Creativity Quote by Thom Yorke

Yorke’s little stutter-step - "You think I have the responsibilty..". - is the sound of an argument happening in real time: a reflexive rejection of the rock-star job description, followed by a narrower, harder-to-dispute acceptance. He won’t sign up to be anyone’s prophet, therapist, or political mascot. But he will, begrudgingly and very specifically, own the transaction he actually controls: the show.

The intent is boundary-setting. Fans (and media) often treat artists like public utilities, obligated to provide meaning on demand: clarity about the world, emotional salvation, the correct stance, the correct vibe. Yorke’s correction reframes responsibility as craft, not caretaking. He’s not responsible for how an audience builds identity around him, but he is responsible for what happens when the lights go down and the band starts. That’s not humility; it’s a disciplined refusal to be drafted into a narrative he didn’t choose.

The subtext is also defensive in a revealing way. Saying "good time" from a musician associated with anxiety, alienation, and art-rock seriousness reads like a provocation. It’s Yorke insisting that intensity can still be pleasure, that "a good time" doesn’t have to mean escapism or greatest-hits nostalgia. It can mean being fully shaken awake for two hours.

Contextually, it lands in an era where fandom has grown teeth: parasocial expectations, moral audits, and the demand for constant access. Yorke’s line draws a clean border around the stage. He’ll give you the best version of the music. Everything else is your projection.