ONE ONE sees Herbert pushing the concept of the solo project to its logical conclusion by writing, performing and producing a whole album completely by himself. He even sings for the first time, lending the record a feeling of vulnerability and intimacy not seen in his releases for years. 

The record is available now: 

iTunes

Amazon

Accidental Records

The video was styled by Rowdy Superstar, choreographed by Barbara Panther and directed by Margaret Salmon. 

And it reveals a side to Herbert which you may not have seen. And that's before he starts singing...

Leipzig is released on 29 March.

ONE ONE, the first part of Matthew Herbert's ONE Trilogy, is out on 12 April. 

Watch the video on nme.com now

“I wanted to record one human life and make that into a record but it soon became clear that following someone from the cradle to the grave is too difficult. Pigs are animals which humans totally rely on in many different ways, yet systematically abuse, so I felt this would be an excellent representation of a modern life.”

Matthew has also responded to animal rights group PETA in a statement online -

“I'm puzzled and disappointed by PETA's assertions about one pig because this project is in part about dealing head on with the conditions and realities of a modern food industry. As I eat meat, I would have thought PETA would have been pleased that I am confronting the consequences of that choice. Unlike most industrial pig farms, my pig was kept in excellent conditions but was always grown by the farmer for slaughter. My desire to listen in to that entire cycle and represent it as music is not, and never was intended to be cynically repackaged purely as entertainment.”

For more information on the journey of the pig visit thisisapig.blogspot.com

For more information on a project inspired by this album visit www.seeyourfood.org

The first is One One, which Matthew has written, performed, recorded and produced entirely by himself, to be released in April. One One features Matthew singing for the first time. The result is his most intimate and “honest” musical production since he first performed live at Wishmountain in 1995, using only a pepper pot as an instrument.

The second in the series is One Club, being released in June 2010. The samples used for the album were recorded in their entirety at the Robert Johnson club in Frankfurt, Germany, in September 2009. Matthew turned the microphones on the audience - recording dancing, kissing, laughter, mobile phone rings and a plethora of sounds. He even recorded private conversations and sounds from the toilets.

The One Trilogy concludes with One Pig, released in September 2010, which will use sampled sounds from the life of a pig reared at a Farm in Kent, slaughtered, and then eaten. Initially Matthew had wanted to record one human life but due to the difficulty of that he chose a pig instead - "Pigs are animals which humans totally rely on in many different ways, yet systematically abuse, so I felt this would be an excellent representation of a modern life.”

Read the rest of the Matthew Herbert interview and article.

De Pury - owner and Chief Auctioneer of Phillps de Pury & Company - will lead proceedings at the auction house's MUSIC sale, which comprises four main elements: art and design by contemporary artists that has a reference to music; art by contemporary musicians; portraits of contemporary musicians by top photographers; and a unique selection of music memorabilia.

During the second half of the sale, Herbert will use both the sale items and the bidding process itself as stimuli for an improvisation which will in turn be recorded and sold.

The auction takes place on Saturday 21 November at 5pm.

The lots are currently being exhibited at the company's London showroom:
Phillips de Pury & Company, Howick Place
London
SW1P 1BB
Tel: +44 20 7318 4010

featuring The Matthew Herbert Big Band

In 2010 Matthew Herbert will release a record entitled 'The Pig'. It will be made up entirely of sounds made during the life cycle of a pig.

In his first pig-related blog Matthew writes:

"I will be there at its birth,
during its life,
present at its death
and during the butchery process.
Its body will then be given to chefs new and old,
there will be a feast,
it will all be recorded
and then turned in to music.

Meanwhile I await a call from Monkshill Farm in Kent to let me know that my pig is on its way. I will rush there with a camera and a tape recorder".

You can follow the journey here.

**Unfortunately due to unforseen circumstances this event is going to be rescheduled-more news to follow. Sorry folks**

about politics and music and There's Me And There's You

Currently receiving rapturous reviews around the world, the album has been described as "an intriguing, thoughtful album that's both engrossing and entertaining" (by The Independent), and is being presented in the band's trademark style to audiences around the globe over the next few months (details on the 'gigs' page).

Released on Accidental Records in the UK and Japan, and on !K7 in the rest of the world, the album is available on iTunes and on every other good digital platform, as well as in all good record shops. You can buy it from Amazon here.