If you’re a ‘tween-aged girl looking for advice during those awkward pubescent years, who do you turn to? Forget Dolly. Who better than the frontman of Radiohead and one of the world’s most esteemed producers?
The fine folk at Rookie Magazine have enlisted Thom Yorke and Nigel Godrich, of Atoms For Peace/Radiohead/Ultraísta infamy, for the latest entry in their ongoing ‘Ask A Grown Man’ video series, offering relationship advice on crushes, first dates, break-ups, sex, and even the best deodorant brands.
The humorous but heartwarming concept finds Rookie sourcing real-life questions submitted by teenagers, then asks ‘grown-up’ celebrities to offer their personal advice.
The series has featured a range of American comedians, actors, and producers thus far – most notably director Judd Apatow, actor Paul Rudd, stand-up comic Mike Birbiglia, TV host Jimmy Fallon, and Mad Men star Jon Hamm – but Yorke and Godrich are among the first internationals, and music stars, to feature in the series.
It might seem like an odd idea, but Yorke especially is a surprisingly straight-forward life coach; makes sense when you consider he’s written some of modern music’s most fragile and vulnerable paeans to disconnection and isolation (‘Creep’, ‘Let Down’, ‘How To Disappear Completely…’ etc.). Thom Yorke and Nigel Godrich, of Atoms For Peace/Radiohead/
Ultraísta infamy… offering relationship advice on crushes, first dates, break-ups, sex, and the best deodorant brands.
His advice for “How do you tell the boy you have a crush on that you have a crush on him if you are really, really shy and so is he” is to simply write a note, “or throw him against the wall sometime,” he jibes.
Another humorous highlight of the 17 minute video is when the pair are asked if it’s “ok to break up with someone because they are boring,” to which Yorke replies: “If they are saying the same thing over and over again, and you feel like you’re brain is gently pouring out of your ears like soup, it’s probably time to go.” The singer’s facial expressions and reactions are pretty priceless too.
‘Unofficial sixth Radiohead member’ Nigel Godrich also reminisces about his own awkward teenage worries, “I always had to wait for someone to do the risky stuff,” he says with a smirk, and Yorke even goes into revealing detail about adolescent concerns about his lazy eye.
“I worked in this pub and this old woman – she was so funny – she used to come in all the time,” he recalls. “And she was the first person who really said to me, ‘It’s the nicest thing about you’… She was pissed at the time,” laughs Yorke, “but I went with it.”
It’s the second time in recent months that the Atoms For Peace/Radiohead musician has opened up candidly, the ‘Ask A Grown Man’ video coming shortly after his recent chat with Hollywood actor and 30 Rock star, Alec Baldwin. During the interview, Yorke discussed celebrity worship, his own talents, the inevitability of a Radiohead split, and the benefits of “being jammy.”
Atoms For Peace – the all-star collective featuring Yorke, Godrich, RHCP bassist Flea, Joey Waronker and Mauro Refusco – are heading out on tour through July to November in support of their debut album, Amok – which our Tone Deaf reviewer deemed to contain a special quality “sandwiched between Yorke’s iconic vocals, in a finely crafted labyrinth of sweeping pads and ticking drum loops.”
Atoms For Peace 2013 World Tour Dates
April 17 – Barcelona, Spain @ Razzmatazz (Thom and Nigel DJ Set)
April 19 – Paris, France @ Gaite Lyrique (Thom and Nigel DJ Set)
July 6 – Paris, France @ Zenith
July 9 – Antwerp, Belgium @ Lotto Arena
July 10 – Munich, Germany @ Zenith
July 12 – Trenčín, Slovakia @ Pohoda Festival
July 13 – Novi Sad, Serbia @ Exit Festival
July 16 – Rome, Italy @ Rock in Roma @ Ippodromo delle Capannelle
July 17 – Milan, Italy @ City Sound Festival @ Ippodromo del Galoppo
July 20 – Poznan, Poland @ Malta Festival
July 21 – Ferropolis, Germany @ Melt Festival
July 24 – London, England @ Roundhouse
July 25 – London, England @ Roundhouse
July 26 – London, England @ Roundhouse
September 24 – Philadelphia, PA @ Liacouras Center
September 27 – New York City, NY @ Barclays Center
September 30 – Fairfax, VA @ Patriot Center
October 2 – Chicago, IL @ UIC Pavilion
October 16 – Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Bowl
October 17 – Santa Barbara, CA @ Santa Barbara Bowl
November 18 – Osaka, Japan @ Zepp Namba
November 19 – Osaka, Japan @ Zepp Namba
November 21 – Tokyo, Japan @ Shinkiba Studio Coast
November 22 – Tokyo, Japan @ Shinkiba Studio Coast
November 23 – Tokyo, Japan @ Shinkiba Studio Coast
