Emmerald: I'm always really happy to see artists and entertainers
speak out on issues and actually use whatever popularity and clout
they have for something positive. With music, we see that a lot with
Bob Geldof and Bono for example. In the future, near or far, would
you see yourself as being more globally visible like Bob Geldof or
Bono or somebody like that?
Herbert: For me it's about a holistic approach. It's about an
integral vision. The idea of having a multimillionaire lecturing
other people about poverty--I just don't think it's consistent. And
at the same time to talk about conditions for the poor in one part of
the world and yet three weeks later, do a massive global campaign for
Apple and the iPod is not consistent. The iPod and a lot of Apple
stuff is made in sweatshop factory conditions in the Far East and the
Philippines by underpaid and exploited twelve- or thirteen year-old
girls. What's the difference between poverty in Africa and poverty in
Asia? Why would you actively sponsor and encourage people to buy into
one form of exploitation and at the same time criticize another one?
So for me it's about integrity, particularly, integrity of vision. For example, I realized rather belatedly that I would have to cut down my flying enormously if I was to have any environmental kind of consistency. It's all well and good for me to talk about pollution in the environment, but if I'm flying every week to another country then it makes a mockery of that. So I've limited my flying to three times a year now, and I hope to get it down to once next year and then stop entirely the year after. Again, it's about having integrity, and that vision being complete and consistent.
With the music, the way the music is constructed is as much political as what comes out of your mouth. You have to look at the way it's distributed, whether that's through independent distributors as opposed to major label outlets or avoiding corporate sponsorship and that kind of thing. The end result is not to make me a spokesperson for the dispossessed and the oppressed, and it's not to make me a leader or something. It's for me to try and live in my corner of the world with as much integrity and as little as pollution and violence as possible, while at the same time trying to encourage others to do the same.
Emmerald: How will that level of commitment affect your ability to
spread your music, particularly if you are not flying? You have a
worldwide audience; how will you reach them?
Herbert: Yes, well I'm looking into traveling by boat. Internally,
it looks like we're going to have to fly once, at least. I don't know,
honestly. This is a transition year for me really so I'm still trying
to negotiate those things. I mean certainly all internal gigs will be
done by driving, you know, wherever we can. But if it means
compromising and missing out on gigs, which I know it will, then so be
it. You know, I think that's part of the problem with society, we're
taught that we can have whatever we want whenever we want it and
without any consequences. And I just don't agree with that principle.
