Chesney Hawkes always wanted to be in Radiohead
Chesney Hawkes has revealed it has been his dream to be in Radiohead since the '90s.
Chesney Hawkes has always dreamed of joining Radiohead.
The 54-year-old singer shot to fame aged 19, when he appeared in the film Buddy's Song, which featured his best-known single The One and Only, which topped the UK Singles Chart for five weeks and reached the top 10 in the United States.
The year after Hawkes' career took off, the Britpop group rose to popularity with their hit debut single Creep, and he loved Thom Yorke and co so much, he would form bands and pretend to be in Radiohead.
Hawkes told Chris Moyles on Radio X: “I wanted to be in Radiohead, to be honest with you.
“Throughout the ’90s, I literally shoegazed turned up to 11 and pretended I was in Radiohead. That’s all I wanted to do. I formed bands, and we were just a guitar band basically. I was probably rebelling against the early years, I would say.”
Asked if the band would recruit him, he said: “I think Radiohead would do a fantastic version of The One And Only. Can you imagine that?”
The musician discussing his love of Radiohead comes amid the band's triumphant comeback tour.
Radiohead recently made live music history after four consecutive sold-out performances at London’s O2 Arena.
The alt-rock icons drew unprecedented crowds across their exclusive UK run, their first in almost a decade, setting a new benchmark for attendance at the iconic venue.
The band’s four-night residency, staged on November 21, 22, 24 and 25, attracted more than 22,200 fans each evening. Remarkably, every show surpassed the previous night’s attendance, culminating in a record-setting figure of 22,355 — the highest ever recorded at The O2.
The achievement eclipses the previous record held by Metallica since 2017, underscoring Radiohead’s enduring global appeal and their ability to command massive audiences decades into their career.
Fans have been treated to a mix of classics and deeper cuts, reinforcing Radiohead’s reputation for delivering performances that are both unpredictable and unforgettable.
Check out ContactMusic.com's review of last Monday's (24.11.25) show at The O2 here.
