Pitchfork

"All I Need", quite possibly the sexiest song Radiohead has ever written, just became a hell of a lot less sexy...and a lot more important. For the video for the In Rainbows standout, Radiohead has partnered with MTV's EXIT (end exploitation and trafficking) campaign to create a clip that raises awareness of issues of forced labor and abuse around the world.

The Hollywood Reporter (via Billboard.com) reports that Thom Yorke lauded MTV for taking on such issues, given the fact that the network's hands aren't exactly clean. He said, "All power to MTV for taking this on because it's obviously going to be difficult for them in terms of the advertisers. If you talk about slave labor, then the issue of cheap goods from the East is all about that. With the ["All I Need"] video their lawyers had to beg to make sure there wasn't a single white [sneaker] with a logo on it because the implication would be a little too close. But the implication is still there. If [MTV] are able to break the taboo of enslavement and put it onto the agenda then its a good thing. If they get people to think in terms of the profits we make in the West because of cheap labor, then that's a good thing."

NME.com reports that the video was directed by John Seale and Steve Rogers. It was apparently supposed to premiere May 1 on MTV, but it looks like The Hollywood Reporter's website beat 'em to it. Whoops!

In unrelated news, The Hollywood Reporter also reports that while promoting the "All I Need"/EXIT initiative, Yorke dropped the bomb that the whole In Rainbows pay-what-you-want thing probably won't be happening again. "I think it was a one-off response to a particular situation. It was one of those things where we were in the position of everyone asking us what we were going to do. I don't think it would have the same significance now anyway, if we chose to give something away again. It was a moment in time."

Radiohead dates:

05-05 West Palm Beach, FL - Cruzan Amphitheatre *
05-06 Tampa, FL - Ford Amphitheatre *
05-08 Atlanta, GA - Lakewood Amphitheatre *
05-09 Charlotte, NC - Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre *
05-11 Bristow, VA - Nissan Pavilion at Stone Ridge *
05-14 St. Louis, MO - Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre *
05-17 Houston, TX - Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion *
05-18 Dallas, TX - Superpages.com Center *
06-06 Dublin, Ireland - Malahide #
06-07 Dublin, Ireland - Malahide #
06-09 Paris, France - Bercy #
06-10 Paris, France - Bercy #
06-12 Barcelona, Spain - Parc del Fòrum (Daydream Festival) *#^$
06-14 Nimes, France - Arenes #
06-15 Nimes, France - Arenes #
06-17 Milan, Italy - Civica Arena #
06-18 Milan, Italy - Civica Arena #
06-20 Neuhausen ob Eck, Germany - Southside Festival
06-22 Scheeßel, Germany - Hurricane Festival
06-24 London, England - Victoria Park #
06-25 London, England - Victoria Park #
06-27 Glasgow, Scotland - Glasgow Green #
06-29 Manchester, England - Lancashire County Cricket Club #
07-01 Amsterdam, Netherlands - Westerpark #
07-03 Roskilde, Denmark - Roskilde Festival
07-05 Werchter, Belgium - Rock Werchter Festival
07-06 Arras, France - Main Square Festival
07-08 Berlin, Germany - Wuhlheide
08-01 Chicago, IL - Grant Park (Lollapalooza)
08-03 Indianapolis, IN - Verizon Wireless Music Center %
08-04 Cleveland, OH - Blossom Music Center %
08-06 Montreal, Quebec - Parc Jean-Drapeau %
08-08 Jersey City, NJ - Liberty State Park (All Points West Festival)
08-09 Jersey City, NJ - Liberty State Park (All Points West Festival)
08-12 Camden, NJ - Susquehanna Bank Center %
08-13 Mansfield, MA - Tweeter Center %
08-15 Toronto, Ontario - Molson Amphitheatre %
08-19 Vancouver, British Columbia - Thunderbird Stadium *
08-20 Auburn, WA - White River Amphitheatre *
08-22 San Francisco, CA - Golden Gate Park (Outside Lands Festival)
08-24 Los Angeles, CA - Hollywood Bowl *
08-25 Los Angeles, CA - Hollywood Bowl *
08-27 Chula Vista, CA - Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre *
08-28 Santa Barbara, CA - Santa Barbara Bowl *
10-01 Osaka, Japan - Municipal Central Gymnasium
10-02 Osaka, Japan - Municipal Central Gymnasium
10-04 Tokyo, Japan - Saitama Super Arena
10-05 Tokyo, Japan - Saitama Super Arena

* with Liars
# with Bat for Lashes
^ with Low, Clinic, Modeselektor
$ with Ensemble Nacional de España de Música Contemporánea, performing pieces by Jonny Greenwood and Radiohead
% with Grizzly Bear