London's cutting edge radio station Xfm has decided to ditch young talent in favour of a pop has-been.

Ageing rocker Bob Geldof has been signed up to help revive the station's flagging fortunes.

But devoted listeners are furious at the thought of a 43-year-old at the turntable and blame Xfm's new owners, the mainstream pop broadcaster Capital Radio.

Crash course

Mr Geldof, the former Boomtown Rats frontman has admitted he needs a crash course in cutting edge music, and has asked a music journalist to supply him with demo tapes to keep him up to speed.

"My show might very well be crap because I haven't a clue what we're going to do," he said. "I'll simply play music that I like. It might not be music anybody else likes."

He agreed to do the show for a limited period after signing a deal for his TV production company Planet 24 to work on programmes for the station.

Capital FM: Bosses say Xfm had "no chance" under old management

The station's launch on 1 September last year was overshadowed by the death of Princess Diana - and the station struggled to find an audience, despite the boom in alternative music spearheaded by the success of groups like Oasis and The Verve.

Ironically, one of the slogans used to mark the station out from the rest of the crowded London radio market was: "Nine out of 10 people said they preferred Capital."

Now Capital chiefs have stripped Xfm of its specialist shows - and have turned the schedule on its head, despite a 50% rise in listening figures in the three months prior to the takeover.

Former BBC DJ Gary Crowley, who has been with the station since its first trial broadcasts in 1992, is moved from a mid-morning show to an overnight slot.

'Force to be reckoned with'

A Capital Radio spokesman said: "The station had no listeners before and just wasn't making any money. It had no chance under the old management.

"We changing it slightly to make it more tightly focused on its audience - and make Xfm a force to be reckoned with.

"Bob Geldof's a good name to have on board - he's passionate about music and we've given him carte blache to play whatever he wants."

But many listeners think different.

Changeover a 'travesty'

Blur's Damon Albarn: Cutting edge, says Bob Geldof

Melody Maker journalist Ben Myers, who spearheaded a campaign against Capital's takeover, said: "It's a travesty. Xfm are now going to concentrate on Oasis, Blur, the Cranberries - yet it's supposed to be an alternative to the other stations."

"Bob Geldof thinks Blur are an alternative band - even though they've sold millions of records and had No 1 hits around the world.

Mr Myers feared for the effect on up-and-coming bands.

"You hear new bands on Xfm that you would never hear on any other station. Gary Crowley has a reputation for championing new bands, and now he's been moved to the graveyard slot.

The Radio Authority said it had been assured by Capital Radio it would only make slight changes to the station.