Earlier this year, “The Home Of Animation” website Aniboom held a contest in conjunction with Radiohead to help create a new music video for the band using a song from the band’s recent release In Rainbows. A cash prize of $10,000 was to be awarded to the winner of the competition who could come up with the best storyboard and video-clip to astound Radiohead themselves and Aniboom.
The result was 5 finalists with video-clips that Radiohead collectively voted on. Radiohead was supposed to choose only 1 of the 5 finalists to create a full length video. Radiohead decided that they liked the 4 grand finalists so much that they contributed and extra $30,000 to help create each of the four videos. Not only did the 4 winners collect some serious cash for their creative talent, they also each have their own bragging rights.
Each have their own style. Check them out. I like the video for “Reckoner” the most.
If someone were to ask you who the greatest band of your time was, what would you say?
I myself would be speechless and have no response. That is just too tough of a question to answer.
To me it is impossible to label just one band being “the greatest band of my time”. Still there are a lot of bands out there I see could hold the title if I had to be forced to make a decision (to each their own of course). With so many genres of music I love along with the tons of artists that have my respect I think I might be able to narrow it down a little, but I know I would be missing out on someone who deserves credit so we shall just call this a sample.
Here are a couple of bands that stand out as great to me and reasons why:
NIN – Since I was a kid I have loved this band. I learned of them freshman year in high school when some lame jock kid found a cassette tape in his locker that was next to mine. He was going to throw it away but decided I was a better target and tossed it at me. It was a copy of Pretty Hate Machine and I remember that day throwing it into my big 4 AA battery of a hog yellow Sony Walkman. I was hooked instantly. It was a new genre for me seeing how I was all about the Beastie Boys and Metallica. Every album that NIN has released I enjoyed tremendously. I still find it a shame though that it took me over 15 years to see them live… It was amazing though. NIN blew me away and I almost hate myself for missing them live so many times…
Pantera – I was introduced to them thanks to some illegal substance smoking friends back in high school. I was already a fan of metal but there was something about Pantera that just grabbed me. Maybe it was Phil Anselmo’s voice or Vinnie Paul and Dime Bag Darrell’s musical capabilities. They were one of my first live shows and even if some of their beginning albums were hair metal and concluding albums seemed a little weak to me I am still a fan of Cowboys from Hell, Vulgar Display of Power, and Far Beyond Driven.
Faith No More / Mike Patton – Mike Patton is a musical god and I wish to hell Faith No More would group together just for one more last hurrah. Ever since “Epic” was featured on MTV I labeled myself a fan. Throughout the years Faith No More went their own ways and Mike Patton continued his uniqueness in bands like Mr. Bungle, Tomahawk and Peeping Tom. Sure it got a little weird sometimes especially when he worked with jazz experimentalist John Zorn but it still was Mike Patton!
Bjork – Yeah I know…call me what you want but I love Bjork. I did not really appreciate her until I picked up Homogenic. That album changed the way I started to look at music. Perhaps I was growing up but saddening loud metal and screaming bloody murder just did not seem as exciting. Her voice was so depressing in songs yet so happy. It may not make much sense but I know what I like and I love Bjork.
Radiohead – This English rock band is and will always be one of my favorite bands of all time. I rocked out to them since their first album was released. “Creep” grabbed my grunge attention when I was sporting flannels and saying how great Nirvana and Pearl Jam were. As years passed their music became a little too much for some but not for me. I loved OK Computer and Kid A because I found them so unique. I would listen to each album over and over singing along with a smile on my face. That to me is a great band.
NoFX – Drug infused punk rock music since the 80’s who now are successful after capturing pop punk rock at its opening stages. Saying no to commercial radio and MTV the band made their own success literally. The band may not have your top quality musicians but their look on life, politics, and themselves make for one hilarious act.
So that was my small piece. I could change the above six to other bands easily but they were the first that came to mind… Misfits, Iron Maiden, Rolling Stones, Minor Threat, and even Tupac… There are so many other heavy hitting bands/musicians that I could talk about…
What are some bands you consider your greatest band of your time?
After four long years the innovative rock act Radiohead decided to make a stop at Blossom Music Center before their adoring Ohio fans. It was no surprise that the show was sold out, as many in Ohio and the surrounding states planned this special day months in advance knowing that the band rarely tours. Rumors of Radiohead touring were finally laid to rest at the end of February, when the band announded their second leg of the North American tour.
Sold out crowds mean traffic jams, and I am pleased to say that with the help of Google Maps I avoided the mile-plus long backup that filled up Route 8. Parking the car and walking almost a mile to the coveted amphitheater did not get my spirits down as I was excited to be seeing Radiohead for the fourth time in my life. This was their third time returning to Blossom Music Center in the last seven years.
One thing I admired about the show is that it was “green.” The beers were served in biodegradable cups made form corn, and the merch was made from recycled materials. I opted out from dropping $40 on a T-shirt formed from plastic bottles, but did spend some money on a container made from recycled aluminum material. The container stated “Radiohead Tour 2008 H2O” and posted the amount of water bottles that are sold every year (18 million). I thought it was a good keepsake, and at the same time my personal small way to help the envoirnment.
I barely obtained a ticket this year (and yet again it was a lawn seat), but I was OK with that and so were the rest of the people around me. Opening act Grizzly Bear tried to entertain the crowd, but their music just was not providing the energy to everyone. Some fans sang along to the indie sounding band from Brooklyn, NY, while others mocked them. Still, they seemed honored to be touring with such an influential band.
The sun set showcasing a beautiful partly cloudy sky when Radiohead took the stage. The band opened with “15 Step” from their latest, pay-what-you-feel-like album In Rainbows. The light show behind the band was their best yet in my opinion, with what looked like reflective bars with a media screen behind them.
It was not until the band started playing “Pyramid Song” that I realized how lucky I was to be stuck in this crowd of people. Looking around I saw hippies, punk rockers, families, and the occasional scenester all collected on a hilly lawn on a warmer than normal summer evening. I smiled because I knew that even though it was my fourth time getting to see them live, they still enthralled me. I also admired the looks on the faces of the fans that clearly were attending their first Radiohead experience.
Some songs sounded a little more natural with acoustics, while others were overly processed with sweet samples and electronic beats. Regardless of how they tweaked their material it was a real treat to listen to them. The crowd was also entertaining to watch especially when someone took it upon themselves to throw about 200 light sticks in the air, only to have the crowd continually throw them towards the stage.
Focusing on newer material, I sometimes found myself not as entertained, but soon the light show helped redirect my attention as did hearing some older material like “The National Anthem” and “Climbing Up The Walls.” One thing that was irritating was that where I was standing I could barely see the band and had no idea when they left the stage, only to return to for an encore.
One of the highlights of the evening for me was hearing “Paranoid Android” live. I have and will always love that song. On top of that, there was the always amazing guitar solo in the middle of it which in turn had the entire crowd cheering at the top of their lungs. After “Street Spirit,” the band left the stage and came out once again for a second encore.
Thom Yorke took a minute to state “this is most definitely a love song” before the act started playing “House Of Cards.” Ending the show was Kid A’s “Everything In Its Right Place,” a another song I was hoping to hear. It was a nice ending to an amazing performance.
The show seemed to blow past much faster than previous performances, yet they were onstage for over 2 hours. Before I knew it I was in what my friend called the “ET shuffle” as closely grouped fans slowly made way back to their vehicles. During the long walk, we spoke about how awesome it was to see them live once again and how breathtaking they are. It was truly a special evening, thanks to one of the most important bands out there on the rock scene.
Set List:
Set list:
15 Step
There There
Morning Bell
All I Need
Pyramid Song
Nude
Weird Fishes/Arpeggi
The Gloaming
The National Anthem
A Wolf At The Door
Faust Arp
Exit Music (For A Film)
Jigsaw Falling Into Place
Idioteque
Climbing Up The Walls
Bodysnatchers
How to Disappear Completely
Encore 1:
Videotape
Paranoid Android
Dollars and Cents
Reckoner
Street Spirit
Encore 2:
House of Cards
Lucky
Everything In Its Right Place
Additional Comments:
Thanks to the wonderful invention of YouTube I was able to get a better look at what was going on at the show that amazing evening. Each member of that bad has their own special talent/ability that when combined create the mezmurizing music that is Radiohead.
If you need proof check this out:
Notice Jonny Greenwood replicating the Jimmy Page like guitar playing with a bow. Amazing.
and I remember that day throwing it into my big 4 AA battery of a hog yellow Sony Walkman. I was hooked instantly. It was a new genre for me seeing how I was all about the Beastie Boys and Metallica. Every album that NIN has released I enjoyed tremendously. I still find it a shame though that it took me over 15 years to see them live… It was amazing though. NIN blew me away and I almost hate myself for missing them live so many times…
, 
, and 
.
. That album changed the way I started to look at music. Perhaps I was growing up but saddening loud metal and screaming bloody murder just did not seem as exciting. Her voice was so depressing in songs yet so happy. It may not make much sense but I know what I like and I love Bjork.
and 
because I found them so unique. I would listen to each album over and over singing along with a smile on my face. That to me is a great band.