News

Domino Records Speaks Out About BBC 6 Music

• 10th Mar 2010

A message from Domino Recording Co. Ltd…

We would like to make it clear that we are extremely concerned by BBC plans to cut BBC 6 Music from its schedule. BBC 6 Music is an extremely important and rare outlet for much of the music that we release on Domino. For many of us who grew up listening to, and learning about music from John Peel, we've come to appreciate this station of mostly free playlists, diversity, new things, old things, the unexpected. Indeed we'd argue that the BBC should be making this fantastic station more readily available via the masses of unused FM bandwidth.

There's information on this all over the Internet (BBC, Times and Guardian online are good start points). The BBC is currently inviting feedback to the proposals here: SRmail. We urge you to email in, and let the BBC know your feelings on this matter.

A good general resource is the Save BBC 6Music facebook page to be found here: link

Please make the effort to do this.

Comments from just a few of our artists…

Noah Lennox (Animal Collective/Panda Bear)
“When I was a lot younger radio used to be the place I’d go to find new music and I feel like I would find it everywhere on the dial. Since then it seems like less and less stations are willing to or have the means to play new music. I miss unpredictable radio. Please support these guys…”

Alison Mosshart (The Kills/The Dead Weather)
“Please don't leave us musicians and music lovers with such a void. We need BBC6. It is the only radio station we all listen too, and seemingly, the only station that plays anything worth listening too. It would be culturally damaging to lose this station. I highly doubt I would ever listen to radio in England again, if it were gone. And that goes for a great many friends and colleagues of mine. BBC6 has been very supportive to the bands that I have been in and supportive of my friends and label mates. We are all greatly appreciative of the fine work they do, and the open minds that they have. It baffles me why art and culture must always suffer and get the boot before sport or the generic music which EVERYONE plays already, anyway. We can get these trashy things anywhere. But we're relying on BBC6 to encourage and inspire. To shut it down would be a real shame and a real mistake. Think of it as the Tate Modern of radio. We want it; we need it… because it's unique and culturally significant.

Please save BBC 6 Music.”

Hayden Thorpe (Wild Beasts)
“The closure of BBC6 music would be a huge blow to British arts in general. I don't know any other established vehicle, which allows for inventive and contemporary music to reach such a wide audience. I'm in no doubt the unrelenting support we have had from BBC6 has massively helped our career. This sends out a damning message to creative young people.”

Jack Barnett (These New Puritans)
“BBC6 was and is incredibly important to bands like us. In the world of 'independent music', where it can be difficult to survive by your ideas, it really is a unique and completely positive force. Its closure would be a massive blow to the possibilities of creative people doing creative things in this country.”

Dev Hynes (Lightspeed Champion)
“The end of 6Music is such a disgrace and catastrophe, I learnt so much from it, and imagine that if I was younger I would have learnt more. A lot of people are going to remember this. This is so upsetting for music fans across the country.”

Kieran Hebden (Four Tet)
“Please don't close down 6 music and Asian network. It's important to have stations on the radio that don't just play mainstream music.”