Radiohead Told To Split Up

Oxford giants Radiohead are one of the most acclaimed British groups of their generation, but were recently told to split up by a member of their management.

Radiohead formed as the group On A Friday, gigging around Oxford for some time. Eventually the band changed their name to Radiohead, and began crafting gloriously melancholic rock anthems.

The band left their label EMI in 2007, and shocked the music industry by releasing their latest album 'In Rainbows' as a pay-what-you-like digital download. The album went on to become one of their most successful in a decade, scooping a Grammy Award and hitting the number one slot on both sides of the Atlantic.

Since then the band have become a by-word in how the music industry should adapt to the challenges of the internet, with many bands subsequently releasing new material along the same lines as Radiohead.

However it seems that some advisors close to the band had their doubts after Radiohead departed EMI. According to a report in the Irish Times, Brian Message and two of his partners in Courtyard Management "actually advised the band to split up" during the recording of 'In Rainbows'.

The newspaper states:

"Two years after leaving EMI Radiohead were still no closer to recording an album. The songs were written but the band couldn't achieve the sound they were looking for in the studio. Courtyard felt maybe it was time to call it a day. Surely professional managers shouldn’t encourage their most profitable act to split up?"

"'I've been lucky to work with some great artists and Radiohead are a once in a generation act,' says Message. 'But you have to be honest if it's not working. You have to have passion about what you do. I'm an accountant but I love music and I'm passionate about the artists I work with.'"

Radiohead are set for a busy summer. Having just completed a jaunt to Central and South America with Kraftwerk the band have been added to the bill for Reading and Leeds, with more European appearances still to be confirmed.