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September 8, 2006

What Was Thom Thinking?

Not all of you loved that "Analyse" performance at the Mercury Awards -- but I think we can all agree Thom Yorke scares with his opening stare. Pitchfork who found more vids from the night calls it a death glare.

We wanna know what was Thom thinking? as he scowled into nowhere.

Funniest answer gets ... well, actually nothing. It's Friday -- I'm out of prizes.

Posted at 9:47 AM
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58 Comments

he was probly glaring at someone in the audience who said something just before he started playing?

Posted by: yah at 09/08/06 10:04 AM  | Reply
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he probably saw a robot coming for him

Posted by: Michael at 09/08/06 10:19 AM  | Reply
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it's pretty damn obvious what it means: he sees the doorway to betelguese, and it freaks him out.

Posted by: balumpus at 09/08/06 10:20 AM  | Reply
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i assumed a general malaise with performing at such an industry-greased, hype-driven, televised event in the first place.

you know - his/radiohead's typical 'i'm here, bitches, but i'm not OF you, i still hate you with unspeakable passion and i will write 5 more songs about killing your children and lovers' kind of thing

Posted by: love in a time of cholera at 09/08/06 10:23 AM  | Reply
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Also quite funny/annoying (depending) is his final gesture: "look, I'm smiling! You see, I'm not always depressed and sad and giving death-glares! Are you happy now?!"

Posted by: Matthew in London at 09/08/06 10:27 AM  | Reply
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"yeah....Judy Jetson IS hot."

Posted by: ryan - freshbread at 09/08/06 10:43 AM  | Reply
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I have nothing funny to say other than does anyone remember his spazz dance on Saturday Night Live when they performed 'Idioteque'? It was tremendous.

Posted by: Sean at 09/08/06 11:01 AM  | Reply
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He's thinking, "Shoulda used Preparation H!"

Posted by: Xander at 09/08/06 11:10 AM  | Reply
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wait... so is the crocodile hunter REALLY dead?

Posted by: travis at 09/08/06 11:11 AM  | Reply
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"Did I Leave the Vault Unlocked with all the Ok Computer Master Reels inside?"

Posted by: Capt. Rock at 09/08/06 11:23 AM  | Reply
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"Death glare"? Come on.

That look is as threatening as Danny Devito's "shylock look" in Get Shorty.

Posted by: Ardee at 09/08/06 11:27 AM  | Reply
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He's thinking he could probably fart into the microphone and everyone would still love it.

Posted by: Miller at 09/08/06 11:33 AM  | Reply
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"Where's the backing track?"

Posted by: teejay at 09/08/06 11:34 AM  | Reply
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He is wondering if he turned off the coffee maker before he left home

Posted by: Lynn at 09/08/06 11:46 AM  | Reply
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Any bets on how long it takes before his newly haggard appearance leads him to quit music and spend his waning years chopping down trees with Sam Beam?

Posted by: Matt G at 09/08/06 11:54 AM  | Reply
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Maybe he feels if he stares long enough it will fix that freaky, lazy-eye-from-hell issue he seems to have.

Posted by: TJ at 09/08/06 12:15 PM  | Reply
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he was testing himself to see how long he could keep his wonky eye from going wonky.

OR

it reminds me of that martin short movie clifford...when charles grodin is freaking out on clifford and is like "WHY CANT YOU LOOK AT ME LIKE A REAL BOY CLIFFORD' and then clifford tries to look at him like a real boy and its just weird creepy stares.

anybody..anybody??

Posted by: nick at 09/08/06 12:39 PM  | Reply
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Hes' thinking, since hes mastered the world conscience thing, the top 40 band thing, the solo digital album thing... that now he should attempt the choreographing thing... hes thinking an army of dancers, skantily clad, with suggestive movements, and janet jackson-like body grips... that he'd have FINALLY done it all.


yeah! to the comment about SNL idiotech performance... he was transcended...

Posted by: jethronh at 09/08/06 12:53 PM  | Reply
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"his newly haggard appearance"

Actually, the full beard w/ unkempt hair is not a new look for him.

My guess regarding The Look: Someone put a dead rat in his piano.

I did like his "Look at my smile!" mugging at the end. It reminded me of http://www.flickr.com/photos/paulihoney/67940729/

Posted by: Alex at 09/08/06 1:02 PM  | Reply
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"This is 'Blue Steel.'"

Posted by: ez at 09/08/06 1:05 PM  | Reply
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It's jsut a pout. He's a poser really.

Posted by: Steve at 09/08/06 1:21 PM  | Reply
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He was thinking it was rude of the tuxedo crowd to talk during the previous performer's performance, and wanted them to shut the F up so he could get into a good headspace.
or so he revealed in an interview the next day

Posted by: rhfan at 09/08/06 1:27 PM  | Reply
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Anyone know where I could get an mp3 of that performance? I actually liked it better than the album version.

Posted by: Joey at 09/08/06 1:48 PM  | Reply
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"I wish I was in Arctic Monkeys"

Posted by: Rock! at 09/08/06 1:59 PM  | Reply
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"Who the fuck invited Tony Blair?"

Posted by: anjo at 09/08/06 2:07 PM  | Reply
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"Anyone know where I could get an mp3 of that performance? I actually liked it better than the album version."

Don't get me wrong, I really like the album, but I've been consistently surprised at how awesome the songs are when Thom turns them into something a bit simpler for radio appearances, &c.

So far he's done: "Cymbal Rush", "The Clock", "Analyse" and "Skip Divided". All of them were as good, or better than the album counterpart.

Posted by: Alex at 09/08/06 2:08 PM  | Reply
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he probably let one slip.

Posted by: drew at 09/08/06 2:12 PM  | Reply
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Someone probably yelled out "CREEEEEP", just as he was placing his hands onto the piano! haha

Posted by: Wilson at 09/08/06 2:28 PM  | Reply
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"almost dinner time, and I'm having hoops."

Posted by: Mike W. at 09/08/06 2:44 PM  | Reply
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Shaq's dick fell out of his basketball shorts in the front row.

Posted by: dan at 09/08/06 3:06 PM  | Reply
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"I am paranoid, but I am not an android."

Posted by: matt at 09/08/06 4:35 PM  | Reply
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"Bring me Kate, Jack, Sawyer, and Hurley."

He looks similar to the "other" guy from LOST that they locked in the armory. A poor attempt at humor, I know, just pointing out the fact that they look alike.

Posted by: Timothy at 09/08/06 4:44 PM  | Reply
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He's probably just stoned.

Posted by: Ryan at 09/08/06 5:01 PM  | Reply
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Did you see him on the cover of Paste? He looks like a craggy lighthouse keeper: "Yarrrr me beacon wonnagh be fixin' itself!"

Posted by: slurpie at 09/08/06 5:13 PM  | Reply
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What the fuck is that smell?

Posted by: Joey at 09/08/06 5:19 PM  | Reply
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If I stare all creepy like maybe they'll talk about me on Pitchfork and Stereogum. God that would be awesome.

Posted by: Vyral at 09/08/06 5:23 PM  | Reply
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It's not so much a death glare as it is a baby-taking-a-dump glare.

Posted by: geordie at 09/08/06 5:32 PM  | Reply
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“You proceed from a false assumption: I have no ego to bruise”

Posted by: Philco Brothers at 09/08/06 6:07 PM  | Reply
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death stare? how about incredibly sexy and hot. kinda has that psycho killer sexiness about it. if you can't see - you ain't got no taste.

i still want him to sing me to sleep everynight. i may be in a nightmare dreamland that slowly drives me insane but it will be sublime.

as much as i use to love him and the band - this thing has kinda lost me. wondering if its relevant to me.

Posted by: Bg at 09/08/06 6:21 PM  | Reply
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Anyone see Thom's reaction when they announced the Arctic Monkeys as winners of the Mercury Award?

And if anyone didn't know, Panic! At The Disco was sitting in the front row when Thom was performing.

Posted by: tjxm at 09/08/06 6:28 PM  | Reply
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He was giving Bono the "me, you and a hotel room - tonight!" eyes

Posted by: chris at 09/08/06 7:26 PM  | Reply
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He was probably just confused about this whole Jessica Simpson/John Mayer business.

Posted by: christopher at 09/08/06 7:37 PM  | Reply
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"I wish stereogum would stop the lame 'caption this' contests. They are not pinkisthenewblog."

Posted by: LL Cool R at 09/08/06 7:47 PM  | Reply
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"I have no day job."

Posted by: bret at 09/08/06 8:42 PM  | Reply
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"I don't know Freebird."

Posted by: Jason Robots at 09/08/06 9:56 PM  | Reply
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"I want to eat your artichoke heart" - pandering

Posted by: Waster One Two at 09/08/06 10:52 PM  | Reply
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martin short's film Clifford, is an under-rated masterpiece.

Posted by: s at 09/09/06 11:14 AM  | Reply
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"I love you all very much and I'm really happy to be here."

Posted by: Ken at 09/09/06 12:37 PM  | Reply
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'please feed me. i hunger.'

Posted by: person at 09/09/06 2:44 PM  | Reply
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hes apparently trying too hard to be like dylan:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFTNj9apUGM

skip to 3:10, adoration pisses dylan off

Posted by: h. rex at 09/09/06 4:01 PM  | Reply
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"they're worms, michael. worms."

Posted by: matthew at 09/09/06 4:39 PM  | Reply
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im glad someone else has seen clifford. misunderstood, underrated, masterpiece. all of the above.

Posted by: nick at 09/09/06 5:51 PM  | Reply
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Why are they called handcuffs when you wear them on your wrists?

Posted by: Michael Quirk at 09/09/06 10:45 PM  | Reply
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he's trying to remember the lyrics to "stars are blind" LOL :)

Posted by: amanda at 09/10/06 1:05 AM  | Reply
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"I hate these bullshit industry shows."

Posted by: dudeasInCool at 09/10/06 1:06 AM  | Reply
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"Mmmmmm, titties. I like titties"

Posted by: Anonymouse at 09/10/06 5:09 PM  | Reply
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He watched Zoolander the night before and it struck a chord with him.

Posted by: eroticvulture at 09/10/06 6:06 PM  | Reply
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Is it me or does anyone else think Martin Short could probably do a really good impersonation of Thom? He'd probably have that eye thing down pat.......

Posted by: Chris at 09/11/06 9:02 PM  | Reply
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