Taste the Green Rainbow

Last year, Radiohead received a healthy bit of press over their self-released album In Rainbows. Users were prompted to type in whatever cash amount they felt was appropriate for the album’s digital download and to pay only that. Of course, that was a nice way of saying free — what...

By John Linn

May 1, 2008

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Last year, Radiohead received a healthy bit of press over their self-released album In Rainbows. Users were prompted to type in whatever cash amount they felt was appropriate for the album’s digital download and to pay only that. Of course, that was a nice way of saying free — what schlub is going to thumb his chin and then decide, “I’m a responsible citizen, so I shall pay 20 U.S. dollars for that product.” To music reporters everywhere this was revolutionary — or at least, gushing about it was something to give them a break from reviewing the latest, crappy Killers album. By the time the press was done with the story, Radiohead had invented the Internet, was halfway to solving world hunger, and was spot clean from the all the tonguing.

But wait, the saviors of modern rock and the Internet can get even savior-er. No one caught on at the time, but perhaps the real reason for releasing a digital album was Radiohead was going green. A digital download means no plastic clamshells and no printed booklets; just spent megabytes. (They did release a collector’s box in limited edition, but that was online order only.) Sure enough, a story showed up on BBC.com last week extolling Radiohead as the Green Defenders, and now every news source is chiming in about it (You didn’t know? Green is the only color on In Rainbows that matters!). This is a quote from an actual journalist, I shit you not: “Radiohead Green Facts: Radiohead always considers the carbon footprint when on tour.” They should have said, “I would consider writing about music, but I’ve always been more of a band wagon jumper, me-self.”

Anyway, Radiohead is going to play tonight at 7:30 p.m. at the Cruzan Amphitheatre (601-7 Sansbury Way, West Palm Beach). Tickets start at $32.50, or whatever you type into that little field on eBay. (OMG, revolutionary!) Visit www.ticketmaster.com.
Mon., May 5, 2008

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