Interviewer: Alright, that was the song "2+2=5" from the brand new Radiohead album "Hail to the Thief". Right now, I'm in the park right by the swings with drummer and guitarist Phil Selway and Ed O'Brien of Radiohead. So, guys, we manage to check in with each other, every few years, when an album pops out. How the heck is it going with you?
Phil Selway: Really well, actually.
Ed O'Brien: Very well. Very well.
Phil Selway: Yeah, it's been a good time for us as a band. Um, you know, we got a lot our of making the record. Um, you know, it's actually -- for us, we work quickly, and we're able to work in a way we've never worked before, really. There's a confidence about what we were doing. Yeah, it's good to come to the end of that -- think, "Well, we actually achieved what we set out to do." And listening to a record, which I can actually listen to now, rather than having to wait about three years before I ever listen to it again.
Interviewer: That's a relief. Goal achieved with the album: you can listen to it.
Ed O'Brien: Yeah.
Interviewer: That's a good thing.
Phil Selway: Mm-hmm.
Interviewer: Two and a half weeks. I'm mean, that's, um, that's breakneck speed to be able to record an album.
Ed O'Brien: Yeah. It's a bit longer than that. We did two weeks in America. Then, we did five weeks back at home. But, for us, that's the quickest since "Pablo Honey," which was done in three.
Sook-Yin Lee: So, why the fast and dirty approach to "Hail to the Thief"?
Ed O'Brien: (Giggles) Uh, 'cause maybe it's a reaction to the last two records, where it was a continuous year and a half. But, also because [we're] in our thirties or maybe there's a "fast and dirty" thing that's going on with us.
Sook-Yin Lee: A feeling like time's running out?
Ed O'Brien: Well, not time's running out, but I think that there's a certain energy that we wanted to get. And, in order to get that energy, you have to work quickly. You can't think about things. You can't be too cerebral about -- which we've kind of done in the past and, in doing so, you, sort of, slowly extract what little energy there is. So, the important thing is: It's a kind of intuitive record and it's less of the head and more of the heart, you know?
Phil Selway: Mm-hm.
Sook-Yin Lee: So, you managed to get out of your head. I mean, some of the best art is about that -- trying to get out of your head and just be in the moment.
Ed O'Brien: Exactly. And that's what it was about: letting go. Just to trust in one another, to trust in the process, trust in the songs Thom has written; he trusts in us; trust in Nigel. You know, it's kinda like, "Let's just chill out. Let's enjoy this. Let's, you know, make a record that, um, doesn't have any of that baggage. Let's see what we can do without all that baggage."
Sook-Yin Lee: Well, I mean, you guys -- what I know of you -- are like the teetotaling, analytical eggheads. The brain guys. Now, how hard was it to get out of your head?
Ed and Phil: (undiscernible + laughter)
Sook-Yin Lee: You know, it's like getting out of your head has to be meaning like tickling you. I'm tickling.
Phil Selway: (laughing) Get off, get off.
Sook-Yin Lee: I'm tickling.
Phil Selway: (laughing) Oh, too much flatter.
Sook-Yin Lee: But the thing is that's the way of getting out of your head is to tickle you.
Ed O'Brien: Is it, really?
Phil Selway: Is it?
Sook-Yin Lee: Yeah, well, for sure!
Ed O'Brien: (Feigning confidence with a deep voice) We're five men from England.
Sook-Yin Lee: (Laughs)
Ed O'Brien: We don't tickle one another, Sook-Yin. We're far too... (laughs)
Phil Selway: Don't even think of it. (Laughs)
Sook-Yin Lee: But, I mean, the challenge of getting out of your head, to feel in your body. Like, how hard was that to do?
Ed O'Brien: Not very hard, actually. The thing is it's reassurance. It's kinda like not panicking, not worrying. It's like...
Sook-Yin Lee: How the hell did you guys not panic?! Isn't panic key to Radiohead?
Ed O'Brien: Well, you know, we adopted a good posture.
Sook-Yin Lee: (Laughs)
Ed O'Brien: We're aware of some mindful breathing, and, um, ate -- we have great lunches. This is the secret. One thing we found out's that we like to eat a lot. And, when we're rehearsing and recording and on the road, we have great food. We have these big lunches, and kind of Mediterranean style, where we all sit there and finish up with three courses and coffee and chocolate, and it's fantastic.
Sook-Yin Lee: (Laughs)
Phil Selway: (Laughs)
Ed O'Brien: So, it's very important to eat well.
Sook-Yin Lee: So, you're in this satiated reverie, and then you're able to get out of your head.
Ed O'Brien: Yeah. Yeah, and just enjoy it and then (imitating band members), "Oh, maybe we should do some playing now?! Oh, yes, it's four o'clock!" (Laughs)
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Phil Selway: It's not always been as comfortable a relationship as it is now, really.
Sook-Yin Lee: You're referring to, like... It's not always been easy for you. There have been many conflicts that you've all collectively addressed and tried to overcome, and, at the end, it seems like you're friends.
Phil Selway: There, kind of, have been unspoken conflicts, haven't there?
Ed O'Brien: Because a lot of it comes from within, as well -- that you think that, you know, some of the conflicts that may have been have arose [arisen] out of people's deep-seated unhappiness, and you think -- you blaming other people for that unhappiness when, actually, it's you, you know. So, I think that that's kind of, you know? I think it's the usual stuff that we all try and work out as we, you know, leave our teens and then go through our twenties and then through our thirties and not wanting to, you know, continue that -- "Well, why aren't I happy? Oh, it's not actually because of them. It's more deep-seated." So, I think that, um, we've just found ways of... I mean, I think we've tackled it individually and then collectively during "Kid A" and "Amnesiac." We addressed certain things. But, it kind of... It's sort of oozed out quite nicely, really?
Sook-Yin Lee: You guys ever have to go to band therapy?
Phil Selway: (Joking) "Hi, my name's Phillip, and, uh...
Ed O'Brien: (Jokingly clapping, as though at a meeting) (Laughs)
Phil Selway: (Laughs) Um, no.
Ed O'Brien: No.
Phil Selway: No. Uh, you know it's uh... I think it would have been quite interesting... I think we would have made a great case study.
Sook-Yin Lee: Only you guys know the secret world of Radiohead, but I can only imagine. You must have had some pretty crazy times.
Phil Selway: Um, we've been together now for seventeen, eighteen years. And we've been working closely. We've been through some very intense experiences together. And, so, yeah. I mean, that's exactly what you would expect. Especially, you know, you're having your relationship with each other where you get together as high school kids, you know. And you relate to each other like that. That's how we related to each other for most of our twenties, I think. And, suddenly, to try and make that transition from schoolboys to actually having an adult relationship together, where, around that, there are a lot of expectations on you, as well. You know, that is going to have a lot of fallout, at points.
Sook-Yin Lee: Well, for all the, sort of, anxiety and confusion, there's always joy. Are you guys...
Ed O'Brien: Of course.
Sook-Yin Lee: Do you guys feel the joy?
Ed O'Brien: Yeah, definitely. And that's the thing about living for the moment. I mean, and that's part of the record. I mean, I think, that's the great thing about this is that, you know, when we made "Kid A" and "Amnesiac," we certainly got sucked in by the whole state of the world. But, this one, it's like, "Okay, it's crap, but let's enjoy the fact that we're making music together, and, so, yeah. There is... Of course, there's a lot of joy.
Sook-Yin Lee: Is Thom off his rocker these days or is he in a good place?
Ed O'Brien: He's in a very good place. Everybody's in a very, very good place. it's really nice. It's nice 'cause it affects the way, obviously, we play music. So, the live shows. Once we settle down from the impact of playing in front of people, rather than playing amongst ourselves, it's gonna be great. It's gonna be really exciting. There are gonna be good nights out. (Giggles)
Sook-Yin Lee: Alright. Well, thank you so much. And here's to joy, guys, and continue on with the good work.