Radiohead, an alternative rock band from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, have had concerts and other live performances in Europe, North America, Australia, Asia and South America. The band's line-up has been constant since its founding, consisting of Thom Yorke (vocals and guitar), Jonny Greenwood (guitar), Ed O'Brien (guitar), Colin Greenwood (bass guitar), and Phil Selway (drums). The role that each band member plays during performances has changed dramatically throughout the band's history. Drummer and percussionist Clive Deamer has joined Radiohead for performances since the release of their 2011 album The King of Limbs.
Radiohead formed under the name On a Friday in 1986 and performed shows in the Oxford area under this name until 1991. They toured extensively across the United States and Europe in support of their debut album, Pablo Honey and their performances were credited for the success of Pablo Honey and their debut single "Creep". Radiohead toured widely in support of The Bends and its singles.
History
On a Friday (1985–1991) Radiohead's first incarnation was called On a Friday, founded in 1985 while the members were all attending the public boys-only Abingdon School in Abingdon, Oxfordshire. Thom Yorke was on vocals and guitar, Colin Greenwood played bass guitar, Ed O'Brien played rhythm guitar, and Phil Selway played drums. Future guitarist Jonny Greenwood played harmonica as a guest member at these shows, and later keyboards as a permanent member. The band would also feature three saxophone players in their live show until the late 1980s. Colin Greenwood later said that, during the band's earliest live performances, "We wore all black and played very loud, because we thought that's what you had to do." The band's early gigs took place at various parties around town, rather than concerts. The band members split up to attend university, but reunited during breaks for rehearsals and occasional performances. On a Friday's first concert in a conventional venue was at the Jericho Tavern in Jericho, Oxford, in 1987; the performance had few attendants and was negatively received by participants in the local music scene.
On a Friday fully resumed in 1991, and Jonny Greenwood's role in the group changed to third guitarist. Shoegazing bands such as Ride and Swervedriver were a prominent local trend, one which On a Friday did not fit into. The band's first reunited show was at the Hollybush in Osney on 22 July 1991. Although the band played to an audience of only six people, they were well received. According to Radiohead biographer Mac Randall, "Yorke's dramatic singing style and frighteningly intense onstage demeanor—one moment tightly focused, the next seemingly ready to burst open—was already coming to the fore", and the band played in a garage rock style. O'Brien spread the band's three-song demo Dungeon Demo around the community, which earned the band a number of gigs, mostly at the Jericho Tavern. Members of the band would also occasionally busk. Producer Chris Hufford attended an On a Friday show at the Jericho Tavern on 8 August 1991, and later described the band as "a lot rougher, a lot punkier, quite frenetic and [playing at] a faster tempo [than they would play at later]". Hufford was so impressed that he had the band record a new demo, Manic Hedgehog, at his Courtyard Studios. Shortly afterward, the band signed to EMI and changed their names to Radiohead, the change being inspired by a Talking Heads song of the same name (see Radiohead). By the time of the signing, the band had dropped some of their older songs off of concert set lists. Radiohead played fewer than ten shows in 1991.