13 juin - RAI (parkhal) - Amsterdam

Por LAURENCE BOISNARD (enviada especial IndyRock)

Textos y fotos

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La conférence de presse de Thom Yorke

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Erin Spotts presents the people around the table.
Thom : I am very sorry to keep you await.
Erin Spotts asks if Thom wants to say anything or starts right away with the questions.
Thom : Let's start with questions.
Question : What's your definition of freedom ?
Thom : Freedom ? You think of the Human Rights Declaration. That's sum up the best. I think express your religious beliefs, being allowed to protest, being allowed of movemnt...It is the 50th anniversary this year...Is it this year or last year ?
.

Comments from around the table : last year...we are going to the 51st...

Thom : Is it ? Oh, OK. Oooops... (Thom smiles)

Question : Do you think a musical event like this can change something ?

Thom : I don't think that high level political leaders care a great deal but that's not why I am here. It's to raise the general concern. They are still vaguely aware of public opinion , although they do try to manipulate it. It's basically all what you can do, really. Someone in my position, it's all I can do, it's do thing like this. I am not about to write letters to Prime Minister Blair because he won't read them.

Question : How did you get involved with the Tibetan movement ?

Thom : It's just having read a few books and interested in Buddhism. And then being asked to do the festival in New York a few year ago.

Question : How about a concert in China ?

Thom : Actually I am officially banned. Yeah, officially banned. It's a think I am proud of. I think last year every artists were officially banned.

Erin Spotts explains that the Chinese embassy said they didn't actually said that.

Question : Why are you alone ?

Thom : Alone ? Well, I am not Jonny is here but is going for supper.

Question : Last year in your press conference, you said you were ashamed about your government because the Tibet cause was not very known. How do you feel today after the war ?

Thom : After the Kosovo war ?

Question : Yes.

Thom : Even at the moment everybody is waving the flag back in Britain, I am profoundly ashamed of their actions. Simply because I don't see what right they have to do what they have to do. I don't see how NATO believes it could be the international police force after its own human rights record. The countries, they just use the back door in their political movements. But basically it is the same thing than out in the cold war. There is this incredibly rewrite of the history at the moment which I find extremely unnerving and selective. You know. A selective use of this political and military force. [...] It just blows out my mind that a government can claim to speak for the people and never ever listen to the people except when the people get so nervous, so upset. I am totally ashamed to be a part of the West at all to be honest. The way they deal with the rest of the world.

Question : Are you gonna to do something about this on the next album ?

Thom : Yeah, all of it, yeah. Not relevant...

Question : Hi, I am from the American Press Association

Thom interrupts : Mmmm... You probably rewrite it anyway so why ...

Question (journalist interrupts) : No, I wanna get serious. Human rights stand for a lot of issues : it stands for gay rights, it stands for persecution for use of drugs, ...

Thom : I think you'll have to ask Lama Palden Gyatso about that.

Question : ?

Thom : Gyatso. He is quite good you can read it.

Erin Potts : He was a political prisoner. A Tibetan monk who had been in prison for 33 years, and he wrote a book about the invasion [NDLR : en français "Le feu sous la neige" de Palden Gyatso avec Tsering Shakya. Editions Actes Sud. 1997]. And there is an excerpt of his speech last year in the press kit...

Thom (amused) : In the press kit...

Erin Spotts : So you should definitely check that out. He is amazing in his total compassion for the people who have done horrible things to the Tibetans. [...]

Question :I understand that, but in the United States you can' t enjoy a pot...

Thom : The war on drugs is extremely useful, isn't it ?

Question : At time, they think it is. My question was about priority.

Thom : Yeah, I mean this level of things... Within America, you know, there is this Amnesty report they did last month about American internal human rights record... The thing about the issue with Tibet is all about degrees. The amount of abuses of human rights since the Declaration... You know. Where do you start ? If you're just talking about numbers. Numbers of people killed is a good place to start. You know. I think the drug thing is gonna like... That's a separate issue... I mean I could get into it but I am not get into it now. I think it's a weapon for other things. But it's not relevant here.

Question : You just said politicians can't speak for the people. Do you think you as a musician can or is it just you want to raise awareness among your fans or other people.

Thom : I don't really feel in a position to speak at all on specific issues. [...] The simple fact you have to resort to pop stars to highlight the fact these things are going on seems to me symptomatic the way the West works. The fact that Diana said a few things about land mines before she died makes her into some sort of hero. The fact that pop stars are going into political issues is somehow contemptuous. We are only doing it because it's a desperate situation. We have people who get paid to do this and they don't do it. We have a UN which pact has been destroyed since its formation gradually, down and down and down. Until now nobody knows what it really is. [...] We [the pop stars] are the ones who have to highlight this things. It's dark. Bloody dark. You should be talking to people who actually have those direct experiences. [...]

Question : Radiohead played in Paris last December 10th for Amnesty International...

Thom : ...yeah, I remember... (laughs)

Question : ... now you are playing today and you will participate also for drop the debt...

Thom : ...yeah, next week-end...

Question : ...do you think it's because Radiohead if enough well known so you can participate to this things ?

Thom : I don't think of that one to be honest. heu..I don't know. I don't know what's your question. I am doing that because they are important things to me. I think anybody who has been to my position will do the same. I don't think it's a big deal. 

Question : I am not an English speaking person. Can you tell me the first and the last titles you played. And if the lyrics for songs have a connection with the Tibet ?

Thom : No, desperately no. There was a new song at the beginning but I don't have a title for that. 

Question : And the last ?

Thom : That was from the last album. But thanks very much for coming.

Erin Spotts : Are there any other questions ?

Thom : Yeah, not about me.

Question : What about the religious aspect ? 

Thom : I am interested in Buddhism but I am a spectator.

Erin Spotts begins to speak and explains where the money raised during the 4 Tibetan Freedom Concerts goes.

Question (interrupting Erin Spotts) : When does your record come out ?

Thom : Not relevant.

Question : Is there any record from this concert ?

Erin Spotts : There is no record from this concert coming out. Not at all. Not in the future. There will be a radio show. Its time is rescheduled now for December 10th which is the anniversary. It's gonna be the 51st anniversary of the UN Declaration of the Human Rights. And so to celebrate the entering of the second half of the century. So we gonna air some clips from these four concerts.

Thom : And Erin, what about June the 24th ?

Erin : June the 24th ? Oh yes !

Erin explains the urgent action targeting the World Bank. Mme Kunzang Yuthok explains the issue.

[NDLR : Please check the sites http://www.tibet99.com (in English) or http://www.tibet-info.net (en français) for full explanations and answer this urgent appeal]

Erin Spotts : We gonna taking one more question.

The last questions are asking more details on the World Bank project.

Erin Spotts : We have to end this session as Alanis Morissette is coming for the next press conference.

Thom : Thanks a lot.

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