Atoms for Peace (band)

English-American supergroup

Atoms for Peace

Atoms for Peace performing in 2010. From left: Nigel Godrich, Thom Yorke, Joey Waronker (behind Yorke), Flea, Mauro Refosco

Background information
Origin| Los Angeles, California, United States
Genres|

* Electronic rock
* electronica
* experimental rock
* IDM

Years active| 2009–2013, 2018
Labels| XL
Spinoffs| Ultraísta
Spinoff of| Radiohead
Past members|

* Thom Yorke
* Nigel Godrich
* Flea
* Joey Waronker
* Mauro Refosco

Website| atomsforpeace.info

Thom Yorke (front) and Nigel Godrich

Flea (front) and Mauro Refosco

Atoms for Peace performing at Melt! Festival 2013

Atoms for Peace were an English-American rock supergroup comprising the Radiohead songwriter Thom Yorke (vocals, guitar, piano), the Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea, the Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich (keyboards, synthesisers, guitars), the Beck and R.E.M. drummer Joey Waronker, and the Forro in the Dark percussionist Mauro Refosco.

Yorke formed Atoms for Peace in 2009 to perform songs from his debut solo album, The Eraser (2006). They toured the US in 2010. In 2013, they released an album, Amok, the product of combining their jamming with Yorke's electronic music. It received mainly positive reviews, with critics likening it to Yorke's solo work. Amok was followed by a tour of Europe, the US and Japan. The band members have collaborated intermittently since.

## History

[edit]

### 2009—2010: Formation and first shows

[edit]

In 2006, the Radiohead songwriter, Thom Yorke, released his first solo album, The Eraser, comprising mostly electronic music. It was produced by Radiohead's producer, Nigel Godrich. In 2009, Yorke performed solo at Latitude Festival, and found it was possible to perform Eraser songs on acoustic instruments. He contacted Godrich with the idea of forming a band to perform The Eraser without sequencers, reproducing the electronic beats with Latin percussion.[1]

Yorke and Godrich formed Atoms for Peace in 2009 with the bassist Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers; the drummer Joey Waronker, who had performed with acts including Beck and R.E.M; and the percussionist Mauro Refosco, who had performed with acts including David Byrne.[1] Yorke said: "I've been playing with [Radiohead] since I was 16, and to do this was quite a trip ... It felt like we'd knocked a hole in a wall, and we should just fucking go through it."[1]

The band went unnamed for early performances, billed as "Thom Yorke" or "??????".[2] In February 2010, they announced the name Atoms for Peace, taken from a song title from The Eraser, which references the 1953 speech by the American president Dwight D. Eisenhower.[3] Atoms for Peace toured the US in early 2010, supported by Flying Lotus. The tour included a performance at Coachella.[3] Along with songs from The Eraser, they performed the 2003 Radiohead B-side "Paperbag Writer", the Radiohead song "Follow Me Around" and the 1998 single "Rabbit in Your Headlights", a collaboration between Yorke and Unkle.[4][5][6]

### 2013: Amok

[edit]

Main article: Amok (Atoms for Peace album)

After the tour, Atoms for Peace spent three days jamming and recording in Los Angeles. Yorke and Godrich edited and arranged the recordings over two years, combining it with Yorke's electronic music.[7] This became the band's debut album, Amok, released on February 25, 2013, through XL Recordings.[8] It received mainly positive reviews, with critics likening it to Yorke's solo work.[9][10][11]

Amok was followed by a tour of Europe, the US and Japan.[12] The tour included performances of Yorke's 2009 single "FeelingPulledApartByHorses".[13] Atoms for Peace partnered with a British startup, Soundhalo, to sell recordings of the performances.[14] Godrich said he saw Soundhalo as an alternative to low-quality audience recordings on YouTube.[14]

That July, Yorke and Godrich removed Atoms for Peace and Yorke's solo music from the streaming service Spotify. Yorke called it "the last gasp of the old industry", accusing it of only benefiting major labels with large back catalogues, and encouraged artists to build "direct connections" with audiences instead.[15] Atoms for Peace were readded to Spotify in December 2017.[16]

### Later activity

[edit]

In 2015, Yorke and Flea performed "Atoms for Peace" on the French television show Le Grand Journal[17] and performed "Default" at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris.[18] In 2018, Atoms for Peace reunited without Refosco to perform "Atoms for Peace" at a Thom Yorke show in Los Angeles.[19] Flea provided trumpet for Yorke's song "Daily Battles" for the 2019 film Motherless Brooklyn,[20] and Waronker contributed drums to a song on Yorke's 2019 album Anima.[21] Waronker and Refosco formed a new group, Jomoro, and released their debut album, Blue Marble Sky, on 4 June 2021.[22]

## Members

[edit]

* Thom Yorke – lead vocals, guitars, piano, keyboards, percussion
* Flea – bass guitar, melodica, keyboards
* Nigel Godrich – keyboards, synthesisers, guitars, percussion, backing vocals
* Mauro Refosco – percussion, additional drums, marimba
* Joey Waronker – drums

## Discography

[edit]

### Studio albums

[edit]

List of studio albums, with selected chart positions and sales figures  Title  | Album details  | Peak chart positions

|
|

UK | US | BEL
(FL) | BEL
(WA) | CAN | DEN | FRA | GER | IRL | NLD | SWE
Amok |

* Released: February 25, 2013
* Label: XL Recordings[23]
* Format: CD, LP, download

| 5  | 2  | 6  | 14  | 4  | 5  | 15  | 16  | 12  | 3  | 42

### Singles

[edit]

Year  | Single  | Peak chart positions  | Album

|
|
|

UK | UK
Indie
[24] | BEL
[25] | JAP
[26]
2012  | "Default"[27] | —  | 31  | —  | 93  | Amok
2013  | "Judge, Jury and Executioner"  | —  | —  | 43  | —
"Before Your Very Eyes..."  | —  | —  | 61  | —

### Music videos

[edit]

Year  | Title  | Director

|
|

2013  | "Judge, Jury and Executioner"  | Tarik Barri
"Ingenue"  | Garth Jennings
"Before Your Very Eyes..."  | Andrew Thomas Huang

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c Lea, Tom (28 January 2013). "A new career in a new town: Radiohead's Thom Yorke and Nigel Godrich open Pandora's box and run amok as Atoms for Peace". Fact. Retrieved 2 May 2015.
2. ^ Singh, Amrit (25 February 2010). "Thom Yorke names his ???? band Atoms for Peace, announces tour dates". Stereogum. Archived from the original on 19 April 2016. Retrieved 12 April 2016.
3. ^ a b Dombal, Ryan (25 February 2010). "Thom Yorke names solo band, lines up American spring tour". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on 27 February 2010. Retrieved 2 March 2010.
4. ^ "Watch Atoms for Peace rehearse Thom Yorke's 'Rabbit In Your Headlights'". Uncut. 3 June 2013. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
5. ^ Shutler, Ali (1 November 2021). "Radiohead finally release fan favourite 'Follow Me Around'". NME. Retrieved 3 November 2021.
6. ^ Dean, Jonathan (14 July 2013). "Nuclear energy". The Times. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
7. ^ "Q&A: Thom Yorke on Atoms for Peace's 'Mechanistic' New Album". Rolling Stone. 5 November 2012. Archived from the original on 27 June 2014. Retrieved 18 February 2013.
8. ^ "Calendar". Xlrecordings.com. Archived from the original on 3 April 2013. Retrieved 24 February 2013.
9. ^ Tan, Irving (21 February 2013). "Album Review - Atoms for Peace: Amok". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved 22 February 2013.
10. ^ Liedel, Kevin (22 February 2013). "Review: Atoms for Peace, Amok". Slant. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
11. ^ Berman, Stuart (25 February 2013). "Atoms for Peace: AMOK". Pitchfork. Retrieved 25 February 2013.
12. ^ "Atoms for Peace Announce U.S. and Japanese Dates". Pitchfork. 18 March 2013. Archived from the original on 12 November 2015. Retrieved 13 November 2015.
13. ^ Gentile, John (25 September 2013). "Thom Yorke introduces himself as Jay Z". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 11 March 2023.
14. ^ a b Dredge, Stuart (18 July 2013). "Thom Yorke's Atoms for Peace slam Spotify — but back Soundhalo app". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
15. ^ Dredge, Stuart (7 October 2013). "Thom Yorke calls Spotify 'the last desperate fart of a dying corpse'". The Guardian. Retrieved 7 October 2013.
16. ^ Rossignol, Derrick (8 December 2017). "Thom Yorke's solo albums are finally streaming on Spotify, which he famously hates". Uproxx. Uproxx Media Group. Retrieved 10 December 2017.
17. ^ "Thom Yorke and Flea reunite to play "Atoms For Peace" on French TV". NME. 4 December 2015. Archived from the original on 4 February 2020. Retrieved 4 February 2020.
18. ^ "Radiohead's Thom Yorke, Patti Smith & More Raise Climate Awareness on New Pathway to Paris Album". Billboard. Archived from the original on 7 February 2020. Retrieved 4 February 2020.
19. ^ "Atoms For Peace reunite during Thom Yorke concert in Los Angeles: Watch". Consequence of Sound. 4 February 2020. Archived from the original on 20 December 2018. Retrieved 20 December 2018.
20. ^ "Listen to Thom Yorke and Flea's haunting new collaboration, 'Daily Battles'". NME. 5 February 2020. Archived from the original on 21 August 2019. Retrieved 20 December 2018.
21. ^ Yoo, Noah (26 June 2019). "5 Takeaways From Thom Yorke's New Album, ANIMA". Pitchfork. Retrieved 27 June 2019.
22. ^ Martoccio, Angie (16 April 2021). "Atoms for Peace's Joey Waronker, Mauro Refosco form Jomoro, drop single with Lucius". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
23. ^ "Atoms for Peace, releases". Archived from the original on 6 November 2012.
24. ^ "2012-09-15 Top 40 Independent Singles Archive". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 19 August 2013.
25. ^ "Discografie Atoms for Peace" [Discography Atoms for Peace]. Ultratop (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Archived from the original on 20 December 2013. Retrieved 19 August 2013.
26. ^ "Amok – Atoms for Peace: Awards". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Archived from the original on 31 March 2013. Retrieved 19 August 2013.
27. ^ "Thom Yorke's Atoms For Peace Release New Single". pitchfork.com. Archived from the original on 1 November 2012. Retrieved 6 September 2012.

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Atoms for Peace (musical group).

* Official website

* v
* t
* e

Thom Yorke / Atoms for Peace

* Thom Yorke
* Flea
* Nigel Godrich
* Mauro Refosco
* Joey Waronker

Studio albums|

| Solo|

* The Eraser
* Tomorrow's Modern Boxes
* Anima

|

Soundtracks|

* Suspiria
* Confidenza

Atoms for Peace|

* Amok

Collaborations|

* Tall Tales

Remix albums|

* The Eraser Rmxs

Singles|

| Solo|

* "Harrowdown Hill"
* "Analyse"
* "FeelingPulledApartbyHorses" / "TheHollowEarth"

|

Atoms for Peace|

* "Default"
* "Judge, Jury and Executioner"

Other songs|

* "Rabbit in Your Headlights"
* "I've Seen It All"
* "Us Placers"
* "Náttúra"
* "Gazzillion Ear (Thom Yorke Remix)"
* "Back in the Game"

Related articles|

* Solo discography
* Radiohead
* The Smile
* Ultraísta
* Stanley Donwood
* Mark Pritchard
* Dead Children Playing
* Dasyomyliobatis thomyorkei
* Everything

* v
* t
* e

Radiohead

* Thom Yorke
* Jonny Greenwood
* Colin Greenwood
* Ed O'Brien
* Philip Selway

Studio albums|

* Pablo Honey
* The Bends
* OK Computer
* Kid A
* Amnesiac
* Hail to the Thief
* In Rainbows
* The King of Limbs
* A Moon Shaped Pool

|

Compilation albums|

* Radiohead Box Set
* Radiohead: The Best Of
* OKNOTOK 1997 2017
* MiniDiscs [Hacked]
* Kid A Mnesia

Remix albums|

* TKOL RMX 1234567

Live albums|

* I Might Be Wrong: Live Recordings

EPs|

* Drill
* My Iron Lung
* No Surprises / Running from Demons
* Airbag / How Am I Driving?
* Com Lag (2plus2isfive)
* In Rainbows Disk 2

Singles|

| 1990s|

* "Creep"
* "Pop Is Dead"
* "Stop Whispering"
* "My Iron Lung"
* "High and Dry / Planet Telex"
* "Fake Plastic Trees"
* "Just"
* "Street Spirit (Fade Out)"
* "The Bends"
* "Paranoid Android"
* "Karma Police"
* "Lucky"
* "No Surprises"

|

2000s|

* "Pyramid Song"
* "Knives Out"
* "There There"
* "Go to Sleep"
* "2 + 2 = 5"
* "Jigsaw Falling into Place"
* "Nude"
* "Harry Patch (In Memory Of)"
* "These Are My Twisted Words"

2010s|

* "Supercollider" / "The Butcher"
* "The Daily Mail" / "Staircase"
* "Burn the Witch"
* "Daydreaming"
* "I Promise"
* "Man of War"

2020s|

* "If You Say the Word"
* "Follow Me Around"

Other songs|

* "Let Down"
* "Everything in Its Right Place"
* "The National Anthem"
* "How to Disappear Completely"
* "Idioteque"
* "Optimistic"
* "True Love Waits"
* "15 Step"
* "House of Cards" / "Bodysnatchers"
* "All I Need"
* "Reckoner"
* "Lotus Flower"
* "Spectre"
* "Lift"

Video albums|

* Live at the Astoria
* 7 Television Commercials
* Meeting People Is Easy
* The Most Gigantic Lying Mouth of All Time
* In Rainbows – From the Basement
* Radiohead for Haiti
* The King of Limbs: Live from the Basement

Related albums|

* True Love Waits
* Hold Me to This
* Exit Music: Songs with Radio Heads
* Radiodread
* Jaydiohead
* Amanda Palmer Performs the Popular Hits of Radiohead on Her Magical Ukulele

Related articles|

* Discography
* Songs
* Awards and nominations
* Live performances
* Atoms for Peace
* The Smile
* Stanley Donwood
* Nigel Godrich
* Clive Deamer
* Dead Children Playing
* Radio and Juliet
* Radio Rewrite
* Sericomyrmex radioheadi
* The Music and Art of Radiohead
* 2012 stage collapse
* "Scott Tenorman Must Die"
* "Get Free"
* Kid A Mnesia Exhibition
* Dasyomyliobatis thomyorkei

* Category

* v
* t
* e

Red Hot Chili Peppers

Anthony Kiedis
Michael "Flea" Balzary
Chad Smith
John Frusciante

* Hillel Slovak
* Jack Irons
* Jack Sherman
* Cliff Martinez
* DeWayne McKnight
* D. H. Peligro
* Arik Marshall
* Jesse Tobias
* Dave Navarro
* Josh Klinghoffer

Studio albums|

* The Red Hot Chili Peppers
* Freaky Styley
* The Uplift Mofo Party Plan
* Mother's Milk
* Blood Sugar Sex Magik
* One Hot Minute
* Californication
* By the Way
* Stadium Arcadium
* I'm with You
* The Getaway
* Unlimited Love
* Return of the Dream Canteen

EPs|

* The Abbey Road E.P.
* 2011 Live EP
* Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Covers EP
* I'm with You World Tour
* Live in Paris

Live releases|

* Live in Hyde Park
* Official Bootlegs
* Cardiff, Wales: 6/23/04

Compilations|

* What Hits!?
* Live Rare Remix Box
* The Plasma Shaft
* Out in L.A.
* The Best of Red Hot Chili Peppers
* Under the Covers: Essential Red Hot Chili Peppers
* Greatest Hits
* I'm with You Sessions

Videos|

* Funky Monks
* What Hits!?
* Off the Map
* Live at Slane Castle
* Greatest Hits and Videos
* Red Hot Chili Peppers Live: I'm with You
* Red Hot Chili Peppers: Live from the Basement

Tours|

* The Uplift Mofo Party Tour
* Mother's Milk Tour
* Tour de La Sensitive
* Californication Tour
* By the Way Tour
* Stadium Arcadium World Tour
* I'm with You World Tour
* 2013–2014 Tour
* The Getaway World Tour
* Unlimited Love Tour

Related articles|

* Discography
* Videography
* Band members
* Songs
* Awards and nominations
* Scar Tissue
* Acid for the Children
* An Oral/Visual History by the Red Hot Chili Peppers
* Woodstock 1994
* Unearthed
* Silverlake Conservatory of Music
* "Bedrock Anthem"
* "You Oughta Know"
* Super Bowl XLVIII halftime show

Groups|

* What Is This?
* Atoms for Peace
* Rocket Juice & the Moon
* Antemasque
* Chickenfoot
* Chad Smith's Bombastic Meatbats
* Ataxia
* Dot Hacker
* The Process
* Jane's Addiction
* Fear
* Eleven
* Pearl Jam
* The Weirdos
* Parliament-Funkadelic
* Dead Kennedys
* Thelonious Monster
* The Bicycle Thief
* The Latino Rockabilly War
* Aleka's Attic
* P
* The Mars Volta
* Gnarls Barkley
* Fishbone
* Circle Jerks
* Off!
* The Meters

* Category
* Commons

Authority control databases

International|

* ISNI
* VIAF

National|

* Germany
* United States
* France
* BnF data

Artists|

* MusicBrainz

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