The best of Radiohead music videos!
Ok. So here’s the deal.. Radiohead is a band which has been stuck inside my head ever since I got their discography (how? I shall refrain from mentioning). The first song I heard by the band was Paranoid Android. Before this, the band sort of just existed loosely somewhere in my music collection till that very enlightening moment.
Rough time: 2:36 PM. Tuesday. 1st February 2008. Paranoid Android is played on my iPod 30 GB.
Approximately 6 and a half minutes later, my perception about the band changes….for the better. Need I mention that? :O
Anyhow, so the next few months are spent on Youtube checking out their live performances (some splendid, some not so splendid) and interviews of the band. Radiohead starts to make sense (not that they couldn’t before but for a metal freak it requires a little extra time on the hands to step into non-metal music!). And I knew more than anything else at this point of time that they were a band who could never stop coming out with great concepts and ideas (abstract/non-abstract) and of course, brilliantly arranged music.
So anyway, of all the music videos I seen by Radiohead till now, some which have been really well laid out and shot were as follows (not in order of preference):-
- Street Spirit (Fade Out): This is probably one of the most well shot Radiohead video’s ever. The video is constantly shifting gears in between normal motion and slow-mo and is in entirely black and white format. Lighting is played with constantly from various funny angles, making the video well worth the watch.
- There There : I love the song mainly because of the way it keeps building. The percussion are amazing and so is the arrangement of guitars; watching Yorke perform on this song makes me want to be him in the next life. Anyway, so the video justifies the mood of the music perfectly and is most probably done in stop motion according to me. Cool sets, subtle-toned down colors and textures gives the video an eerie and dark feel to the whole song. Justice is done! Check it out yourself.|
3. The National Anthem: OK. This is not really an official video made by the band or their label. This one’s actually a fan made video from First Runner-Up in MTV Latin America’s “Make Your Radiohead Video” contest. It was directed by Un Circunciso Y Dos No. The video is just splendid if you closely check out the editing. Very slick, very smart and precise editing! No wonder this guy won. The surprising part of it being that the band is not even featured in the video! See for yourself
4. All I Need (Official MTV Video): Ok. This was a part of a project which MTV had launched some time back to address the cause of child exploitation and slavery. So Radiohead and the channel joined hands to make this video. The video displays the everyday life of a child which goes to school and that of which who has to work in a shoe factory. Touching video with brilliant format and content! Must watch!
5. Just: Confusing, artsy, funny…it’s “Just”-The Music Video. The whole music video is in sync with the lyrics progression. The story starts with a man walking and falling on the street. But he never gets up. The story moves forward when another man walking on the street trips because of him. He wants to help the guy genuinely but the man does not want to get up. What follows is a weird and confusing comic story with not so much of a conclusion to it. But maybe that was the whole point of the video! It’s “Just”!
What’s your take on the famous five? Feel free to comment and list your videos too!
