The Daily Reveille
Opinion
page 16
The King of Limbs
WEB COMMENTS As usual, the Opinion section of our website, lsureveille.com, has been absolutely buzzing with reader comments. Check it out today, and let your voice be heard. In response to the news story, “Student fees fund unofficial D.C. trip,” readers had this to say: “This is your SG at work with your student fees.” - What Now “It’s disappointing to learn the SG is abusing its power by allocating student fees toward opportunities for personal benefit to its own members and students formerly associated with it.” - Anonymous In response to Clayton Crockett’s column, “Anonymous is evil and threatens freedom,” readers had this to say: “Comparing them to operation mayhem? Please, they aren’t anarchists. They are more like Robin hood in my opinion, redistributing power to the people, and even that comparison is extreme. Anonymous doesn’t steal and fire arrows at people or ‘burn down buildings’ as you stated. People don’t live in websites, its more like tearing up a painting. Yeah it sucks, but maybe the painting sucked.” - Anonymous “Thank you for your clear and sensible article. You are right about Anonymous. I have been saying the same thing publicly for a year or more, and it is very important to speak out. Many people feel the same way, but they are too afraid of Anonymous to speak out against them. Anonymous is a small minority of deluded fanatics, who use online forums to make themselves appear more numerous than they are. Please note that my remarks refer only to Anonymous in the USA and UK. People tell me that Anonymous serves some purpose in other nations, and I cannot comment on the accuracy of that statement.” - Sam Browne
Radiohead proves legendary status shows THE NEW FRONTIERSMAN Clayton Crockett Opinion Editor On the latter half of a life lived in a tie and buttoned collar, either the tie asphyxiates the wearer or the wearer loses the tie. One could go the way of Ernest Hemingway — drunken author and father of mainstream depression — offing themselves after a life of work and cynicism, or give up the gun and retire to a simpler life. With a new world tour and an album to propel it, British rockers Radiohead have struggled to find a happy medium. Unsurprisingly, the product is beautiful. Radiohead’s fourth stop in the U.S. had them playing before a crowd of more than 19,000 in Houston’s Toyota Center on Saturday, with Oklahoma’s Other Lives touring as the palette-cleanser. Looking back on the show as a live recording of Radiohead’s “Idioteque” plays in the car taking me home, frontman Thom Yorke’s charismatically carefree stage presence the night before only makes sense in the wake of a life of buttoned collars. The band’s deepening angle peaked out intermittently throughout 1999’s “OK Computer” and became realized in the pairing of “Kid A” and “Amnesiac,” maturing with each subsequent album.
And while 2007’s “In Rainbows” felt like advice from the wise and experienced, the live presentation of latest album “The King of Limbs” feels like the loosened tie and cocktail after an arduous workday. Yorke’s idiosyncratic dancing was once a novelty and a treat — now it’s the star of the show. And with that much flailing and jiving, perhaps Yorke inspired the newest album title (I guess it’s all you can do to get that many pretentious hipsters to dance). The drawling jams of “Limbs” proved to be the perfect complement to the old shouts of “This is really happening” and “Off with his head, man,” especially when you consider the band’s separation-turned-hiatus which followed “In Rainbows.” “Limbs” marks the natural progression noted above. When “In Rainbows” had the band reconsidering their ability to dive deeper yet, now we see a band who has returned to the simple joy of playing together. And Yorke’s jitters, nods and leaps boast the prestigious status which allows him to do so, much like Paul McCartney’s diddy “Dance Tonight,” Robert Plant’s work with Alison Krauss or LCD Soundsystem frontman James Murphy’s opulent resignation in a soldout Madison Square Garden. Radiohead remembered what they loved about the business, and when you see them on stage, you can tell.
photo courtesy of THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Thom Yorke of Radiohead performs at the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival in Manchester, Tenn., in 2006. Radiohead performed on Houston Saturday night.
Yorke’s new ponytail must have happened by necessity upon donning his new moves — reserved bassist Colin Greenwood even danced in the corner of stage right. And guitarist Johnny Greenwood’s persistent eyes on Yorke made each new track feel evermore like a group of old friends having fun together. They bore the manner of parents who’ve seen their children go off to college. The show oozed pride and practice, and the band couldn’t have appeared more grateful to the sold-out stadium before them. Even more exciting, the groovy electronic beat of their newest track “Identikit” betrays more fun to be had. And if their show was anything to judge by, Radiohead is excited for the future. The most beautiful thing about
the experience was the looming fact that this band has no necessity to persist: Radiohead solidified its place in music history long ago. The logical conclusion is that they’re only here because they want to be, and from a band like Radiohead, it means a lot. They proved it by closing with classic jam, “Paranoid Android.”
Boi and Akon and wouldn’t book psychedelic act MGMT because of drug references in their music.” Doesn’t Ludacris have such family classics as “War with God,” “Move Bitch” and “Sex Room?” These aren’t drug references, but along with drugs could go sex and violence, right? I am a fan of both Ludacris and MGMT, so I’m excited to see
this year’s version. I would like to see some consistency from Students on Target with their booking, though. See you on the Grounds!
Clayton Crockett is a 20-year-old international studies sophomore from Lafayette. Follow him on Twitter @TDR_ccrockett.
Contact Clayton Crockett at ccrockett@lsureveille.com
LETTER TO THE EDITOR Groovin’ concert”:
“Terrorism is using mass fear to achieve a goal. Seems more descriptive of the government and all its fear mongering. Anonymous is more inspiring than scary.” - Anonymous
Ludacris as Groovin’ headliner is ludicrous
Contact The Daily Reveille’s opinion staff at opinion@lsureveille.com
In response to the March 1 article “Ludacris to headline
The Daily Reveille Editorial Board
Matthew Jacobs Chris Branch Ryan Buxton Bryan Stewart Andrea Gallo Clayton Crockett
Monday, March 5, 2012
Editor-in-Chief Associate Managing Editor Associate Managing Editor Managing Editor, External Media News Editor Opinion Editor
I find it a bit ironic that Ludacris has been named this year’s headliner for Groovin’ on the Grounds — a so-called “good time not wasted.” I remember reading in a Daily Reveille article dated April 29, 2010, that “Students on Target, who books the Groovin’ on the Grounds artists, censored recent acts like Big
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The Daily Reveille (USPS 145-800) is written, edited and produced solely by students of Louisiana State University. The Daily Reveille is an independent entity within the Manship School of Mass Communication. Signed opinions are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the editor, paper or University. Letters submitted for publication should be sent via e-mail to opinion@lsureveille.com or delivered to B-26 Hodges Hall. They must be 400 words or less. Letters must have a contact phone number so the opinion editor can verify the author. The phone number won’t be printed. The Daily Reveille reserves the right to edit letters and guest columns for space consideration without changing the original intent. The Daily Reveille also reserves the right to reject any letter without notification of the author. Writers must include their full names and phone numbers. The Daily Reveille’s editor-in-chief, hired every semester by the Louisiana State University Media Board, has final authority on all editorial decisions.
Andy Larson Music graduate student Contact The Daily Reveille’s opinion staff at opinion@lsureveille.com
Quote of the Day “I know I’m paranoid and neurotic. I’ve made a career out of it.”
Thom Yorke frontman for British band Radiohead Oct. 6, 1969 — present