Radiohead Reveal Why They Stopped Touring For Seven Years: “The Wheels Came Off A Bit”
Radiohead have explained that they haven’t performed live for seven years because “the wheels came off a bit” in 2018, forcing them to stop. The band recently announced their return to the stage with a European tour spanning November 4 to December 12, including four nights each in Madrid, Bologna, London, Copenhagen and Berlin – tickets for which sold out rapidly.
These upcoming shows will be the first since the conclusion of their ‘A Moon Shaped Pool’ world tour in August 2018, following 77 performances. Radiohead haven’t released new music since the album ‘A Moon Shaped Pool’ in 2016.
Speaking to The Times, Thom Yorke revealed the reasons behind the lengthy hiatus. “I guess the wheels came off a bit, so we had to stop,” he said. “There were a lot of elements. The shows felt great but it was, like, let’s halt now before we walk off this cliff.”
Yorke also shared that he was still processing the grief following the death of his first wife, Dr. Rachel Owen, in December 2016. “I needed to stop anyway,” he explained. “As I hadn’t really given myself time to grieve.” He added that his grief was manifesting in ways that required him to step away,and that music,while usually a source of solace,sometimes “literally hurts” during times of trauma.
Guitarist Ed O’Brien has also commented on the seven-year gap, expressing initial nervousness heading into rehearsals.
Radiohead Members Reflect on Israel-Palestine Controversy, Disagree on Future Performances
Radiohead band members have recently shared their perspectives on the ongoing controversies surrounding their stance on the Israel-Palestine conflict, revealing internal disagreements and the personal toll the backlash has taken. The discussions come amid renewed criticism as the band prepares for a 2025 tour.
The band first faced significant criticism in 2017 for performing a concert in Tel Aviv, Israel. https://www.nme.com/news/music/radiohead-perform-controversial-show-israel-2113214 More recently, in 2024, frontman Thom Yorke engaged in a heated exchange with a pro-Palestinian protester during a solo performance in Melbourne. https://www.nme.com/news/music/thom-yorke-clash-onstage-pro-palestinian-protester-melbourne-show-3808026 Guitarist Jonny Greenwood has also been a target of criticism for his collaborations with and performances alongside Israeli musician Dudu Tassa. https://www.nme.com/news/music/radioheads-jonny-greenwood-speaks-out-against-silencing-israeli-artists-for-being-born-jewish-in-israel-while-defending-current-project-3762531, https://www.nme.com/news/music/radioheads-jonny-greenwood-plays-show-in-israel-reportedly-protests-for-hostage-deal-and-elections-3761459
According to reports, Yorke stated that the ongoing criticism feels like a “low-level Arthur Miller witch-hunt” and “wakes him up at night.” He also indicated he would “absolutely not” perform in Israel with Radiohead again. Though, Greenwood reportedly “politely disagreed,” characterizing the backlash as “the embodiment of the left,” and adding, “The left look for traitors, the right for converts and it’s depressing that we are the closest they can get.”
The Boycott,Divestment,and Sanctions (BDS) movement has called for a boycott of Radiohead’s upcoming 2025 tour,arguing that the band’s “complicit silence” and support for Israeli performers during the conflict in Gaza constitutes support for what they describe as a “genocide against Palestinians.” https://www.nme.com/news/music/bds-movement-call-for-boycott-of-radioheads-2025-tour-3889991