Thom Yorke Biography

news-detailsThomas Edward Yorke, better known as Thom Yorke, is the lead singer and principal songwriter of band Radiohead. He started forming a band for the very first time while studying at Abingdon School for Boys. Teaming up with Ed O'Brien as guitarist and Colin Greenwood as bassist, with Yorke himself as lead vocalist, the threesome named themselves On a Friday. They afterwards added new members Phil Selway as drummer and Greenwood's younger brother, Jonny, as harmonica player, keyboardist and guitarist.

By the time Yorke enrolled at University of Exeter, the group disbanded for a short period of time before reuniting and began recording a series of demo tapes. Thanks to their tape, titled "Manic Hedgehog", that On a Friday caught the attention of recording company EMI who signed them to a six-album deal in 1991. The following year, the band changed their stage name into Radiohead. The band tasted international fame with their third album "OK Computer", which successfully established Radiohead as one of the leading alternative rock acts of the 1990s. Aside from his success with Radiohead, Yorke also formed another band called Atoms for Peace with Flea, the bassist of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and longtime Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich. Even greater, he also launched solo singing career. His debut album "The Eraser" was released in 2006, debuting at No. 3 on the UK Albums Chart and at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 in US. In September 2014, he released a sophomore album "Tomorrow's Modern Boxes" which received positive reviews and was downloaded over a million times after being released for only six days.

Born on October 7, 1968 in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, England, Yorke resides in Oxford with his longtime partner Rachel Owen, whom he met while studying at Exeter University. They have two children together; son Noah (b. 2001) and daughter Agnes (b. 2004). Mainly playing guitar and piano, he can also play synthesizer, bass guitar, drums, and use electronic equipments such as samplers and drum machines.