Asheville-based Radiohead cover band, Off With Your Radiohead, will perform at the historic New Brookland Tavern on Thursday night. Radiohead fans will have an opportunity to hear one of the band's most popular albums, "OK Computer," in its entirety. The set will also feature various tracks from the band’s extensive discography.
Front-man Jeff Thompson had a successful solo career before his obsession with Radiohead inspired him to start a new endeavor. He gradually began to find other musicians with the same infatuation, and Off With Your Radiohead was born. The band has been performing together for less than a year.
“Radiohead is probably, after the Beatles ... the most innovative band in rock and roll,” said Thompson. “They’ve reinvented themselves with every record they've put out.”
While Radiohead has a loyal American following, their fans don’t often have the opportunity to see them live because of their scarce touring schedule.
“They’re nothing like The Grateful Dead musically, but it’s similar in that there is kind of a cult following,” said Thompson. “We want to provide a comparable experience for a low price, and people seem really happy that we’re doing that.”
Despite focusing on the music of a single band, Thompson says he still feels like he has the space to grow as a musician and pursue individual creative endeavors.
“I’ve been studying other people’s music my whole life and it just influences me,” said Thompson. “I don’t become a clone in my original music.”
Doors open at 8:30 p.m. Thursday and tickets cost $10 online or at the door. The band is set to cover another popular Radiohead album, "Hail to the Thief," early September in Asheville.