Radiohead Rage At File Sharing Plans

Radiohead guitarist and music industry figure Ed O'Brien has lashed out at the UK government after plans to crack down on file sharing were introduced.

The music industry is currently going through some historic convulsions. The means with which fans can share music have never been greater, with legal sales of new music dropping year on year.

While the internet can be seen as a problem to record labels, in the correct hands it can be used to propel groups to much bigger status. Radiohead re-defined the use of the internet in the modern music industry with their album 'In Rainbows' which they released in a now famous pay-what-you-want format.

The group's guitarist Ed O'Brien also works with the Featured Artists Coalition, a loose alliance of musicians who aim to give more profile to the views of new acts. Government plans to crack down on file sharing have been met with fury by the FAC, with Ed O'Brien being particularly vocal.

"It's going to start a war which they'll never win," Ed O'Brien said. The BBC reports the guitarist as claiming: "It won't work. It's as simple as that. I was talking to a serial file-sharer the other day who is a friend. He downloads films and he hasn't paid for music for six years.

"I asked his opinion of it and he laughed. He said, 'Even if they cut me off I'll still be able to do it.' It's something you do not want to take on, so move on."

The new plans were outlined in August. Ironically, many big acts are furiously opposed to the news. Fellow FAC member Dave Rowntree of the band Blur issued a statement saying: "We don't want to make enemies of our fans."

"The sensible thing to do is to try to see how we can monetise all this file-sharing activity, which is evidence of a lot of interest in music."