Thom Yorke: The Ultimate Alumnus?

Dominic Madar expresses his dismay at Thom Yorke being overlooked in Exeposé Comment’s inital 5 suggestions for Exeter’s favourite alumnus. Thom does appear in The Final Three and if you’re convinced by Dom’s arguments you can vote for him at the bottom of this article.

Quite how Thom Yorke was overlooked by Exeposé Comment in their quest to find Exeter’s favourite alumni, I’ll never know. Aside from JK it’s not a particularly inspiring bunch – the outspoken Katie Hopkins may be famous(ish), but she’s hardly popular. Will Young is mostly remembered for coming out, once he’d wooed a sufficient number of female votes to win Pop Idol. It’s not exactly music pedigree.

“Thom is a rock deity, devoid of the maniacal egos that have laid many before him to waste.”
Photo Credit: wonker via Compfight cc

Anyway, for those unaware, Yorke is the lead singer, pianist, guitarist and chief songwriter of Radiohead; a band with the rare ability of selling albums by the million, while simultaneously impressing music snobs; a heaving global fan base means gigs sell out in seconds. Add in the five number one records and a ton of awards and a strong case can be made for Yorke’s inclusion; however to simply look at the stats is to grossly underestimate the man’s legacy.

In an increasingly corporate music industry, few artists come close for sheer talent or integrity. Admittedly, music taste is highly subjective and I write this as a self-confessed Radiohead fanatic (no surprises there then). His songs may be less catchy than the garbage played in Arena and the Lemmy – if only he still DJ’d there – though given time they may grow on you. Personally, it took me about five years.

Thom is a rock deity, devoid of the maniacal egos that have laid many before him to waste. He rejects the spotlight, so craved by the majority of talentless and spoilt celebrities that seemingly saturate the Tabloids and gossip mags. Unlike most modern ‘musicians’, Thom writes his own material, impervious of record label pressures. A relentlessly brooding personality is stamped all over his refreshingly unique brand of sound. He doesn’t just create and perform either.

Recently, he pulled his latest album from Spotify, over their alleged manipulation of smaller artists. A vocal campaigner on environmental issues and fair trade practices, Yorke has attended an array of protests and summits over renewable energy sources and carbon reduction; anti-war movements and charitable events likewise. Whether or not you agree with his outspoken politics, at least he cares enough to contribute a significant amount of his time and resources to a host of noble causes.

Ultimately however, it’s about a man who spearheads one of the biggest bands on the planet. They’ve been there for well over a decade now, constantly evolving their sound through Britpop and Alternative to Electronic. In a world full of truly awful celebrities, it’s good to know that one of the most fiercely intelligent, genuine and passionate attended our university.

Dom Madar

Leave a comment below or write to the Comment team at the Exeposé Comment Facebook Group or on Twitter @CommentExepose. In other news, Exeposé Comment are looking to find Exeter’s favourite alumnus. Vote here!

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Exeter alumnus promoted in cabinet reshuffle

Image credit: bbc.co.uk

Exeter Alumnus Sajid Javid received a promotion to Financial Secretary to the Treasury in the Government’s latest ministerial reshuffle.

A former Economics and Politics student at the University, this promotion to the third most senior position in the Treasury follows Javid’s swift advancement through Government roles since his election as MP for the Bromsgrove constituency in 2010.

After completing his degree at Exeter in 1991, Javid launched immediately into a successful banking career. At age 25 he became Vice-President of Chase Manhattan Bank in New York, the youngest individual ever to secure the role. Headhunted by Deutsche Bank in 2000, Javid joined as a Director, rapidly rising through positions until leaving his role as a Senior Managing Director in 2009 to pursue a career in politics.

Considered a global leader in helping to raise investment in developing countries, Javid has partaken in community work throughout adult life, including fundraising for the Disasters Emergency Committee and leading a charity expedition to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro for Help the Aged.

With political commentators suggesting Javid is now in pole position for a cabinet position in the next reshuffle, this promotion is seen as extremely promising for one of the Conservative Party’s rising stars.

Exeposé asked how his responsibilities have altered since his promotion to Financial Secretary, to which Mr. Javid replied; “First and foremost, I still have the same responsibilities to my constituents that I have upheld since being elected in 2010. That has not changed, and I am only able to work as a minister due to their support. In addition to my parliamentary duties, my role as Financial Secretary means that, alongside the Chancellor and the rest of the Treasury team, I have the opportunity to help restore the credibility of the British economy.”

When asked about the relevance of his degree upon his new occupation, Mr. Javid stated “Studying Economics and Politics allowed me to gain much deeper knowledge of two subjects that fascinate me. This dual focus meant that I could prepare myself for finding employment in the financial world after graduating, while also concentrating on my longer-term goal of involvement in politics.”

Mr Javid outlined his primary priorities and concerns: “My specific responsibilities within the Treasury include banking and financial services reform and regulation (at home and in the EU), financial stability, City competitiveness, bank lending and access to finance, Help to Buy, foreign exchange reserves and debt management policy, and overseeing the Government’s holdings in RBS and Lloyds, amongst others – so there is always more than enough to keep me busy!”

Mr. Javid stated that he was relishing “helping to fix the economy after years of mismanagement under the previous Government. This is no academic exercise – we are working to put the economy back on track, which means doing everything we can to promote growth and job creation, so that hardworking people throughout the UK can provide for themselves and their families and get on in life.”

When asked if he had any particular advice to current students at the university hoping to pursue a career in politics, Mr. Javid replied: “To anyone interested in a career in politics, I would always recommend pursuing this alongside a primary occupation in another field. I think that experience outside politics, by which I mean everything from teaching to banking to the Armed Forces, is hugely important in preparing for public life and only enriches Parliament.”

Hannah Butler, News Team

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