Radiohead guitarist Ed O’Brien speaks about the band’s future

Virgin Radio

22 Jul 2022, 09:39

With it having been a while since we heard any new material from Radiohead, Ed O’Brien from the band has spoken about what the future holds. 

The most recent studio album from the acclaimed band came all the way back in 2016, with A Moon Shaped Pool, and their last live shows were in 2018. Whilst last year they released Kid A Mnesia - a reissue compiling Kid A, Amnesiac and previously unreleased material from the sessions - there hasn’t been any suggestion of new material from the five-piece for a while.

Indeed, the band members have been busy on other projects. For instance, Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood have formed a new band, The Smile, and guitarist Ed O’Brien brought out his debut solo album, Earth, in 2020.

The latter has spoken to The Line-Up Podcast about when, and in fact, whether, the group are planning on getting back together at any point. Saying, “There’s no Radiohead at the moment,” he latter added: “It might happen, but the other thing is… it might not” 

Talking more about his band, the guitarist continued: “The thing with Radiohead, we could do something in a couple years. We might not. But I think what it has to be, it has to be five people going, ‘I really want to do this again with you.’ And I think at the moment, because we’ve done it for so long, we’re all reaching out and having different experiences. And that should be allowed, and that should be encouraged.”

However, Radiohead fans certainly shouldn’t give up hope of the band working together again. Ed said: “We’re brothers. We probably will play together.

“It could be that it doesn’t happen. I’m sure it will do. I’m almost certain that it will do. But you’ve got to also be able to be fine with it not happening again.”

He added: “We’re not going to be one of those bands that gets together for the big payday.”