Radiohead guitarist Ed O'Brien has written to the BBC Trust to ask them to save radio station 6 Music.
BBC Director General Mark Thompson announced plans to axe the station – along with various other BBC portals - earlier this week (March 2) in a bid to cut spending within the corporation.
Referring to Thompson as "Herr Director General" on Radioheads blog Dead Air Space, O'Brien then pasted an email he has sent to the BBC Trust, who are engaging in a period of public consultation over the issue before deciding whether 6 Music will actually close or not.
"I wonder if those who made this decision are actually aware of the hugely important role that 6 Music plays in fostering and promoting new bands, as well as still playing the likes of the band that I am in. It literally is the radio lifeblood for music outside of the mainstream," O'Brien wrote.
He added: "Please realise the impact and severity of closing this station down. It will be a huge blow for new bands and their labels. It's not enough to 'refocus' Radio's 1 and 2 as 6 Music does a very specific thing. What you have with 6 Music is a gem of a radio station, it is doing what no other station in the world does or can possibly do.
"Remember it is also still relatively young, give it time. You also finally have a fantastic and seemingly settled line up of DJs. Please get behind it and from what I can gather about its annual budget of £6 million, it surely punches way above it's weight in terms of cultural relevance and importance."
O'Brien joins a growing list of musicians to state their displeasure at the plans to close 6 Music, alongside the likes of David Bowie and Mark Ronson.
NME
March 4, 2010
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