greenwood, the fulfillment of music does not solely lie in the melody but in the comprehensive process where it has been meticulously designed and facilitated to reach the audience.
Greenwood’s publication is available in two versions; a unique collector’s edition that could easily account for substantial grocery budget but definitely provides good value for the £66 (€79) expense. This edition includes a 10,000-word essay by Greenwood as well as nearly 100 exclusive, behind-the-scenes photographs of Radiohead; all printed on hefty paper and tucked inside a cloth-covered case. It also comes with a booklet of additional pictures. The less extravagant standard edition, which doesn’t include the cloth case and the extra photographic booklet, retails for £26.
The array of photographs chronicles the time from 2003, during Radiohead’s recording of their album “Hail to the Thief”, till their creation of “A Moon Shaped Pool” in 2016. Greenwood shows pride in the effort expended to make the pictures come alive off the pages. “The majority of pictures in the book are film-based, either in monochrome or in colour – captured from cameras I’ve used over time. I believe there’s only a pair of digital images in the book. The rest are akin to CDs and vinyl – physical entities in a digitalised world,” he notes.
Over the past couple of decades, Greenwood has been capturing images of Radiohead, curating the 97 images in the book from an initial selection of over 300. At first, he was uncertain if he wanted the book to be a fine-art photography book or something specifically for Radiohead fanatics. In the end, he envisaged the end product to be akin to a Radiohead album — as handmade and personalised as possible, for people to view and appreciate.
The images are frank and un-posed pictures of Thom Yorke, Greenwood’s younger sibling Jonny, Ed O’Brien – whose kin hail from Ballyporeen, in Co Tipperary – and Philip Selway, all featuring long-time friends being their authentic selves.
“I pondered on creating formal portraits of them, possibly seated on chairs or appearing directly before a conventional camera,” Greenwood says. “However, those images weren’t the right fit for this kind of book, which showcases a more familiar and informal atmosphere. This is more about capturing the unseen instants of creation, rehearsal and exhilaration than anything else.”
It has been well over eight years since the band known as Radiohead released their last album, A Moon Shaped Pool. The musicians Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood have recently been heavily invested in their other band, The Smile. The band, which includes Tom Skinner, ex-drummer of Sons of Kemet, garners high respect and support from all Radiohead members, as stated by Greenwood.
As for the progression of new music from Radiohead, the band’s members currently have different obligations, which renders their future unclear, according to Greenwood. However, there was a brief reunion during the summer months of June and July, in a London-based studio, where they reviewed a few songs and connected as a band once again. Greenwood expressed his desire to collaborate in future, provided that all members can coordinate their schedules appropriately.
Looking back to their beginnings at the Jericho Tavern in Oxford, where four school acquaintances decided to form a band, Greenwood says it’s now about figuring out how to reconnect the band members whose lives have followed various different paths. Greenwood speaks to the importance of supporting each other’s independent dreams and aspirations.
In his essay, Greenwood reflects on how the simple choices made early in their life that cemented their bonds have been affected by the complexities of their diverging life paths. Still, their friendships hold steady over the passing decades. Greenwood’s conversations with Nick Cave have reinforced his belief in the crucial role musicians play for their audience. Greenwood maintains that the band has a responsibility to crowds, to share music that is at the heart of their friendships, and to provide quality shows for their fans, resonating 100% with Nick Cave’s sentiments.
The book, “How to Disappear: A Portrait of Radiohead,” penned by John Murray, has been published. Additionally, Colin Greenwood, of Radiohead, will perform along with Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds at the 3Arena, Dublin, on November 12th and 13th.