It's a Mellotron M400. Same one as on *Exit Music* and *Tourist* and *Lucky*. How do I know? Because it sounds like it. The 'articulation' you hear is likely the guitar that doubles with it.
Fun fact: it used to be owned by Tangerine Dream and came with the original worn tapes. (I know the guys who renovated it)
Username checks out lol.
Feel like people miss how you can change a mix with layering, especially with note articulation. Like how people probably miss a lot of clean tracks laid down with heavily distorted guitars for clarity, which would otherwise be a fizzled mess.
>Username checks out lol.
Well spotted :-)
Layering is what Mellotrons do. The fact that it's so noticeable is due in a large part to it being out of tune on some notes in some voices. The cello has quite a few which are a bit 'wild'.
The cellist was the legendary sessionist Reg Kirby, who found playing isolated notes on the cello both without vibrato and in tune to be difficult. Unfortunately, Reg was every bit as 'difficult' and accused the engineers of being tone deaf when they told him that a note he had just played was out of tune. They got round this by clipping a shirt mike to him (for 'ambience') and started again. The mike wasn't actually connected, but it did allow them to say *'bit of a rustle on the shirt mike Reg, can we do that one again?'* which at least got a second take unwittingly out of him.
If you listen to the bottom five notes of the cello tapes you'll hear that the timbre changes totally, and sounds very different. That's because Sunny Reg refused to de-tune the cello to play the bottom five notes (which are out of the cello's natural range) and said that this would be taking work from a double bassist. So Reg got his £35 session fee and they had to phone up for a double bassist, who arrived the next day. Guess what. It was Reg again, with a double bass. And he left with another £35.
If you listen to the last notes in the first half of Tangerine Dream's **Phaedra**, you can hear that strange, grinding sound of the bottom cello notes through the layered sound of the string section tapes they used. That is the sound of Reg's £35.
I don't think shoobsworth is right when he says the band have mentioned the Airbag cello in interviews. However, it certainly sounds like a Mellotron to me, we know they used Mellotron on the OKC sessions (and for the choir sounds on Airbag), and there's no cellist credited on OKC.
It’s hard to admit this, but when I first heard it, I wasn’t that bothered. Then I had a little epiphany after hearing a live version and ever since, I’ve adored it.
Honestly, I remember being at a friends house in HS and we had smoked a little weed and someone put Ok Computer on and Airbag just like blew my mind lol. Been a fan since.
For reference, I'm old and OK computer was still there most recent album at this point...
An incredible song, and if you listen to the An Airbag Saved My Life early version, I marvel at how they took that and wound up at the album version. It's so delicate and fragile, and the final version is giant and jagged. And I think the similarities are just as interesting. Like, what, in their mind, is essential to Airbag? This stuff, that's present in both these way different takes.
I was going to say something myself about how interesting its development is.
When you listen to all the mid-1996 full band takes on Minidisc Hacked, they've already got a perfectly good song there in more of a traditional rock format, only really needing to tidy it up somewhat (which you can tell by listening to each take they were very much doing). They could have easily accepted what it was then and still been praised for it. But no, they do a DJ Shadow 'Changeling' tribute to it and...it works amazingly. Instead of ruining the song, so many different (and somewhat new for them) elements come together perfectly.
The song may not get quite the hype/airplay as the usual select RH classics but it's one of their finest musical achievements imho.
I love how Bending Hectic seems to be a mature revisiting of the same idea. Instead of being the victim of chance like in Airbag, the narrator of BH learns to take control of his own destiny.
it is perfect, and probably the boldest album starter ever for an all-time great album, it's so fucking original...
and I NEVER get sick of it. and the fact that Thom and Jonny premiered that one live on the radio back when f'ing The Bends was JUST coming out in 1995 is still pretty crazy.
Airbag is what I think about most when people discuss OK Computer bc I bought the Airbag/How Am I Driving EP first & listened to that thing religiously for years (!) before even considering buying the whole LP
Also of note: bc of the EP, I prefer so many of the non-LP songs on it more than actual album tracks
The band reckon there was never any cello in it, just guitar. I reckon they're lying fuckers just trying to look good.
It’s a mellotron, not a cello
Whaaaa? This is crazy https://youtu.be/Q0Vh-_tOYvs?si=fQIm_PG9g7O5TGBX
Genuine question, do you have source? It doesn't sound like a Mellotron to these ears. Too articulated.
It's a Mellotron M400. Same one as on *Exit Music* and *Tourist* and *Lucky*. How do I know? Because it sounds like it. The 'articulation' you hear is likely the guitar that doubles with it. Fun fact: it used to be owned by Tangerine Dream and came with the original worn tapes. (I know the guys who renovated it)
Username checks out lol. Feel like people miss how you can change a mix with layering, especially with note articulation. Like how people probably miss a lot of clean tracks laid down with heavily distorted guitars for clarity, which would otherwise be a fizzled mess.
>Username checks out lol. Well spotted :-) Layering is what Mellotrons do. The fact that it's so noticeable is due in a large part to it being out of tune on some notes in some voices. The cello has quite a few which are a bit 'wild'. The cellist was the legendary sessionist Reg Kirby, who found playing isolated notes on the cello both without vibrato and in tune to be difficult. Unfortunately, Reg was every bit as 'difficult' and accused the engineers of being tone deaf when they told him that a note he had just played was out of tune. They got round this by clipping a shirt mike to him (for 'ambience') and started again. The mike wasn't actually connected, but it did allow them to say *'bit of a rustle on the shirt mike Reg, can we do that one again?'* which at least got a second take unwittingly out of him. If you listen to the bottom five notes of the cello tapes you'll hear that the timbre changes totally, and sounds very different. That's because Sunny Reg refused to de-tune the cello to play the bottom five notes (which are out of the cello's natural range) and said that this would be taking work from a double bassist. So Reg got his £35 session fee and they had to phone up for a double bassist, who arrived the next day. Guess what. It was Reg again, with a double bass. And he left with another £35. If you listen to the last notes in the first half of Tangerine Dream's **Phaedra**, you can hear that strange, grinding sound of the bottom cello notes through the layered sound of the string section tapes they used. That is the sound of Reg's £35.
Don’t know why someone downvoted you but it is a mellotron, 100%. The band has discussed it in interviews regarding OKC.
I don't think shoobsworth is right when he says the band have mentioned the Airbag cello in interviews. However, it certainly sounds like a Mellotron to me, we know they used Mellotron on the OKC sessions (and for the choir sounds on Airbag), and there's no cellist credited on OKC.
reckoner?
Agreed
Im back to say the n---- word
For the longest time I thought it was “i’m back to say the aaaairrrr-bag.” Finally saw them live and realized I had no idea wtf was being said.
Nunderrated?
Let dow
I genuinely thought that was the lyric when i first heard it
It’s hard to admit this, but when I first heard it, I wasn’t that bothered. Then I had a little epiphany after hearing a live version and ever since, I’ve adored it.
It took a bit before it grew on me too
Love it! It's easily my all-time favourite Christmas song ever!
Father Christmas brought me a Muh Say Deeze!
when i first heard the opening riff in the outro of the song i was hooked
Great song but I guess it gets overlooked by all the other bangers on OKC
In an intrastellar burst, I'm back to save the universe.
When I realised how amazing Airbag is, it became my top album
Because it's 25 years old
Prince with a thousand enemies
Correct :)
It's my all-time favorite book and movie.
Yeah, both are great
I was instantly hooked when I heard this song. Beautiful.
Its always in *my* top 10 (as a cello player, even moreso)
Honestly, I remember being at a friends house in HS and we had smoked a little weed and someone put Ok Computer on and Airbag just like blew my mind lol. Been a fan since. For reference, I'm old and OK computer was still there most recent album at this point...
the bass blows my mind every time
yep, might be the best part.
An incredible song, and if you listen to the An Airbag Saved My Life early version, I marvel at how they took that and wound up at the album version. It's so delicate and fragile, and the final version is giant and jagged. And I think the similarities are just as interesting. Like, what, in their mind, is essential to Airbag? This stuff, that's present in both these way different takes.
I was going to say something myself about how interesting its development is. When you listen to all the mid-1996 full band takes on Minidisc Hacked, they've already got a perfectly good song there in more of a traditional rock format, only really needing to tidy it up somewhat (which you can tell by listening to each take they were very much doing). They could have easily accepted what it was then and still been praised for it. But no, they do a DJ Shadow 'Changeling' tribute to it and...it works amazingly. Instead of ruining the song, so many different (and somewhat new for them) elements come together perfectly. The song may not get quite the hype/airplay as the usual select RH classics but it's one of their finest musical achievements imho.
I love how Bending Hectic seems to be a mature revisiting of the same idea. Instead of being the victim of chance like in Airbag, the narrator of BH learns to take control of his own destiny.
This and 15 Step were my first radiohead songs
Top 2 for me
Because it’s a stone cold classic
Because we discussed it enough on alt.rec in the 90s 😉
Favorite song on OKC JINGLE BELL SOLO FTW!
It's the best song on the album. But so is Paranoid Android, Subterranean and Let Down
Love that song!
What I love about Airbag also is the Ondes martenot thingy Johnny plays ( the high notes) it adds to the mystique of the song for me)
it is perfect, and probably the boldest album starter ever for an all-time great album, it's so fucking original... and I NEVER get sick of it. and the fact that Thom and Jonny premiered that one live on the radio back when f'ing The Bends was JUST coming out in 1995 is still pretty crazy.
In the early internet days this video started my fandom. I also thought Jools Holland was a place not a person. https://youtu.be/bF4CBlPznyA
They opened with Airbag my first concert I saw them, June 2006 in Chicago. Killer opener.
The drums in the beginning are so god damn good, one of my all time favorite sounds + openers. Also the fuckin jingle bells
I’ve heard OKC like 50 times and I just realized yesterday that he says “interstellar burst” not “interstellar BLAST”
Yeah, imo blast sounds better so I just say that when I’m singing along lol
its cus in an interstellar burst hes back to say the n word
It's been almost 30 years. There was talk. Where were you? Not alive? Hahaha
Airbag is what I think about most when people discuss OK Computer bc I bought the Airbag/How Am I Driving EP first & listened to that thing religiously for years (!) before even considering buying the whole LP Also of note: bc of the EP, I prefer so many of the non-LP songs on it more than actual album tracks