When they moved to Rio de Janeiro, they formed Os Paralamas do Sucesso (some still consider them part of the "Brasília gang", along with Capital Inicial and Legião Urbana) with their friend Vital Dias playing drums.

He recorded two others, Santorini Blues (1997) e O Som do Sim (2000), with Cássia Eller, Nana Caymmi, Sandra de Sá and Marcos Valle.

On February 4, 2001, he suffered an accident in Mangaratiba, Rio de Janeiro, when the ultralight airplane he was piloting crashed into the sea, in the bay of Angra dos Reis.

The musician became disabled (he is now in a wheelchair) and lost part of his memory after the accident; however, after a slow recovery process, he returned to perform.

Since the accident, Herbert has recorded five albums with Os Paralamas do Sucesso: Longo Caminho (2002), the live Uns Dias ao Vivo (2004), Hoje (2005), Brasil Afora (2009) and Sinais do Sim (2017).