Exit Music: The Radiohead Story

by Mac Randall

This October, when Radiohead release their highly anticipated follow-up to 1997's guitar-driven OK Computer, music critics may very well bestow the Oxford quintet with "The Most Important Band in Rock" accolade that cursed U2, R.E.M. and the Clash. The East Coast editor of Launch magazine, Randall is undoubtedly one of the many journalists eager to exclaim "genius!" again, but his biography of the Grammy winners is economical, restrained and unauthorized (band members "respectfully declined" Randall's requests to cooperate). After briefly reenacting the now mythic June 1997 concert at New York City's Irving Plaza, attended by rock's superstar aristocracy (Bono, Lenny Kravitz, Madonna, etc.), Randall smartly spends most of his narrative on the band's fascinating, decade-long conception in and around culturally barren Oxford, whose Radiohead landmarks he visited and lays out. Non- and neo-Anglophiles will especially appreciate Randall's definitions of British terms and background on the British music industry, music press and education system (all five musicians met at the all-male Abingdon School). As for the inevitable "record critique" chapters, Randall rarely throws in his two cents, preferring to sprinkle passages with the band's own pithy observations and recording-session anecdotes culled from magazine interviews. Exit music? Not quite, as Radiohead are pushing the boundaries of pop music (the new record is rumored to include Miles Davis and backwards singing). Because the book will be published right before the new album debuts, it will be nearly out of date by the time it hits bookstores. However, Randall's work will still serve as a reliable introduction to an ever-evolving band.

Genres: Music, Nonfiction, Biography, British Literature

288 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2000

About the author

Mac Randall has been the editor of JazzTimes since May 2018. Prior to that, he wrote regularly for the magazine. He has written about numerous genres of music for a wide variety of publications over the past 30 years, including Rolling Stone, The New York Times, Vanity Fair, The New York Observer, Mojo, and Guitar Aficionado, and he has worked on the editorial staffs of Musician, Launch (now Yahoo! Music), Guitar One, Teaching Music, Music Alive!, and In Tune Monthly. He lives in New York City.

Reviews

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thom Yorke es mi novio.

[Owen · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you're a Radiohead fan then you'll find lots of interesting tidbits here, but that's about the best you can say about the book. The author wasn't able to interview the band past a certain point but there's a distance from the subjects even in the early parts of the book. Mac clearly loves the band but to read long album reviews, detailed notes on non-album tracks and exhaustive documentation of how live shows went goes beyond what most readers want to consume. He feels more like a statistician than a writer and we have to draw our own conclusions about the band based on occasional glimpses of the personalities involved.
This book is very easy to put down, certainly a good choice to get you eyes drooping before bedtime. There must be better books on the band out there.

[Aaron · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had a lot of interesting information about Radiohead's beginnings and career but it was inconsistent. Everything after the Kid A recording sessions seemed sparse and a little dry, which kinda makes sense since the book was first published in 2000 and has been updated several times since then. Also, Radiohead haven't granted him many interviews since OK Computer so Randall didn't have a whole lot to work with after that.

The background info about the recording each album is interesting, but when Randall goes into 'review' mode it's kinda pointless. I don't really need him to tell song x is the best or worst part of the album.

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book about Radiohead. If you "get" Radiohead, you'll love this book. If you don't like Radiohead, which is the majority of people, don't waste your time.

[Caroline Décoste · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is probably the best Radiohead book out there, especially for the period from On a Friday to OK Computer. Granted, the book lacks in-depth information about the band after that period, but since the author could not rely on his own interviews, it's inevitable. I really appreciated how he tackles personal information (Thom Yorke's mental health, all members' families and relationships) with respect; I don't like gossip, I wanna read about my favorite band, not the Daily Mail. I almost bumped a star because I don't agree with some of his critical views about certain songs (how can someone say that ''Jigsaw Falling Into Place'' is one of the weakest track on In Rainbows?!), but that's subjective.
I got the most recent edition, that covers The King of Limbs, but I really, really hope that Mac Randall does another updated version that includes A Moon Shaped Pool. Please!

[Federico · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book does its job: it’s a very enjoyable mix of the lives of the members of Radiohead and an interesting report on their creative process, song crafting, and recording — from the early On a Friday demos to In Rainbows. It goes deep into musical details while remaining accessible to anyone without a musical education. I enjoyed reading it, and despite Mac Randall’s deep admiration for the band, he never holds back criticism when they disappoint him.

I do think it lacks something, though.

As a Radiohead nerd and collector, I would have appreciated a section listing all their releases, and perhaps a section with all the lyrics as well.

That said, I wonder if an updated edition including The King of Limbs, A Moon Shaped Pool, and The Smile will ever be released. I’d be so happy to have it.

[Vincenzo Pastore · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best way to know the history of the group, one of the most influential of the last twenty years. The title is the same of the forth track of "OK Computer", considered the milestone of the group of Oxford. The edition talks from the origines to "Hail to thief", talking about the introverted youth of Thom and the style metamorphosis, in beginning next to brit pop, then authentical and unique, melted of rock and electro music.

[Gianluca Calogero · Rating 4 out of 5]

Consigliatisismo per i fan dei Radiohead che vogliono conoscere il gruppo sotto vari aspetti: i vari approcci e situazioni che si sono creati a ogni sessione di registrazione in studio( i rapporti interni tra i cinque membri e soprattutto le nevrosi- angoscie di thom), il successo con creep e le sue conseguenze, i tour, i rapporti con la emi- industria musicale in generale e soprattutto la dettagliata analisi critica degli album, fino a King of limbs escluso, canzone per canzone.

[DAMIAN A R HARVEY · Rating 4 out of 5]

As in depth as was possible

Although limited in detail due to the band's famous privacy, I believe the author did a great job. I learnt a lot and enjoyed the timeline which flowed very well. You could do much worse if you wanted to learn Radiohead's history!

[Lillian · Rating 5 out of 5]

I gained a lot of cool new information about one of my favorite bands through this book that I couldn't find on the internet. I would love to hear the author's take on everything past OK Computer.

[Francisco Moreno]

Leí aproximadamente una quinta parte, pero me empezó a aburrir soberanamente

[Fellipe Moscardini · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great biography on my favorite band of all time. I got the 2000's edition so it only covers until "Ok Computer" but Mac Randall did a good piece of journalistic work here. It helps settle the personalities of Radiohead members as no longer these music myths but as fragile and complicated human beings. It also helped me understand how hard it is to be part of this amazing band. Before reading this book I thought Radiohead was this very intelectual band who were very rightous in their every cause and easily made these amazing albums, but after reading this book I thought "Wow...It sort of sucks to be Radiohead!". Great book (4/5 stars)


PS: Thom Yorke is definitely my favorite artist on earth, but back in the 90's he must've been such a fucking complicated ill-tempered asshole! Hopefully he calmed down nowadays...

[John M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fairly comprehensive account of the first decade of British alternative act, Radiohead. It is mere coincidence that I stopped following Radiohead after 'OK Computer' which is where this book finishes. Still, I learned much about the early years of the band and much about the fragile, high-strung nature of frontman Thom Yorke.
Mac Randall is obviously a seasoned music journalist. He discusses the songs in terms of their musical structure (beats, measures, tuning) that was a bit beyond me. Still, it was an enjoyable reading experience. Now if only someone could write a similar book on Puressence!

[Lindsay · Rating 3 out of 5]

The documenting of Radiohead's early career was very well researched and offered great insight into their struggles in recording and dealing with the pressures of fame. As the book moved beyond the OK Computer days, however, it seems less space was devoted to behind-the-scenes research and analysis, and more to simply listing the events that occurred around albums, including tours and publicity. For this reason the second half of the book suffers.

Additionally, the author's track-by-track looks at each album teeter on the edge of becoming a review. It is however great to hear the background to each song and stories behind recording.

[Tom · Rating 5 out of 5]

In order to like this book as much as I did, it really helps to like Radiohead as much as I do. If that is the case, then this book is full of useful information into the formation and process which has produced the best band today. This book only covers up through the release and tour of OK Computer, so through 1998 or so. The later edition added chapters on the other albums released after OK Computer, but those chapters sucked.

[Meish · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really interesting and well-written look inside the band and their music. The author analyzes every song on every album from the beginning through The King of Limbs, which makes me want to reread parts while listening to Radiohead music, just so I can get even more out of it. Recommended for any avid Radiohead fans.

[Margret Dorothea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Starts off well, interesting and fairly well written, but then it seems the author sort of lost interest. I could really feel when there were bits the author had added on in this revised edition; the latter half feels very halfhearted. Still, some interesting facts and stories about Radiohead, which is pretty much what I was after.

[Juliezs · Rating 3 out of 5]

Written like several over-long music magazine articles. Was interesting though to get a chronology of how the band came together in high school and managed to stay together as they got more and more popular.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book because it gave a lot of back-information of the band growing up and being interested and talented from the start and applying that into such a lasting, talented band (bias, of course). Some good pictures but a lot of information.

[Jay Cruz · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a good overview of the band's beginnings. You get an inside look of their "Britpop" period and their first 3 albums, Pablo Honey, The Bends, and OK Computer. (A least this edition. There's a 2004 updated edition)

[Jeremy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I kept accidentally stealing this from Daniella because I couldn't put it down. By far the best book I've seen on this band, not nearly as dry or obsessed with every useless fact like some other books.

[Jamie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Descent unauthorized early biography.Not entirely bad, considering it was written only from the perspective of Radiohead circa 2000, but slightly condescending at certain points. Best parts were the behind the scenes of the making of the first three albums.

[Bandini · Rating 2 out of 5]

Chi legge questo tipo di biografia è per forza un fan. Tale mi considero, e il giudizio non può che tenere conto. Chi ha vissuto l'evoluzione di questa fantastica band ha condiviso in questo libro la descrizione delle personalità dei suoi componenti e ci si è ritrovato. Grandi Radiohead!

[Bart Heeren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great biography, but Randall is way to opinionated for a biography. I don't care of he likes or dislikes certainly tracks, but shoehorning half hearted reviews into a factual text is extremely elitist.

[Glen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very fascinating book about radiohead at the peak of their rise to stardom. I love every radiohead album, but OK Computer is by far my favorite. Great to read the making of it.

[Imogen · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a really good book, and it revealed a lot of stuff about Radiohead I don't know, I highly reccomend it!

[flipperella · Rating 3 out of 5]

Se si vuole andare oltre l'aspetto prettamente musicale per comprendere appieno il fenomeno Radiohead, bisogna necessariamente leggere questa biografia.

[Mark Roche · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent biography yet the author loses interest after OK Computer and doesn't seem to be all that fond of their output after 1997.

[Sigurdur Guttormsson · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very fact-listing and musical-analytical account of one of my favourite bands. "Hail to the thief" chapter seems bitter (perhaps personal?) but overall sentiment is positive. The style becomes rather tedious, not really sticking to telling a story.