Take that, groupies!

Dear Auntie,

As a music-obsessed greenie, the recent spate of bands reforming after years of obscurity has got me in a fix. The desire to get back in the saddle and start trailing my favourite band on tour across the globe is becoming stronger with every second that Take That! spend creating their new album.

How do I reconcile my desire to be a transnational groupie to early-1990s has-beens with my environmental obligations? Is there any way of obsessively trailing my idols without resorting to multiple short-haul flights?

Martha Owen, Chester

Dear Martha,

Musically, you may be beyond redemption, but there are ways to solve your environmental problem. Rather than cityhopping by plane, try travel website The Man in Seat Sixty-One for suggestions about how to wend your way between gigs by land and sea.

Trains and boats are ideal for someone of your musical inclination, with excellent scope for singalongs and improvised musical numbers. You can karaoke your way through a million love songs by the time you hit Calais.

However, even if you refrain from emission-heavy modes of transport, your idols will not. I can’t see Gary Barlow and company crooning ‘Could it be Magic’ from the backseat of a Megabus, or breaking into an impromptu chorus of ‘Everything Changes’ while stranded on the platform at Crewe station.

No, no. It’s going to be short-haul central for those boys. They might try to greenwash their reputation by planting a tree for every gig – but an entire grove of Jason Orange saplings is unlikely to save the world, or do much for bio-diversity.

You’re better off starting a campaign to encourage the band back into retirement.

Once they’re back for good in Cheshire, you’ll be free to indulge your inexplicable obsession while sticking to your environmental convictions.

Take that and party

1 December 2006

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Also on Travel and Transport:

Flight fight by David Matthews (January 2008)
Planes, trains and caravan-mobiles by Tamanna Kalhar (August 2007)
Flying shame by John Stewart (March 2005)

Also in this section:

A cabbie writes by Aubrey Morris
Climate change at Westminster by Oscar Reyes
Murder in Samarkand by Marcus Williams
Not only about the war by David Moburg
Costing the Earth by Derek Wall
Busy being reborn by Roz Patterson
A warrior against the war by Leigh Phillips
Un-free Kashmir by Graham Usher
Rocks and hard places by Graham Usher
Popular revolt in Oaxaca by Luis Hernandes Navarro
Dancing to a corporate tune by Owen Epsley
The road from Iraq and ruin by Oscar Reyes
Tropical Blair or Axis of Hope? by Hilary Wainwright
Resolutionary politics by Fiona Osler
Carbon cop-outs by Kevin Smith
A thousand-headed dragon is here by Chris Sands

Red Pepper magazine, 1b Waterlow Road, London N19 5NJ. Tel (+44) 20 7281 7024

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	Please support Red Pepper, make a donation today	Take that, groupies! Dear Auntie, As a music-obsessed greenie, the recent spate of bands reforming after years of obscurity has got me in a fix. The desire to get back in the saddle and start trailing my favourite band on tour across the globe is becoming stronger with every second that Take That! spend creating their new album. How do I reconcile my desire to be a transnational groupie to early-1990s has-beens with my environmental obligations? Is there any way of obsessively trailing my idols without resorting to multiple short-haul flights? Martha Owen, Chester Dear Martha, Musically, you may be beyond redemption, but there are ways to solve your environmental problem. Rather than cityhopping by plane, try travel website The Man in Seat Sixty-One for suggestions about how to wend your way between gigs by land and sea. Trains and boats are ideal for someone of your musical inclination, with excellent scope for singalongs and improvised musical numbers. You can karaoke your way through a million love songs by the time you hit Calais. However, even if you refrain from emission-heavy modes of transport, your idols will not. I can’t see Gary Barlow and company crooning ‘Could it be Magic’ from the backseat of a Megabus, or breaking into an impromptu chorus of ‘Everything Changes’ while stranded on the platform at Crewe station. No, no. It’s going to be short-haul central for those boys. They might try to greenwash their reputation by planting a tree for every gig – but an entire grove of Jason Orange saplings is unlikely to save the world, or do much for bio-diversity. You’re better off starting a campaign to encourage the band back into retirement. Once they’re back for good in Cheshire, you’ll be free to indulge your inexplicable obsession while sticking to your environmental convictions. Take that and party 1 December 2006 If you would like to reuse an article from Red Pepper either in print or online, please contact us first. There are many options available, with free usage for non profit campaign groups and activist blogs - just tell us first! Please support Red Pepper, make a donation today Mail a friend about this article, "Take that, groupies!" or post it to: Delicious Facebook StumbleUpon reddit Shoutwire newsvine NowPublic Digg	Also on Travel and Transport: Flight fight by David Matthews (January 2008) Planes, trains and caravan-mobiles by Tamanna Kalhar (August 2007) Flying shame by John Stewart (March 2005) Also in this section: A cabbie writes by Aubrey Morris Climate change at Westminster by Oscar Reyes Murder in Samarkand by Marcus Williams Not only about the war by David Moburg Costing the Earth by Derek Wall Busy being reborn by Roz Patterson A warrior against the war by Leigh Phillips Un-free Kashmir by Graham Usher Rocks and hard places by Graham Usher Popular revolt in Oaxaca by Luis Hernandes Navarro Dancing to a corporate tune by Owen Epsley The road from Iraq and ruin by Oscar Reyes Tropical Blair or Axis of Hope? by Hilary Wainwright Resolutionary politics by Fiona Osler Carbon cop-outs by Kevin Smith A thousand-headed dragon is here by Chris Sands


Red Pepper magazine, 1b Waterlow Road, London N19 5NJ. Tel (+44) 20 7281 7024