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Interview
by Glenn Fiddichson
9-1-2004
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| Jonny Greenwood's 'Bodysong' soundtrack |
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Illustrated songs
Jonny ‘Radiohead’ Greenwood’s solo OST
Radiohead guitarist Jonny Greenwood’s debut solo album has passed by rather unnoticed by the huge army of the band’s fans. The soundtrack to the film ‘Bodysong’, directed by Simon Pummell, a panoramic view of the experience of being a human from birth to death, is complimentary to its pioneering spirit.
The film is completely free of dialogue and is compiled from sourced images spanning the past 100 years. And, it does it so well it won a major BIFA (British Independent Film Award) gong for Best British documentary feature last month. Its soundtrack is, in a way, continues where Radiohead’s albums left off, with strange and moving instrumentals combining free jazz with hard-to-place effects, multi-layered sound and awkward-but-intriguing rhythmic pulses.
Have you been thinking of a solo album for a while? Was this just a convenient time to explore your ambition?
“I’ve never really thought of doing a solo album,” Jonny Greenwood speaks in a measured way, “and this is not one, it is a solo project because it’s so closely tied to the film. I’ve never thought of doing any sort of solo project and this doesn’t feel like one either. Apart from anything, there are restrictions a soundtrack places by its nature that doesn’t apply to a solo record. I don’t know how you can categorize this… my work, but simply as a soundtrack.”
Lost in a wood
It may sound dissonant but Greenwood grafts his strings and beats together in unexpected but gorgeously coherent ways. An extended sequence of potent aural images rather than an album proper and, some cynical critics could argue that it’s more accessible than the Radiohead’s latter efforts. A rather intriguing and idiosyncratic disc realised during the time while the other members were resting. Aside his brother, Radiohead bassist, Colin helping out on one track, ‘24 Hour Charleston‘, it turns out the other members helped in a way.
How did this project come about? Did you know about Simon Pammel, his work?
“He approached Radiohead, but everyone else in the band were keen to have some time off. So, I agreed to have a go at it, I thought it could be interesting challenge… And, to be honest, I wanted to see if I could do it. I never really had great design to score a movie but have thought about it and have enjoyed the project enormously.”
Does the band get many soundtrack offers, not just to write 1 or 2 songs but the entire score?
“No, and I find that strange. I’ve always felt that Radiohead songs had some kind of cinematic quality about them. Not many other people share my opinion, then.”
Head around a door
Greenwood and the rest of Radiohead are so down-to-earth it is puzzling when one thinks of how much they are admired around the world. It’s not a question of their being worth it, they have very much been the most innovative and valiant band in the country for a number of years and although there are many pretenders - no one comes near this Oxford lot. But idols, they are the first to refute such responsibility… Still, who knows what heroes are made of?
With only visuals and not distraction created by dialogues, you had a free hand to conjure up images and come up with musical ideas and themes for each scene?
“Well, I apparently had too many ideas and ended up with two CDs of material. I had to get other members involved to help me out edit it down to half the length. Thom (Yorke, singer) was also very helpful suggesting titles for the pieces. Colin helped the most but he is like me, he is not good at taking time off.”
“A song like ‘24 Hour Charleston’ refers to the more extraordinary film footage. Others, like ‘Tehellet’ are more inspired by the music. Some of the titles, like ‘Milky Drops From Heaven’ were Thom’s idea.”
So, the other guys in Radiohead have known about this all along; their reaction must be positive, then?
“They all like it very much. I took all their advices in before deciding which 40 minutes of music, from the total 75 minutes, were worth releasing. Of course, Colin plays on one of the tracks, and so provided some vital help.”
Has this whetted your appetite for more solo work?
“Don’t really know, I’ve enjoyed it enormously and really liked letting my creativity go but it is hard work. It is much easier working within a band, you can bounce off ideas, talk and have people to hang out with. A solo work is exactly that, solo. In a band you have five people’s input. But, maybe, if something extraordinary comes along…”
Why would you limit yourself on Radiohead when you have such an open-minded approach and love for various kind of music?
“I think Radiohead have exactly the same approach to music that you’ve just described. And, I don’t think I’d ever leave the band… I’ll only consider a solo work if the band stopped completely. I have no ambition outside the band.”
Glenn Fiddichson
8-7-2005
Jonny Greenwood’s soundtrack ’Bodysong: Music From The Film’ is available now on Parlophone
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