Thom Yorke: Use

“There's the beautiful people and then there's the rest of us.”

Thom Yorke

People , Beauty

Thom Yorke

15 Step
Lyrics, In Rainbows (2007)

“I don't think young people are as demoralized as the media and government would like us to think. The obvious sign of that is how strong and how close personal connections are and how much people are able to build a life for themselves, despite all this stuff that's been thrown at them.”

Thom Yorke

Life , People , Thinking , Strong

“Q: Radiohead fans tend to be extremely devoted to the band - they seem to connect with your music and ideals. What do you see as the major aspects of your music which people connect with so well?
A: To be really truthful I don't see it myself. When we play something new, we don't know how people will react. If I show an idea to the rest of the band I'm terrified if they will respond or not. They are the same. It always amazes me how complex this remains. There was a time when we could make the correct moves and the required response. And that was the time when the shine started to fade. Do people connect with our ideals? I dont know, surely encouraging people to make informed decisions is more useful? ignorance is the biggest problem isnt it? we are no purer than anyone else, no smarter. Equally we are not little rag dolls you play with but say nothing and go back in the box when you're finished with us.”

Thom Yorke

source http://www.spinwithagrin.com/answer.asp?show=all

People , Truth , Music , Idea

“We're at a time when we are being presented with undeniable changes in the global climate and fundamental issues that affect every single one of us, and it's the time we're listening to the most hokey shite on the radio and watching vacuous bullshit celebrities being vacuous bullshit celebrities and desperately trying to forget about everything. Which is fine, you know, but personally speaking, I can't do that.”

Thom Yorke

source http://web.archive.org/web/20031208173545/http://www.icyeyes.com.br/interp.htm

Change , Time , Personality , Forgetting

“Jumped in the river, what did I see?
Black-eyed angels swam with me
A moonful of stars and astral cars
And all the figures I used to see
All my lovers were there with me
All my past and futures
And we all went to heaven in a little row boat
There was nothing to fear and nothing to doubt”

Thom Yorke

"Pyramid Song"
Lyrics, Amnesiac (2001)

Fear , Angels , Cars , Star

“The thing that worries me about the computer age is the fact that people know so much about you. It's an incredible invasion of privacy. And no matter where you are in the world people can monitor you if you're using your credit card. I heard this weird rumor on the Internet about how the military is funding this great big research project and basically, they believe that in the future, the balance of power won't be determined by who has the most nuclear weapons, but by who has all the information. I'm not afraid of being taken over by computers though, because the thing is, computers cannot resist. You can always smash 'em up, and they're totally defenseless. All we need are more people with hammers.”

Thom Yorke

source http://radiohead1.tripod.com/band/thomquotes.htm

People , Age , World , Future

“wish us all a safe journey if you still like us and you're not one of those people i have managed to offend by doing nothing”

Thom Yorke

http://www.radiohead.com/deadairspace/index.php?a=461 source

People

“And I'm sorry for us
The dinosaurs roam the earth
The sky turns green”

Thom Yorke

"Where I End and You Begin"
Lyrics, Hail to the Thief (2003)

“I didn't really come into it expecting to make songs. It started just with random bits and pieces. I guess I thought there would be vocals, but I was thinking in terms of using little vocal shreds, and of making them part of the tapestry, not the main thing. But as soon as we had gone through the initial sketches, it became obvious that they could be quite direct. Nigel basically dragged me kicking and screaming toward the concept of them being actual songs.”

Thom Yorke

source http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Stage/9346/RAAmain.html
On making The Eraser.

Thinking , Parting

“He used to do surgery
On girls in the eighties,
But gravity always wins.”

Thom Yorke

Fake Plastic Trees
Lyrics, The Bends (1995)

Girl

“My big problem with corporate structure is this bizarre sense of loyalty you're supposed to feel -- towards what is basically a virus. It grows or dies, like any virus. And you use it for your own selfish ends.”

Thom Yorke

source http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/10464376/radioheads_thom_yorke_on_going_solo/2
On the record industry.

Feeling , Problem , Sense , Loyalty

“It's like a supply and demand thing. It's like 'Well, this is what they want me to do, this is what they want to hear. So I'll do more of this, cuz this is great… and they love me.' Suddenly people start giving you money as well. So then you've got money and you get used to this lifestyle. And you don't wanna take any risks 'cause they've got you by the balls, and you've got all these little things that you've bought, or you're attached to. And you start spending all this money… And that's how they get ya!”

Thom Yorke

source http://radiohead1.tripod.com/band/thomquotes.htm

Love , Money , People

“Time is running out for us
But you just move the hands upon the clock
You throw coins in the wishing well
For us
You just move your hands upon the wall”

Thom Yorke

"The Clock"
Lyrics, The Eraser (2006)

Time