Radiohead, iTunes, Remixing -- Eh, Notsohot

While Radiohead is helping usher in an era of on-line experimentation that will redefine the way music connects with fans, the band's latest gambit doesn't seem all that interesting for most consumers.

Radiohead and Apple will allow fans to download separate tracks of the band's song "Nude" and remix the tracks using Apple's GarageBand recording software.

Of course, a niche will always enjoy messing around with the songs, and it can be fascinating to pull a song apart and clearly hear what each band member contributed. But for most people, this kind of thing gets old fast.

More than three years ago, Intel and a start-up called UmixIt teamed with Aerosmith to offer fans a way to remix Aerosmith songs. They started with a song called "You Gotta Move." The whole thing never went very far. I played with it and thought it was interesting to do -- once. But it's kind of like the director's commentary on a DVD -- an interesting feature for a dedicated fan, but most people would rather just sit back and enjoy the art of a professional.

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