MusicThe curious influence that Queen had on Thom YorkeRadiohead singer and guitarist didn’t identify so much with Freddie Mercury’s stage dominance today at 08:00

Great phenomenon in the history of rock, the queen exerted a direct influence on countless artists. One of them is Thom Yorkevocalist and guitarist of Radiohead. However, the Englishman obtained inspiration in a slightly different way than usual for a singer.

In an interview published in the book The Singers Talk (via Louder), the member of the Radiohead explained that he really wanted to be the guitarist of queen when he had his first contact with the band. In the musician’s words:

I didn’t see myself as a character who could stand in front of a microphone. I really liked the queenbut I never saw myself as Freddie Mercury. Surprisingly, I was always Brian May in my head.”

The statement is surprising, given that Yorke In addition to being a guitarist, he is a notable vocalist. However, admiration for May yielded some curious episodes in its trajectory.

In a 1997 conversation with Hot Press Magazinefrom Ireland, the English alternative rock icon said that Brian May inspired him to try to build his first guitar — and with a very precarious structure.

I just thought, ‘I want that guitar (the Red Special from Brianmanufactured by himself with his father)’. In fact, I found it (May) and I said, ‘You know, you’re the reason I spent months and months in my garage trying to put together a guitar.’ I didn’t have the right tools, I just had a f*cking saw and brass pieces to smooth out the edges.”

Despite the difficulties, it worked — but not in the way Yorke expected. The musician told the result to Desert Island Discs:

It kind of worked. It was literally roughly cut with a saw, you know? It was terrible. And then, shortly after that, my dad felt sorry for me and bought me a (guitar).”

Thom Yorke and Queen

Second Thom Torkethe passion for queen started early. Participating in a program from BBC Radio 4the vocalist and guitarist of Radiohead He said that when he was 7 years old, he liked listening to the classic “Bohemian Rhapsody”a song that made him love the group and discover what he wanted to do with his own life.

I became obsessed with queen when ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ it went out. I would lay in front of some big speakers at my friend’s house and we would listen ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’. At that point I decided, ‘yes, this is what I’m going to do’.”

As the years passed, Yorke he became less linked to the quartet. In the 1997 interview with Hot Pressthe musician responded the following when asked if he still considered himself a fan of queen:

Well, yes, a little. To a certain extent. You can’t help but admire his… professionalism, or whatever. I heard these incredible stories about Freddie Mercury from someone who worked with him when he was alive, and apparently he didn’t talk to anyone, he never gave interviews. And yet, when he appeared on stage he was totally, totally focused and completely angry – but obviously, he was the total opposite of that, totally sensitive and very, very shy. I think he was always really charming, because of that, he was like two different people.”

Other influences

In addition to queen, Thom Yorke cites as influences the REM, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Joy Division and Bob Dylan. As a teenager, he had contact with the work of Neil Youngwhich influenced his way of singing in Radioheadas well as names of the size of Michael Stipe, Morrissey and David Sylvian.

Collaborated: André Luiz Fernandes.