Editing The Bends (album) (section)

==Recording==
[[File:RAK Recording Studios 2463868 84e895ea.jpg|thumb|Radiohead spent several weeks recording at [[RAK Studios]], London.]]
EMI gave Radiohead nine weeks to record the album,<ref name="Monroe-2019" /> planning to release it in October 1994.<ref name="Randall-2015">{{Cite web |last=Randall |first=Mac |date=15 May 2015 |title=Radiohead's ''The Bends'' 20 years later: reexamining a modern rock masterpiece |url=https://www.guitarworld.com/features/high-dive-look-radioheads-bends-20-years-later |access-date=2019-09-20 |website=[[Guitar World]] |language=en |archive-date=20 September 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190920143613/https://www.guitarworld.com/features/high-dive-look-radioheads-bends-20-years-later |url-status=live }}</ref> Work began at [[RAK Studios]] in London in February 1994.<ref name="BLACK3" /> Yorke would arrive at the studio early and work alone at the piano; according to Leckie, "New songs were pouring out of him."<ref name="Monroe-2019" /> The band praised Leckie for demystifying the studio environment. The guitarist [[Jonny Greenwood]] said: "He didn't treat us like he had some kind of witchcraft that only he understands. There's no mystery to it, which is so refreshing."<ref name="Garcia-1995">{{Cite journal|last=Garcia|first=Sandra|date=July 1995|title=Decompression|journal=B-Side|issue=51}}</ref>

Whereas ''Pablo Honey'' was mostly written by Yorke, ''The Bends'' saw greater collaboration.<ref name="Randall-2015" /> Previously, all three guitarists had often played identical parts, creating a "dense, fuzzy wall" of sound. Their ''Bends'' roles were more divided, with Yorke generally playing [[Rhythm guitar|rhythm]], Greenwood [[Lead guitar|lead]] and Ed O'Brien providing effects.<ref name="Randall-2015" /> O'Brien described the [[Boss DD-5]], a [[Delay (audio effect)|delay]] pedal, as important to the album's sound.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Astley-Brown |first=Michael |date=2023-12-29 |title="It's the only delay that can make those OK Computer sounds": Ed O'Brien explains why one BOSS pedal was integral to Radiohead's landmark '90s albums |url=https://www.guitarworld.com/news/radiohead-ed-o-brien-boss-delays |access-date=2023-12-30 |website=[[Guitar World]] |language=en |archive-date=30 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231230172509/https://www.guitarworld.com/news/radiohead-ed-o-brien-boss-delays |url-status=live }}</ref> The band also created more restrained arrangements; in O'Brien's words, "We were very aware of something on ''The Bends'' that we weren't aware of on ''Pablo Honey''... If it sounded really great with Thom playing acoustic with Phil and [Colin], what was the point in trying to add something more?"<ref name="Randall-2015" />

"[[High and Dry / Planet Telex|Planet Telex]]" began with a [[drum loop]] taken from another song, the B-side "Killer Cars", and was written and recorded in a single evening at RAK.{{sfn|Randall|2012}} "(Nice Dream)" began as a simple four-chord song by Yorke, and was expanded with extra parts by O'Brien and Greenwood. Much of "[[Just (song)|Just]]" was written by Greenwood, who, according to Yorke, "was trying to get as many chords as he could into a song".<ref name="Randall-2015" /> Not satisfied with the versions of "[[My Iron Lung]]" recorded at RAK, Radiohead used a live recording from the [[London Astoria]], with Yorke's vocals replaced and the audience removed.<ref name="Garcia-1995" />

Radiohead made several efforts to record "[[Fake Plastic Trees]]". O'Brien likened one version to the [[Guns N' Roses]] song "[[November Rain]]", saying it was "pompous and bombastic ... just the worst".<ref name="Randall-2015" /> Eventually, Leckie recorded Yorke playing "Fake Plastic Trees" alone, which the rest of the band used to build the final song.<ref name="Randall-2015" /> "[[High and Dry]]" was recorded the previous year at Courtyard Studios, Oxfordshire, by Radiohead's live sound engineer, Jim Warren.<ref name="Randall-2015" /> Yorke later said it was a "very bad" song that EMI had pressured him into releasing.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Plagenhoef |first=Scott |date=2006-08-16 |title=Interviews: Thom Yorke |url=http://pitchfork.com/features/interviews/6402-thom-yorke/ |access-date=2010-03-03 |publisher=[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]] |archive-date=4 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304091946/http://pitchfork.com/features/interviews/6402-thom-yorke/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

"[[The Bends (song)|The Bends]]", "(Nice Dream)" and "Just" were identified as potential singles and became the focus of the early sessions, which created tension.<ref name="Irvin-1997">{{cite journal|last1=Irvin|first1=Jim|author-link=Jim Irvin|last2=Hoskyns|first2=Barney|date=July 1997|title=We Have Lift-Off!|journal=[[Mojo (magazine)|Mojo]]|issue=45}}</ref> Leckie recalled: "We had to give those absolute attention, make them amazing, instant smash hits, number one in America. Everyone was pulling their hair out saying, 'It's not good enough!' We were trying too hard."<ref name="Irvin-1997" /> Yorke in particular struggled with the pressure, and Radiohead's co-manager Chris Hufford considered quitting, citing Yorke's "mistrust of everybody".<ref name="Irvin-1997" /> Jonny Greenwood spent days testing new guitar equipment, searching for a distinctive sound, before reverting to his [[Fender Telecaster|Telecaster]].<ref name="Irvin-1997" /><ref name="Monroe-2019" /> The bassist, [[Colin Greenwood]], described the period as "eight weeks of hell and torture".<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Robinson |first=Andrea |date=August 1997 |title=Radio days |journal=The Mix |publisher=[[Future Publishing]]}}</ref> According to Yorke, "We had days of painful self-analysis, a total fucking meltdown for two fucking months."<ref name="Randall-2015" /> O'Brien said each member examined their options for leaving their contracts.<ref name="Dalton-2016" />

With the October deadline abandoned, recording paused in May and June while Radiohead toured Europe, Japan and Australasia.<ref name="Randall-2015" /> Work resumed for two weeks in July at the [[The Manor Studio|Manor]] studio in Oxfordshire, where Radiohead completed songs including "Bones", "Sulk" and "The Bends".<ref name="Irvin-1997" /> This was followed by tours of the UK, Thailand and Mexico. In Mexico, the band members had a major argument.<ref name="Dalton-2016">{{Cite web |last=Dalton |first=Stephen |date=August 2011 |title=Radiohead: 'We were spitting and fighting and crying...' |url=https://www.uncut.co.uk/features/radiohead-we-were-spitting-and-fighting-and-crying-73254/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230318062952/https://www.uncut.co.uk/features/radiohead-we-were-spitting-and-fighting-and-crying-73254/ |archive-date=18 March 2023 |access-date=2023-07-01 |website=[[Uncut (magazine)|Uncut]] |language=en-GB}}</ref> Yorke said: "Years of tension and not saying anything to each other, and basically all the things that had built up since we'd met each other, all came out in one day. We were spitting and fighting and crying and saying all the things that you don't want to talk about. It completely changed and we went back and did the album and it all made sense."<ref name="Dalton-2016" /> The tour gave Radiohead a new sense of purpose and their relationships improved. Hufford encouraged them to make the album they wanted instead of worrying about "product and units".<ref name="Irvin-1997" />

Recording ended in November 1994 at [[Abbey Road Studios]] in London.<ref name="Randall-2015" />{{sfn|Randall|2000|p=133}} Selway said the album was recorded in about four months total.<ref name="Stereogum-2015" /> While Leckie [[Audio mixing (recorded music)|mixed]] ''The Bends'' at Abbey Road, EMI grew concerned that he was taking too long.<ref name="Monroe-2019" />{{sfn|Randall|2000|p=133}} Without his knowledge, they sent tracks to [[Sean Slade]] and [[Paul Q. Kolderie]], who had produced ''Pablo Honey'', to mix instead. Leckie disliked their mixes, finding them "brash", but later said: "I went through a bit of trauma at the time, but maybe they chose the best thing."<ref name="Monroe-2019" /> Only three of Leckie's mixes were used on the album.<ref name="Monroe-2019" />

''The Bends'' was Radiohead's first collaboration with [[Nigel Godrich]], who [[Audio engineer|engineered]] the RAK sessions. When Leckie left the studio to attend a social engagement, Godrich and the band stayed to record [[A-side and B-side|B-sides]]. One song, "Black Star", was included on the album.<ref name="Randall-2015" /> Godrich produced all of Radiohead's later albums.<ref name="Randall-2015" />