OK Computer might not have come out until July 1, 1997 in the United States; however, May 21st marks the 25th anniversary of the release in Japan, and Radiohead‘s Ed O’Brien took the opportunity to reflect on the album in a pair of Instagram posts. Inspired by a BB6 Music’s celebration of OK Computer, the guitarist reminisced about working with producer Nigel Godrich for the first time, recording in Jane Seymour’s mansion, opening for Alanis Morissette (where they “first met the light that was Taylor Hawkins“), and the band’s general thoughts and work ethic 25 years ago.
We recently unearthed an archive of SPIN’s 90 Best Albums of the 1990s list. See where OK Computer landed here, and read O’Brien’s full message below.
Going underground
So.. today is apparently the 25th anniversary of OK Computer’s release. @bbc6music are celebrating this and the year 1997…
OK a few thoughts in no particular order..
Wow… feels like an age away.. 1997 belonged to a different era .. we were just kids.. with unswerving focus and drive .. no partying just the desire to make better and better work.. it was fucking exciting .. people seemed to get what we were doing and the gigs were getting more powerful .. we were absorbing so much more music outside of our alternative guitar thing.. bitches brew.. what’s going on.. in a silent way.. pet sounds .. Scott Walker… @underworld .. @massiveattackofficial … @portisheadofficial …it was pretty DIY .. we built our own mobile studio and co produced the album with @nigel_godrich .. he did a beautiful job .. think it was his first production work .. we knew he was the one….. we sought inspiring places to record rather than conventional recording studios.. one space was nicknamed canned applause… it was literally inside a vast metal box for storing apples .. one was the magical St Catherine’s Court owned by Jane Seymour .. and it was a magical time .. so many hours put into rehearsing these songs …then toured and played them in .. thank you @alanis for choosing us to open for her, that allowed us to play all these songs that would become OKC.. that’s where we first met the light that was Taylor Hawkins.. although we knew we were on to something we had no idea what it would become .. how could you? ..even now listening today to some of the talk on the radio, I’m truly overwhelmed and still surprised.. we were on one side of it and couldn’t really comprehend the public side of it .. then there was Glastonbury … dreams coming true .. darkness also.. you think these things will fix you .. they don’t .. that work comes later .. everything put on hold to get these songs out…
So grateful, thankful for the people we had around us at the time .. management,crew, our Parlophone and Capitol labels.. we were a family .. no cliché.. we were and we all busted a gut and put our heart and soul into it … still do..
Thank you to @bbc6music for celebrating this music .. thank you to each and every one of you who has joined us on that journey .. we are ALL a part of it.. and thank you as always to my Brothers, Philip, Colin, Jonny and Thom .. All love
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