Radiohead ReleaseS 18 Hours of Leaked “OK Computer” Sessions

Thom Yorke of Radiohead. Photo by Mairo Cinquetti/REX/Shutterstock (8870954q)

After hackers recently Leaked sessions from Radiohead’s seminal album OK Computer, the band took a rather surprising approach. Instead of hunting down the hackers, Radiohead released all 18 hours of the sessions on Bandcamp.

Fans can buy the entire thing for $23, with all the proceeds going to climate activist group Extinction Rebellion. The recording will be available for 18 days before being taken down.

“We got hacked last week – someone stole Thom’s minidisk archive from around the time of OK Computer, and reportedly demanded $150,000 on threat of releasing it,” said Radiohead’s guitarist Jonny Greenwood in a statement. “So instead of complaining – much – or ignoring it, we’re releasing all 18 hours on Bandcamp in aid of Extinction Rebellion. Just for the next 18 days. So for £18, you can find out if we should have paid that ransom.”

“Never intended for public consumption (though some clips did reach the cassette in the OK Computer reissue) it’s only tangentially interesting. And very, very long. Not a phone download. Rainy out, isn’t it though?” he added.

According to fan-made “map” of the previously leaked sessions, the recording contains early studio versions of the OK Computer tracks, live recordings, unreleased songs, and other unstructured material. Some of the highlights of this release include previously unreleased version of “Lift,” unfinished recording of “Last Flowers,” and alternate versions of “Nude” and “True Love Waits.”