Radiohead and Philosophy: Fitter, Happier, More Deductive (Popular Culture and Philosophy) (Popular Culture & Philosophy)

Since their breakthrough hit "Creep" in 1993, Radiohead has continued to make waves throughout popular and political culture with its views about the Bush presidency (its 2003 album was titled Hail to the Thief ), its anti-corporatism, its pioneering efforts to produce ecologically sound road tours, and, most of all, its decision in 2007 to sell its latest album, In Rainbows, online with a controversial "pay-what-you-want" price. Radiohead and Philosophy offers fresh ways to appreciate the lyrics, music, and conceptual ground of this highly innovative band. The chapters in this book explain how Radiohead’s music connects directly to the philosophical phenomenology of thinkers like Maurice Merleau-Ponty and Martin Heidegger, the existentialism of Albert Camus and Jean Paul Sartre, and the philosophical politics of Karl Marx, Jean Baudrillard, and Noam Chomsky. Fans and critics know that Radiohead is "the only band that matters" on the scene today — Radiohead and Philosophy shows why. Anyone can play philosophy (yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes). (Is Radiohead the Pink Floyd of the twenty-first century? / Geoerge A. Reisch ; Radiohead, or the philosophy of pop / Mark Greif ; All the argument we need / John Sylvia ; Radiohead and some questions about music / Edward Slowik Art and belief (Show me the world as I'd love to see it). New shades / Jere O'Neill Surber ; Why such sad songs? / Micah Lott ;The eraser : start making sense / David Dark Radiohead, economics, and the music industry (Rainbows and arrows). Taking the sting out of ecological virtue ethics / Daniel Milsky; We capitalists suck your young blood / Joseph Tate ; Everybody hates rainbows / D.E. Wittkower Radiohead's existential politics (First against the wall). Nietzsche, nihilism and Hail to the thief / Devon Lougheed ; The real politics in Radiohead / Jérôme Melançon ; The impossible utopias in Hail to the thief / Sean Burt ; Where power ends and violence begins / Brandon W. Forbes ; Evil, metaphysics, and politics in Hail to the thief / Jason Lee Radiohead, Heidegger, and technology (Our iron lungs). What was that you tried to say? / Adam Koehler ; Why a rock band in a desolate time? / Matthew Lampert ; The signature of time in Pyramid song / Michael Thompson ; Fitter happier rolling a large rock up a hill / Lindsey Fiorelli Radiohead and the postmodern (Not here. Isn't happening). Kid A as a musing on the post-modern condition / Bradley Kaye ; Hypereally saying something / Tim Footman ; Sexier more seductive / Perry Owen Wright. Contents 1 Step Anyone Can Play Philosophy 1 2 3 4 Art and Belief 5 6 7 Radiohead and the Music Industry 8 9 10 Radiohead's Existential Politics 11 12 13 14 15 Radiohead, Heidegger, and Technology 16 17 18 19 Radiohead and the Postmodern 20 21 22 Selected Chronological Radiohead Discography Where We Got Our Big Ideas Index (for a book) Evaluates the deeper significance of the popular and politically charged band, discussing their reflection of leading issues while considering how their music has drawn on the philosophical and existential perspectives of master thinkers. Original.