Philip Selway

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Philip Selway
Selway performing with Radiohead in 2006
Selway performing with Radiohead in 2006
Background information
Birth namePhilip James Selway
Born (1967-05-23) 23 May 1967 (age 54)
OriginAbingdon-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, England
GenresAlternative rock, art rock, electronic, folk rock
Occupation(s)Musician, singer-songwriter
InstrumentsDrums, percussion, vocals
Years active1985–present
LabelsXL, Nonesuch, Bella Union
Associated actsRadiohead, 7 Worlds Collide, The Weird Sisters
Websitewww.philipselway.com

Philip James Selway (born 23 May 1967) is an English musician and the drummer of the English rock group Radiohead. Along with the other members of Radiohead, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2019.

Selway has released two solo albums, Familial (2010) and Weatherhouse (2014). He composed the soundtrack for the 2017 film Let Me Go.

Early life and education[]

Selway was born on 23 May 1967 in Abingdon, Berkshire (now Oxfordshire).[citation needed] The members of Radiohead met while attending Abingdon School, an independent school for boys in Abingdon.[1] Selway, along with guitarist Ed O'Brien, was in the year above singer Thom Yorke and bassist Colin Greenwood, and three years above multi-instrumentalist Jonny Greenwood, brother of Colin.[2] In 1985, they formed On a Friday, the name referring to the band's usual rehearsal day in the school's music room.[2]

Selway attended Liverpool Polytechnic's C.F. Mott Campus near Prescot (now Liverpool John Moores University), where he studied Literature, Life, and Thought (English and History). Before that, he had studied mathematics, worked for various touring musicians, and worked as an English teacher.[citation needed]

Career[]

Radiohead[]

In 1991, On a Friday signed a six-album recording contract with EMI and changed their name to Radiohead.[3] They found early success with their 1992 single "Creep".[4] Their third album, OK Computer (1997), propelled them to international fame and is often acclaimed as one of the best albums of all time.[5][6] By 2011, Radiohead had sold more than 30 million albums worldwide.[7] They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in March 2019.[8]

Since 2011, Radiohead have performed with a second drummer, Clive Deamer.[9] Describing their 2012 tour for The King of Limbs, Selway said: "One [of us] played in the traditional way, the other almost mimicked a drum machine. It was push-and-pull, like kids at play, really interesting."[10]

Solo work[]

Selway released his debut solo album, Familial, on 30 August 2010.[11] It features Selway on guitar and vocals, with Wilco members Glenn Kotche and Pat Sansone as well as fellow 7 Worlds Collide artists Lisa Germano and Sebastian Steinberg. Selway announced a solo tour on 4 February 2011.[12][13]

Selway's second solo album, Weatherhouse, was released on 6 October 2014. In 2017, Selway composed the score for the feature film Let Me Go, directed by Polly Steele.[14] He contributed drums to the song "Impossible Knots" from Yorke's third solo album, Anima.[15]

Other work[]

Selway performing with 7 Worlds Collide, 2009

Selway has volunteered as a listener for the emotional support group Samaritans since 1991.[citation needed] He performed with the band Dive Dive in March 2005 and appeared in the movie Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire as a member of the band the Weird Sisters along with Radiohead bandmate Jonny Greenwood and Pulp singer Jarvis Cocker.[16]

Selway has also toured and recorded with Neil Finn as part of the 7 Worlds Collide project. He drummed on their eponymous 2001 live album and provides drums, guitar and vocals on their 2009 studio album, The Sun Came Out, where he also penned two tracks.[citation needed]

Selway appears on "Rest on the Rock" and "Out of Light" on the album Before the Ruin by Roddy Woomble, Kris Drever, and John McCusker.[17]

Musicianship[]

From their fourth album, Kid A (2000), Radiohead began integrating drum machines and electronic percussion into their music. Selway said this "pushed me to create some new dynamics. It’s another way of solving the problem of arranging songs ... Electronics opened up my drumming rather than closing down the possibilities of what I can do. Now I can express myself in a more effective way."[10] In 2008, Gigwise named Selway the 26th greatest drummer of all time, praising his "mathematical precision".[18]

Personal life[]

Selway and his wife Cait have three children.[citation needed] Selway's mother Thea died during a Radiohead tour in May 2006. The band cancelled one of their dates in Amsterdam so that Selway could carry out his family duties.[19] They returned to Amsterdam in August to play the missed show. In Rainbows is dedicated to Thea Selway.[citation needed]

Discography[]

Studio albums[]

List of studio albums, with selected chart positions
Title Details Charts
UK
[20]
US
Folk

[21]
US
Heat

[22]
Familial 185 8 7
Weatherhouse
  • Released: 6 October 2014 (UK)[24]
  • Label: Bella Union
  • Formats: CD, LP, download
25

Soundtrack albums[]

Title Details
Let Me Go
  • Released: 15 September 2017
  • Label: Bella Union
  • Formats: LP, CD, download

Extended plays[]

List of studio albums, with selected chart positions
Title Details
Running Blind
  • Released: 25 July 2011
  • Label: Bella Union, Nonesuch
  • Formats: Vinyl, download

Singles[]

Title Year Album
"It Will End in Tears" 2014 Weatherhouse
"Around Again (The Acid Remix)" 2015 Non-album single

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ McLean, Craig (14 July 2003). "Don't worry, be happy". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 25 December 2007.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b Randall, Mac (1 April 1998). "The Golden Age of Radiohead". Guitar World.
  3. ^ Ross, Alex (20 August 2001). "The Searchers". The New Yorker. Archived from the original on 14 February 2008. Retrieved 16 March 2011.
  4. ^ "Jonny Greenwood - 100 Greatest Guitarists". Rolling Stone. 18 December 2015. Retrieved 22 June 2016.
  5. ^ "Q Magazine: The 100 Greatest British Albums of All Time - How many do you own? (Either on CD, Vinyl, Tape or Download)". List Challenges.
  6. ^ "Radiohead's OK Computer named best album of the past 25 years". Telegraph.co.uk. 22 December 2010.
  7. ^ Jonathan, Emma. "BBC Worldwide takes exclusive Radiohead performance to the world". BBC. 3 May 2011. Retrieved 15 June 2011.
  8. ^ Greene, Andy (30 March 2019). "Radiohead, Stevie Nicks, The Cure, Janet Jackson Enter Rock Hall at Epic Ceremony". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 1 April 2019.
  9. ^ "Radiohead in Amsterdam: A Tour Opener Live Blog | Pitchfork". pitchfork.com. Retrieved 21 May 2016.
  10. ^ Jump up to: a b "Phil Selway and the evolution of rock drumming in the digital age". Mono. 9 November 2014. Archived from the original on 10 November 2014. Retrieved 9 November 2014.
  11. ^ "Radiohead drummer announces details of debut solo album". The Independent. Archived from the original on 5 June 2010. Retrieved 28 September 2014.
  12. ^ "Radiohead's Phil Selway Announces European Solo Tour". Spinner. 4 February 2010. Retrieved 26 October 2011.
  13. ^ James Reed (3 February 2010). "Consequence of Sound". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved 26 October 2011.
  14. ^ Garratt, John (3 November 2017). "Philip Selway: Let Me Go Original Soundtrack". PopMatters. Archived from the original on 13 June 2018. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
  15. ^ "5 Takeaways From Thom Yorke's New Album, ANIMA". Pitchfork. Retrieved 29 September 2019.
  16. ^ Richards, Will (8 July 2020). "Jarvis Cocker says he chose his own wardrobe for 'Harry Potter' cameo". NME. Retrieved 6 September 2020.
  17. ^ "Navigator Records". Navigator Records. Retrieved 20 February 2009.
  18. ^ "The Greatest Drummers of All Time". Gigwise. 29 May 2008. Archived from the original on 2 February 2009. Retrieved 20 February 2009.
  19. ^ Selway, Phil (11 May 2006). "My mum". Dead Air Space. Archived from the original on 11 June 2011. Retrieved 20 February 2009.
  20. ^ Peak chart positions in the United Kingdom:
  21. ^ "Philip Selway: Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
  22. ^ "Philip Selway: Chart History - Heatseekers Albums". Billboard. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
  23. ^ Kellman, Andy. "Familial". AllMusic. Retrieved 27 January 2020.
  24. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Weatherhouse". AllMusic. Retrieved 27 January 2020.

External links[]

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