Stars warn Prime Minister over Brexit

Nick Mason, Roger Taylor and Sting among signatories.

Galvanised by the ever-vocal Bob Geldof, a cross-section of home-grown talent has pooled forces in an open letter to Theresa May, warning the Prime Minister of the dangers of Brexit upon the music scene.

Nick Mason, Brian Eno, Roger Taylor, Johnny Marr and Sting joined forces with Ed Sheeran, Jarvis Cocker of Pulp, Blur’s Damon Albarn, Bobby Gillespie of Primal Scream, Neil Tennant and pop star Rita Ora, predicting that the “vast voice” of the music industry could become a “self-built cultural jail”. May was urged to consider that Brexit will “impact every aspect of the music industry, from touring to sales, to copyright legislation to royalty collation.”

According to the British Phonographic Industry, the popularity of British music abroad hit a record high in 2017.

Ahead of a scheduled Brexit Day on March 29, King Crimson have cancelled the European leg of next year’s 50th anniversary tour due to “technicalities and bureaucracy of arranging visas” for band and crew. DL