| RADIOHEAD OK Computer. What can be said about this album - other than perhaps that it is one of the greatest albums ever recorded by anyone. No other album has the same power to pull you down to the deepest depths of despair, or to raise you back out to the greatest moments of euphoria. Filled with deeply moving and thought provoking music from the start, every single track pushes you into a different state of mind. I have spent hours crouched in the corner of a pitch black room listening to this music, and equally I have spent hours leaping around that same room like a manic on speed as the intensity of the guitars washes over me. It contains perhaps Radiohead's finest piece of work - the epic Paranoid Android - an eight minute roller coaster ride through despair, pain, misery, loneliness, suffering, doubt, and anger. It is fair to say that every moment of this album is imprinted on my heart. To say that Radiohead have had an effect on the inspiration behind Uplink is a profound understatement. I would estimate that the music played while working on Uplink has been a pretty even mix between Radiohead and Pink Floyd at most times. This music is a different form of inspiration than books like Neuromancer or films like Sneakers - a less direct inspiration, more of a creative push. We were never trying to recreate any element of Radiohead music in Uplink (that would be impossible) but different things motivate different people. Perhaps more of their touch can be seen in the company name and ethos - Introversion Software. PORTISHEAD Yeah so its more deeply depressing music, but it means a lot to me. I once made an album called "Music to slit your wrists to", which was a collection of all the darkest, most depressing tunes I could get my hands on. Then I realised that Portishead had already beaten me to it with both their studio albums. The thing that makes their music so good (in my opinion) is Beth Gibbons' voice. I've never heard a singer that can emote so much misery in such a fractured voice. Radiohead are bad, but at least they bring you out of it at the end. At least there is a glimmer of hope in there somewhere. Portishead music offers no escape - it is so uncompromising that I find I have to be careful when I listen to it, because it frequently destroys any motivation I might have. It is quite simply spirit crushing. Perfect for those days when everything is going wrong and you just want it to get worse. |

| PINK FLOYD I grew up with this band. My Dad introduced me to Dark Side of the Moon when I was 14, and i've been listening to them ever since. With the possible exception of OK Computer, I don't believe there is any other album that I have listened to so many times or will continue to listen to for so long. I can't even remember a time when I wasn't into Pink Floyd in a big way. Sometimes it seems like their music is written directly for me - a personal message which describes everything I have ever felt at any time in my life. Each of their key albums (Dark Side of the Moon, Wish you were here, and The Wall) has a different feel to it - all are highly experimental and perfectly mixed, all contain breathtaking moments of lyrical elogence and guitaring prowess. But it was never just about the music - Pink Floyd had this on-going idea that each of their albums should gell together into a cohesive unit. Each track on the album would revolve around the theme of the album, the lyrics would be intertwined, even the packaging and cover artwork would link together. Even the videos would continue to explore the themes and feelings of the music. No other band has ever achieved this level of cohesive genius with their material. Truly, one of the most influential and ground breaking groups that ever existed. |