Radiohead turn down US trip because of global warming

[hoon]

Radiohead have decided not to travel to the US for a promotional performance on Conan O'Brien because of concerns over global warming, appearing from London via satellite instead.

BBC - Newsbeat - Music - Radiohead go green for live show

Good for them.

[karmakop]

Awesome, go them.

[Karl]

QUOTE:
Radiohead Green Facts:
• Radiohead always consider the carbon footprint when on tour
• Thom Yorke's fears over climate change made him back the Big Ask campaign which urges ministers to bring in laws to reduce C02 emissions
• He refused to discuss climate change with Tony Blair because he felt the fromer PM had "no environmental credentials"

Radiohead has been around in the mainstream since 1992. Many of the artistes involved in the pop/rock/alternative sector of the music industry have often sought to link themselves to the environmental movement, so we are in no position to judge Radiohead's sincerity in relation to these environmental matters. It is always useful for bands/artistes (or their promoters) to champion any “popular” or “activist” causes to retain their existing fan base, and more importantly to penetrate new younger markets.

So, while they may have foregone one promotional trip across the Atlantic – they have also “promoted” themselves in a way that will probably have a more significant or lasting impact on renewed (as well as entirely new) interest in the band (and their music / videos / CD's / concerts). Carbon “footprint” mitigation aside, there appears to be some sort of strategic trade-off involved here.

What is particularly interesting is the following quote from the link: “The band kick-off their In Rainbows world tour with a show in West Palm Beach, Florida, on 5 May.”

I guess we will have to wait and see how Radiohead/Thom Yorke intend to follow through with real action having made this symbolic “statement”.

It will be even more interesting to see which artistes or bands follow onto the pro-green / climate change bandwagon. Climate change, global warming, lead pollution, whales, Indonesian rainforests as carbon credits, etc. have always been used by politicians in self-promotion, so why not musicians - they in particular have much to be gained by being "seen to be green"

[spadlet]

Just a reminder that there's still time to vote in my poll (I didn't impose a time limit on it). Wouldn't you like the oportunity to ask Thom Yorke yourself about the green ethos portrayed by the band?

Time saving link to poll - Vote for Thom Yorke

[bruce]

I'm not going into work on Monday to cut down on my carbon emissions

[cbacba]

I think everyone should abide by the wishes of those people and simply aide in saving the environment by not playing their music, turning off their ipods and computers and radios. That would make a whole lot larger contribtion to cutting down on unnecessary (or even counterproductivce) energy usage. Definitely, they should waste their time money and precious energy resources by going to see them live.

Having never heard of them or their genre of music before, I can attest to the fact that life without radiohead is as meaningful (or more likely - more meaningful) and judging by the observations of others, far better, than life listening to them all the time.

[forfismum]

I have my tickets for their concert in Dublin in June,the gig last year was fantastic. Turn it on and turn it up !!!

[spadlet]

Radiohead makes me smile, I was introduced to the band by the first bloke I slept with so they have many good memeories and are a great comfort. Sorry Cbacba.

On the plus side, said ex used to learn alot of their stuff acoustic, saving on electricity. Unfortunately I don't see him anymore. I have my Manchester ticket Forfi

[spadlet]

Out of curiosity Cbacba, have you ever seen the version of Romeo and Juliet with Di Caprio in?

[cbacba]

no

I have seen the Chieftains a couple of times years ago but then they played occaisionally at a theatre within easy walking distance from my home then - a rather small theatre.

As best as I recall, they concentrated on providing quality music and at the time, totally avoided spouting off their total ignorance on topics which they knew positively nothing about nor had a background that permitted them to understand or grasp anything of those topics.

Basically, with quality speakers on one's own stereo system, there's no need to attend 'live' concerts of amplified music or electronic generated music. Only truly acoustic music can really suffer degredation from being a recording.