Thom Yorke guested on BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs over the weekend, interviewed by host Lauren Laverne.
The Radiohead frontman touched on a number of subjects over the course of the programme and, in-keeping with the format of the show, selected eight tracks that he’d like to have with him if stranded on a desert island.
For his eight selections, Yorke chose Maurice Ravel’s ‘Le jardin féerique’, Scott Walker’s ‘It’s Raining Today’, ‘Born Under Punches’ by Talking Heads, Squarepusher & Aphex Twin’s ‘Freeman Hardy & Willis Acid’, ‘After the Gold Rush’ by Neil Young, R.E.M.’s ‘Talk About the Passion’, Sidney Bechet’s ‘Blue Horizon’ and ‘Lilac Wine’ by Nina Simone.
Amongst the topics discussed on the show was Yorke’s hypocrisy (in his own words) for backing climate change action groups such as Extinction Rebellion while flying around the world to tour, as well as the death of his former partner of 23 years, Rachel Owen. Speaking about the latter, he said, "When the kids’ mum died, it was a very difficult period and we went through a lot. It was very hard. She suffered a great deal and my ambition is to make sure that we have come out of it alright, and I hope that’s what’s happening."
His luxury item was a recording studio, while his book choice was Shunryu Suzuki’s Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind. You can listen to the full episode of Thom Yorke’s Desert Island Discs here.
