Jane Seymour is secret weapon behind Radiohead masterpiece ‘OK Computer’

When Radiohead was creating “OK Computer” — its traditional album released 25 yrs back, on May perhaps 21, 1997 — there was, of system, guide singer Thom Yorke fronting the band and longtime producer Nigel Godrich behind the boards.

But in the creation of what is viewed as their undisputed masterpiece, the English alt-rockers had a shocking mystery weapon: British actress Jane Seymour. Yes, “Dr. Quinn, Drugs Woman.” 

The magic of earning “OK Computer” occurred at Seymour’s lavish mansion in Bathtub, England, which Radiohead rented from the former Bond lady. “Think of Jane Seymour, a extremely prim and appropriate actress, for some explanation allowing a rock band into her dwelling to run wild,” stated Apple Music Radio host Matt Wilkinson, who celebrates the silver anniversary of “OK Computer” on a unique episode of “Essentials Radio” obtainable this weekend. “She was absent in the US, the residence is empty, and they moved in. So possibly the accurate hero of ‘OK Computer’ is really Jane Seymour for letting them do that.”

20-five yrs later, “OK Computer” — with a futuristic vision that was, in truth, way ahead of its time — stands as the crowning achievement in Radiohead’s significant catalog. Not only is it right up there with Nirvana’s “Nevermind” as a single of the quite finest LPs of the ’90s, it is recognized as of the greatest albums of all time, inspiring a technology of Radiohead wannabes such as Coldplay.

“I believe they’re a bit like the Beatles in that way,” mentioned James Doheny, author of “Radiohead: The Stories Powering Each Track.” “Ultimately, historical past is the choose, and the point that we’re nevertheless chatting about ‘OK Computer’ 25 many years later is due to the fact it is a terrific piece of songs.”

Immediately after Radiohead professional good results with its 1992 debut single “Creep” and then its 2nd album, 1995’s “The Bends,” the band was looking to split out from the Britpop brigade that was dominating British isles audio at the time.

“They did not like the place they had been in within just the songs marketplace,” reported Wilkinson. “They felt genuinely unpleasant with what the press was stating about them … that they have been possibly currently being pigeonholed.”

But Yorke acquired some a lot-necessary mentorship from Michael Stipe when Radiohead was opening for R.E.M. on tour right after “The Bends.” “I feel all of this things was swirling all around in Thom’s head — this form of anger of currently being portrayed incorrectly,” reported Wilkinson. “I imagine [Stipe] was most likely schooling Thom on how he could cope with getting to be enormous.”

And that would outcome in Radiohead — who had been working out “OK Computer” tracks on that tour with R.E.M. — taking additional creative regulate on the album. “They experienced the self-assurance to be able to say, ‘We want to file otherwise,’ and they are still a youthful band at this position,” stated Wilkinson. “The center of the English countryside is not a position in which bands typically file albums. So to go to your history label and say, ‘We don’t want to go into a normal recording studio and file a typical album’ … and then pull it off is a truly astounding accomplishment.”

Whilst the album would show to be prescient with the dawning of the world-wide-web age, the title wasn’t impressed by that. “Thom Yorke claims it was not specially about pcs. It’s extra about the sensory overload that he was obtaining on ‘The Bends’ tour,” mentioned Doheny. “But obviously the laptop has only elevated its effects on the globe and our lives due to the fact then.”

No doubt, Doheny claimed, “They could sense a thing was going on … the quiet just before the storm.” And, he included, that “feeling of impending doom or dread” can be read on tracks these types of as “Paranoid Android.” 

In point, the album opener “Airbag” was encouraged by Yorke’s have own fears. “That is about his existential fear of dying in a motor vehicle crash,” explained Doheny.

The legacy of “OK Computer” has only developed over the several years, turning Radiohead into immortal alt-rock gods. “Since ‘OK Laptop or computer,’ I imply, the variety of Ph.D. dissertations people today write about Radiohead now is awesome,” stated Doheny.

And 25 years later on, Wilkinson said, “It however sounds like the upcoming.”