Radiohead drummer Phil Selway has given fans a morsel of possible Christmas cheer, as he has stated that the band are "coming 'round to that point now" of getting back together'. Mind you, he hinted that they might get back together in 2023 back in January. And if that's still gonna happen, you've got a month to get your sh*t together lads.
This feels like something to dive back into and really explore and see what other directions it can take us in.
Phil Selway
It's getting on for (crikey) eight years since Radiohead’s last album, A Moon Shaped Pool, which came out in 2016, and five years since the band last played together. That's quite a break, and one that only Abba might call 'little', but drummer Phil Selway has described the gap as exactly that, and given us another glimmer of hope that a full Radiohead revival might be just around the corner.
He did, however, give us a similar glimmer back in January, saying that the band would probably reconvene this year (2023), so unless they are planning a quick tour to celebrate Crimbo – which, frankly we can't quite see happening – it looks like 2024 might be the year. And on this, Selway does sound fairly positive…
Before that, here's a reminder of why websites like us jump on his every word.
Selway appeared on a livestream with the Crow Hill Company, and according to Exclaim said: "We've actually had a little break for a minute; the last show that we did was back in 2018. But we're coming back 'round to that point now. There is just something particular to that relationship – that creative relationship and personal relationship – actually, you can't get anywhere else.
"We're all coming back around to that point now of thinking, 'Right, we've had a break – this is it. This feels like something to dive back into and really explore and see what other directions it can take us in.'"
Which sounds rather like an analogy where Radiohead are athletes running around the bend (or indeed 'bends') onto the home straight of reunification. Only they're not quite sure how many laps the race is. And 'a minute' in the race lasts five years.
Bottom line: we're not holding our breathe.
In that five years, all Radiohead members have dabbled in other projects. Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood formed The Smile who have a new album out next month called A Wall of Eyes. Bassist Colin Greenwood has toured with Nick Cave, and Selway released his third solo album, Strange Dance, in February, and has a live album out this month. Finally, Ed O' Brien released a solo album, Earth, in 2020, which gives us an excuse to include the excellent Brasil, right now.
As we always say, watch this space. And if we hear anything about the Radiohead 2023 Christmas tour, you'll be the first to know.
