How a Radiohead songwriter turned electronic beats into live percussion

Entertainment · Published 19 October 2026 · Updated 20 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Thom Yorke wanted to perform his electronic solo work without using sequencers. The result was Atoms for Peace, a supergroup that traded digital precision for the raw, organic energy of Latin percussion and live jamming. It was a deliberate move to break through a creative wall.

In 2009, Thom Yorke sought a way to perform songs from his 2006 solo album, The Eraser, which was primarily electronic music. After performing at the Latitude Festival in Suffolk, Yorke realized the tracks could be adapted for acoustic instruments. He partnered with Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich to form a band that would reproduce electronic beats using live percussion instead of machines.

The group assembled a high-profile lineup including Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, drummer Joey Waronker (who had worked with Beck and R.E.M.), and percussionist Mauro Refosco (who had worked with David Byrne). After three weeks of rehearsals in 2009, they debuted in Los Angeles under the mysterious billing of "??????" before officially adopting the name Atoms for Peace in February 2010. The name was inspired by a song from The Eraser, which itself referenced Dwight D. Eisenhower's 1953 "Atoms for Peace" speech.

The band's creative process was defined by long jamming sessions. Following a 2010 US tour, the group spent three days recording in Los Angeles. Yorke and Godrich then spent two years editing and arranging those recordings, blending them with Yorke's original electronic music to create their 2013 debut album, Amok. The project represented a significant shift for Yorke, who described the formation as feeling like they had "knocked a hole in a wall" and were ready to "fucking go through it."

The group's legacy is tied to Yorke's advocacy for direct artist-to-audience connections. In 2010, Yorke famously removed his music from Spotify, criticizing the platform for favoring major labels. Instead, the band partnered with a startup called Soundhalo to sell high-quality recordings of their live performances, aiming to provide an alternative to low-quality audience captures on YouTube.

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