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Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich leads protests to save Maida Vale studios

Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich is leading a host of respected musicians in a bid to save the BBC’s iconic Maida Vale studios.

Earlier this week Far Out reported that the pioneering studios, which have hosted the likes of The Beatles, David Bowie, Led Zeppelin and Jimi Hendrix and played host to the iconic John Peel Sessions, plan to move from their location in north London to a new home in east London.

Maida Vala have been running since 1946 and the building was constructed in 1909. The BBC took control of it in 1930.

Now, however, the team will be moving their building to the Stratford Waterfront development in the Olympic Park in East London as their current home contains asbestos and is in desperate need of refurbishment.

They hope to complete the move by 2022.

However, Godrich is leading a petition to stop the move from happening, he said: “This is absolutely insane!! Wrong, misguided, call it what you will – the wrong move. Don’t destroy this incredibly important part of our cultural heritage – every bit as important as Abbey Road studios…. stop!” in a series of tweets. “Don’t destroy this beautiful studio,” he added. “There are so few of these places left and this particular room is steeped in history.”

The BBC explained how the current studios are in desperate need of refurbishment and parts contain the dangerous material asbestos, all issues that Godrich reacted to: “The studios have been refurbed many times since 1930’s – asbestos is still intact. This is about money – and a pressure to move to areas that are considered in need of ‘regeneration’ but at a senseless cost. What they replace it with will never be of the same caliber.”

On the back of Godrich’s comments, a host of musicians and influential names joined in the #BBCSaveMaidaVale movement.

The likes of Beak>’s Geoff Barrow, Ride’s Andy Bell, Amber Coffman, Ben Frost, At the Drive-In’s Cedric Bixler-Zavala, and more all expressed their opposition to the move.

© 2020 Far Out Magazine
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