Hail To The Tribute

THE DISAPPOINTED WITH MICHAEL STRONG (VOCALS/GUITAR)
All-time favourite Radiohead album? OK Computer, because it is the perfect blend of old-school Radiohead and new-school Radiohead. The use of semi-incidental noise on the album creates such a unique atmosphere.
And song? Kid A – it sounds like a wonderful pop song from another planet.
What is it about Radiohead? They have that classic 'we do what we want' attitude to making albums. Releasing an album like Kid A at the peak of their commercial powers is a really gutsy move, the kind of thing that can earn a band the huge levels of respect that Radiohead have.
Which songs will you be covering? Karma Police, Paranoid Android, Exit Music (For A Film), 15-Step, Bodysnatchers, Fake Plastic Trees. We've been taking the basic song structures and then changed them to suit our line-up, and the live arena in general. The result is that the songs are sounding really lean and mean, and more guitar dominated than the studio versions.
Any special treats you have in store? Our Karma Police cover has come out really mean sounding; fans may lynch us after the show.
Favourite cover of any band: The Presidents Of The USA's cover of Kick Out The Jams.
Worst cover: Rod Stewart certainly ruined Tom Waits' Downtown Train.
Even though Radiohead aren't coming to Perth… I still love OK Computer and Kid A.

STILLWATER GIANTS WITH TOM GODDEN (GUITAR/MANDOLIN/VOCALS)
All-time favourite Radiohead album? If OK Computer and In Rainbows had a fight, The Bends would step in and break it up.
And song? Bangers & Mash!
Which songs will you be covering for Hail To The Tribute? Two of our members are overseas at the moment, so it's a bit conceptual at the moment… But we are working on ways to re-create High & Dry, Nude and Ripcord.
Any special treats you have in store for the night? Our drummer went to America so I'm gonna fill in on drums for one song, we are going to play one song acoustic, and one with an electronic drum track. It'll be a pretty unique SWG set.
Favourite cover of any band: Last Dinosaurs' live cover of Groovejet's If This Ain't Love. Epic.
Worst cover: Apparently a band down south covered one of our songs… Although I'm sure they play it better than us!
Even though Radiohead aren't coming to Perth… there are East Coast tickets to their shows available on eBay for $800-plus…

TOMAS FORD
All-time favourite Radiohead album? Amnesiac; a track-by-track music writing series by John Darnielle from the Mountain Goats re-contextualising it as a journey into hell made it irresistible.
And song? Creep has turned some nightmare shows around for me, but I don't particularly like the original. I would have to say Talk Show Host is a bit of a favourite, I can really relate to the passive aggression.
What is it about Radiohead? It's great music for the bedroom. A lot of sexual partners like to break down crying after a rough night of intercourse; I find a bit of Radiohead facilitates that process nicely. Start with the Marvin Gaye, end with the Radiohead.
Which songs will you be covering? I'm doing a couple that have been in my repertoire for years (Creep and No Surprises) and a few others that are deeper cuts like Motion Picture Soundtrack. There's five songs all up. It's odd to inhabit Thom Yorke's persona; his lyrics are sociopathic, which suits me well.
Any special treats you have in store? I've got no interest in recreating what they do, but it's interesting what happens when you take their songs and put them into my world.
Favourite cover of any band: One has to give props to Nine Inch Nails' cover of the Adam Ant tune Physical.
Worst cover: Any pop song played as a slowed-down acoustic cover to show that it has “meaning and depth”. Travis.
Even though Radiohead aren't coming to Perth…it is still better to live here than in the East Coast. The sun goes down the wrong way!

SUGARPUSS WITH SAM MAHER (DRUMS)
All-time favourite Radiohead album? Hail To The Thief is a perfect combination of every one of Radiohead's phases pushed into one record, the true Radiohead sound to my ears.
And song? Myself and a small group of people were enjoying an overcast late afternoon gath, intoxicated in some form or another. Sit Down, Stand Up was slowly rising to a climax, when conversation got heated, the music turned up, the wind started a-blowing, and as if it was meant to be, the peak of the rave-like climax bursted. Raindrops came, in both the song and outside. Epic moment.
What is it about Radiohead? It's their ability to create such influential and timeless albums that oddly enough, always seem to be ahead of their time. But it's not usually realised or acknowledged that it is ahead of its time until many years down the track. I guess you could call that avant-garde? Or time-travel? Or just fucking genius.
Which songs will you be covering? Thus far we are doing Climbing Up The Walls, Optimistic, The National Anthem and Lucky.
Any special treats you have in store? I'm looking forward to making noise in The National Anthem; it's not sonically the easiest thing to pull off. We have a couple of special guests joining us throughout this show too.
Favourite cover of any band: I may be slightly biased but I dig Grace Woodroofe's cover of Be Your Dog by The Stooges. It's not recorded but y'all should definitely witness that shit live.
Worst cover: I once covered a song by Conor Oberst & The Mystic Valley Band called White Shoes at a show in Melbourne. In my head everyone was weeping at its beauty. It was fracking horrible (Battlestar reference… sneaky).
Even though Radiohead aren't coming to Perth…you can still watch sub-par versions of their songs covered by sub-par bands. See, it's just as good as the real thing! Serious though, it's as good as it will get for all those people who are awesome at sleeping like me and missed out on tickets. Come down this Saturday, it's gonna be a great night.