Getty ImagesGuitarist Boyan Chowdhury was a founding member of The Zutons but left the Liverpool band in 2007A founding member of Liverpool-based indie band The Zutons has been badly hurt in a "shocking" racist attack.
Guitarist Boyan Chowdhury suffered a serious head injury needing hospital treatment when he was struck by a man with a piece of wood in the Wavertree area of Liverpool just after 14:00 GMT on Saturday.
Merseyside Police said Chowdhury, 46, who left the band in 2007, had been "racially abused" after an "altercation" with a gang of men near Fieldway.
Det Insp Debra Morley said called it a "a shocking assault" and "abhorrent". Officers appealed for information about the attack, which they described as "hate related".
The Zutons performed in the BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge last yearMorley said: "This was a shocking assault that has absolutely no place in our communities.
"To racially abuse someone and then attack him with a weapon is abhorrent and I'm sure the public in Merseyside will be just as appalled as we are about what happened.
"If you saw this group of males near Fieldway or witnessed the incident, then please come forward.
"Violence and hate crime will simply never be tolerated in our communities."
The Zutons released three studio albums between 2004 and 2008, and celebrated nine UK Top 40 singles.
They included two Top 10 singles - Valerie (covered by Amy Winehouse) and Why Won't You Give Me Your Love?
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