Drill (EP)

Background

Main article: Radiohead#1985–1992: Formation and first years

The members of Radiohead met while attending Abingdon School, an independent school for boys in Abingdon, England. In 1985, they formed , the name referring to their usual rehearsal day in the school's music room. They recorded demos including the Manic Hedgehog tape, named after a record shop in Oxford.

In late 1991, Radiohead signed a six-album recording contract with EMI and changed their name at EMI's request. "Radiohead" was taken from the song "Radio Head" on the Talking Heads album True Stories (1986).

Recording

Radiohead recorded Drill at Courtyard Studios in Oxon, England. It was produced by Radiohead's co-manager, Chris Hufford. Hufford said this was a mistake, as it created a conflict of interest and generated friction in the studio. Drill featured two new recordings, "Prove Yourself" and "Stupid Car"; the other songs were taken from Radiohead's Manic Hedgehog demo.

Release

Drill was released on 5 May 1992. It reached number 101 on the UK singles chart. The Guardian described it as an "inauspicious start" that was "largely ignored". Radiohead toured with Catherine Wheel and the Sultans of Ping in support of Drill. "Prove Yourself" was played on BBC Radio 1 by Gary Davies, Radiohead's first national radio exposure in the UK.

In 1995, Record Collector described Drill as "abrasive and melancholic by turns", with "the first in a long history of nihilistic one-liners that suggested Thom's worldview was one of genuine self-loathing rather than bathetic self-pity". The music journalist Mac Randall wrote later: "Even as early as 1992, Thom Yorke's graceful, arrestingly plaintive vocal style was well developed, far more so than the band's songwriting or overall sound."

Radiohead rerecorded "You", "Prove Yourself" and "Thinking About You" for their debut album, Pablo Honey (1993). Capitol reissued Drill on vinyl in April 2009. It was added to streaming services in January 2020.

Track listing

Personnel

Credits taken from the Drill credits.

• Thom Yorke – vocals, guitar
• Jonny Greenwood – guitar
• Ed O'Brien – guitar, backing vocals
• Colin Greenwood – bass guitar
• Philip Selway – drums
• Chris Hufford — production and engineering
• Timm Baldwin — mixing

References

References

1. (2016-03-13). "Radiohead, Foals and 25 years of discovering Oxford music". BBC News.
2. McLean, Craig. (14 July 2003). "Don't worry, be happy". [[The Sydney Morning Herald]].
3. Mac Randall. (1 April 1998). "The Golden Age of Radiohead". [[Guitar World]].
4. Gilbert, Pat. (November 1996). "Radiohead". [[Record Collector]].
5. Ross, Alex. (20 August 2001). "The Searchers". [[The New Yorker]].
6. Randall, Mac. (2011). "Exit Music: The Radiohead Story". Omnibus Press.
7. (July 1997). "We have lift-off!". [[Mojo (magazine).
8. Nestruck, Kelly. (2007-10-09). "15 years of Radiohead". [[The Guardian]].
9. Gilbert, Pat. (November 1996). "Radiohead". [[Record Collector]].
10. Dombal, Ryan. (2009-01-12). "Capitol whore out Radiohead catalogue with vinyl single reissues".
11. (2020-01-20). "Radiohead launch online 'public library' to let fans stream rare EPs for the first time".