How a tribute band helped Radiohead come to terms with ‘Creep’
So, ‘Creep’ then. By now, it’s more of a meme than a song, and to my mind, that suits it perfectly. An everlasting, Radiohead-penned monument to how the lacerating angst of 1990s alternative rock became a slouching parody of itself. A song as dumb as a Beavis and Butthead chuckle, minus the laughs, with all the substance that leaves behind.
It’s relatable, I guess. Those guitar stabs before the chorus hits are cool. The idea of it overshadowing the career that Radiohead have gone on to have is legitimately terrifying, though, and I speak as someone who isn’t a die-hard fan of Thom Yorke and Co. I like the band well enough. A little too heady for my liking, and Yorke’s lyrics (not to mention his voice) don’t sit that well with me. The high points, though, are completely undeniable.
The Bends, OK Computer, Kid A and In Rainbows are all exactly as good as their reputation suggests. Because of that, I have always, always understood how much Radiohead seemed to despise their breakout hit. Most of the time, to say that attitude irks me is an understatement. There are few first world problems more aggravating to me than “Oh woe is me, I’m tired of playing this song that made me a millionaire-icon-rock star, truly, I have it harder than anyone?!”
Especially when that band or artist went on to have a successful career after it. All that said, the idea that a band as progressive, exciting, and thoughtful as Radiohead could have their career defined by a song that sounds like Kevin and Perry after listening to one Smiths song is genuinely chilling. However, in an interview with Neil Strauss, Thom Yorke talked about an experience the whole band had while on tour that changed his perspective on the song.
How did Radiohead come to terms with ‘Creep’?
One thing that became clear was that not only had the band moved on from ‘Creep’, but, in a very real way, ‘Creep’ had moved on from them. The problem was that it happened while Radiohead were on tour. As anyone who’s seen Meeting People is Easy can attest, most of Radiohead’s experiences on the road are deeply humbling – and this one was no exception. In the interview, Strauss asks how Yorke feels about the song taking on a life of its own.
Yorke responds with an anecdote about a night out the band had in Bangkok. “We walked into a bar and sat down, and this band played ‘Creep’ right in front of us,” he said. “We all stood up in front of the band and clapped along, looking them right in the eye. They just thought, ‘Who are these people we don’t know?!’ It’s great to be able to walk away from it as well. Like, it’s now the property of some Thai cover band, y’know?”
While any other band would be mortified by the snub, it’s actually heartwarming that the band took it so well. After all, this is a band that knows your song well enough to play it, without knowing who you are. If that’s not a sign that your legacy is still something you can decide and shape to your satisfaction, I don’t know what is.
