"Geri and I probably clashed more than anyone else. She was incredibly ambitious, hugely driven and a real visionary. She challenged me constantly and I challenged her right back. Although I don't think she was the strongest singer or dancer, I still regard her as one of the most driven people I've ever worked with. Not just among artists but across the entire music industry, and I have enormous respect for her because of that."
Herbert, who managed the group for years, was speaking on behalf of Betway as their debut single "Wannabe" marks 30 years since its release. The song shot to No.1 and propelled the band to worldwide stardom, with members later branching into fashion, acting and presenting.
He recalled that because they were all fairly close in age, the group would go out together in the evenings after rehearsing all day. "I was almost like the slightly older brother to the girls. We worked together, socialised together and had a lot of laughs," he said.
Victoria was the homebody
Herbert said Victoria Beckham was the complete opposite of Geri Horner and Mel B. "Victoria always amused me because she was the complete opposite of Geri and Mel B. Geri and Mel B loved going out clubbing. I was the same back then, Victoria wasn't interested in any of that. At the time, she was actually engaged."
"Victoria was always the homebody of the group, and at the end of the day, she wanted to go home." He added that Victoria remains grateful to this day, telling him: "If it wasn't for Chris, I wouldn't have any of this."
Emma and Mel C's roles
He also praised Emma Bunton and Mel C. "Emma is genuinely one of the loveliest people you'll ever meet. She has a heart of gold and just radiates warmth and brings a lovely, calming energy into any room she's in."
Mel C, he said, was the peacekeeper. "Whenever tensions started bubbling beneath the surface, she was usually the one who stepped in and calmed everyone down. She had a really grounding influence on the group."
Still respectful after all these years
Herbert still sees the girls occasionally, whether it is Mel C leaving the stage after a DJ set, passing each other in the corridor at the BBC, or meeting backstage at a festival. "Whenever I see the girls, it's always lovely and they're always very respectful towards me."
"That's really nice to hear. We're not in each other's pockets - we've all gone on to have our own careers - but it's lovely that we can meet on common ground, having all achieved success in our own ways and still be relevant within the music industry."
