After transitioning to a more electronic style on their albums "Kid A" (2000) and "Amnesiac" (2001), recorded through protracted studio experimentation, Radiohead sought to work more spontaneously, combining electronic and rock music. They recorded most of "Hail to the Thief" in two weeks in Los Angeles with longtime Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich, focusing on live takes rather than overdubs. Songwriter Thom Yorke wrote lyrics influenced by the unfolding war on terror and the "ignorance and stupidity" of the period. The cover artwork, created by longtime Radiohead artist Stanley Donwood, is a roadmap of Hollywood with words taken from roadside advertising in Los Angeles and from Yorke's lyrics.