The song that changed Ed O’Brien’s life at 17
Ed O’Brien has said that discovering The Smiths at 17, encouraged by a girl he was trying to impress, became a lasting musical influence. He bought their compilation *Hatful of Hollow* so he could sing “William, It Was Really Nothing” to Mary, who was a devoted fan; the story offers a personal glimpse into the influences behind Radiohead.
O’Brien later favoured shorter, more direct guitar songs when Radiohead were deciding what to do after *OK Computer*, though the band went on to make the less guitar-centred *Kid A*. In 2001, Johnny Marr joined Radiohead on stage in Auckland, and O’Brien went looking for a Smiths record for him to sign: the same *Hatful of Hollow* that had first drawn him in.
- Mary introduced O’Brien to The Smiths when he was 17.
- *Hatful of Hollow* became a lasting touchstone for him.
- Marr later joined Radiohead on stage in Auckland.
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Ed O'Brien is the guitarist of Radiohead, a major British rock band that achieved prominence in the 1990s. This story examines how his discovery of The Smiths during his teenage years influenced his musical development.
The Smiths were a British rock band of the 1980s known for prominent guitar work and distinctive songwriting. The band has had considerable influence on musicians from subsequent generations.
For readers interested in understanding how Radiohead developed their distinctive sound, knowledge of the musical influences on band members provides useful background. This story is one account of a formative musical influence on Ed O'Brien.