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.

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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...

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

sounds like a plan.

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LOL
Shut up Thom.

I love Thom. I'm incredibly attracted to him in a weird way....

that is odd.

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I know... no one else seems to be.. it's weird. I totally want to be his girlfriend. Is he single?

you are out of luck, he's married with kids.

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I think he said he was going to do that, in the song "Let Down".
I guess they just haven't quite formed yet.

I know the guy has always wanted to be Bono pretty badly, but I hope he doesn't make this pet causes thing a habit.

I love Thom. I don't care what he says or does, I'm a dumb puppy for him.

But haha. why in the name of fuck would he want to be Bono? Bono's a cunt.

MAKE BONO HISTORY.

Mmmkay. I have to say it sounds like he's just trying to get out of it. I'm deeply suspicious.
I buy Kate Bush's records even though she isn't going to tour them, but it doesn't mean that she ought not to be touring the arse out of every gas guzzling jet plane around just to make up for the 27 year wait between live shows. Because she should.

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Time is the distance that you can't return by miles.

I escaped somehow. Let's go

actualy [sic] I have quite a blessed life if I'm honest. I have many people to love, hate few and have few money problem's [sic].... What more does a person need? Oh yeah and I have some kind of humbleness unlike you of course ^_^ ~ CarefulCarpenter

I'd pay to see a knife fight between him and Chris Martin, but only if it was to the death.

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Time is the distance that you can't return by miles.

I escaped somehow. Let's go

actualy [sic] I have quite a blessed life if I'm honest. I have many people to love, hate few and have few money problem's [sic].... What more does a person need? Oh yeah and I have some kind of humbleness unlike you of course ^_^ ~ CarefulCarpenter

thom loves bono and sites him as an influence.

shit. omg. Imagine Thom Yorke is your dad. that's so cool!

You mean cite, and I've never read or heard him do so.

Anyway, even if he did, it wouldn't make me think that Bono is any less of a cunt.

ewww, you were just imagining him as your boyfriend and now he's your dad? omg that's like incest and shit.

yeah cite, whatever.

have you ever read or listened to the guy in an interview?

U2, REM and The Smiths are the ones he always mentions as influences.
He was being interviewed at some festival while Bono was singing years back, and basically shushed the interviewer so he could listen to the music and make a weird orgasm face.

LOL, it's like in high school. Bono sucks so Thom should have nothing to do with him. When colliques collide the sheep feel threatened.