1995-02-21 Black Session

## Tracklist

1. The Bends
2. Just (tiny cut in middle)
3. Anyone Can Play Guitar
4. Bones (cuts out halfway)
5. High and Dry (cuts in halfway)
6. Fake Plastic Trees
7. Street Spirit (Fade Out)
8. You
9. Planet Telex
10. Union City Blue (Blondie cover)
11. Creep
12. My Iron Lung
13. Banana Co.
14. Prove Yourself

## Comments

* This is the first full-band performance available from 1995, and you'd be forgiven for having a sense of deja vu here: it's a recording of a Black Session, for the radio station France Inter, almost 2 years to the day after their first Black Session. Very similar situation to that 1993 performance, too: this show features a significant number of songs from the yet-to-be-released The Bends, including some that had never been played in their typical live forms before! Luckily, the whole show was recorded in great sound quality, albeit with an unfortunate cut affecting Bones and High and Dry.
* Of course, this show features a huge part of Radiohead history: the recorded debut performance of fan favourite Planet Telex, which somehow managed to become the last Bends song to see live performance. Planet Telex is a fascinating one because of how it evolved over the band's history, so you can see how it starts its long journey here: with tons of tremolo and the central chords in all their metallic, studio-faithful glory. The song would get better from here, but it's a very auspicious start.
* Another awesome little moment that can be found here is Radiohead's only performance of the evergreen Union City Blue, a Blondie song that the band does a really amazing job at covering. It's roughly similar in structure to the original song, but they put their own little touches on it. The guitar work is amazing, especially from Jonny whose screaming lines add a real gravitas to the performance, and Thom emulates Debbie Harry's angelic vocals perfectly. A personal favourite of the band's early covers.
* It's a shame that High and Dry, in its first recorded performance with a full band backing, is essentially only half here. That being said, Thom's vocal here is a little bizarre; he's already using this song as an opportunity to be at his most lackadaisical. Maybe his disdain for it had already set in.
* Yet *another* first: the recorded debut of Fake Plastic Trees in the full-band arrangement that we all know and love today! It's rendered faithfully and even has that haunting organ in the refrains, which would be dropped later down the road.
* In terms of the setlist 'regulars' that can be found here? The highlight is probably Just, which features the song at its off-the-wall best - look out for Thom's absolutely rabid vocals in the final breakdown.
* Yeah, we're really getting into some major Creep disdain territory here: Thom introduces it after Union City Blue by saying 'this is another cover version. It's no longer our song.'
* You'll notice that a few other little elements have come together since the previous year; the stuttering live guitar intro to My Iron Lung, for instance, is finally in place.
* A funny little moment: Thom's announcement of Fake Plastic Trees to the studio audience is met with loud cheers from one member of the crowd, which is met with incredulity from the singer: 'it's brand new! You know them now before we write them. That's frightening.'