Saturday Eye Candy Radiohead’s Phil Selway

GIVING THE DRUMMER SOME

Though critical and fan accolades usually land on guitarists Jonny Greenwood and Ed O’Brien and the lazy-eyed genius out front, Radiohead‘s sound, especially as it’s evolved from OK Computer onward, owes just as much to drummer Phil Selway. A dead brilliant trap drummer, Selway has also explored the outer reaches of drum machine potential and carried the classlic Krautrock percussion sound into the 21st century. Tomorrow is Phil Selway’s 43rd birthday. In appreciation of his contribution to the drumming arts and modern rock in general, we offer up a smattering of prime Selway, both with Radiohead and in occasional side project 7 Worlds Collide.

We begin our natal day shout-out with Radiohead at their simmering best.

There are but a handful of drummers that could pull off the twists and turns of this one, all the while making it swing.

Selway’s a pretty fine singer-songwriter, too, as evidenced by this lovely Selway penned number, which finds him out front on guitar and vocals.

As one astute YouTube commenter put it, “That’s serious fucking drumming.” Indeed.

Selway’s drumming will often bring heft and solidity into band’s pretty, drifting numbers; a lovely juxtaposition against the ache and fragility in Thom Yorke’s voice.

Though if the Selway had wanted to be a crushing great straight rock drummer, he sure as hell had the chops and muscle right out of the gate.

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