We Caught Up with 'Radiohead' Ahead of Friday's Tribute Show

By Ned Kelly, February 14, 2022

After being the Flaming Lips at the 2020 Halloween Tribute Show, Shanghai based indie band Deku became Radiohead at this year's edition. The set went so well, that they are doing a follow-up gig this Friday. We caught up with the band's three core members – E.J. from Upstate New York, Jonathan from Nashville and Kiko from Manila – to find out more.

When did you first get into Radiohead?

Kiko: Admittedly, I only really got into them because of the Halloween show. Shame, I know! I’ll leave the waxing poetic to Jonathan because he’s probably the biggest fan I know...
Jonathan: I first got into Radiohead during high school. The song 'Everything in Its Right Place' was in the opening scene of a film I loved, and that caused me to dive deeper into their music.
That discovery turned into 6+ months of listening to nothing but Radiohead albums in my car and they’ve been my favorite band ever since.
I could go on and on about why, but simply put for me it’s a mixture of emotive, out-of-the-box chord progressions with beautifully haunting melodies, plus the uniquely ethereal and immersive journey their songs take me on.
E.J.: Growing up I had heard of 'Creep' and a few tracks, but never gave them much thought. But when they released In Rainbows as the first ever “pay what you want” album, I had to give them an honest try. I didn’t pay anything when I first downloaded it, listened to it, went back and paid $20.

Favorite Radiohead song?

Jonathan: There is absolutely no way for me to nail down one song as my favorite so I’ll have to answer this in a different way. They recently put out a virtual exhibition called Kid A Mnesia for PS5, where you walk through darkly surreal rooms of Radiohead artwork that trigger different songs and visual experiences. Some of my favorite listening experiences during this exhibition were 'Pyramid Song,' 'Optimistic,' and 'Dollars & Cents.'
Kiko: ‘There, There.’ I love how the song sounds and grooves; it’s got a tribal-like feel to it. I also love how it’s a slow burn in terms of pacing, as the song maintains this musical tension until about the last third, when it just rocks out.
E.J.: 'The National Anthem' from Kid A or 'Nude' from In Rainbows. I like those songs that rip your heart out in one way or another.

And lyric?

Jonathan: Again, there are too many to narrow it down. One that happens to come to mind now is from the song 'Subterranean Homesick Alien.' These lyrics capture both an atmosphere of bittersweet isolation and a sort of claustrophobia induced by modern life that flow through a lot of their lyrics.
“I wish that they’d swoop down in a country lane / Late at night while I’m driving / Take me on board their beautiful ship / Show me the world as I’d love to see it.”
Kiko: So, in 'Karma Police,' there’s a bit that goes, “For a minute there, I lost myself,” and it just repeats over and over. My little 2-year-old heard it and started singing it, and she still sings it every now and then to this very day. I guess I love it because my daughter latched onto that lyric, haha.
E.J.: I’m agreeing with Kiko on this one, “For a minute there, I lost myself, I lost myself.” Those lyrics get me every. single. time.

And album?

Jonathan: Six of their albums are tied for my favorite. These include OK Computer, Kid A, Amnesiac, Hail to the Thief, In Rainbows, and The King of Limbs. I enjoy the other albums as well, but for me these are where Radiohead has really come into their own creatively and are continuing to push the envelope musically as they evolve from album to album.
Kiko: OK Computer. Can’t go wrong with that one.
E.J.: Every album has a few bangers. But my favorite top to bottom has to be King of Limbs.

Favorite song to perform?

Jonathan: Probably 'Nude.' It is such an incredibly beautiful song, and every time we play it, I’m overwhelmed by getting to actually hear all of the moving parts in a live setting.
Kiko: I like performing '2+2=5.' The song has a nice ebb and flow to it; it’s got an interesting time signature change; and personally, I think it’s a great introduction to someone who isn’t too familiar with Radiohead (like me).
E.J.: 'Just' from The Bends has the perfect amount of lyrical gentleness and rocking out, making it such a fun song to play.

What song was the hardest to learn?

Jonathan: The hardest song to learn for me was 'Paranoid Android.' It has several changing sections, as well as measure-to-measure time signature changes.
Kiko: Plus one on 'Paranoid Android.' It was a train wreck when we did it the first time during our early rehearsals – which is why it was so satisfying when we were able to pull it off!
E.J.: Dude… 'Paranoid Android.' The band was ecstatic the first time we pulled it off in rehearsal.

Radiohead are famously tired of playing ‘Creep’ – we trust you have not got to that stage yet and we can expect to hear it?

Jonathan: Yes, you will hear 'Creep' at the show!

Are you adding to the set list from the Halloween Tribute Show?

Jonathan: Yes, we’ve got a couple of surprises, but you’ll have to come to the gig to find out what they are.

Is this the last outing for Radiohead, or will there be more gigs in future?

Jonathan: We don’t have any specific plans, but it could happen with the right opportunity. Our indie rock band Deku just wrapped up recording our second album of original music, so our main focus will be on that band rather than being a regular tribute band. However, doing Radiohead shows is a ton of fun!

Any other bands lined up for the tribute treatment?

Jonathan: We’ve got a few ideas in the works, but you’ll have to wait until the 2022 Yuyintang Halloween Tribute Show lineup announcement to find out.