Radiohead can wait: solo records for Thom Yorke and Ed O'Brien

Thom Yorke is working on a new solo project. The news comes from Ed O'Brien, who is currently promoting his own album “Blue Morpho” and hinted that the Radiohead frontman will release a record later this year.

In the meantime, the band seems set on sticking with a formula already tried out recently: a series of scaled-down tours, with around twenty shows a year spread across different continents. A carefully calibrated approach to live activity, running alongside each member's own intense solo output.

"What we're going to do is, every year, go to a different continent, and we'll play 20 shows a year. No more, no less," the guitarist explained, making clear his intention to keep things on a modest scale. The choice reflects a logic of artistic sustainability as much as practical organisation: "We want to give absolutely everything every night. We never want it to feel like we're coasting, or that we're forcing ourselves to carry on without the energy for it." A stance that also reflects an awareness of age: "We're not kids anymore."

Thom Yorke hasn't released a solo album since 2019, when "Anima" came out, but in recent years he's stayed busy with collaborations and side projects. The latest is "Tall Tales", made with electronic producer Mark Pritchard, on top of the three albums released with Smile alongside Jonny Greenwood and Tom Skinner.

O'Brien is also going solo again with "Blue Morpho", out on 22 May, six years on from his debut "Earth". The record is produced by Paul Epworth, who has previously worked with Paul McCartney and Adele. As for Jonny Greenwood, "Ranjha" has been announced, a new project with Shye Ben Tzur and the Rajasthan Express, also slated for May.

The Oxford band arrive fresh from a recent tour that marked their return to the stage after years away, with dates across the UK and Europe and a run of Italian shows in Bologna. 2026, however, will see no live activity from the band.

O'Brien has also recently looked back on a critical juncture in the band's recent history, admitting he had considered his time with Radiohead over after the 2018 tour supporting “A Moon Shaped Pool“. “Actually, I didn't want to, and they knew it. Ma l'ho fatto e sono contento di averlo fatto. L'ho portato fino in fondo”. The break that followed, along with the 2024 rehearsal sessions that paved the way for the band's live return, helped reignite his involvement.

Ride the wave of great music

Add OndaRock to your favorite sources on Google Discover. Don't miss our reviews, milestones and latest news straight in your feed.

Follow on Google