Chris Herbert

Chris Herbert (born March, 1971 in Guildford, England), is a talent manager who has helped overseen the careers of the Spice Girls, Five, Stephen Gately and Hear'Say. He is the son of the late talent manager Bob Herbert.

Career

With father Bob Herbert a music talent manager the young Chris Herbert grew up in music industry orientated environment that had a large influence on his eventual career direction. At the age of twenty-one Herbert approached his father for advice and assistance in setting up his own talent management company. Safe Corporation was founded as an independent music management company in March 1994. The first project the pair worked on was the creation of an all-girl pop group to cater to what he had identified as a potentially massive untapped market.

Spice Girls

Main article: Spice Girls

By mid-1994, the Herberts and Chic Murphy had auditioned 600 applicants, and whittled the line-up down to Melanie Brown, Suzanne Tinker, soon replaced with Geri Halliwell, Victoria Adams, Lianne Morgan, quickly replaced by Melanie Chisholm and Michelle Stephenson, quickly replaced by Emma Bunton.

After a large amount of development in studios, the group felt insecure about the lack of a contract and frustrated by the direction in which Heart Management was steering them. Bob Herbert set up a showcase performance for the group in front of industry writers, producers and A&R men in December 1994 at the Nomis Studios in Shepherds Bush. Due to the large interest in the group, the Herberts quickly set about creating a binding contract for the group, but all five members delayed signing contracts on legal advice. In March 1995, because of the group's frustration at their management's unwillingness to listen to their visions and ideas, they parted from Heart Management.

After signing an agreement with Simon Fuller of 19 Entertainment, they relased their first single in summer 1996.

Tulisa Contostavlos Sex tape

Main article: Tulisa Contostavlos § Sex tape

Herbert was the manager of Justin Edwards, also known as MC Ultra. With his career not gaining traction, in late 2011 Edwards advised Herbert that he had a sex tape of him and ex-lover Tulisa Contostavlos, now a well-known singer and judge on the UK version of The X Factor. Herbert says that he advised Edwards not to release the tape, but by early 2012 Edwards had an agreement with others to distribute the tape. Herbert says that he advised Edwards not to do this, but negotiated a legal restraint clause with the contract Edwards signed as it was "career suicide".

The tape was released to the press in March 2012. Contostavlos was quickly granted an injunction (Contostavlos v Mendahun) that legally blocks the distribution of the tape worldwide. The injunction prohibits anyone from using, publishing, communicating or disclosing all or any part of the film to any other person. In the aftermath Tulisa later recorded a video response in which she clarified the relationship on her YouTube account "Tulisaconto", and stated that she was both heartbroken and devastated by its release from her ex-boyfriend.

In July 2012, she settled a legal action against Edwards, who apologised for releasing the tape. Her lawyer is still persuing action against Herbert and other defendants, who has had his job as a consultant on The X Factor suspended.

Personal life

Chris is married with his wife Shelley Herbert and have together a son.

External links

• Interview, HitQuarters Jul 2001