radiohead-poster
photo via @radiohead_art

Posters sparking rumors of Radiohead 'OK Computer' 20th anniversary stuff

Mysterious posters have been popping up in cities around the world, featuring black text on a white background with a theme of “more fear” and “1997 2017” at the bottom. What does it mean? A lot of people think it may tie into the 20th anniversary of Radiohead‘s landmark OK Computer. The text itself is a bit like the album’s computer-voice “Fitter Happier,” the style resembles this image that is said to have been part of promotional materials for the album’s original release.

Then folks started getting more excited when Radiohead graphic designer Stanley Donwood posted on Instagram that he’s painting a mural in the Bonnefanten Museum in Maastricht, Netherlands, a project he says will be done in May. (OK Computer came out May 21, 1997.) Donwood then posted this to his Instagram, writing “soon to be real.” As fans jumped to conclusions in the comments, Donwood then clarified what was going on:

to be clear folks – this is a print thats going to be available from @shangrilart to raise some dollars for the fucking amazing installation/experience/fucking crazy headfuck that shangri la put on at glastonbury. not radiohead tv or nothing else. sorry for any misunderstanding. more on this when weve printed it! thanks for your interest

That still doesn’t explain the posters everywhere, and searching under the tag #morefear on Instagram leads to sightings of posters in New York City, London, Paris, Melbourne, Amsterdam, and more. There’s one across from the Javits Center and one outside of Union Pool in Williamsburg. When approached by NME about the posters, Radiohead representatives said “no comment.”

If you take “no comment” to mean “it’s on,” there’s a whole thread in the Radiohead subreddit called the “OK Computer 20th Anniversary Hype Command Center” featuring all the various info/conspiracy theories about whatever might or might not be happening. Indulge at your leisure.

Radiohead recently played Coachella and have shows coming up in June and July, including a show in Israel, which some artist’s have protested. Check out more Instagrams of these posters, check out Radiohead’s upcoming tour schedule, and revisit OK Computer, below.

RADIOHEAD – 2017 TOUR DATES
June 2017
Tue 6 Spektrum Oslo Norway w/ Junun
Wed 7 Spektrum Oslo Norway w/ Junun
Fri 9 Ericsson Globe Stockholm Sweden w/ Junun
Sun 11 NorthSide Festival Aarhus Denmark
Wed 14 Visarno Arena, Parco delle Cascine Florence Italy w/ James Blake
Fri 16 I-Days 2017 Milano, Parco di Monza Milan Italy w/ James Blake
Sun 18 Best Kept Secret Festival Hilvarenbeek Netherlands
Tue 20 3Arena Dublin Ireland w/ Junun
Fri 23 Glastonbury Festival Pilton UK
Wed 28 Open’er Festival Gdynia Poland
Fri 3 0Rock Werchter Werchter Belgium

July 2017
Sun 2 Main Square Festival Arras France
Tue 4 Manchester Arena Manchester UK w/ Oliver Coates, Junun
Wed 5 Manchester Arena Manchester UK w/ Oliver Coates, Junun
Fri 7 TRNSMT Festival Glasgow, Scotland UK
Wed 19 Park Ha Yarkon Tel Aviv Israel