The Radiohead Story: Exit Music By Marc Randall

Rating:
Summary: Disappoints both casual and devoted fans
Review: This review is of the 2004 "Revised Edition", and the revised nature of the book shows through in a uneveness in documenting the band.

The first 3/4 of the book is devoted to the band's history through the realease of their third album, OK Computer. It is clear the author has done his research, going into extreme detail of the band members' early days in school, and continuing through their formation of a band, signing with EMI, and subsequent albums and touring. Hardcore fans will welcome the depth of research and interviews, less devoted fans may find it unncessary.

The last quarter of the book, covering their latest three albums, feels tacked on (and it was). There is much less depth of coverage, owing partially to the band's self-imposed isolation from the press, but the author seems not to have tried too hard to find out more, either. Anyone who has been following the band since 2000 will know more about them than the book contains, as it is sparse with quotes and neglects many songs and developments that would have been covered in depth during the first portion of the book.

The author also seems to regard the band's newest work with contempt, to the point of writing, "Yorke's diarrhetic spewing of paranoia and depression is just too tough to take without some decent music behind it." Perhaps Randall is bitter about being denied an interview? While this opinion was shared by some of his fellow critics, it doesn't belong in a book aimed at fans of the band.