The dust is settling but there is still speculation and rumor-mongering about what exactly has happened over the past few days. For those late to the show, you should check out the recent posts here at GP to get you up to speed.
We all had a good feeling that something was going to happen today. Some people were convinced that a new EP would be released. We certainly hoped that would be the case. Alas, it wasn’t and of course there was a bit of disappoint in many people’s eyes. Whatever people, we have a new Radiohead song, and a good one at that.
So, what really happened? We reached out to the band’s management for a statement but so far, nothing. What happened really comes down to two scenarios: The band leaked the mp3 last week or the band didn’t leak the mp3 last week.
Let’s just say for a moment that the band did leak it out. That would be an easy thing to assume as it’s crazy, weird, and something that Radiohead would do. It’s a big “fuck you” to the record industry, blah blah. And while they are at it, they have it be leaked through what.cd with a confusing nfo file which sets the internet abuzz with rumors, speculation, and frankly, ridiculousness. If you were in a huge band, wouldn’t it be kind of humorous to watch your fans trying to decipher each and every little detail? All types of press picked up on this leak. It was even played on Sirius XM radio as the “new Radiohead song from the upcoming Wall of Ice EP.” The point is, this thing went viral like crazy. I mean, look at Jonny’s new photo on DAS with the word “Conspirator” on it. Sneaky, sneaky.
What doesn’t make sense to us is why the band would leak it out themselves only to release it officially today. One of our mods at Mortigi Tempo, Pennyroyalty, put it best:
“Deliberately leaking one track ahead of officially releasing just that one track is not exactly what i’d call a masterstroke, actually i think it would be kind of silly. if it’s true then they just turned the release of a cool new song into a pretty underwhelming event for me, although hey the tracing paper is nice and all. anyway i suggest people don’t get on their high horses about their genius publicity move just yet.”
So this leads us to the other scenario: The band had nothing to do with the leak. We hear all the time about music getting leaked out before it is released. It happened with Hail to the Thief. What usually happens is someone at the plant where the make the CDs takes a copy home and maybe burns one for a friend. Then that friends decides to rip it to their computer and share with a couple of friends and so on. It happens all the time. What’s puzzling about this is that this is a digital release. Unless we’re missing something, there is no physical CD that could have been duplicated somewhere like what usually happens. If this thing was leaked, then it must have been someone getting their hands on a mp3 early. How does that happen? Did someone in the band send it out to friend for a listen and it leaked that way? Then, because it was already out, the band decided to officially release it today?
We’re not convinced of either scenario just yet and hopefully the band will make some sort of announcement soon. Or maybe we shouldn’t care and just enjoy the new track. 
Here’s a pretty solid recap of the whole saga.
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I think this could all be a part of the release plan as a whole, and instead of focusing on this song, we should be focusing on how Radiohead releases their “other stuff in various states of completion”. This could only be the start of something bigger, but whatever it is I doubt anyone will have any sort of clue at all until it’s all done happening, we will just have to wait and see.
Awesome song though.
I’m just glad that there is a new song, and an awesome one at that.
Still curious who’s responsible, though. And even more curious about the way they might start to distrubute their music.
That anyone is having this conversation/debate is exactly the point. It’s an experiment. And yes, it’s totally genius. People talk talk beep beep boop beep.
Kanye West has posted links to the song as well. Not that it matters, but at least the song will be spread even further among the masses.
“use at least 80gsm tracing paper or your printer will eat it as we discovered.” thats from the pdf. wondered what people thoughts were on that last part. “will eat it as we discovered”
I think this was just a brilliant marketing move. Leaking it themselves, they’re parodying how the music industry functions in vein despite leaks and free torrent theft (allowing people to steal a song ahead of getting it for free anyways is HILARIOUS!), but they also got LOADS of free press, promoting a song that *wink*… is going to be played on the new tour *tickets on sale now*. They promoted themselves, their music, and a new tour all in one go.
That said, I think the song itself is just OK. It reeks of b-side. Great beat and ambience, but Thom’s lyrics and vocal melody are a little underwhelming though. Still good, just a little meager by Radiohead standards, and its still better than 99.9% of music currently being released.
Kanye West, why does he not just go and f off to some other genre.
“will eat it…” If the paper is not heavy enough, then the printer will destroy it.
this is on the radiohead website, olbviously if they didnt release it, they are at least on terms with it.
”
So here’s a new song, called ‘These Are My Twisted Words’.
We’ve been recording for a while, and this was one of the first we finished.
We’re pretty proud of it.
There’s other stuff in various states of completion, but this is one we’ve been practicing, and which we’ll probably play at this summer’s concerts. Hope you like it.
Download the audio here or torrent here.
Jonny”
“as we discovered.” i think it means the printer eats it up as we cut down the trees.
ha nm thought thom was trying to be green
Hey. I think they were just giving it to us before everyone else got a hold of it. It was a gift.
It was fun seeing how the information quickly spread about the song – the speculation, the clues and red herrings. I don’t see how anyone could be angry or disappointed with this early leak of Monday’s release. I hope Radiohead continues to have fun with distribution methods and releasing songs they deem worthy. I think it’s a very good song. Why is Radiohead held to such an impossible standard? Let’s hope they don’t take the criticism of the song or distribution method seriously.
Great picture of jonny.
I think we will never know the thruth and the guys on the band would rather tell us what is it that the guy on the just video says before coming clean with all this. They must be having some great time reading all the stuff we the fans are saturating internet with and the best part is that in the end they did alsmot nothing (not counting the fact they made the song) but we were the ones to builded all this conspiracy stuff.
i am out of the blogs – it s a non stop saying what everyone should or not do [ when no one asked for haha ] – bye pantrus ! i ll take the safe trip – gone [ for a few weeks ] no offenses to people please – i love U -
that s why i love cds hahahahah
the file in the WASTE download was the same format, etc as the what.cd upload. so that means that, unless someone took the song from the band via flashdrive/email, and neglected to change the file…… then it was definitely the band that uploaded it.
just accept it.
OR… the band saw that someone uploaded it, took it, and then uploaded it as theirs… conspirators… haha, idk… I just want music
WALL OF ICE EP EXISTS!
YEAH!!!!!!!
I knew it, I fuckin knew it
“Did someone in the band send it out to friend for a listen and it leaked that way?”
What, with the official artwork copied into ASCII and put into an NFO file? I don’t think so. It sounds crazy, but the best explanation for this is that the band leaked their own track.
I don’t care how it was released, I’m juts happy we have a new Radiohead song! Hopefully there will be more soon…
Radiohead RULES…. they GAVE us a song I wouldve gladly paid $1.00 for, but I will take it for free too… this is their music- their brains at work- their livelyhood- who cares where the song came from- its Radiohead! To the Band: Keep us guessing….its part of what drives the listening force. Thanks so much for the entertainment- I have spent thousands of hours listening to your music- learning the lyrics- and trying to get others to see the awesomeness and creativity you guys have infused into society!! The people in my life closest to me all share the same love of your music. PLEASE come to minneapolis sometime!! I saw you at Lolla in 08 and it was a mindblowing experience- and I was sober!
Jesus, I think Radiohead fans are looking WAY too much into this. I love Radiohead, I do. Someone else leak the track? Give me a break! They, themselves, talked about releasing new tracks in a weird way. I’m sure this was an experiment for them, to see how it would work, plain and simple. While I love a mysterious band and Greenplastic for its informative posts, these speculations I’ve seen the past few days are just unbelievable… Looks to me like they’re soing exactly what they said they would, leave it at that.
LOVED the new “Twisted Radiohead” Banner GP folks! Congratulations for the good work here at Green Plastic.
Mastering is a potential leaky point – if the track went to an outside mastering studio, reference CDs will have been burned etc.
I mean, it could be a great marketing idea in the sense if it wasn’t Radiohead, but Radiohead is going to sellout tours regardless of anything they ever do from here on out. I’m sorry too, I think they couldn’t give a fuck less about “loads of free press” too.
the first comment i read on here was about silly this was and how it took the edge of the song by releasing it the way they have. well i just come on to this site for the first time in ages and this is the first time i’ve heard of this single or whatever it is and have been fasicnated to find out every last detail. few people have a brain like mr yorke and i can safely say he knows what he is doing. these are my twisted words will be playing in my livingroom for a long time yet
and for the people who are having a go for the way that radiohead conduct the now free buisiness how much did you donate when you downloaded inrainbows???
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