Cast your mind back to 2011 when Radiohead first released their eighth studio album, The King of Limbs. Soon after, came a black-and-white music video for “Lotus Flower”, featuring Thom Yorke (avec bowler hat) dancing erratically to a syncopated beat. Many memes ensued.
Now, Radiohead has put the bowler hat on sale on eBay, with proceeds going towards Cahonas Scotland and Testicular Cancer Education and Awareness. As of today (November 24), the bidding stood at £6,500 – but with five more days to go, the figure’s expected to grow. The hat is signed with Yorke’s name and a hand-scrawled Radiohead logo, presumably by Stanley Donwood.
Last week, the band released a statement commemorating Scott Johnson, the Radiohead drum technician killed in a 2012 stage collapse in Toronto. The statement is addressed to the engineer responsible for approving the stage design, and cites his “catalogue of errors” and “negligence” that led to Johnson’s death.
Refresh your memory of the iconic bowler hat below.