On Friday 8th January, 2010 Midem posted an exclusive video interview with Radiohead band member Ed O’Brien. The video provides some much needed insight into where the band were coming from and their whole thinking behind their “pay what you feel its worth” model.  Ed also goes on to say that Radiohead’s experience with indie labels XL in the UK and TBD in the United States was “fantastic”. He also states that a record deal should encompass an “equitable, fair and balanced relationship between record label and band”.

Interestingly, Ed singles out EMI’s Business Affairs team (not label people at Parlophone, and he makes that clarification clear), as being  uninterested in a partnership. The most telling comment from Ed sums it all up rather aptly when he states, “its an analogue model and we’re living in a digital world”.  In TMV’s view Radiohead are right on the money here. It’s high time for recorded music deals to become fairer and more balanced across the board.

Perhaps business affairs people at record labels need to sit up and take notice of what Radiohead are saying before they risk losing all their respective labels “real talent” in terms of ground breaking artists…

Without further ado check out the interview here.

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