Radiohead deny playing “Fake Plastic Trees” at David Cameron's request

David Cameron was in the audience at KOKO in Camden on 1 May when Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood played “Fake Plastic Trees”, and on Sunday he told Desert Island Discs that they played it because he asked.

A Radiohead spokesman told The Independent that the set was chosen for a night with only Yorke and Greenwood on stage, and that the choice of songs was what they wanted to play – nothing to do with any special requests.¹

Cameron watched the night from the VIP area. After the opening “Karma Police” a fan shouted Thom Yorke for Prime Minister!² and most of the crowd cheered. “Fake Plastic Trees” came fourth, and Greenwood's guitar got so wild during it that Yorke broke off laughing mid-line; they stopped short of the end.

Cameron, Conservative leader since December and a man who often names Radiohead among his favourite bands, chose the song as one of his records for Sue Lawley on Radio 4. Asked whether it had been played especially for him, he said he had been invited to the Friends of the Earth benefit. I sent this rather sad letter saying I'd love to come to the concert, thank you for asking. PS please play this, my favourite song – and he did.¹