Jonny Greenwood Admits He Was 'Awkward' and 'Lazy' on Guitar Early in Radiohead's Career

Jonny Greenwood, Radiohead's lead guitarist, revealed that during the band's early decades he felt like an unskilled and reluctant guitar player. In an interview with The i Paper, the 54-year-old described himself as once "awkward" and "lazy" at playing the instrument. The admission surfaced ahead of his performance in the concert Steve Reich at 90: London Sinfonietta and Jonny Greenwood at the Royal Festival Hall, London, on 27 September 2026.

Greenwood, the last member to join Radiohead after Thom Yorke, Ed O’Brien, Philip Selway, and his brother Colin Greenwood, admitted it took him decades to truly enjoy playing guitar. "Now I sit and play guitar every day," he said. He added that he used to suspect fluency was part of a technique he disliked. Now, he accepts his natural ability and says he deeply loves the guitar.

In the interview, Greenwood also revealed his restlessness in pursuing musical knowledge. "I don't feel I've learned enough," he said. He felt torn between the desire to absorb everything and the awareness that a jack-of-all-trades approach actually blocks deep understanding. "I'm always panicking between those two things," he added.

Radiohead's own journey began in the early 1990s after signing with EMI. The debut album Pablo Honey (1993) introduced them to the global stage through Creep, which became an unexpected hit. The momentum continued with The Bends (1995), which drew wide praise and marked a shift toward an ambitious sound. The peak came with OK Computer (1997), often cited as a landmark of modern music and a turning point in the band's creative identity.

For music fans in Indonesia, Greenwood's admission is a mirror showing that mastering an instrument is not always instant. Radiohead has a fanatical fan base in the country, and Greenwood's story can inspire local musicians to keep practicing without fearing feeling awkward at the start. In addition, Greenwood's classical projects and film compositions show that the line between popular music and high art is increasingly thin—a trend that is also starting to appear in Indonesia's music scene.

"I used to always feel like an awkward and lazy guitar player, but now, through repetition, I'm addicted and want to keep playing." — Jonny Greenwood

With the Steve Reich concert approaching, Greenwood seems to keep exploring the boundaries between rock, classical, and experimentation. Will he bring this new energy to Radiohead's next project, or sink further into the world of composition? The public awaits his next artistic direction.