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Philip James Selway (born 23 May 1967) is an English musician and the drummer of the English rock band
Radiohead
Radiohead are an English rock band formed in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, in 1985. The band consists of Thom Yorke (vocals, guitar, piano, keyboards); brothers Jonny Greenwood (lead guitar, keyboards, other instruments) and Colin Greenwood (bass) ...
. Along with the other members of Radiohead, he was inducted into the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (RRHOF), sometimes simply referred to as the Rock Hall, is a museum
A museum ( ; plural museums or, rarely, musea) is a building or institution that cares for and displays a collection of artifacts and othe ...
in 2019.
Selway released his debut solo album, ''
Familial'', in 2010, followed by ''
Weatherhouse'' in 2014. He also composed the soundtrack for the 2017 film ''Let Me Go''. His third solo album, ''Strange Dance'', is scheduled for February 2023.
Early life
Selway was born on 23 May, 1967,
in
Abingdon, Oxfordshire.
He started learning to play drums and guitar at the age of 15 for "the social cachet and love of music".
His earliest influences were
Joy Division
Joy Division were an English rock band formed in Salford in 1976. The group consisted of vocalist Ian Curtis, guitarist/keyboardist Bernard Sumner, bassist Peter Hook and drummer Stephen Morris.
Sumner and Hook formed the band after attend ...
, the
Clash and the
Velvet Underground
Weave details visible on a purple-colored velvet fabric
Velvet is a type of woven tufted fabric
Textile is an umbrella term that includes various fiber-based materials, including fibers, yarns, filaments, threads, different fabri ...
.
The members of
Radiohead
Radiohead are an English rock band formed in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, in 1985. The band consists of Thom Yorke (vocals, guitar, piano, keyboards); brothers Jonny Greenwood (lead guitar, keyboards, other instruments) and Colin Greenwood (bass) ...
met while attending
Abingdon School
Abingdon School is a day and boarding independent school for boys in Abingdon-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, England. The twentieth oldest independent British school, it celebrated its 750th anniversary in 2006. The school was described as "highly ...
, an independent school for boys.
Selway, along with the guitarist
Ed O'Brien
Edward John O'Brien (born 15 April 1968) is an English guitarist, songwriter and member of the rock band Radiohead. He releases solo music under the name EOB.
O'Brien attended Abingdon School in Oxfordshire, England, where he met the other mem ...
, was in the year above the singer
Thom Yorke
Thomas Edward Yorke (born 7 October 1968) is an English musician and the main vocalist and songwriter of the rock band Radiohead. A multi-instrumentalist, he mainly plays guitar and keyboards and is noted for his falsetto. He has been describe ...
and the bassist
Colin Greenwood
Colin Charles Greenwood (born 26 June 1969) is an English musician and the bassist for the rock band Radiohead. Along with bass guitar, Greenwood plays upright bass and electronic instruments.
With his younger brother, the Radiohead guitari ...
, and three years above the multi-instrumentalist
Jonny Greenwood
Jonathan Richard Guy Greenwood (born 5 November 1971) is an English musician and composer. He is the lead guitarist and keyboardist of the alternative rock band Radiohead, and has written numerous film scores.
Along with his elder brother, th ...
, Colin's brother.
In 1985, they formed , the name referring to their usual rehearsal day in the school's music room.
After Abingdon, Selway attended
Liverpool Polytechnic
, mottoeng = Fortune favours the bold
, established = 1823 – Liverpool Mechanics' School of Arts1992 – Liverpool John Moores University
, type = Public
, endowment =
, coor ...
, where he studied English and history.
He also worked as a
TEFL
Teaching English as a second language (TESL) or Teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL) are terms that refer to teaching English to students whose first language is not English. The terms TESL, TEFL, and TESOL distinguish betwee ...
teacher, a copyeditor, and as a drummer in
pit bands for touring musicals.
Career
Radiohead
In 1991, On a Friday signed a recording contract with
EMI
EMI Group Limited (originally an initialism for Electric and Musical Industries, also referred to as EMI Records Ltd. or simply EMI) was a British Transnational corporation, transnational Conglomerate (company), conglomerate founded in March 1 ...
and changed their name to Radiohead.
They found early success with their 1992 single "
Creep".
Their third album, ''
OK Computer'' (1997), brought them international fame and is often acclaimed as one of the best albums of all time.
From their fourth album, ''
Kid A
''Kid A'' is the fourth studio album by the English rock band Radiohead, released on 2 October 2000 by Parlophone. It was recorded with their producer, Nigel Godrich, in Paris, Copenhagen, Gloucestershire and their hometown of Oxford.
After th ...
'' (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."
In 2008, ''
Gigwise
''Gigwise'' is a British online music news site that features music news, photos, album reviews, music festivals, concert tickets and video content. Founded in June 2001, the site is based in London, England.
History
Gigwise was launched in 2001 ...
'' named Selway the 26th greatest drummer of all time, praising his "mathematical precision".
Since 2011, Radiohead have performed with a second drummer, Clive Deamer.
Describing their 2012 tour for ''
The King of Limbs
''The King of Limbs'' is the eighth studio album by the English rock band Radiohead. It was self-released on 18 February 2011 as a download, followed by a physical release on 28 March through XL Recordings internationally and TBD Records in Nor ...
,'' Selway said: "One
f us
F, or f, is the sixth letter in the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''ef'' (pronounced ), and the plural is ''efs''.
His ...
played in the traditional way, the other almost mimicked a drum machine. It was push-and-pull, like kids at play, really interesting."
By 2011, Radiohead had sold more than 30 million albums worldwide.
[Jonathan, Emma]
"BBC Worldwide takes exclusive Radiohead performance to the world"
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC
Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
. 3 May 2011. Retrieved 15 June 2011. They were inducted into the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (RRHOF), sometimes simply referred to as the Rock Hall, is a museum
A museum ( ; plural museums or, rarely, musea) is a building or institution that cares for and displays a collection of artifacts and othe ...
in March 2019; Selway and O'Brien attended the induction ceremony and gave speeches. Selway said, "We may not be the greatest musicians around and we're certainly not the most media-friendly of bands. But we have become very adept at being Radiohead. And when that connects with people, it feels amazing."
Selway contributed drums to "Impossible Knots" from Yorke's third solo album, ''
Anima
Anima may refer to:
Animation
* Ánima (company), a Mexican animation studio founded in 2002
* Córdoba International Animation Festival – ANIMA, in Argentina
Religion and philosophy
* Animism, the belief that objects, places, and creatur ...
'' (2019). In 2019, Selway testified at an inquest into the 2012
Radiohead stage collapse that killed his drum technician, Scott Johnson.
Solo work
Selway began writing songs as a teenager, but concentrated on drumming after Radiohead formed;
he began writing again later in life. Feeling the songs had a distinct character that did not fit Radiohead, Selway began recording solo material.
His debut solo album, ''
Familial'', was released on 30 August 2010.
It features Selway on acoustic guitar and vocals, and performances from the
Wilco
Wilco is an American alternative rock band based in Chicago, Illinois. The band was formed in 1994 by the remaining members of alternative country group Uncle Tupelo following singer Jay Farrar's departure. Wilco's lineup changed frequently dur ...
members
Glenn Kotche
Glenn Kotche (born December 31, 1970 in Roselle, Illinois, United States) is an American drummer and composer, best known for his involvement in the band Wilco. He was named the 40th greatest drummer of all time by Gigwise in 2008.
Prior to w ...
and
Pat Sansone
Patrick Anthony "Pat" Sansone (born June 21, 1969) is an American multi-instrumentalist in the rock bands Wilco and The Autumn Defense.
Early bands
Sansone was born in Meridian, Mississippi. Upon entering college at The University of South ...
and the
7 Worlds Collide
7 Worlds Collide is a musical project by New Zealand singer/songwriter Neil Finn. The project brings together Finn and other musicians in support of charity.
Finn has released two recordings associated with the project. The initial project re ...
artists
Lisa Germano
Lisa Ruth Germano (born June 27, 1958) is an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist from Indiana. Her album '' Geek the Girl'' (1994) was chosen as a top album of the 1990s by ''Spin'' magazine. She began her career as a violinist ...
and
Sebastian Steinberg
Sebastian Steinberg (born February 20, 1959) is an American bass player, best known for his work in the band Soul Coughing.
Biography
Steinberg played with Soul Coughing throughout the band's entire history, from 1992 to 2000. In 2001, Steinberg ...
.
''
Pitchfork
A pitchfork (also a hay fork) is an agricultural tool with a long handle and two to five tines used to lift and pitch or throw loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves.
The term is also applied colloquially, but inaccurately, to th ...
'' described it as a collection of "hushed folk songs" in the tradition of
Nick Drake
Nicholas Rodney Drake (19 June 1948 – 25 November 1974) was an English singer-songwriter known for his acoustic guitar-based songs. He did not find a wide audience during his lifetime, but his work gradually achieved wider notice and recognit ...
.
Selway announced a solo tour on 4 February 2011.
Selway's second solo album, ''
Weatherhouse'', was released on 6 October 2014, featuring more ambitious instrumentation and electronic elements. In 2017, Selway composed the score for the feature film ''Let Me Go'', directed by Polly Steele. His third solo album, ''Strange Dance,'' is scheduled for February 2023.
Other work
For 20 years, Selway volunteered for the emotional support charity
Samaritans
Samaritans (; ; he, שומרונים, translit=Šōmrōnīm, lit=; ar, السامريون, translit=as-Sāmiriyyūn) are an ethnoreligious group who originate from the ancient Israelites. They are native to the Levant and adhere to Samarit ...
, first as a listener and then an ambassador.
Selway performed with the band
Dive Dive
Dive Dive are a British rock band, composed of Jamie Stuart (guitar and vocals), Ben Lloyd (guitar and vocals), Nigel Powell (drums and vocals) and Tarrant Anderson (bass guitar). Ben Lloyd and Tarrant Anderson also play as full-time members of ...
in March 2005. Along with Radiohead guitarist
Jonny Greenwood
Jonathan Richard Guy Greenwood (born 5 November 1971) is an English musician and composer. He is the lead guitarist and keyboardist of the alternative rock band Radiohead, and has written numerous film scores.
Along with his elder brother, th ...
and
Pulp
Pulp may refer to:
* Pulp (fruit), the inner flesh of fruit
Engineering
* Dissolving pulp, highly purified cellulose used in fibre and film manufacture
* Pulp (paper), the fibrous material used to make paper
* Molded pulp, a packaging material
...
singer
Jarvis Cocker
Jarvis Branson Cocker (born 19 September 1963) is an English musician and radio presenter. As the founder, frontman, lyricist and only consistent member of the band Pulp, he became a figurehead of the Britpop genre of the mid-1990s. Following P ...
, Selway appeared in the 2005 film ''
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire'' as a member of the band the
Weird Sisters
The Three Witches, also known as the Weird Sisters or Wayward Sisters, are characters in William Shakespeare's play '' Macbeth'' (c. 1603–1607). The witches eventually lead Macbeth to his demise, and they hold a striking resemblance to t ...
.
Selway toured and recorded with
Neil Finn
Neil Mullane Finn (born 27 May 1958) is a New Zealand singer-songwriter and musician who is known for being a member of Crowded House, Split Enz (which he co-fronted with brother Tim), and Fleetwood Mac. Finn rose to prominence in the late ...
as part of the
7 Worlds Collide
7 Worlds Collide is a musical project by New Zealand singer/songwriter Neil Finn. The project brings together Finn and other musicians in support of charity.
Finn has released two recordings associated with the project. The initial project re ...
project. He drummed on their eponymous
2001 live album and provides drums, guitar and vocals on their 2009 studio album ''
The Sun Came Out
''The Sun Came Out'' is a charity studio album released on 31 August 2009 by 7 Worlds Collide, a musical project of New Zealand singer/songwriter Neil Finn for the benefit of Oxfam. The album was recorded at Finn's Roundhead Studios and is a fol ...
'', where he also penned two tracks.
Selway appears on "Rest on the Rock" and "Out of Light" on the album ''
Before the Ruin
''Before the Ruin'' is a collaborative studio album by Scottish folk musicians Kris Drever, John McCusker and Roddy Woomble, released on 15 September 2008 through Navigator Records. The album entered the UK Albums Chart at #156 and the Scottish ...
'' by
Roddy Woomble
Roddy Woomble (born 13 August 1976) is a Scottish singer, songwriter and writer. He is the lead vocalist of indie rock band Idlewild, with whom he has recorded nine studio albums. Celebrated for his poetic lyrics and warm, baritone voice, In 2 ...
,
Kris Drever
Kris Drever (born 31 October 1978) is a Scottish contemporary folk musician and songwriter who came to prominence in 2006 with the release of his debut solo album, ''Black Water''. Drever is the vocalist and guitarist of the folk trio Lau with ...
, and
John McCusker
John McCusker (born 15 May 1973) is a Scottish folk musician, record producer, and composer. An accomplished fiddle player, he had a long association as a member of the Battlefield Band beginning in the 1990s and was later a band member and p ...
.
Personal life
Selway and his wife Cait have three sons and a daughter. Selway's mother Thea died during a Radiohead tour in May 2006; the band cancelled one of their dates in
Amsterdam
Amsterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Amstel'') is the Capital of the Netherlands, capital and Municipalities of the Netherlands, most populous city of the Netherlands, with The Hague being the seat of government. It has a population ...
so that Selway could carry out his family duties. They returned to Amsterdam in August to play the missed show. ''
In Rainbows
''In Rainbows'' is the seventh studio album by the English rock band Radiohead. It was self-released on 10 October 2007 as a pay-what-you-want download, followed by a physical release internationally through XL Recordings and in North America ...
'' is in memory of Thea Selway.
Discography
Studio albums
Soundtrack albums
Extended plays
Singles
See also
*
List of Old Abingdonians
Old Abingdonians are former pupils of Abingdon School or, in some cases, Honorary Old Abingdonians who have been awarded the status based on service to the School. The Old Abingdonians also run the Old Abingdonian Club (OA club) which is an organ ...
References
External links
* – official site
{{DEFAULTSORT:Selway, Phil
1967 births
Art rock musicians
Alumni of Liverpool John Moores University
English rock drummers
People educated at Abingdon School
People from Abingdon-on-Thames
Radiohead members
Ivor Novello Award winners
English folk guitarists
English male guitarists
English electronic musicians
Musicians from Oxfordshire
Alternative rock drummers
Grammy Award winners
Living people
Bella Union artists
Teachers of English