Get ready to grin because The Smile are in rehearsals. The new band from Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood took to social media to surprise fans with an impromptu practice session earlier today.
Via Instagram Live, the Radiohead side project gave the first sneak peek at their new music since introducing themselves to the world during a Glastonbury livestream back in May with an eight-song set that included “You Will Never Work in Television Again,” “Panavision,” “Just Eyes and Mouth,” and “We Don’t Know What Tomorrow Brings” as well as unreleased Radiohead track “Skirting On The Surface.”
“The Smile came about from just wanting to work on music with Thom in lockdown,” Greenwood revealed in an interview with NME a few months ago. “We didn’t have much time, but we just wanted to finish some songs together. It’s been very stop-start, but it’s felt a happy way to make music.” In addition to the Radiohead guitarist and frontman, the band is rounded out by drummer Tom Skinner.
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Currently, The Smile are working to finish a full-length album. “We’re sitting in front of a pile of music, working out what will make the record,” Greenwood said. “We’re thinking of how much to include, whether it’s really finished or if there are a few guitars that need fixing. I’d hope it’ll come out soon, but I’m the wrong person to ask.”
In tandem with their new musical venture, Greenwood and Yorke unveiled KID A MNESIA, a three-volume collection of previously unreleased work, with Radiohead only a month ago. The English rockers launched a virtual exhibition to celebrate the compilation to coincide with its release.
Greenwood also recently shared the official soundtrack to the Kristen Stewart-starring part-fable/part-biopic Spencer, which hit theaters the same day KID A MNESIA dropped and features an assist from Skinner on drums. He also contributed a song to the soundtrack to Paul Thomas Anderson’s Licorice Pizza.
