Yorke on the Radiohead reunion: Massive self-confidence crash
The return of a legendary act is a powerful event, but sometimes the spotlight can be more challenging than the music itself. For Thom Yorke, the recent reunion tour of Radiohead brought a spectacular moment, yet it also triggered a profound emotional reckoning.
After the band announced their long-awaited live return in 2025, playing major dates across Europe, Yorke admitted that the aftermath of the experience led to a massive crash in his self-confidence. It wasn’t an instant feeling; it took him months to recover from the intensity of the comeback.
This internal struggle became particularly poignant when reflecting on the recognition the band received. Yorke discussed the experience of accepting honors, such as the Ivor Novello Awards, and the complex relationship he has with his own artistic legacy. He noted that while he admires the people who receive these accolades, there is a very strange, complicated feeling attached to the recognition itself.
“I have a very strange relationship to that element of my work,” he shared. “It’s hard to explain.”
However, amidst this complexity, Yorke found a path forward. He explained that the most accessible element was the forward motion, the idea of moving ahead. “I find it hard to believe in it,” he said. “The moving-forward thing, that’s what I believe in. That’s easy to believe in, because it’s new. I don’t have to explain it, so I’m happy.”
The emotional wave of the reunion itself was undeniable. Reflecting on their opening night in Madrid, Yorke recalled the collective moment of vulnerability: “All of us, the whole band, were like, ‘OK, keep it together. Keep it together.’ I wanted to burst into tears, and we hadn’t even played a note. To walk through the middle of it… we were like, ‘Holy shit. Holy shit.’”
This sense of shared vulnerability was echoed in Yorke’s thoughts regarding the accolades. He found that when the recognition felt personal and honest, like the tribute he received, it resonated deeply. In contrast, when the experience felt transactional, tied to business and cameras, the feeling shifted.
The success of the tour, which featured electrifying performances—like the one reviewed in London where NME called it a “visceral energy, a tasteful spectacle”—provided a powerful backdrop for these deep personal reflections. Despite the challenging emotional aftermath, Yorke expressed genuine joy for the experience, stating, “I’m really, really glad we did it.”
Though the immediate high of the reunion brought some doubt, the spirit of creativity remains strong. Yorke is currently immersed in new musical work, collaborating with producer Sam Petts-Davies on a solo album he describes as “pretty fucking different.” While the band hasn’t returned to the studio together, their journey continues. They are set to continue their live reunion in 2027, with planned shows across Australia and Japan.
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