Radiohead’s Thom Yorke enlists Luca Guadagnino and George Monbiot for new zine

Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke has collaborated with Crack Magazine to create a zine featuring contributions from some of the biggest names in music, film and environmentalism. Featuring musings on the creative process and the anxieties of modern living, the publication titled I See You, will be published on 13 September.

Among the eight contributors are Call Me By Your Name director Luca Guadagnino, writer and environmentalist George Monbiot, composer Laurie Spiegel, Edinburgh-based poet Harry Josephine Giles, New York artist Amy Cutler, fashion designer Jun Takahashi, and New York-based artists Christian Holstad and Amy Cutler.

For the zine, Yorke posed each contributor a series of questions, covering topics like identity, resistance, fear, advertising and the future. In the preface to the zine Yorke himself answers the questions, shedding light on his creative process, politics and concerns.

Long-time Radiohead collaborator artist Stanley Donwood created much of the artwork for the limited-edition publication, with contributions from Tchocky and contributor Christian Holstad. It was designed by the creative team at Bristol-based Crack Magazine, and was printed by sustainable printers Generation Press.

Crack Magazine senior design Jack Wells says: “In terms of the cover we wanted to let Donwood’s artwork take the forefront, so finding a typeface that didn’t overpower it was essential.” The team used a work-in-progress typeface called Serif NO02 by Napoleon Typefaces and GT America by Grilli type. “We wanted something that would reflect Donwood’s heavily textural artwork and found that the exaggerated ink traps in Serif NO02 was a perfect paring.”

Inside, colour was used to help distinguish each different voice, as well as balancing the contrast-heavy imagery. “The contributors all come from completely different worlds so making them feel distinct was important.” Picking a format that that was large enough to intrigue the viewer but not be uncomfortable to read, much thought was given to reducing print processing and waste.

The idea for the project sprung from conversations between Yorke and Crack when the singer appeared on the cover of the magazine’s 100th issue. Wells says: “We met [Thom] at the Issue 100 cover shoot which was super inspiring. He’s got very clear ideas of what he likes but was always polite and a pleasure to be around.”

Previously Crack has worked with musician and artist Robert Del Naja to make a programme for Massive Attack, alongside publications for Ace and Tate, Fred Perry and The Warehouse Project.

All the proceeds made from the sale of I See You will be donated to environmental charity Greenpeace.