Sir Paul McCartney recently told NME that he once asked Thom Yorke to record a duet with him, but the spiky-haired Radiohead frontman politely turned him down. McCartney told Channel 4's 'T4' program, "My daughter was putting an album together and she put us in touch. I asked Thom to do a duet, but he said he couldn't because he only felt happy working on his own and Radiohead's material."
Yeah, I'm sure that's it. Are you sure it's not because he had visions of this classic 80s duet with the King of Pop? Evidence abounds that Yorke has no problem collaborating with those outside the Radiohead family. PJ Harvey on "This Mess We're In" from Stories From the City, Stories From the Sea. Bjork on "I've Seen it All" from Selmasongs . Michael Stipe doing ''"Lucky''" with the band at the Tibetan Freedom concert in 1998 and then Yorke returning the favor during R.E.M.'''s set on ''"Be Mine''" and ''"E-Bow the Letter.''" Plus, UNKLE, Sparklehorse (Yorke literally phoned it in), The Venus in Furs, Modeselektor. Something tells me if it was Charles Thompson making the request, Yorke would giddily be on the next flight to the States.
At any rate, it'''s okay, Paul. There'''s always Gruff Rhys. He still owes you for that celery- and carrot-chewing thing you did, don'''t he?
Yorke to McCartney: Yeah, thanks, but I think I'll pass
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9 Responses
November 13, 2007 at 11:27 p.m.
| TM |
Let's see... 9.9 people out of 10 know who Paul McCartney is and ..01 out of 10 may know who Thom Yorke is. Yeah, Yorke was letting McCartney down easy. If half the musicians could have the weaker parts of McCartney talent as a career they'd be doing phenomenal. |
November 14, 2007 at 4:38 a.m.
| John Zeiss |
Wow, you're really going with .01 out of 10 people may know who Thom Yorke is? Are you from present times, or a visitor from the past? |
November 14, 2007 at 11:17 a.m.
| K |
McCartney owed SFA, over the Liverpool Sound Collage album - and thus got to chew celery, as he had for the Beach Boys. |
December 24, 2007 at 2:16 p.m.
| eff you |
pretentious english major turned music critic. See you in the pit, douchebag. |
January 7, 2008 at 12:28 a.m.
| Gonzalo |
just because he is PAUL McCARTNEY he HAD to work with him? screw it, he's not a holy cow. and mccartney's talent has nothing on thom's. |
January 19, 2008 at 5:06 p.m.
| PJPS27 |
Gonzalo you bozo, they're both amazing talents, but not all the best talents work well together... r.e. The Travelling Wilbury's! |
January 25, 2008 at 7:31 p.m.
| Brien Comerford |
Paul McCartney is a vastly more talented vocalist and Musician than Thom Yorke. Mr. Yorke is an excellent lyricist. Where would Thom Yorke be without Nigel Godrich. |
February 8, 2008 at 6:36 p.m.
| makelikepaper |
You said it Brien. The Beatles are still very relevant today, where as Radiohead are beginning to lose their touch. I wish they had called it quits two albums ago. Though Paul McCartney is not quite the same music machine he was 40 years ago so I can see why Thom would say no. No harm, no foul. |
yeah, I think Thom was just letting him down easy.