Thom Yorke’s Blog

Now that I'm a media mogul, a few new rules

By Thom Yorke

Bio & Blog

The Guardian, following the longstanding magazine tradition of making senseless lists for the sheer joy of making senseless lists, recently released its much-anticipated-by-no-one "Media 100," which ranks influential UK media people. To my surprise, I am ranked number 63 on the list, which apparently means I have to take orders from number 62, Roly Keating, but I can tell Lucian Grainge (number 64), to shine my shoes and he has to do it.

I am now, for lack of a better term, a "major player in the industry," and I can do what I like. I'm going to wear sunglasses all the time now.

And that's not all. Here are other changes I'm going to implement:

The following instruments are banned from popular music: the mandolin, the glockenspiel, the accordian, the harpsicord, the slide whistle, and especially the banjo. If this means The Decemberists will have to disband, that's a risk I'm willing to take.

Charismatic lead singers of well known bands cannot champion the fight against global warming: I called dibs on the environment, and Bono has African children pretty well covered. So if Chris Martin or the chap from Wilco want to become politically active, they'll have to find their own causes. Might I suggest campaign finance reform or a law banning particularly heavy women from wearing sundresses?

Punk is dead. Seriously, it's time. I hate to break it to you kids, but your one-chord, two-minute song lambasting the military-industrial complex is not going to change anything.

If it's brown, flush it down. If it's yellow, leave it mellow. Just a good idea in general. If discovered, violators will be shot.

Friday is officially funny hat day. I may come across as a particularly harsh media overlord, but really, I'm a bit of a softie at heart. So on Friday, all members of the music industry can wear a funny hat! Doesn't that sound like a lark? Bjork, of course, can wear a regular hat, since she wears funny hats every day.

7/18/2008 12:25 PM, New York
7 comments

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Comments

Al Gore:

congratulations on making that fabulous list!
i have always admired your band 'the radioheads'
particularly my favorite song has been starlight..
blame it on the starlight..

7/18/2008 8:51 PM

this is totally not jonny greenwood. nope.:

Thom, you silly sod, some of our... er, Radiohead's songs use a glockenspiel. Remember a little number called "No Surprises"? I think all of that fair trade lager you've been on about lately might be going to your head.

And I strongly feel you should reconsider your position on the banjo. It is truly a wonderful and misunderstood instrument. I myself am quite passionate about the banjo, and I'm sure you would be too if you would only give it a chance. Just one little chance won't hurt anything. I think you owe it to the rest of the band. After all, you've been completely unreasonable on the matter for some time now. Aren't you the one who's always saying we should "try new things" and "keep an open mind"? I've already given up meat, gasoline, plastic, heroin, guitars, songs that have ever been played on a commercial radio station, and shoulder-length hair just because you said they were bad ideas. I think you at least owe me an explanation this time. Why? Why can't we just use a goddamn banjo, Thom? You can't ban my random instruments forever! You keep banning them from the recording studio, and I'll just keep finding ones that are even more rare and random.

...I apologize, I might have gotten a bit carried away there. As I said, I am very passionate on the subject. Perhaps you should consult your lead guitarist/resident ondist/supertalented multi-instrumentalist and composer on the matter.

7/24/2008 8:58 PM

Mel Gibson:

Can I get some love for the banjo??!?

7/24/2008 10:35 PM

possibly Ed O'Brien...:

Hey Thom, uh, I've run into a little trouble. Could I get 50 bucks?

And maybe, you know, I could start playing something besides pedals? Maybe? I swear, its all Colin's idea, really. He thinks I've got great musical vision. Or something like that, honestly, I'm pretty wasted right now.

7/28/2008 6:36 PM

Thom Yorke:

not jonny and possibly ed:
NO

7/29/2008 10:11 PM

Bill Gates:

you're a freak, thom! I'm shocked, I thought you work as good as computers... you won't inherit my money, for doubt, sorry

7/31/2008 3:34 PM

Phillip Selway:

I wub purrple shirts. don't ban them or i'll cut chu.

8/14/2008 12:22 PM

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