After the release of their latest song and video Burn The Witch, the internet has been a buzz with all sorts of excitement for new Radiohead material. The creepy claymation clip has obviously left quite the impression, racking up over 5 million views in just days since it was released. Now, in an interview with Billboard, animator Virpi Kettu, a veteran of Aardman Animations (think Wallace & Gromit and Shaun the Sheep), has shed some light onto the meaning behind the video.
While Radiohead themselves have not yet commented on the meaning behind it, she claims that it was her understanding that it was to create discussion around Europe’s refugee crisis. “Blaming of different people… the blaming of Muslims and the negativity” which is much like a witch hunt. She also added that the postcards which many fans got reading, “we know where you live”, was a comment on the approaches of many anti-immigration groups and politicians.
If this is the case, the clip is an incredibly effective criticism on the current feelings towards refugees. The characters being given “old-timey” clothes, practicing pagan sacrifices and torture methods at first glance seem incredibly backwards. What an awful time they lived in right? Here Radiohead is showing that this is exactly how many are acting towards their fellow human beings in this “civilized” modern day. Will Radiohead’s next clip have the same impact? We really hope so.
Image: Radiohead