Thom Yorke “really doesn’t give a fuck” if you want Radiohead to return

Thom Yorke said he “really doesn’t give a fuck” if fans want Radiohead to return in a recent interview.

When asked by Australian outlet Double J about his thoughts on Radiohead fans’ speculation over the band’s future, Yorke replied: “I am not aware of it and don’t really give a flying fuck.”

In the interview, Yorke acknowledged that Radiohead isn’t a top priority for him right now, stating that he and the band have earned some space and freedom to focus on their individual projects. He said: “No offence to anyone and err, thanks for caring. But I think we’ve earned the right to do what makes sense to us without having to explain ourselves or be answerable to anyone else’s historical idea of what we should be doing.”

Meanwhile, Radiohead bassist Colin Greenwood said last month that the band have been back rehearsing together recently.

The musician was speaking in conversation with the Hay Festival Querétaro via video call on Sunday (September 8), which took place in Mexico.

“We did some rehearsals about two months ago in London, just to play the old songs,” he shared during the conversation. “And it was really fun, had a really good time.”

The bassist’s comments were welcomed by Radiohead fans, after his brother, guitarist Jonny Greenwood, revealed back in May that the band were all busy on separate projects.

“Well, The Smile are on tour, Ed [O’Brien] is making another solo record, Colin [Greenwood] is playing bass with Nick Cave – they’ve just done five sold-out nights at the Sydney Opera House – so lots of music is being made,” Greenwood told The Guardian.

He went on to say that all his bandmates were currently busy, “just not as Radiohead”.

“We’re still talking all the time, we just need to make a plan and get some time together sorted out in advance,” the musician continued. “I’ve never been very good at that. Too busy dicking around in this studio.”

Meanwhile,  Radiohead side project The Smile – comprising Radiohead’s Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood and Sons Of Kemet drummer Tom Skinner – have released their new album ‘Cutouts’, which NME gave four stars in a review. “Eschewing any grand, overarching statement, The Smile sound – whisper it – quite comfortable within what is now their established aesthetic,” it reads.

Later this week Yorke is due to start his solo tour, with the first show happening on Wednesday (October 23) in Christchurch, New Zealand.

Thom Yorke’s solo tour dates are:

OCTOBER 2024
23 – Christchurch, New Zealand @ Wolfbrook Arena
25 – Auckland, New Zealand @ Spark Arena
29 – Melbourne, Australia @ Sidney Myer Music Bowl
30 – Melbourne, Australia @ Sidney Myer Music Bowl

NOVEMBER 2024
01 – Sydney, Australia @ Sydney Opera House Forecourt
02 – Sydney, Australia @ Sydney Opera House Forecourt
05 – Singapore @ The Star Theatre
12 – Osaka, Japan @ Grand Cube
13 – Osaka, Japan @ Grand Cube
18 – Fukuoka, Japan @ Sunplace
19 – Hiroshima, Japan @ Hiroshima Bunka Gakuen HBG Hall
21 – Nagoya, Japan @ Century Hall
23 – Tokyo, Japan @ Tokyo Garden Theatre
24 – Tokyo, Japan @ Tokyo Garden Theatre
26 – Kyoto, Japan @ ROHM Theatre

Last month Yorke revealed plans to adapt Radiohead‘s pivotal 2003 album ‘Hail To The Thief’ for a new production of the iconic Shakespeare play Hamlet. 

The upcoming production, titled Hamlet: Hail to the Thief, will see Thom Yorke collaborating with Tony and Olivier Award-winning directors Steven Hoggett and Christine Jones.