A RENOWNED bassist has railed against a radio regulator after a station banned his band’s song.

Herbie Flowers, who played in pop band Blue Mink, spoke out after retro radio station Gold banned the group’s 1969 hit Melting Pot.

Radio regulator Ofcom said the song’s lyrics were “offensive” and were provided without context by the station.

Mr Flowers, who lives in Ditchling, admitted he could see why the lyrics caused offence. But he told the Daily Mail “far worse” songs “full of obscenities and violence” were played on the radio every day.

The song, which Ofcom acknowledged had a “positive intention” of racial harmony, contained the anti-

Chinese slur “yellow C*******”.

The regulator also claimed the use of “Red Indian boy”, “curly Latin kinkies” and “coffee-coloured people” had the potential to cause offence.

Mr Flowers, 81, said: “I don’t think it occurred to any of us there was anything wrong with it.

“People didn’t say ‘what terrible lyrics’, they thought it was rather catchy.”

He said Blue Mink were “naive musicians” who did not have racism or sexism as part of their consciousness.

Mr Flowers thought there were “far more important things” to be worried about than the song’s lyrics.

The bassist famously performed in Lou Reed's 1972 hit "Walk on the Wild Side".

Melting Pot, sung by the band’s lead singer Roger Cook and gospel star Madeline Bell, reached number three in the UK Singles Chart in the first week of 1970.

Ofcom has not banned the song outright. But it said radio stations should provide “sufficient context” when playing potentially offensive tracks. The regulator’s report read: “The title Melting Pot, which may have provided an indication of the track’s overall message, was not broadcast.

“Nor was the song introduced with any contextual information.”