"What's That? (a Radiohead Project)" is a 6-piece group of Minneapolis-based musicians devoted entirely to the presentation of the music of Radiohead. Embracing the experimental nature of Radiohead’s music, the group utilizes improvisation and unique arrangements of Radiohead's most challenging and popular material, while remaining true to the originality of the compositions.

“What’s That? (a Radiohead Project)” has been generating a buzz around Minneapolis, which has not seen a concert by Radiohead in more than a decade. Musical Director and keyboardist, Marc Z., says he formed the project out of a desire to bring Radiohead’s music to the Twin Cities. “When I saw that Lollapalooza in Chicago was as close as they were coming this year, I wanted to bring something to the fans in the Twin Cities who deserved to hear this music performed locally.”

“What’s That? (a Radiohead Project)” strives to deliver a fresh and spontaneous approach to their interpretation of Radiohead's music. “We try to avoid mimicry and imitation as much as possible,” Marc says, “while at the same time remaining true to what makes the music so original in the first place.” Like their namesake, the group incorporates a fair amount of improvisation into their performances, while also developing unique arrangements of the material. “Our goal is to embrace the experimental nature of Radiohead’s music, while delivering a quality live experience for all the people who’ve connected with this music over the years,” Marc said.

Members of “What’s That? (a Radiohead Project)” were recruited entirely through an ad placed on Craigslist. “Quite a few people responded and asked to audition,” Marc says. “When I pointed them towards the most challenging Radiohead songs and asked, ‘Can you play this?’ a lot of them stopped returning my e-mails. But luckily, the ones who stuck with it are the ones in the group today.”

The group’s current set list includes nearly 30 of Radiohead’s most innovative and popular material, ranging from the multi-platinum album, OK Computer, to its equally successful follow-up, the experimental Kid A, to this year’s name-your-price download, In Rainbows.

Two performances are also scheduled for December. The first will be a free, all ages 1 hour set at The Whole Music Club, Coffman Union, University of MN campus on December 4. Immediately following this will be a full evening’s performance at The Terminal Bar on Friday, December 5, with “EXIT STAGE RIGHT,” a tribute to the Canadian progressive rock group Rush.

More information about the group is available on their homepage, located at www.radioheadproject.com, and also on myspace at http://www.myspace.com/radioheadproject

So, what is this 21st Century blues?

This is how a bear looks on life. It is kind of a mixture of sushi made with a whole salmon and the view from the top of a tree. Sounds crazy? Well, come on, we are all allowed a little bit of lateral thinking, surely?

This is a very personal project. Just one guy putting his own thoughts into music in his own way and playing everything him self; whether that is a good idea or not is probably debatable, but it kept the musical differences to a minimum!

So why do it like this? Well, I have spent most of my life doing it for others. Creating soundscapes for this museum, writing music for that documentary, playing in this band, singing for that person. It has been creative, I'll give you that, but it hasn't been one hundred percent, undiluted, straight out of the forest bear. And this is.

So we have a song about global warming, we have one about losing your way, we have one about a broken relationship and yet another mourning a dying pet rat. And there are others. Certainly no one else would have written this particular collection of songs, and no one else would have written and performed them this way. By definition, therefore, this collection is as unique as it is eclectic.

Interestingly enough, in putting them up on myspace I have found a very large number of people who are not only very sympathetic with what I am doing, but busily doing it themselves too. With a very large range of abilities and success. I have surprised myself that I have enjoyed some absolutely dreadfully played music as much as I have enjoyed the most skillful. Why? Because it is played by people who really want to play. Who really want to say something. You know, these guys should get a chart all of their own and the pop stars can stay in their rehab clinics and fade away.

So, enjoy the 21st Century. I don't know how much of it either you or I will see, but it is happening anyway. We just have to deal with it.

•  21st Century Classic