Radiohead's "OK Computer" To Be Archived In US Library of Congress

what does the honor signify, that if theres a worldwide nuclear holocaust, ok computer will somehow be preserved?

Also I didn't know there was a library of congress. Does the congress actually read books ?

Pretty sure whatever status they're bestowing on these albums is just based on a semi-arbitrary line in the sand, kinda like the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame.

And no, US Congresspersons do not actually read books, in fact they can't be arsed to read the legislation that industry lobby groups write on their behalf.

Oh and the above notwithstanding OK Computer is a massive fucking album.

Pablo Honey and The Bends are pretty garbage albums IMHO (not very humble wording lol), but Ok Computer is outstanding.

i'm radiohead fan (sorry Richard!) & sure ok computer is their album was the best selling. i remember the succes of it & the revolution they made with this album musically... For me, unexceptional since U2 with Atchung Baby... but Radiohead were more electro than U2 in Rock...

  On 3/25/2015 at 8:49 PM, Goiter Sanchez said:

 

Right on! Also, love your avatar!

 

Hey, thanks! w/S3 in the wings, a great time to be a Twin Peaks fan!

@Palo Alto - That Nimes gig is a great one! Pretty sure I have a bootleg of it floating around somewhere - really glad you and your dad got a chance to go together - their concerts can be pretty magical experiences (verging on quasi-spiritual, yeah?)

@ Brisbot . . . lol, right? I guess it gives Radiohead geeks like me a chance to pontificate on their virtues. . . which I'm not sure makes it a good thing ;-P

@whoever made the comment about their avante-guard-y newer materials. Yeah, TKOL felt like it was skittering on the edge of that territory. . . I really hate to say it, but I feel like Thom Yorke's solo stuff has gone way over that edge. I kinda shudder with worry that the next Radiohead album will be a Thom Yorke album "with guests" instead a truly coherent piece. . . . only time will tell though!

It was amazing, I saw them at Glastonbury in 03 a few weeks before, but I prefer the Nimes gig.

Interestingly, I saw them for the first time when I was 16 in 2001 and they added a Belfast show out of the blue in between Scandinavian and Japanese dates, I'll never know why exactly, it was hardly even advertised, it's probably still the best gig I've ever been to. All Amnesiac/Kid A amazingness.

  On 3/25/2015 at 3:39 PM, Joyrex said:

was there really anything groundbreaking/special about it when it was released?

yes. and it's very special, both now and then. I remember when it came out, it was kind of a sleeper hit (took some time for people to catch on)... I think it's because it took awhile to wrap one's head around it all :)

  On 3/25/2015 at 11:49 PM, Candiru said:

It's one of those albums that deserves its spot as One Of The Best Ever. I never thought Kid A was a masterpiece but OK Computer is like god level.

correct!

  On 3/26/2015 at 4:08 PM, AdieuErsatzEnnui said:

Pablo Honey and The Bends are pretty garbage albums IMHO...

The Bends is "garbage"? you're kidding, right? do yourself a favor, give it another fair listen. Planet Telex, Fake Plastic Trees, Just, My Iron Lung, the title track...

  On 3/26/2015 at 6:23 PM, T35513R said:

. . I really hate to say it, but I feel like Thom Yorke's solo stuff has gone way over that edge. I kinda shudder with worry that the next Radiohead album will be a Thom Yorke album "with guests" instead a truly coherent piece. . . . only time will tell though!

 

im not so sure. he has done so much solo material since tkol, id bet a lot of that control would be out of his system and working with radiohead again would go in different directions by default. no way is a genius like greenwood being a guest in his own band. I'm sure he is never short on creative ideas.

  On 3/26/2015 at 4:08 PM, AdieuErsatzEnnui said:

Pablo Honey and The Bends are pretty garbage albums IMHO (not very humble wording lol), but Ok Computer is outstanding.

The Bends garbage? I will fight you through my computer screen, name a website, I will see you there.

it seems likely that the congress is accumulating smoking music now that weed is legal in dc

  On 3/25/2015 at 7:40 PM, colunga said:

Over the years I've come to rest on The Bends as being my favorite tho

yeah I think I like the bends more too. planet telex is a great tune.

gave it a spin yesterday, it's still great but kid a took it to another level imo. what bothered me is that the recording quality is kinda poop compared to later rh albums, it never bothered me before but now with proper equipment it does sound underwhelming in that regard, everything sounds very mushed together..

  On 3/26/2015 at 7:42 PM, mrgerbik said:

 

  On 3/25/2015 at 3:39 PM, Joyrex said:

was there really anything groundbreaking/special about it when it was released?

yes. and it's very special, both now and then. I remember when it came out, it was kind of a sleeper hit (took some time for people to catch on)... I think it's because it took awhile to wrap one's head around it all :)

 

  On 3/25/2015 at 11:49 PM, Candiru said:

It's one of those albums that deserves its spot as One Of The Best Ever. I never thought Kid A was a masterpiece but OK Computer is like god level.

correct!

 

  On 3/26/2015 at 4:08 PM, AdieuErsatzEnnui said:

Pablo Honey and The Bends are pretty garbage albums IMHO...

 

The Bends is "garbage"? you're kidding, right? do yourself a favor, give it another fair listen. Planet Telex, Fake Plastic Trees, Just, My Iron Lung, the title track...

 

I think you're right about sleeper hit at the time... All I really recall about 1997 was seeing "Karma Police" playing on MTV (back when they actually showed videos) quite a bit - the video is interesting, for sure. Not too sure about the song though.

I don't get all this praise for this album here. Isn't this pretty much the period when Torm Yolk was out of ideas and he pretty much decided to rip off Aphex, SP, Ae, and BOC, except he knew that he would gain more commercial success if he sang on top of it, 'cause the hoi poloi won't listen to music if there's "no words"? At the time, I was pretty annoyed and offended by that (being a thoroughly converted Warp guy since '95).

  On 3/27/2015 at 3:55 PM, apriorion said:

I don't get all this praise for this album here. Isn't this pretty much the period when Torm Yolk was out of ideas and he pretty much decided to rip off Aphex, SP, Ae, and BOC, except he knew that he would gain more commercial success if he sang on top of it, 'cause the hoi poloi won't listen to music if there's "no words"? At the time, I was pretty annoyed and offended by that (being a thoroughly converted Warp guy since '95).

You're thinking of Kid A - OK Computer was long before that...

Oh, shows how much I pay attention to these narcissistic rock musicians. Ha.

  On 3/27/2015 at 3:56 PM, Joyrex said:

 

  On 3/27/2015 at 3:55 PM, apriorion said:

I don't get all this praise for this album here. Isn't this pretty much the period when Torm Yolk was out of ideas and he pretty much decided to rip off Aphex, SP, Ae, and BOC, except he knew that he would gain more commercial success if he sang on top of it, 'cause the hoi poloi won't listen to music if there's "no words"? At the time, I was pretty annoyed and offended by that (being a thoroughly converted Warp guy since '95).

You're thinking of Kid A - OK Computer was long before that...

 

heh, I was wondering the same thing when i read this post... are we talking about OK Computer?

the big Radiohead electronic kickstart was def Kid A.

Oh I forgot music evolved from Aphex Warp artists. People should really remember that when talking about music.

Before Warp no one ever made electronic music, or even knew what electricity was.

Yeah people should remember that. Fucking hippies

Good straw man, you guys. That's totally what I was thinking. What are you, pyschic or something?

That's what I get, for not knowing the history of some pretty important rock band. Laugh Out Loud.

Warp invented straw men too, and straw dogs, possibly wicker men.

yea kid a sounds like a rip off of aphex and ae