Yesterday Radiohead officially released multiple hours of material, outtakes and demos recorded during the OK Computer sessions. The band will be offering the almost 17 - 18 hour download titled Minidiscs [Hacked] for a limited period of time with proceeds going to the climate change organization Extinction Rebellion.
Radiohead's Jonny Greenwood revealed the band made the decision to upload the lengthy sessions to thwart a ransom attempt. A different version of the story involving a known music leaker on Discord/Reddit is also making the rounds. Despite the different version of events, last week the massive download was illegally leaked and was available to obtain in the usual places. Instead of allowing themselves and/or fans to be bilked by thieves, yesterday Radiohead decided to officially release a better quality, cleaned up version.
The official download is available exclusively through Bandcamp, costs £18 (about $23) and will be available for 17 more days. The recording isn't recommended for casual fans, but if you are a diehard Radiohead fan, you will enjoy this. It includes unreleased full band songs, jam sessions, rehearsal and alternate versions of beloved songs, live versions/soundboard recordings, demos, song ideas, samples, and other sounds. Do be warned that it is a huge commitment to wade through 17 hours of material but wholly worth it if you dig Radiohead.
Head here to download and/or stream Minidiscs [Hacked].
Read statements from Thom Yorke + Jonny Greenwood on the matter below.
Thom Yorke
"we’ve been hacked
my archived mini discs from 1995-1998(?)
it’s not v interesting
there’s a lot of it
if you want it, you can buy the whole lot here
18 minidisks for £18
the proceeds will go to Extinction Rebellion
as it’s out there
it may as well be out there
until we all get bored
and move on"
Jonny Greenwood
"We got hacked last week - someone stole Thom's minidisk archive from around the time of OK Computer, and reportedly demanded $150,000 on threat of releasing it.
So instead of complaining - much - or ignoring it, we're releasing all 18 hours on Bandcamp in aid of Extinction Rebellion. Just for the next 18 days. So for 18 you can find out if we should have paid that ransom.
Never intended for public consumption (though some clips did reach the cassette in the OK Computer reissue) it's only tangentially interesting. And very, very long. Not a phone download. Rainy out, isn't it though?
Jonny"
Published June 12th, 2019