Thom Yorke slams touring's impact on environment

Singer plans to get to Japan by train

Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke has hit out at the environmental impact caused by bands touring, and as a result is looking into travelling to Japan by train.

The singer, who is supporting Friends Of The Earth's Big Ask campaign to reduce carbon emissions in the UK by making it law, has threatened to quit playing long distance locations if steps are not taken to reduce carbon emissions.

"I think it's a necessary part of what I do, to tour or play live, but I find it unacceptable what the consequences of that are," he explained.

"Some of our best ever shows have been in the US, but there's 80,000 people there and they've all been sitting in traffic jams for five or six hours with their engines running to get there, which is bollocks.

"The way that tours are structured now and the way it works is a ridiculous consumption of energy... I would consider refusing to tour on environmental grounds, if nothing started happening to change the way the touring operates."

Yorke said he would rather take other forms of transport for tours abroad, but the other band members are against the idea.

"When you discuss it you feel like a prat because you're saying, 'I'm not happy with that and I want to do it another way. I want to go to the US by ship'," Yorke told The Guardian. "The Cure did that years ago because Robert Smith refused to fly, and then I get told that if you take the ship, that's as much carbon usage."

He added: "Long haul flights just feel wrong. I'm trying to figure out a way of getting to Japan by train. I quite fancy that Trans-Siberian whatsitsname but apparently it's a bit scary."

Friends Of The Earth is lobbying the government to try and introduce new climate change legislation in next month's Queen's speech.

__________________

Hm, tourist buses are a bit of a problem when it comes to carbon emissions because they don't tend to turn off their engines. They idle because they want to keep the heater on or the air conditioning. I wonder if tour buses are the same?

I realize that he feels this is the only way he can make a difference, but it feels like Morrissey not playing in Canada because of the seals. Something that will have absolutely no effect in the larger context. I respect his position, I really do. Carbon emissions are horrible in this country and we have a president that completely disregards their harmful nature.

But isn't the good that comes out of touring...inspiring people, making them reflect on their lives, giving happiness for about an hour...sort of outweigh the harmful nature of driving? I mean, I guess it feels like if you're going to cut out anything it'd be the amount of driving done by the people going to concerts. L.A. is horrendous when ti comes to this because parking is expensive for shows and huge tracts of land are used for parking. Why can't we have good public transportation to venues?

I think it's sort of funny too because he used the UK as an example. In the UK, at least in the cities, venues are IN the actual city and they're incredibly easily accessible that probably a lot of the people who go to his shows don't drive to them. A more pignant comment/action would be to only play at venues that have good public transportation access. Places that have direct train stops or bus stops. That would take more work.

I mean, what is the situation like in Japan?

Too long of a post. My point was that I think he is misplacing his concerns. He is a performer. That is what he does for a living. You have to live with the externalities of that way of life. I do hope he finds a way to get to Japan by train.

in a way, he's biting the hand that feeds him.

rockstars tour, and by doing so they need to travel via, plane, bus, boats or trains. unless he can grow wings and fly on his own...

__________________

HHhhmmmm.........maybe we should all just stay home.

sounds like a plan.

__________________