What on earth will be nominated for the Nationwide Mercury Music Prize 2005 shortlist?

Message Bookmarked

Bookmark Removed

The Nationwide Mercury Music Prize 2005 shortlist is to be announced at 11AM BST Tuesday 19th July.

Possible nominations?

Coldplay - X&Y (obviously, natch)
Bloc Party - Silent Alarm ?
James Blunt - Back To Bedlam ?
Hard Fi - Stars Of CCTV ?
Kaiser Chiefs - Employment ?
M.I.A. - Arular ?
The Magic Numbers - The Magic Numbers ?
Kano - Home Sweet Home ? or Roll Deep - In At The Deep End ?
Gorillaz - Demon Days ?
Doves - Some Cities ?
KT Tunstall - Eye to the Telescope ? or Jem - Finally Woken ?
The Subways - Young for Eternity ?

If my list of guesses wasn't too long already, I'd put The Go! Team's Thunder, Lightning Strike and Saint Etienne's Tales From Turnpike House on there as outside bets... also, I'm presuming that the Kaiser Chiefs are British, though I'm not quite sure. Beause they're completely uninteresting. And shit.

I am stuck for token jazz/folk albums to add to this. Any suggestions?

― James Mitchell (James Mitchell), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 03:31 (twenty years ago)

A reminder of 2004's shortlist:

Basement Jaxx - Kish Kash
Belle & Sebastian - Dear Catastrophe Waitress
Franz Ferdinand - Franz Ferdinand
Jamelia - Thank You
Keane - Hopes and Fears
Snow Patrol - Final Straw
Joss Stone - The Soul Sessions
The Streets - A Grand Don't Come for Free
Ty - Upwards
Amy Winehouse - Frank
Robert Wyatt - Cuckooland
The Zutons - Who Killed The Zutons

Franz Ferdinand won it in 2004, of course. And Dizzee Rascal won it the year before that.

― James Mitchell (James Mitchell), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 03:45 (twenty years ago)

Not the Gorillaz, for previous years' reason.
Not James Blunt for obvious reasons.

Probably Jem, who will probably win...

― mark grout (mark grout), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 07:52 (twenty years ago)

If you can get any sort of odds on Arular, take the bet now. Not only is there no visible competition, but the judges will react against giving it to Franz last year.

― Scream! Scrovula, Scream! (noodle vague), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 07:55 (twenty years ago)

Yeah, I'd bet this year an urban/dance/etc artist will win it, and not a nu-wave/post-post-modern-punk band. Though I'd like Maximo Park to win it.

― zeus, Tuesday, 19 July 2005 08:05 (twenty years ago)

MIA would be a good bet, if you get it early...

― mark grout (mark grout), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 08:08 (twenty years ago)

I am stuck for token jazz/folk albums to add to this. Any suggestions?

Alasdair Roberts perhaps?

― NickB (NickB), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 08:09 (twenty years ago)

Charlotte Church?

― Marcello Carlin, Tuesday, 19 July 2005 08:11 (twenty years ago)

from my blog:

Mercury Prize 2005 Shortlist Predictions

Later today [Tuesday] at around 11.30am the Nationwide Mercury Prize shortlist of 12 albums will be announced.

To be honest, overall the last 12 months of British and Irish music has been rather disappointing too many artists going the easy route of copying the past.

Predicting What the Mercury Prize Shortlist Nominations will be:

Acoustic Ladyland - Last Chance Disco [this is hotly tipped to be the jazz nomination]
Bloc Party - Silent Alarm [the best crossover British rock/ guitar album of the past 12 months]
British Sea Power - Open Season [another rock album in the 12 shortlist]
Go Team - Thunder, Lightning, Strike [the uptempo fun art-pop album]
Kaisers Chiefs - Employment [this ghastly simpleton singalong student band will get in. The panel wll say it represents English culture and songcraft zzzzz]
Kano - Home Sweet Home [that will be the urban album]
Jamie Lidell - Multiply [maybe an outsider]
The Magic Numbers - The Magic Numbers [dull media darlings cross ref with 6 music, xfm, mojo etc]
MIA - Arular [probably will get nominated]
Malcolm Middleton - Into the Woods [A Scottish entrant, distinctive album and vocal delivery]
Roisin Murphy - Ruby Blue [dull faux sophisticated wine bar muzak will get the nod to be inclusive, another female and the only Irish nomination]
Tom Vek - We Have Sound [another media darling, Mr Vek is way overhyped]

Note: If Coldplay get nominated the whole panel of judges deserve to be openly ridiculed. That whiney Chris Martin voice is nauseating, coupled with the predictable wishy washy dull guitar backdrop - it's a ghastly bland combination.

Other Eligible Albums:

I have developed a list using RYM: Mercury Music Prize 2005 -- Rate Your Music

Mercury Music Prize 2005
A list by djmartian

Some Eligible Albums for the Mercury Music Prize 2005. i.e British or Irish Artists who released an album between July 26th 2004 and July 18th 2005

What should be Nominated?

In terms of idealism and a well balanced mix of styles, imagine a 12 Shortlist as follows: it's not going to happen like this though !

#1 Acoustic Ladyland - Last Chance Disco
#2 Bark Psychosis - ///Codename: Dustsucker [If I were voting this would be the overall winner]
#3 Bloc Party - Silent Alarm
#4 Brooks - Red Tape
#5 Richard Davis - Details
#6 The Go! Team - Thunder, Lightning, Strike
#7 High Contrast - High Society
#8 Jesu - Jesu
#9 Kelpe - Sea Inside Body
#10 Primordial - The Gathering Wilderness
#11 Ryan Teague - Six Preludes
#12 Van Der Graaf Generator - Present

Another 38 Eligible Albums: Will any make it to the official shortlist ?

#13 Axis of Perdition - Deleted Scenes From the Transition Hospital
#14 Tim Bowness - My Hotel Year
#15 British Sea Power - Open Season
#16 Broadway Project - In Finite
#17 Calyx - No Turning Back
#18 Ben Christophers - The Space In Between
#19 Matt Elliott - Drinking Songs
#20 The Emperor Machine - Aimee Tallulah is Hypnotised
#21 Brian Eno - Another Day on Earth
#22 Freeform Five - Strangest Things
#23 Four Tet - Everything Ecstatic
#24 Githead - Profile
#25 Martin Grech - Unholy
#26 Guapo - Black Oni
#27 Homelife - Guru Man Hub Cap Lady
#28 Hood - Outside Closer
#29 Influx UK - 2 Million and Rising
#30 July Skies - The English Cold
#31 Nostalgia 77 - The Garden
#32 Piano Magic - Disaffected
#33 Polar Bear [GBR] - Held on the Tips of Fingers
#34 Porcupine Tree - Deadwing
#35 Roots Manuva - Awfully Deep
#36 65 Days of Static - The Fall of Math
#37 Slam - Year Zero
#38 Alex Smoke - Incommunicado
#39 State River Widening - Cottonhead
#40 Stromba - Tales From the Sitting Room
#41 Theo Travis - Earth to Ether
#42 Tunng - Mother's Daughter And Other Songs
#43 Twin Zero - Monolith
#44 Mark Van Hoen - The warmth inside you
#45 Vector Lovers - Vector Lovers
#46 Cristian Vogel - Station 55
#47 Vince Watson - Sublimina
#48 Whitey - The Light At the End of the Tunnel Is A Train
#49 Patrick Wolf - Wind In The Wires
#50 Yellotone - Tar File Junction

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 08:12 (twenty years ago)

I have to say that Tissues and Issues should be on the list for the title alone.

x-post

― NickB (NickB), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 08:14 (twenty years ago)

Roots Manuva and Roisin Murphy should, I hope, be shortlisted.

― The Lex (The Lex), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 08:15 (twenty years ago)

As should Bark Psychosis, although they won't.

― Marcello Carlin, Tuesday, 19 July 2005 08:16 (twenty years ago)

What chance for: Van Der Graaf Generator - Present ?

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 08:17 (twenty years ago)

No chance, alas.

Actually that Eno album stands a good chance of being shortlisted, I would have thought (if the last track hasn't scared the judges off).

― Marcello Carlin, Tuesday, 19 July 2005 08:18 (twenty years ago)

A VdGG nomination would be like some huge hallucinatory grin-inducing dream.

― Scream! Scrovula, Scream! (noodle vague), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 08:18 (twenty years ago)

A Mylo nomination might be a colder rationalist reality.

― Marcello Carlin, Tuesday, 19 July 2005 08:19 (twenty years ago)

Mylo is not in the time frame. missed out last year.

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 08:21 (twenty years ago)

Are Girls Aloud in the time frame?

― The Lex (The Lex), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 08:22 (twenty years ago)

apparently 170 albums have been put forward this year - how come we never get to see this full list.

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 08:23 (twenty years ago)

check dates at http://www.amazon.co.uk/music

must be after july 26th 2004 to qualify.

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 08:24 (twenty years ago)

Good game, good game! OK, channeling my inner Simon Frith...

Bloc Party
British Sea Power
Futureheads
Hard-Fi
Jem
Kano
Magic Numbers
Malcolm Middleton
MIA
Roisin Murphy
Roots Manuva
Saint Etienne

Other possibles: Coldplay, Doves, Duke Spirit, Four Tet, Goldfrapp, Gorillaz, Go! Team, Kaiser Chiefs, Lemon Jelly, Maximo Park.

― mike t-diva (mike t-diva), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 08:36 (twenty years ago)

"Kaisers Chiefs - Employment [this ghastly simpleton singalong student band will get in."

Hold on a moment - I rather like this album, and I resent the implication that this somehow makes me some sort of "student"....

― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 08:36 (twenty years ago)

Student is as student does.

― Scream! Scrovula, Scream! (noodle vague), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 08:38 (twenty years ago)

But I don't study anything - I just laze around in bed half the day, spend far too much time on the internet, get pissed every night and.... oh.... wait, hang on a second....

― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 08:41 (twenty years ago)

You can do that old waggling your elbows dance in a moshpit to "I predict a riot"

― mark grout (mark grout), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 08:42 (twenty years ago)

Have you considered Students Anonymous?

― Scream! Scrovula, Scream! (noodle vague), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 08:42 (twenty years ago)

Moshpit. Kaiser Chiefs. Hmmm.

Students don't mosh anyway, they always get upset when you start pummelling their faces.

― Scream! Scrovula, Scream! (noodle vague), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 08:43 (twenty years ago)

I quite like that bloke from the Kaiser Chiefs, but to me he looks like he should be in musicals rather than a rock band. Could see him in the lead role in Barnum perhaps. He's like a cross between Michael Crawford and Bernhard Cribbins.

― NickB (NickB), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 08:44 (twenty years ago)

This is sadly true. They just don't make students like they did in my day any more.

(x-post)

― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 08:44 (twenty years ago)

Somehow, this seems to have KT Tunstall written all over it.

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 08:45 (twenty years ago)

Bernhard? Ooops, scheisse. Ahem, Bernard.

― NickB (NickB), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 08:45 (twenty years ago)

I still think Marcello should revise his description to recognise the fact that the Kaiser Chiefs are potentially just as appealing to ghastly simpleton singalong middle-aged accountants as they are to students.

― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 08:47 (twenty years ago)

I always assumed they had to be albums by British acts to qualify? Ruling out The Magic Numbers? As far as i can remember, all the previous winners have been British.

― dmun drive-in (dmun), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 08:49 (twenty years ago)

Yeah, British only.

― mark grout (mark grout), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 08:51 (twenty years ago)

(stewart xpost)

huh? that was dj martian's description not mine!

i rather like the k chiefs these days. then again i am a ghastly simpleton singalong middle-aged (glorified) accountant so one would expect it to be at least halfway up my street.

― Marcello Carlin, Tuesday, 19 July 2005 08:51 (twenty years ago)

Oh, and Blunt won't be in there, and there will be anguished "How do you ignore the WILL of the PEOPLE?" anguishings in the relevant newspapers.

Thinking about it, though, Stephen Fretwell seems like a lock, plus at least one of The Coldplay, The Embrace or The Athlete. Futureheads were released too early for this list.

(I'll start caring about this an awful lot more if Universal Audio somehow finds its way on there, but I've not exactly got my fingers crossed. The whole 'no longer together' thing kind of buggers it up a bit.)

DDI - Magic Numbers are generally classed as being 'from London'. Be extremely surprised were they not on there.

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 08:52 (twenty years ago)

http://www.cannizarofestival.co.uk/Assets/jongleurs/JohnMoloney.jpg
See, when the Kaisers were first on t'box, I thought it was this bloke...

― mark grout (mark grout), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 08:53 (twenty years ago)

stewart, you once commented you are fan of electric soft parade - so you should be use to my insults by now ;-)

mike t-diva, Goldfrapp has not even been released yet !

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 08:59 (twenty years ago)

Futureheads NOT in time frame. Failed last year to get in.

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 09:03 (twenty years ago)

He's like a cross between Michael Crawford and Bernhard Cribbins.

So OTM it hurts.

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 09:04 (twenty years ago)

My sincere apologies Marcello. See you in the mosh pit at the next Kaiser Chiefs gig? We'll show all those nancy students a thing or too, right?

DJ Martian, wrt Electric Soft Parade, "fan" is a taking it a bit far, but I've seen them a couple of times (once at a festival and once because Clearlake were supposed to be on the bill with them) and have both albums. Wanna make something of it, eh? ;~P

― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 09:06 (twenty years ago)

Roots Manuva

― nicholas de jong (nicholas de jong), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 09:06 (twenty years ago)

Anyway predictions...

Go Team
James Yorkston
Karl Jenkins
Coldplay
Kano
Magic Numbers
Malcolm Middleton
MIA
Roisin Murphy
Kaiser Chiefs
Saint Etienne

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 09:07 (twenty years ago)

I was talking about this with pals last night and it seems pretty clear that MIA will win.

I'll be surprised if Coldplay are nominated this year.

― sean gramophone (Sean M), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 09:08 (twenty years ago)

If The Athlete are nominated I am going to e-mail shit to the judges.

― Scream! Scrovula, Scream! (noodle vague), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 09:10 (twenty years ago)

Should this have not been announced by now?

― Hari A$hur$t (Toaster), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 09:11 (twenty years ago)

expected ...11.30 - 11. 40

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 09:12 (twenty years ago)

Predictions:

Bloc Party
Stephen Fretwell
Roisin Murphy
Go Team
Coldplay
KT Tunstall
Embrace
Kano
Girls Aloud
A Jazz Album
Magic Numbers
MIA

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 09:13 (twenty years ago)

is WBS listening to Radio 1? I think i will go for Radio 5 live as 6 Music were useless last year - they were 15-20 minutes late with announcements

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 09:15 (twenty years ago)

WBS IS LISTENING TO RADIO 1

HIS EAR IS ON THE PULSE

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 09:16 (twenty years ago)

I'm going to put a bet on MIA as soon as this is announced i think.

― Hari A$hur$t (Toaster), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 09:18 (twenty years ago)

6 Music were useless last year - they were 15-20 minutes late with announcements

This is ironic as they are 15-20 years late with their taste.

― Scream! Scrovula, Scream! (noodle vague), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 09:18 (twenty years ago)

ha correct 6 music are backwards - Mark Sutherland at 6 Music - is like an overgrown ex indie student kid with short trousers, who stills believes in the NME.

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 09:23 (twenty years ago)

my predictions

Bloc Party
Coldplay
Andrew Cronshaw (Ochre)
Futureheads
Girls Aloud (wishful thinking, I know)
Jem
Kaiser Chiefs
Kano
Lemon Jelly
MIA
Roisin Murphy
+ a jazz record

― zebedee (zebedee), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 09:29 (twenty years ago)

I've just realised. Radio 1 are playing Stereophonics. Hopefully this is not some kind of portent.

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 09:31 (twenty years ago)

If Girls Aloud are nominated i will run naked through ILM's chosen destination.

― Hari A$hur$t (Toaster), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 09:32 (twenty years ago)

My predictions

Bloc Party
Kaiser Cheifs
Coldplay
MIA
Acoustic Ladyland
Jem
Stephen Fretwell
Antony & the Johnsons (technically should be allowed)
Brian Eno
Kano
British Sea Power
Tom Vek

Predicted favourites to win = MIA, Jem and Bloc Party

― dmun drive-in (dmun), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 09:33 (twenty years ago)

back on 6 Music - 5 Live are yakking about something else

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 09:33 (twenty years ago)

ah yes, i'd forgotten the stereophonics released a new album this year.

― Marcello Carlin, Tuesday, 19 July 2005 09:34 (twenty years ago)

x-post 5 live entertainment news bloke, phil williams has been promoted - do they have a replacement, these days?

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 09:35 (twenty years ago)

Are U2 eligible?

― NickB (NickB), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 09:36 (twenty years ago)

unfortunately yes

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 09:36 (twenty years ago)

If there's going to be a token jazz entry it ought to be either Polar Bear or Acoustic Ladyland. Preferably both.

― Marcello Carlin, Tuesday, 19 July 2005 09:37 (twenty years ago)

xxpost
Yes, they've had a couple of albums nominated in the past.

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 09:37 (twenty years ago)

Never mind all the chit chat...

(Drumroll, Keith!)....

― mark grout (mark grout), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 09:38 (twenty years ago)

If Van der Graaf get the nom I am already planning to streak up and down our street.

― Scream! Scrovula, Scream! (noodle vague), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 09:38 (twenty years ago)

i bet radio 1 will be first? anyone on 5 live?

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 09:39 (twenty years ago)

6 music expect to be on in a few minutes

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 09:39 (twenty years ago)

Haven't they quietly dropped the "token jazz" and "token classical" selections, now that everyone has wised up to the fact that they never actually win?

― mike t-diva (mike t-diva), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 09:40 (twenty years ago)

Okay, Radio 1 are there live.

― Scream! Scrovula, Scream! (noodle vague), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 09:41 (twenty years ago)

Perhaps they'll count Joss Stone (who, let us remember, is also eligible with her Mind, Body and Soul album) as "jazz."

― Marcello Carlin, Tuesday, 19 July 2005 09:41 (twenty years ago)

Antony & the Johnstons (sic), "a bluesy group"? urgh.

― dmun drive-in (dmun), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 09:41 (twenty years ago)

BLoc Party
KT Tunstall
Antony & THe Johnsons
Polar Bear
Go! Team
Hard Fi
Coldplay
Maximo Park
Kaiser Chiefs
Magic Numbers
A violinist
MIA

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 09:42 (twenty years ago)

Lol I was just posting that Antony & the J's comment.

Well, that list is mostly shite, nicht war?

― Scream! Scrovula, Scream! (noodle vague), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 09:42 (twenty years ago)

Not enough mediocre indie guitar bands there really.

― Scream! Scrovula, Scream! (noodle vague), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 09:43 (twenty years ago)

Are Antony & The Johnsons British, then?

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 09:43 (twenty years ago)

Oh, of course, i'd forgotten Antony was British-born!

Well we weren't too far wrong. Nice to see Polar Bear in there but MIA will get it.

― Marcello Carlin, Tuesday, 19 July 2005 09:43 (twenty years ago)

Let the curse of the Mercurys strike down Hard Fi!!!

― dmun drive-in (dmun), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 09:44 (twenty years ago)

Radio 1 moaning about the absence of Kasabian. A bit like moaning about the absence of gonorrhea.

― Scream! Scrovula, Scream! (noodle vague), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 09:44 (twenty years ago)

Bloc Party AND Kaiser Chiefs AND Hard-Fi AND Maximo Park? Aren't they all the same band?

― The Lex (The Lex), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 09:44 (twenty years ago)

that is, MIA will get it on a "Roni Size/Talvin Singh/we need the sales" basis.

― Marcello Carlin, Tuesday, 19 July 2005 09:44 (twenty years ago)

Oh look, Coldplay. Did they have an album out this year? You think they'd have advertised it...

― mark grout (mark grout), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 09:44 (twenty years ago)

(WBS HAS REMOVED HIS EAR FROM THE PULSE)

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 09:45 (twenty years ago)

Prob'ly. I got 10-1 on Roni that year, made quite a few beer tokens. I fear M.I.A. will be a lot shorter than that already.

― Scream! Scrovula, Scream! (noodle vague), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 09:45 (twenty years ago)

MIA will get it, unless things go weird. Next-best odds on Antony and Go! Team I say.

v. surprised about coldplay! also, i am glad [NOT] to see that warp's marketing of Maximo Park seems to have achieved all of its goals. gah.

― sean gramophone (Sean M), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 09:46 (twenty years ago)

Right, post the odds here, when they happen, someone. (Including me)

― mark grout (mark grout), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 09:46 (twenty years ago)

In fact, Antony was born and raised in Chichester.

― Marcello Carlin, Tuesday, 19 July 2005 09:46 (twenty years ago)

Antony & the Js as an interesting outside bet, anybody?

― Scream! Scrovula, Scream! (noodle vague), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 09:46 (twenty years ago)

Antony and the Johnsons British, hmm in that case Talking Heads are Scottish?

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 09:47 (twenty years ago)

LOOK IT'S BETTER THAN THE KAISER BASTARD CHIEFS DAMMIT

― Scream! Scrovula, Scream! (noodle vague), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 09:48 (twenty years ago)

My feeling is that Antony will be too much the obvious "non-obvious" contender, cf. the Streets.

― Marcello Carlin, Tuesday, 19 July 2005 09:48 (twenty years ago)

Coldplay will win it. There doesn't appear to have been a 'strong enough' debut artist/album in the last 12 months, of those deemed eligible or worthy, who could win.

People are really over-estimating MIA here.

― Sociah T Azzahole (blueski), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 09:48 (twenty years ago)

thing is, we did have a Bleeding Obvious winner last year, and Mercury usually don't do that two years running.

― Marcello Carlin, Tuesday, 19 July 2005 09:49 (twenty years ago)

I mean, if MIA were to win, that would probably be the lowest album sales ever for a winner up to that point, surely. Dizzee actually managed to get in the top 20 before he won it didn't he?

― Sociah T Azzahole (blueski), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 09:51 (twenty years ago)

introducing Polar Bear for most people:

Polar Bear, Held On The Tips Of Fingers
(Babel)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/jazz/reviews/polarbear_held.shtml
...bands like Polar Bear are the most exciting development for years in post-jazz music...

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 09:51 (twenty years ago)

The Lex: maybe you should by some ears. Can you tell me anything which is common between Hard Fi and Maximo Park/Kaiser Chiefs?
Yes, they're white guitar bands. But nothing else.

― zeus, Tuesday, 19 July 2005 09:51 (twenty years ago)

Firstly, I don't think we're overestimating MIA, secondly, the Mercury goes indie shit/black artist/indie/black - she is due.

― Scream! Scrovula, Scream! (noodle vague), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 09:51 (twenty years ago)

Can you tell me anything which is common between Hard Fi and Maximo Park/Kaiser Chiefs?

Err, they are all less exciting than Frinton?

― Scream! Scrovula, Scream! (noodle vague), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 09:52 (twenty years ago)

I'd go for The Magic Numbers as a band with excessive facial hair has never won it before.

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 09:52 (twenty years ago)

What about M People?

― Scream! Scrovula, Scream! (noodle vague), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 09:53 (twenty years ago)

(stevem xpost)

Nope. Boy In Da Corner peaked at #23, the week after it won the Mercury.

― Marcello Carlin, Tuesday, 19 July 2005 09:53 (twenty years ago)

Anyway, no Saint Etienne, list is automatically rendered worthless by that omission.

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 09:54 (twenty years ago)

re: Hard Fi and Maximo Park and Kaiser Chiefs

they are all common as muck singalong xfm / virgin radio/ 6 music playlist bands

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 09:54 (twenty years ago)

Favourites according to 6 Music: Kaiser Chiefs 4/1; Bloc Party 6-1; KT Tunstall 6-1; Coldplay 6-1. YaAAAAAAaaawn.

― bg (creamolafoam), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 09:54 (twenty years ago)

Snow Patrol used to be called 'Polar Bear' but had to change their name because someone got there first - is this the band?

― Chewshabadoo (Chewshabadoo), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 09:55 (twenty years ago)

Er, no.

Saint Etienne album not selling probably scuppered its nomination.

― Marcello Carlin, Tuesday, 19 July 2005 09:55 (twenty years ago)

Grime (and black people in general, lead singer of Bloc Party notwithstanding) conspicuous by its (their) absence.

― Marcello Carlin, Tuesday, 19 July 2005 09:56 (twenty years ago)

Did 6 Music make those odds up based on what Phil Jupitus has heard of?

― Scream! Scrovula, Scream! (noodle vague), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 09:57 (twenty years ago)

I don't feel Bloc Party or Maximo Park a singalong band. Though I don't think that being a singalong band is a bad thing. Sorry for being racist/rockist/etc.

― zeus, Tuesday, 19 July 2005 09:57 (twenty years ago)

Good music (M.I.A. notwithstanding) also conspicuous by its absence.

― The Lex (The Lex), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 09:57 (twenty years ago)

Black people do not make Classic Albums, innit?

― Scream! Scrovula, Scream! (noodle vague), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 09:57 (twenty years ago)

Yes, Maximo Park are not a singalong band as they have FORGOT TO BRING THE FUCKING TUNES.

― Scream! Scrovula, Scream! (noodle vague), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 09:58 (twenty years ago)

ha, but Mercury Prize isn't meant to judged on sales - it's for artistic merit - ha!!!!!!

What is the point of Coldplay "Supermarket" Sweep in the shortlist? to the right special 2 for 1 offers on Cans of soft drinks, to the left it's a soddin Coldplay promotion display.

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 09:59 (twenty years ago)

another week and "The Editors" would have qualified.

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 10:00 (twenty years ago)

No-no, there's a misunderstanding: grime artists have no tunes.

― zeus, Tuesday, 19 July 2005 10:00 (twenty years ago)

Is Geir on the panel this year?

― Scream! Scrovula, Scream! (noodle vague), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 10:00 (twenty years ago)

Grime in "no tunes" shockah.

― Scream! Scrovula, Scream! (noodle vague), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 10:01 (twenty years ago)

As for Coldplay: gotta get that international (i.e. American) interest in the event...

― Marcello Carlin, Tuesday, 19 July 2005 10:01 (twenty years ago)

MIA will not win. The Mercury judges got enough "Stuck-up critics only like music nobody has ever heard of" when they gave the award to Dizzee Rascal, do you really think they're going to hand it to someone who's first week sales were less than half of Mortiis's?

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 10:02 (twenty years ago)

Er, no.

I don't mean are Polar Bear 'Snow Patrol'? you numpty.

― Chewshabadoo (Chewshabadoo), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 10:03 (twenty years ago)

Maximo Park are singalong they have the Futureheads Franchise for Newcastle

"Apply some pressure"

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 10:03 (twenty years ago)

But hey... don't be afraid. The winner will be not Maximo Park. There will be a token urban victory (MIA), or Coldplay...

― zeus, Tuesday, 19 July 2005 10:04 (twenty years ago)

(Dom xpost)

Yes, if she (a) needs the sales and (b) turns up.

― Marcello Carlin, Tuesday, 19 July 2005 10:04 (twenty years ago)

If only Mortiis was eligible. Do Norway have a Mercury?

― Scream! Scrovula, Scream! (noodle vague), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 10:05 (twenty years ago)

No, they have a Grudge against the awards.

SEE WHAT I DID THERE

― Marcello Carlin, Tuesday, 19 July 2005 10:06 (twenty years ago)

Looking at that list, I think Magic Numbers are probably going to take it. There's a reason they rushed the album out so quickly like that (the same as Dizzee two years ago), it's because they're aimed at the Mercury prize. Same as resting a racehorse because you're aiming it at the Derby.

Actually, the more I think about it, the more I can't see anything other than MN winning. Maybe Antony and the Johnsons if he's prepared to do the Parky circuit, but other than that, nah.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 10:06 (twenty years ago)

Actually, I'm surprised Roots Manuva isn't nominated. Does he lose out for insulting the Mercury prize on his album? That's just petty.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 10:07 (twenty years ago)

I find all this really perplexing. Lex is OTM. It's so weird to see an award judged by critics present nominees who are so, well (white middle-class) populist and not at all good. It's like the list was made by Starbucks managers. It's so boring. Do the judges really think that these are the albums of the greatest "artistic merit" released this year? I mean, really?

Obviously there's been a TON of dodgy Mercury Prize nominees/winners, but I feel that a lot of their choices have really been quite worthy of recognition and not totally retarded (from Pulp to a not-yet-famous Badly Drawn Boy [fuck the hatas], or the nomination of Kathryn Williams' Little Black Numbers (which is very good) and the non nomination of all of her abysmally tepid follow-ups. )

― sean gramophone (Sean M), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 10:07 (twenty years ago)

Ladbrokes doesn't have anything yet. Anyone have any ideas when betting sites will put this up?

― Hari A$hur$t (Toaster), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 10:08 (twenty years ago)

Parky would probably only have Antony on if he did a Gershwin cover.

― Marcello Carlin, Tuesday, 19 July 2005 10:08 (twenty years ago)

Antony & the Johnsons on Parkinson may well cause a cull of middle aged high blood pressured men across the country.

― Scream! Scrovula, Scream! (noodle vague), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 10:08 (twenty years ago)

Matt, I think there was a Jane's Addiction offshoot called Polar Bear who got to that name before Snow Patrol.

― NickB (NickB), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 10:09 (twenty years ago)

If only the awards could have been extended to cover Scandinavia as well, then Annie would have been eligible...

― Marcello Carlin, Tuesday, 19 July 2005 10:10 (twenty years ago)

And Mortiis.

― Scream! Scrovula, Scream! (noodle vague), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 10:10 (twenty years ago)

I think the nominations are catered for the whole NME hype thing that a lot of people seem to be buying into at the moment. It's a good way of raising the profile of the awards (from their perspective).

― Hari A$hur$t (Toaster), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 10:11 (twenty years ago)

After this year's noms maybe the Mercury will get like the Ryder Cup and recognise that they have to include all of Europe in order to field a strong enough team.

― Scream! Scrovula, Scream! (noodle vague), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 10:11 (twenty years ago)

Ah, cheers Nick.

― Chewshabadoo (Chewshabadoo), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 10:12 (twenty years ago)

Where are Bark Psychosis, Brooks, Jesu, Richard Davis, VdGG ? - these albums should have been on the shortlist - if the judges actually listened to them

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 10:12 (twenty years ago)

...and if they had extended it to cover the Commonwealth that would have let in Canada, and the Arcade Fire would have walked it.

― Marcello Carlin, Tuesday, 19 July 2005 10:12 (twenty years ago)

Was their a surfeit of guitar acts being nominated during the Britpop years as well, though? I agree this is basically "Meh, this music's selling well, fuck the "three indie artists, two urban, one jazz etc" rules that we usually play by", but is there precedent?

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 10:15 (twenty years ago)

see for yourself.

― Marcello Carlin, Tuesday, 19 July 2005 10:16 (twenty years ago)

If only the awards could have been extended to cover Scandinavia as well

yeah like the Ryder Cup! UK & Ireland can no longer hack it on their own, need Spanish bands to restore credibility to Mercury Prize! ;)

i only got 5 predictions right this year. overestimated the judges again :(

― zebedee (zebedee), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 10:17 (twenty years ago)

...and if they had extended it to cover the Commonwealth that would have let in Canada, and the Arcade Fire would have walked it.

That's what the SHortlist Prize is for. Wait- no. I think you have to have sold under 100,000. I guess The Wilderness? (haha lolomg)

― sean gramophone (Sean M), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 10:17 (twenty years ago)

Oh, and the "violinist" nomination was Kitty Jay by Seth Lakeman - the token folk album.

― Marcello Carlin, Tuesday, 19 July 2005 10:18 (twenty years ago)

The Britpop years:

* Pulp - Different Class WINNER
* Artists for War Child - Help
* Black Grape - It's Great When You're Straight
* Fire / Caroline - Mathilde
* Manic Street Preachers - Everything Must Go
* Peter Maxwell Davies/The BBC Philharmonic - The Beltane
* Mark Morrison - Return of the Mack
* Oasis - (What's The Story) Morning Glory?
* Courtney Pine - Modern Day Jazz Stories
* Norma Waterson - Norma Waterson
* Underworld - Second Toughest In The Infants

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 10:20 (twenty years ago)

hmm, looking at that link, previous shortlists havent been nearly as good as i thought.

― sean gramophone (Sean M), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 10:21 (twenty years ago)

the other shortlist prize is for albums that have sold less than 500, 000 copies at the announcement stage

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 10:21 (twenty years ago)

According to William Hill.

Kaiser Chiefs - 4/1
KT Tunstall / Coldplay / Bloc Party - 6/1
Magic Numbers / Hard Fi - 8/1
Maximo Park / MIA / Antony & the Johnsons - 10/1
The Go Team / Seth Lakeman / Polar Bear - 12/1

― dmun drive-in (dmun), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 10:25 (twenty years ago)

Has anyone heard this Seth Lakeman fellow?

― NickB (NickB), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 10:27 (twenty years ago)

no, he sounds like a character from emmerdale

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 10:28 (twenty years ago)

According to Amazon he has been "a frequent collaborator with the Oyster Band."

― Marcello Carlin, Tuesday, 19 July 2005 10:29 (twenty years ago)

Here's Charles Shaar Murray on Channel 4 News. He reckons that it's 'about the music, because if it was about the headlines then Pete Doherty would have been nominated.' Having an album out might also have helped him there.

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 10:30 (twenty years ago)

Really? My mate Ian was in the Oysters. Got on TOTP for 'Day Trip To Bangor'. I'll have to ask him.

x-post

― NickB (NickB), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 10:30 (twenty years ago)

x post

Bless. Who said years of substance abuse fucks your brain?

― Scream! Scrovula, Scream! (noodle vague), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 10:31 (twenty years ago)

MIA won't win bcz of her link w/TERROR!

It would be much more interesting if we could see who was in the pool of 170 they picked from.

― P., Tuesday, 19 July 2005 10:38 (twenty years ago)

(stevem xpost)
Nope. Boy In Da Corner peaked at #23, the week after it won the Mercury.

-- Marcello Carlin (marcellocarli...), July 19th, 2005 11:53 AM. (link)

I was referring to the 'Fix Up Look Sharp' single but can't remember if it came before or after the MMP.

― Sociah T Azzahole (blueski), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 10:38 (twenty years ago)

Great to see the 85-year-old voice of youth Charles Shaar Murray being canvassed for his views.

― Marcello Carlin, Tuesday, 19 July 2005 10:39 (twenty years ago)

i dont get who on fucking earth is on the panel. is it the guardian, OMM, time out, mojo and q music writing staff? cos these choices are fucking dull as fuck. the mercury is a fucking farce. these records are MOR pop records, theres nothing amazing artistically about them, the prize is simply an over-regarded steam of hot air designed to drum up more sales for the labels with the most shareholders.

that aside, MIA should win. everyone else is just doing trad rock bollocks. anthony should win if not mIA, but er, he isnt british.

― emmeyeaye, Tuesday, 19 July 2005 10:42 (twenty years ago)

Antony and the Johnsons - I'm a Brit Now

― NickB (NickB), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 10:43 (twenty years ago)

What's the deal with bookies, anyway? Can I just walk in and put a fiver on MIA?

― sean gramophone (Sean M), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 10:44 (twenty years ago)

(xpost x 2)

Er, what part of the sentence "Antony was born and raised in Chichester" didn't you understand?

― Marcello Carlin, Tuesday, 19 July 2005 10:47 (twenty years ago)

Yes sean, William Hill is prob'ly the best place to go. Ask for a price and take whatever price she's currently at.

― Scream! Scrovula, Scream! (noodle vague), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 10:49 (twenty years ago)

it so won't be the caesar chefs, idiot bookies.

― N_RQ, Tuesday, 19 July 2005 10:50 (twenty years ago)

Idiot Bookies. That would be a good name for a promising new guitar-based "indiepop" band!

― Marcello Carlin, Tuesday, 19 July 2005 10:51 (twenty years ago)

thanks, Scream! etc.

― sean gramophone (Sean M), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 10:54 (twenty years ago)

the chiefs are more fun than boring bloc party, and despite the franz's victory last year, they might win by transcending, and i don't want to sound crass but anyway, what noodle called the mercury's black/indie alternation. black man playing indie = mercury prize is fucking in heaven.

― N_RQ, Tuesday, 19 July 2005 10:55 (twenty years ago)

4-1 might be more to do with the money they expect to take from foolish indie punters.

― Scream! Scrovula, Scream! (noodle vague), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 10:56 (twenty years ago)

This is known as the "thick England fan effect" in Footie betting.

― Scream! Scrovula, Scream! (noodle vague), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 10:58 (twenty years ago)

It's just occured to me that the Doves album was better than any of the lumpenguitariat records that made the cut.

― Scream! Scrovula, Scream! (noodle vague), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 11:05 (twenty years ago)

www.ladbrokes.com

I just put 20 quid on MIA. If she wins i get a couple hundred quid. I've never ever won a bet so lets hope this breaks the duck.

― hari ashurssst, Tuesday, 19 July 2005 11:40 (twenty years ago)

Was Bark Psychosis's "Hex" shortlisted in 1994? I very much need to buy the new one, as "Hex" is magnificent; he sometimes sounds like a Roddy Frame or Paddy McAloon backed by Aphex Twin, but that's hardly adequate to sum up the whole record.

― Tom May (Tom May), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 12:18 (twenty years ago)

Saint Etienne suffer from not being on Nathan Barley's iPod and all the "kudos" that that brings (MIA, Go! Team), and not being this year's Polyphonic Spree (the dire Magic Numbers).

― DMerryweather, Tuesday, 19 July 2005 12:26 (twenty years ago)

... and form having released their weakest album since 'good humour'

― N_RQ, Tuesday, 19 July 2005 12:28 (twenty years ago)

(Tom May xpost)

It was not (and yet they nominated Ian McNabb that year!!). Yes, the new one is embarrassingly absent from my own end-of-year 2004 list, mainly because I didn't get around to listening to it until February this year or thereabouts, but it's a very logical progression from Hex and really everything that people moan is missing from unimaginative guitar-based rock can be found here. Sort of Martin Carthy backed by AR Kane with some subtle (Seefeel? Insides, for those with really long pre-post-rock memories??) beat manipulation. Extremely moving in places.

― Marcello Carlin, Tuesday, 19 July 2005 12:29 (twenty years ago)

(henry xpost)

hmm. for the first few listens i thought the same thing - good humor 2. then it kind of absorbed its way into me, slowly, and like i said on whatever thread i said it on, listening to it while walking from oxford circus to chalk farm via regent's park, it suddenly all came into focus and made sense. give it some time.

― Marcello Carlin, Tuesday, 19 July 2005 12:32 (twenty years ago)

There are four very good albums on the list.

― brittle-lemon (brittle-lemon), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 12:48 (twenty years ago)

.. and form having released their weakest album since 'good humour'

Au contraire, their strongest since So Tough.

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 12:57 (twenty years ago)

1992 - indie
1993 - indie
1994 - not indie
1995 - not indie
1996 - indie
1997 - not indie
1998 - indie
1999 - not indie
2000 - indie
2001 - indie
2002 - not indie
2003 - not indie
2004 - indie

I'm saying "not indie" rather than urban or whatever 'cos i had no idea what to class M People as...
So if there's a pattern there I say "not indie" looks a good bet.

― The Jive Session (elwisty), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 13:42 (twenty years ago)

I was hoping someone here would know something about Seth Lakeman. My current office contains music fans between the ages of 22 and 45, but none of us had ever heard of him before. Then I come here and it's still blank looks all round.

― Anna (Anna), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 13:49 (twenty years ago)

M People = saxhouse

― Sociah T Azzahole (blueski), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 13:50 (twenty years ago)

I asked someone abou Seth Lakeman. Apparently he did a stint with the Levellers, but such is the fiddler's lot these days.

― NickB (NickB), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 13:52 (twenty years ago)

it's MIA vs The Magic Numbers, I reckon. And MIA will take it by a whisker, with TMN mentioned in dispatches.

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 15:01 (twenty years ago)

http://awj.free.fr/Photos/Musique/2002/2002%20images/Mortiis_NNB-20010929-17A-(550).jpg

― 3, Tuesday, 19 July 2005 15:34 (twenty years ago)

My money's on Bloc Party (not literally, becuasde then I'd cry if they didn't win).

― Anna (Anna), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 15:51 (twenty years ago)

mia: furren type, links to britpop alumni (steve mackey/justine frischman), interesting backstory (refugee turned art student etc), striking looking (cute, fashion-conscious but more D&C than Vogue), challenging but satisfying pan-genre music (hip-hop/dancehall/indie) = judges cumming their keks.

magic numbers: sorta furren types (trinidad/nyc/ealing), links to britpop-ish alumni (heavenly records, chemical bros guests), interesting backstory (mum was opera singer with own tv show, immigants etc), striking looking (big cuddly hairy bears), unchallenging but satisfying vaguely pan-genre music (country/soul/harmonic pop) = judges cumming their keks.

thoughts?

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 16:21 (twenty years ago)

This many posts and nobody's mentioned the glaring omission of Showtime?

― JoB (JoB), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 17:19 (twenty years ago)

I'm hoping the Magic Numbers win this thing but feel like it's MIA's year.

― BeeOK (boo radley), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 18:00 (twenty years ago)

showtime is by no means a glaring omission. a massive fuss would've been kicked up if it'd been included, i think, since i get the distinct feeling the prevailing attitude is that dizzee "had his chance" to use his win as a springboard, and blew it (sort of - i mean, that captain sensible song blew it i think, but whatever).

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 18:23 (twenty years ago)

I think Showtime is by and far the best British album from the last twelve months! That's all. And it's not like they don't like Dizzee at the Mercury, hence my surprise.

― JoB (JoB), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 18:33 (twenty years ago)

Showtime seems so long ago, now.

I think the really glaring omissions are Roots Manuva and Girls Aloud (I guess Roisin Murphy was never going to be shortlisted).

I don't think I've ever heard the Magic Numbers, apart from whatever they released as a single which I listened to once for Stylus, gave an unbothered 6/10 and deleted from my hard drive.

― The Lex (The Lex), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 19:44 (twenty years ago)

Ooh, 1998 not a good year:

Gomez - Bring It On WINNER
Asian Dub Foundation - Rafi's Revenge
Eliza Carthy - Red Rice
Catatonia - International Velvet
Cornershop - When I Was Born For The 7th Time
4-Hero - Two Pages
Massive Attack - Mezzanine
Propellerheads - Decksandrumsandrockandroll
Pulp - This Is Hardcore
John Surman - Proverbs & Songs
The Verve - Urban Hymns
Robbie Williams - Life Thru A Lens

― Eppy (Eppy), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 20:29 (twenty years ago)

The sister of a member of Gomez asked me how I thought they'd do that year, and I politely said they had as good a chance as anybody, thinking it was a pretty crappy year and not having a clue which way it would go. I was pretty shocked when they won, tho.

― Scream! Scrovula, Scream! (noodle vague), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 20:34 (twenty years ago)

Lack of urban given some strong releases. I do not understand the sort of 6music "Old people can be trendy" stranglehold on the merc music prize .

Having said that i think there was a superb,mellow guitar-based album from not-youngsters - on last year's winning label, Domino. In any sane world Hood would have to be up there. But they don't play the right media game and - well, they've probably been making good music for too long ...

― fletcher dexter, Tuesday, 19 July 2005 20:45 (twenty years ago)

4Hero got a Mercury nod? Fucking hell.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 20:56 (twenty years ago)

That was the year after Roni Size won it, yes?

― Scream! Scrovula, Scream! (noodle vague), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 20:59 (twenty years ago)

correct, and the following year it was won by talvin singh.

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 21:04 (twenty years ago)

Yeah, I was saying that the 4Hero nom makes some sense in the wake of Roni's glorious victory.

― Scream! Scrovula, Scream! (noodle vague), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 21:17 (twenty years ago)

Mezzanine was Massive Attack's best album!

― The Lex (The Lex), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 22:06 (twenty years ago)

or perhaps the mercury judging panel were just upset about the death of john tyndall and compiled their list in his memory.

― Marcello Carlin, Wednesday, 20 July 2005 05:46 (twenty years ago)

such a depressing headline. simon frith is an idiot to the power 1000.

even petridish acknowledges that girls aloud are more exciting than most of the shortlist

― The Lex (The Lex), Wednesday, 20 July 2005 09:53 (twenty years ago)

yeah i'd pretty much go with petridish on this one. don't agree about the chems or british sea power or tom vek (wasn't impressed by any of them) but certainly g aloud & r manuva should have been on the list.

― Marcello Carlin, Wednesday, 20 July 2005 09:57 (twenty years ago)

Like I say, Manuva possibly shot himself in the foot someone by actually having a go at the Mercury panel on his album (first ever artist to criticise the Mercury on wax?)

But, yeah, I can't think of two better UK albums of the past twelve months than GA an RM.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Wednesday, 20 July 2005 10:06 (twenty years ago)

What? That Girls Aloud album was totally weak! Better than MIA's effort, admittedly, but that's not saying much.

― David Merryweather Goes To Far (scarlet), Wednesday, 20 July 2005 10:15 (twenty years ago)

Nonsense. The Girls Aloud album was the best pop record of the last 12 months.

― Marcello Carlin, Wednesday, 20 July 2005 10:17 (twenty years ago)

Propellerheads - Decksandrumsandrockandroll

wow.

― N_RQ, Wednesday, 20 July 2005 10:36 (twenty years ago)

i'd pretty much go with petridish on this one

But why does he insist on calling Maxïmo Park and The Futureheads "punk-funk"? There's really nothing funky about them!

Is there a technical reason why Dizzee Rascal could not be nominated for his second album, like, because he's already won before?

― JoB (JoB), Wednesday, 20 July 2005 10:59 (twenty years ago)

Nope, Pulp's This Is Hardcore was nominated after they'd won before.

― Anti-Pope Consortium (noodle vague), Wednesday, 20 July 2005 11:08 (twenty years ago)

There is something eminently likable about this year's big indie breakthrough band, the Kaiser Chiefs,

― jed_ (jed), Wednesday, 20 July 2005 11:19 (twenty years ago)

Yeah, calling Maximo Park "punk-funk" maybe means that he didn't hear a song from them at all.

And Girls Aloud... I really like the girls, but this album simply isn't THAT good as a lot of ILMers think. Charming bunch of songs, with 40% filler. Not bad, but... eh.

― zeus, Wednesday, 20 July 2005 11:42 (twenty years ago)

Again, incorrect.

― Marcello Carlin, Wednesday, 20 July 2005 11:46 (twenty years ago)

I do not have the courage to buy the Girls Aloud album sound unheard, but I have not been able to find it on the internet (slsk doesn't work for me). So instead I mope.

― sean gramophone (Sean M), Wednesday, 20 July 2005 11:49 (twenty years ago)

WHAT ARE YOU A MAN OR A MOUSE? GET SOME GUTS INTO YOU LAD! ON THE DOUBLE!! HUP TWO THREE FOUR etc

― Marcello Carlin, Wednesday, 20 July 2005 11:52 (twenty years ago)

Punk-funk might be off the mark, but The Herald took the biscuit in calling KT Tunstall folk! And they went on to say she was inspired by folk singers like Carole King and Janis Joplin!!!

― stew, Wednesday, 20 July 2005 11:53 (twenty years ago)

God, is Frank Skerrett still writing about music in the Herald, then?

(given that he'd be about 130 or something now, this is v unlikely, but anyway...)

― Marcello Carlin, Wednesday, 20 July 2005 11:58 (twenty years ago)

every album (booo!) i own is at least 40% filler. that's what albums are for: to 'fill up' spaces between singles. no? maybe a need better albums.

― N_RQ, Wednesday, 20 July 2005 12:02 (twenty years ago)

every album (booo!) i own is at least 40% filler. that's what albums are for: to 'fill up' spaces between singles. no? maybe a need better albums.

Maybe you brought the wrong albums, hahahahaaaaaa

― zeus, Wednesday, 20 July 2005 12:04 (twenty years ago)

tch! kids today! i don't know.

― Marcello Carlin, Wednesday, 20 July 2005 12:05 (twenty years ago)

even 'loveless' has its longeurs...

― N_RQ, Wednesday, 20 July 2005 12:13 (twenty years ago)

Frank Skerrett? That's before my time I'm afraid. Is he even older than Billy Sloan then?
The Herald doesn't have any dedicated music writers on staff although Grimly Fiendish and the arts team all do their bit (and I'm sure they're all cringing at the folk thing) but this was written by a general reporter. I don't expect a general reporter to be an expert on these things, but whatever you're writing about try to be accurate!

― stew, Wednesday, 20 July 2005 12:16 (twenty years ago)

Fuck debating whether the Park and the Futureheads are punk-funk, I consider it a more glaring sin that Petridis referred to the firmly Geordie Maximo Park as being 'Mackem accented'. That is, quite literally, fighting talk where I come from.

― ian p is playing at my house (ian p is playing at my house), Wednesday, 20 July 2005 12:22 (twenty years ago)

Maybe he thought they sounded like Leo McKern of Rumpole Of The Bailey fame. Can't see it though - old Leo certainly wasn't a Geordie...

― Marcello Carlin, Wednesday, 20 July 2005 12:23 (twenty years ago)

Rumpole of the Bailey was way before my time, but Paul out of Maximo Park always struck me more as Kevin Whately with an English Lit A-Level and a few Pulp records (see: Acrobat) than anything else...

― ian p is playing at my house (ian p is playing at my house), Wednesday, 20 July 2005 12:30 (twenty years ago)

what the? I thought Maximo Park were Sheffield.

― Sociah T Azzahole (blueski), Wednesday, 20 July 2005 12:34 (twenty years ago)

So, for your collective analysis, here is the full longlist for the 2005 Mercury Prize. Interesting to see what didn't make the cut...

Rock/Pop/Indie

22-20's
Alison Moyet
Antony & The Johnsons
Art Brut
Athlete
Big Strides
Bloc Party
Blue Nile
Brakes
Brian Eno
Brian McFadden
British Sea Power
Cathy Davey
Charlotte Church
Charlotte Hatherley
Coldplay
Damien Dempsey
Do Me Bad Things
Doves
Ecki
Ed Harcourt
Ella Guru
Elton John
Elvis Costello
Embrace
Engineers
Feeder
Four Tet
Funeral For A Friend
Girls Aloud
Hal
Hard-Fi
Hilton
Hood
House of Love
I am Kloot
Ian Boudie
Ian Brown
Ian McNabb
Idlewild
Imogen Heap
James Blunt
James Grant
James Yorkston & The Athletes
Jem
Jonathan Rice
Joss Stone
Kaiser Chiefs
Kasabian
Kathryn Williams
Kicker
King Creosote
KT Tunstall
Little Barrie
Lucie Silvas
Malcolm Middleton
Marc Carroll
Mark Abis
Maximo Park
Moke
My Computer
Natasha Beddingfield
Nerina Pallot
New Order
Nine Black Alps
Nitin Sawhney
Oasis
Petra Jean Phillipson
Psapp
Redjetson
Robert Plant and the Strange Sensation
Roisin Murphy
Rooster
Rosie Brown
Saint Etienne
Sizer Barker
Songdog
Sons & Daughters
Stephen Fretwell
Steranko
Stereophonics
Steven Lindsay
Sweetblood
Tears For Fears
The Boy Least Likely To
The Coral
The Departure
The Duke Spirit
The Frames
The Go! Team
The Kills
The Libertines
The Magic Numbers
The Music
The Ordinary Boys
The Shortwave Set
The Stands
The Subways
The Tears
The Thrills
Thirteen Senses
This Is Seb Clarke
Tim Bowness
Tom Baxter
Tom McRae
Tom Vek
Trashcan Sinatras
Turin Brakes
U2
Van der Graaf Generator
Van Morrison
Your Code Name is Milo

Classical/Jazz/Gospel/Folk/Blues

Alan Barnes
Andrew Cronshaw
Bachue
Belinda O'Hooley
Beulah
Beverley Moore
Bryn Terfel
Chris Coco & Sach Putnam
Colin Steele
Croft No. 5
Edgar Jones Jones
Gwyneth Herbert
Heather Macleod
Isaac Odeniran
Joby Talbot
Jon Hopkins
Karine Polwart
Karl Jenkins
Katherine Jenkins
Kathryn Tickell
Kit Holmes
Libera
Little Debbie Dee
Mara Carlyle
Nicola Bendetti
Polar Bear
Rachel Unthank & the Winterset
Seth Lakeman
Simon Mayor and Hilary James
Stan Tracey/Peter King
The Acoustic Ladyland
The Sixteen
Tim Garland
Whapweasel

Dance/Urban/Soul/Reggae

Bent
Dizzee Rascal
DJ Format
Estelle
Freeform Five
Goldie Lookin Chain
Jamie Lidell
Jamiroquai
Jay Sean
Juggy D
Kano
Kevin Mark Trail
Lazyboy
Lemar
Lemon Jelly
Lewis Taylor
M.I.A
Morcheeba
Prodigy
Roll Deep
Roots Manuva
Steel Pulse
Terri Walker
The Chemical Brothers
The Egg
The Stix

(their genre split, not mine)

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Wednesday, 20 July 2005 17:02 (twenty years ago)

heh, nice save ;)

― Sociah T Azzahole (blueski), Wednesday, 20 July 2005 17:05 (twenty years ago)

Classical/Jazz/Gospel/Folk/Blues

Beulah

????

― sean gramophone (Sean M), Wednesday, 20 July 2005 17:21 (twenty years ago)

wrong beulah - not the ace band we know and love, a new solo artist who does indeed fit into that woolly subgenre.

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Wednesday, 20 July 2005 17:32 (twenty years ago)

so some of the best albums of the past year were NOT entered

#2 Bark Psychosis - ///Codename: Dustsucker [If I were voting this would be the overall winner]
#4 Brooks - Red Tape
#5 Richard Davis - Details
#7 High Contrast - High Society
#8 Jesu - Jesu
#9 Kelpe - Sea Inside Body
#10 Primordial - The Gathering Wilderness
#11 Ryan Teague - Six Preludes

I am also surprised that Porcupine Tree and Patrick Wolf were not entered.

You have to pay to enter this competition, several years ago it was something like £ 125 pouns - probably more these days!

How did Charlie get the full entrants list?

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Wednesday, 20 July 2005 17:58 (twenty years ago)

Yeah, I'm surprised Martin Grech wasn't entered either.

Some of those albums entered are just *lame* - I mean, The Music, Dom Me Bad Things, The frickin' Tears? - leading me to thoughts that labels often feel obliged to enter their acts' albums even if they haven't a hope, lest they incur the wrath and accusations of not being on side from managers etc.

MusicWeek.com published the full list last week - I nicked it off another board.

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Wednesday, 20 July 2005 18:17 (twenty years ago)

I wonder if it was worth registering with musicweek.com?

― Sociah T Azzahole (blueski), Wednesday, 20 July 2005 18:35 (twenty years ago)

costs money and generally not worth the mither, dude.

however, this may be of some interest, on a similar tip.

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Wednesday, 20 July 2005 18:38 (twenty years ago)

£199.99 a year to subscribe to the website!

― Sociah T Azzahole (blueski), Wednesday, 20 July 2005 18:38 (twenty years ago)

and £177 to enter your album for the Mercury Prize (watching an interview with Seth Lakeman, the violinist, fella, on BBC News 24, who wrote the cheque himself having recorded the album for £4,000 in his kitchen - nice chap, by all accounts)

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Wednesday, 20 July 2005 19:56 (twenty years ago)

so LET ME GET THIS FUCKING STRAIGHT, they listened to the albums by:

Girls Aloud
Roisin Murphy
Saint Etienne
Sons & Daughters
The Kills
The Shortwave Set
Dizzee Rascal
Estelle
Freeform Five
Jamie Lidell
Kano
Roll Deep
Roots Manuva

and NEVERTHELESS decided that KT Tunstall, Kaiser Chiefs, Hard-Fi and FUCKING MAXIMO PARK were all more worthy of recognition?!

what unutterable earless cunts. i pity their little lives.

(early tip for next year though: SWAY!)

― The Lex (The Lex), Wednesday, 20 July 2005 23:44 (twenty years ago)

Well

M.I.A's odds have dropped to 7/1 making her 3rd or 4th favourite now.

― Hari A$hur$t (Toaster), Thursday, 28 July 2005 01:20 (twenty years ago)

when does this get announced?

― Hari A$hur$t (Toaster), Thursday, 28 July 2005 01:21 (twenty years ago)

i think the maximo park album is better than all the records alex listed. much better in fact.

― shine headlights on me (electricsound), Thursday, 28 July 2005 01:31 (twenty years ago)

i think the maximo park album is better than all the records alex listed. much better in fact.

Of course it's better! Sorry for Alex, he is so 2001...

― zeus, Thursday, 28 July 2005 08:07 (twenty years ago)

glad i got my £5 in on MIA before the odds-drop!

and maximo park!? dear god.

― sean gramophone (Sean M), Thursday, 28 July 2005 08:09 (twenty years ago)

I note that the legions of copies of Arular at MVE going for £3/£4 have now mysteriously vanished.

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Thursday, 28 July 2005 11:03 (twenty years ago)

Do not forget the artist/record company has to PAY to enter the Mercury awards! Also, one of the requirements is to send many (we are talking loads!) of the nominated cds to the admin for the competition + a video. This puts small bands who may have only released 500/1000 copies in a difficult position.....not being able to afford to enter and not having the spare capacity in terms of stock to send CD to the competition.

very poor.

― ant, Monday, 1 August 2005 20:17 (twenty years ago)

It's very poor if you think the Mercury matters a toss. But it don't.

And as a sad case who'll buy pretty much anything on Warp, I'm still not feeling Maximo Park.

― Anti-Pope Consortium (noodle vague), Monday, 1 August 2005 20:26 (twenty years ago)

Maximo Park are on Warp?

Fucking hell, so they are. How bizarre.

― James Mitchell (James Mitchell), Tuesday, 2 August 2005 00:06 (twenty years ago)

one month passes...

this gets announced tonight. i'm kind of nervousl

― Googley Asearch (Toaster), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 09:01 (twenty years ago)

Are you in the "Kaiser Chiefs"?

― mark grout (mark grout), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 09:05 (twenty years ago)

no, but i do have £20 riding on M.I.A.

i should probably rephrase that.

― Googley Asearch (Toaster), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 09:09 (twenty years ago)

I'm nervous about quite a lot of things at the moment, but the Mercury Music Prize certainly isn't one of them.

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 09:10 (twenty years ago)

the magic numbers have been suggested to go home a lot happier tonight by one quite well involved with the whole shebang.

i do hope thats not true.

― mark e (mark e), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 09:14 (twenty years ago)

That's cause they fired Richard Bacon from the presenting job.

(not actually true, or at least I haven't checked)

― mark grout (mark grout), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 09:19 (twenty years ago)

I tipped the Magic Numbers last week - was supposed to have put a fiver on them by now.

― Sociah T Azzahole (blueski), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 09:23 (twenty years ago)

Can't see an obvious winner, so (mostly by process of elimination) I'm going to tip Bloc Party. Or maybe this will finally be the year where one of the tokenist "outsider" nominations wins it, thus justifying their inclusion on the shortlist each year?

― mike t-diva (mike t-diva), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 13:28 (twenty years ago)

If Antony & The Johnsons win I really would emigrate for reals this time.

― Sociah T Azzahole (blueski), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 14:01 (twenty years ago)

To be nearer them?

― Tom (Groke), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 14:08 (twenty years ago)

faraway, so close!

― Sociah T Azzahole (blueski), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 14:20 (twenty years ago)

I think Polar Bear might actually win, and surprise the buggery out of everyone. I'm amazed they've got this far without ever awarding a jazz/folk/classical entry with the prize.

But, my tenner's on MIA, my fiver's on The Magic Numbers, and one of the above will hopefully crack it.

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 14:25 (twenty years ago)

ps. anyone know when it's actually announced? i know it's on bbc4 from 9pm-10.30pm, so i assume it'll be announced around 10, but if anyone knows better, please say so!

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 14:28 (twenty years ago)

I'll be in the pub when it's announced - txt me the result if you can Charlie.

― Sociah T Azzahole (blueski), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 14:31 (twenty years ago)

the magic numbers have promised to turn up at the social on little portland street if they win - go there stevem!

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 14:40 (twenty years ago)

http://www.stylusmagazine.com/feature.php?ID=1829

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 14:44 (twenty years ago)

If I was greyhounds tipster for the Racing Post, underneath that article it'd read:

Magic Numbers-Kaiser Chiefs-Antony and the Johnsons NB

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 14:45 (twenty years ago)

I'm at the Social tomorrow night for The Clientele, but not before.

― Sociah T Azzahole (blueski), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 14:51 (twenty years ago)

entirely odious BBC article on the whole sorry mess

― The Lex (The Lex), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 15:06 (twenty years ago)

Odious? Most of it was in the 'fair enough' category...

― mark grout (mark grout), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 15:09 (twenty years ago)

If the Mercury Prize is awarded for originality and distinctiveness - which it often is - then one of this pair could well win.

OMG A HOMO COULD WIN THIS? MUST WE SLING THIS POP FILTH AT OUR CHILDREN?

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 15:14 (twenty years ago)

Dizzee's gay though, surely?

― Sociah T Azzahole (blueski), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 15:15 (twenty years ago)

Talvin Singh and Badly Drawn Boy are actually lovers.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 15:18 (twenty years ago)

The Magic Numbers, "humourless"? Passantino, c'mere, I want a word...

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 15:34 (twenty years ago)

"sooner or later, the panel must accept that an album is not automatically rubbish just because it sells a million copies and spawns top five singles"

― The Lex (The Lex), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 15:35 (twenty years ago)

also, choosing m people over blur and roni size over radiohead is evidence of the mercury panel's wisdom!

and "it is hard to argue that - on musical terms alone - theirs are the best albums of the past 12 months" - i think it is v v easy to argue this esp in comparison to the rest of the shortlist, but of course the party line is to patronise the funny ethnics and homos.

― The Lex (The Lex), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 15:43 (twenty years ago)

according to sky news, kaisers say they'll give their 20 grand to the rehearsal room they used to make the album, which is nice.

coldplay haven't shown.

big picture of paul smith from maximo park on sky news's backdrop - scary.

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 16:52 (twenty years ago)

Jo Whiley's got way too much bra out.

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 19:02 (twenty years ago)

With his tidy blow-dried hair and boy-beard, Ricky Wilson looks alarmingly like Noel Edmonds.

http://www.thewestonmercury.co.uk/archived_material/2004/week_14/news/assets/04-04-07NoelEdmonds.jpg

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 19:04 (twenty years ago)

The drummer's still the coolest Kaiser by some margin.

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 19:06 (twenty years ago)

KT Tunstall...she was one of the Fence Collective, right? How the fuck did she end up here?

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 19:15 (twenty years ago)

Funny little pixie anyway - "always a pleasure, never a chore" she just said! Pity about the tunes - a bit rootsy for me.

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 19:16 (twenty years ago)

next up "a brilliant ambassador of our flourishing folk scene" says jools holland. oh lordy.

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 19:16 (twenty years ago)

ah, he's a violinist/singer with a house beat! just what we need. seth something. very dull mini-documentary about mining first. perhaps it'd be better if he was, er, cute or something. < /fascist>

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 19:21 (twenty years ago)

ah. bloc party. hope they do something good.

...

"so here we are"

...

sounds like they keep missing beats. don't think it's the drummer fucking up, think it might be kele on guitar, who looks pretty fucking terrified.

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 19:24 (twenty years ago)

shame they didn't play something more kick-ass like "helicopter" or "she's hearing voices"...but the cheers are massive.

i wouldn't mind if they won. i'd only mind if it was coldplay or the kaisers or hard-fi i think.

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 19:27 (twenty years ago)

Polar Bear. completely impenetrable jazz which will leave almost everyone cold. The drummer's in Acoustic Ladyland though, and he's pretty amazing. Great hair too!

Maximo Park now. The look like the Argos Franz Ferdinand. Bless.

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 19:38 (twenty years ago)

great Jarvis-kick from Paul Smith there! I can't get over his rdiiculous combover though...

"I sleep with my arms across my chest and I dream of you with someone else" is a fantastically melancholy closing line.

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 19:40 (twenty years ago)

Antony/Johnsons now.

He seems to have bought a Kris Needs wig!

(can't find a picture, the internet is rub)

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 19:43 (twenty years ago)

i'd only mind if it was coldplay.

― zeus, Tuesday, 6 September 2005 19:43 (twenty years ago)

(imagine Kat slater in a washing machine)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/1745000/images/_1748634_pg_jessewallace.jpg

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 19:44 (twenty years ago)

that was pretty amazing actually. i'd love it if he won. crikey, big love from the crowd. he's a big chap innee?

MIA next.

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 19:46 (twenty years ago)

she sounds like an eedgit in this interview. "i've lived in the jungle with no electricity, i don't care about no council flat" - is that true?

she looks like neneh cherry in the video!

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 19:49 (twenty years ago)

MIA or A&J to win. both were pretty gobsmacking, i've never liked A&J before now.

― jed_ (jed), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 19:51 (twenty years ago)

Magic Numbers now...

"Love Me Like You". Aw, they've all dressed up for the occasion! Angela's wearing a lovely dress. Rowr. *cough*

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 19:52 (twenty years ago)

i think they're pretty pointless verging on crap.

― jed_ (jed), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 19:53 (twenty years ago)

they can't half euprorialise up a storm!

xpost pah.

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 19:54 (twenty years ago)

in a list that also includes Kaiser Chiefs and Hard-Fi i find it quite hard to work up any hate for them though.

― jed_ (jed), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 19:54 (twenty years ago)

for all of dom's cant on stylus about the "bullshit" fanbase-upwards story, i watched them grow for a year without releasing a single bloody thing, to the point whwre they were selling out 500-capacity venues on multiple nights on word of mouth alone. it's kinda real, y'know?

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 19:55 (twenty years ago)

michelle, stop waving your arms like a six year-old who needs a wee!

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 19:56 (twenty years ago)

oh coldplay. why even bother?

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 19:56 (twenty years ago)

k, I've just put BBC4 on. I shouldn't watch this, it doesn't do my blood pressure any good.

― I Ain't No Addict, Whoever Heard of a Junkie as Old as Me? (noodle vague), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 20:01 (twenty years ago)

Oh, I've only heard that Go! Team album in the last fortnight. It's pretty great, isn't it?

― I Ain't No Addict, Whoever Heard of a Junkie as Old as Me? (noodle vague), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 20:03 (twenty years ago)

that Coldplay song is completely horrible isn't it? what's he trying to do vocally here? he sounds like a cat being shagged.

― jed_ (jed), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 20:04 (twenty years ago)

shesh, the go! team are exhausting. love 'em though, and it'd be ace if they won, especially if they sank without trace, cos their chances of making another record as fucn-packed and interesting at this are pretty slim.

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 20:04 (twenty years ago)

pause for thought...

ah, c0n0r mcn1ch0l4s, lovely.

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 20:06 (twenty years ago)

Go! Team will win it.

― fandango (fandango), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 20:09 (twenty years ago)

mcn1ch0l4s backs antony. mark radcliffe hedges his bets...

i still say mia/magic numbers.

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 20:09 (twenty years ago)

I still reckon MIA. The Go! Team are too pop for those miserable gits, nicht war?

― I Ain't No Addict, Whoever Heard of a Junkie as Old as Me? (noodle vague), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 20:10 (twenty years ago)

6/4 on the Karzie Chiefs is stupid money.

― I Ain't No Addict, Whoever Heard of a Junkie as Old as Me? (noodle vague), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 20:12 (twenty years ago)

bill hill final odds

kaisers 6/4
mia 4/1
bloc party antony 5/1
magic numbers 7/1
hard-fi 14/1
go team 16/1

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 20:12 (twenty years ago)

actually, i'll be pissed off if kt tunstall wins.

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 20:13 (twenty years ago)

I feel I might have more chance of winning than KT Tunstall.

― I Ain't No Addict, Whoever Heard of a Junkie as Old as Me? (noodle vague), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 20:14 (twenty years ago)

ooh...

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 20:14 (twenty years ago)

Would you buy a mortgage off Connor M?

― I Ain't No Addict, Whoever Heard of a Junkie as Old as Me? (noodle vague), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 20:15 (twenty years ago)

goddamn subtitles aren't working on my telly!

xpost he sold me a car once.

and the winner is...

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 20:16 (twenty years ago)

ricky wilson is cacking himself.

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 20:17 (twenty years ago)

smug smile from jools.

pause for effect.

clears throat...

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 20:19 (twenty years ago)

ANTONY!!!

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 20:19 (twenty years ago)

SHOCKAH!!!!!

― I Ain't No Addict, Whoever Heard of a Junkie as Old as Me? (noodle vague), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 20:19 (twenty years ago)

BLOODY CRIKEY.

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 20:19 (twenty years ago)

FUCKING BRILLIANT!!!!!

― I Ain't No Addict, Whoever Heard of a Junkie as Old as Me? (noodle vague), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 20:20 (twenty years ago)

"it's kind of like a competition between an orange, a spaceship, a potted plant and a spoon"

"thankyou so much - it's a bit nutty"

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 20:21 (twenty years ago)

bless him. i love him more now.

£15 down the drain though. i had no faith in him winning whatsoever.

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 20:22 (twenty years ago)

Let's go to the top 40, Antony!

― zeus, Tuesday, 6 September 2005 20:22 (twenty years ago)

This makes me really really happy.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 20:23 (twenty years ago)

Hah, the BBC: "Something in British music has changed". Cue shots of Kele and MIA.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 20:24 (twenty years ago)

haha he's going to sell a lot of records out of this, most of which will only be played once.

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 20:24 (twenty years ago)

M.I.A. "I am the backlash to manufactured pop music".

Thanks for that.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 20:25 (twenty years ago)

"i don't think it's something that NME readers will want at the moment" - mcn1ch0l4s

NO SHIT AND THAT'S YOUR FAULT YOU GIT

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 20:25 (twenty years ago)

oh god what a twat that nme editor is.
Jo:"will he be on the cover of NME?"
Conor: "well hes a bit weird and dont know if he's what our readers want"

or something like that.

xpost

― Last Of The Famous International Pfunkboys (Kerr), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 20:27 (twenty years ago)

I look forward to the Tesco CD shopper welcoming him into their lounges with slightly baffled open arms.

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 20:27 (twenty years ago)

cue many dads having exactly the same conversations with their kids tha\t happened when boy george first went on totp - the world hasn't really changed at all, has it?

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 20:28 (twenty years ago)

Seriously, considering what 2005 has delivered so far, the fact that the Mercury winner namechecks Marc Almond and Boy George as his two main influences makes me really really really happy.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 20:29 (twenty years ago)

ah well, he'll get the cover of Metro tomorrow!

xpost damn straight! (to coin a phrase)

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 20:29 (twenty years ago)

The message - Britain can't produce good British music. I wonder if Slick Rick would've won it back in the day.

― Raw Patrick (Raw Patrick), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 20:32 (twenty years ago)

fucking hell, respect to antony and his big johnson! i admit, i wanted MIA to win ... but i'm more than happy with this. wow.

i still think he was shit live, and i still think the album isn't a patch on what it could be. but for his cover of "mysteries of love" alone he is one of my favourite things of the past 12 months. and he seems like a top, top bloke. so yay all round.

― grimly fiendish (grimlord), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 20:33 (twenty years ago)

I've just come over a bit teary and excitable.

x post

I don't see that meself re Britisher music.

― I Ain't No Addict, Whoever Heard of a Junkie as Old as Me? (noodle vague), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 20:33 (twenty years ago)

Now they should market Antony as the out James Blunt.

― I Ain't No Addict, Whoever Heard of a Junkie as Old as Me? (noodle vague), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 20:35 (twenty years ago)

i don't even partic like A & t J, but I'm still very pleased with this NME-defying choice...

― fletcher dexter, Tuesday, 6 September 2005 20:36 (twenty years ago)

best news i've heard all month.

― stirmonster (stirmonster), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 20:45 (twenty years ago)

the NME editor is a proper knob-face; firstly he said that A & J was too weird for NME readers then followed it by saying he was very safe, Middle England music. So where does that leave NME wank chops? Jesus wept...

― Citypark, Tuesday, 6 September 2005 20:55 (twenty years ago)

I think we all just take it as read that he's a nob and move on.

― I Ain't No Addict, Whoever Heard of a Junkie as Old as Me? (noodle vague), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 21:03 (twenty years ago)

Not a fan of A&J dramatic vocals but at least plebs like Kaiser Chiefs and Hard-Fi didn't win.

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 21:10 (twenty years ago)

If Antony & The Johnsons win I really would emigrate for reals this time.
-- Sociah T Azzahole (stevem7...), September 6th, 2005

BYE!!!!!

― I Ain't No Addict, Whoever Heard of a Junkie as Old as Me? (noodle vague), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 21:13 (twenty years ago)

yeah. songs about fist f**ing are so middle england.

― stirmonster (stirmonster), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 21:17 (twenty years ago)

I don't think C0nn0r will have understood the lyrics.

― I Ain't No Addict, Whoever Heard of a Junkie as Old as Me? (noodle vague), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 21:18 (twenty years ago)

songs about fist f**ing

wah? I thought it was about an abusive relationship.. that.. um.. changes things.

Anyway, he definitely deserved to win.. so congrats Antony!

― The Brainwasher (Twilight), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 21:21 (twenty years ago)

maybe your right and i just have a dirty mind?

― stirmonster (stirmonster), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 21:24 (twenty years ago)

I hear "Fistfull of Love" as being about S/M or abuse or fisting, all those possibilities are there.

― I Ain't No Addict, Whoever Heard of a Junkie as Old as Me? (noodle vague), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 21:29 (twenty years ago)

Brilliant news. Grimly, we've had this conversation before, but Anthony was amazing live! I was a little tipsy admittedly, so I got really wrapped up in the whole torchy thing. His cover of Cohen's The Guests was almost unbearably beautiful.

― Stew (stew s), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 21:43 (twenty years ago)

Finally, FINALLY, on the basis of tonight's wonderful performance, my boyfriend "gets" Antony & The Johnsons, and gets him big time. Great! After all these months, I can finally play his albums with impunity, and not just through headphones. Thank you, Mercury Music Prize! I am so happy!

― mike t-diva (mike t-diva), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 22:16 (twenty years ago)

Good work Frithy. I will now buy their album!

Other results tonight

Popjustice 20 quid prize - Girls Aloud - "Wake Me Up"

The Lex John Wayne Memorial 20p Indie Prize - Tompaulin.

― Tom (Groke), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 22:59 (twenty years ago)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/news/entertainment/galleries/media/pa_anthony420x300.jpg

― drone/a/saur (william), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 23:20 (twenty years ago)

Big thanks to Charles for the live blogging.

― lee ward (lee ward), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 23:21 (twenty years ago)

I saw Anthony at Came So Far For Beauty - a celebration of the songs of Leonard Cohen - and Anthony was indisputably the crowd's favourite. Given that he was on a bill with Nick Cave, Rufus and Martha Wainwright, Linda Thompson, Beth Orton and Jarvis, that's saying summit.

― lee ward (lee ward), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 23:24 (twenty years ago)

You see, Now, it makes sense. Just like every Grand National winner with a back-story.

(So far, I've only guessed Pulp correctly. I guessed Franz, but only 2 secs before the announcement, and I dreamed that Roni Size won but only the exact same time as the announcement was made overnight)

― mark grout (mark grout), Wednesday, 7 September 2005 07:34 (twenty years ago)

I won money on Roni and Talvin Singh, was completely clueless when Gomez won it, didn't back Dizzee when I should've, thought Franz would prob'ly win last year but weren't worth a bet, and was too certain M.I.A. would do it this year.

I wonder if anybody'll give you a good ante-post price on Kate Bush for 2006?

― I Ain't No Addict, Whoever Heard of a Junkie as Old as Me? (noodle vague), Wednesday, 7 September 2005 07:38 (twenty years ago)

depends on whether it's any good or not innit?

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Wednesday, 7 September 2005 07:43 (twenty years ago)

Wonder what the ante-post price for the Stones in 2006 would be...

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Wednesday, 7 September 2005 07:44 (twenty years ago)

depends on whether it's any good or not innit?

I understand these words but I can't grasp the concept they're trying to express.

The Stones will prob'ly be slightly higher odds than the Lottery.

― I Ain't No Addict, Whoever Heard of a Junkie as Old as Me? (noodle vague), Wednesday, 7 September 2005 07:46 (twenty years ago)

I dunno - after all, both the Stones and Macca will be eligible for the 2006 prize, the organisers might want to up the event's profile a bit...

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Wednesday, 7 September 2005 07:48 (twenty years ago)

I assume Mick & Co. have some sort of tax exile status that would make their nomination as controversial as Antony's?

― I Ain't No Addict, Whoever Heard of a Junkie as Old as Me? (noodle vague), Wednesday, 7 September 2005 07:51 (twenty years ago)

I assume Mick & Co. have something else to go to/do, Sept 2006?

― mark grout (mark grout), Wednesday, 7 September 2005 07:55 (twenty years ago)

Metro went with Chief Kaiser looking glum on the cover. Anthony was probably too weird and not really what their readers wanted.

I lost £10 on MIA, after getting 12/1 for her when the nominations were announced.

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Wednesday, 7 September 2005 08:00 (twenty years ago)

Just before midnight last night, I Am A Bird Now had an Amazon sales rank of 26. This morning, it has a sales rank of 1.

― mike t-diva (mike t-diva), Wednesday, 7 September 2005 08:40 (twenty years ago)

When the nominations were read out for the second time mopst people were pretty far gone (except members of the press who were left without anything to drink at all, some may say this is a good and right), the crowd gave huge drunken cheers to everyone ... except Coldplay who received boos.

It would be nice to think the crowd were holding out for something interesting, but the cynic in me thinks they would prefer a winner who's sales needed boosting.

Anthony is built like a bricklayer, he's massive. I wasn't expecting that.

― Anna (Anna), Wednesday, 7 September 2005 08:41 (twenty years ago)

I always assumed he looked like Anthony Easton!

― Tom (Groke), Wednesday, 7 September 2005 08:43 (twenty years ago)

Seth Lakeman's currently at #7 in Amazon!

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Wednesday, 7 September 2005 08:44 (twenty years ago)

Polar Bear at #23.

What a shame the Amazon album chart isn't the IRL album chart!

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Wednesday, 7 September 2005 08:47 (twenty years ago)

MIA, interestingly, is only at #81.

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Wednesday, 7 September 2005 08:51 (twenty years ago)

Oh yes - Go Team are at number n-n-n-n-n-nineteen.

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Wednesday, 7 September 2005 08:54 (twenty years ago)

Maybe someone's mentioned this earlier but how strange is it that Warp got their first nomination for Maximo Park and not for Aphex, Squarepusher, Autechre, LFO, Plone, Broadcast, Boards of Canada etc.

Does anyone have a list of the judges? Pre the prize giving I couldn't find one anywhere. (Also a list for any of the past prizes.)

I wonder if Simon Frith remembers writing this: "...no one in the student union cares who the latest critical cult figures are. Students are the great, middle-class, middle-brow bastion of British rock and, after twenty years, their tastes aren't about to be shaken."

― Raw P, Wednesday, 7 September 2005 09:03 (twenty years ago)

Metro went with Chief Kaiser looking glum on the cover.

Dammit, I couldn't even predict that right!

Was the caption "Oh my god I can't believe it"? Or "I predict a recount"?

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Wednesday, 7 September 2005 09:23 (twenty years ago)

I thought Aphex had been nominated for 'Drukqs'?

― Sociah T Azzahole (blueski), Wednesday, 7 September 2005 09:23 (twenty years ago)

I may be thinking of Brit Awards

― Sociah T Azzahole (blueski), Wednesday, 7 September 2005 09:23 (twenty years ago)

Does anyone have a list of the judges?

Slythe The Mighty
Thang The Mightier
Espedril The Middling
Lizzie Bardsley

― Sociah T Azzahole (blueski), Wednesday, 7 September 2005 09:25 (twenty years ago)

you still here? ;)

― zebedee (zebedee), Wednesday, 7 September 2005 09:26 (twenty years ago)

"taxi for Mr Mann1on? Heathrow, wasn't it? Don't worry squire, someone called Eyellecks has picked up the tab"

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Wednesday, 7 September 2005 09:28 (twenty years ago)

I am posting from Guam.

― Sociah T Azzahole (blueski), Wednesday, 7 September 2005 09:31 (twenty years ago)

Previous winners and nominees here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercury_Music_Prize

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Wednesday, 7 September 2005 09:54 (twenty years ago)

Steve: hoping to get the scoop on the Guammy Awards perhaps?

― NickB (NickB), Wednesday, 7 September 2005 09:58 (twenty years ago)

Given that Antony was described as weird and strange and the album as having disturbing lyrics by one of the judges of all people straight after the show I certainly didn't' expect the Metro would be up for sticking him on the cover.

Nice that everyone looked genuinely pleased that he had won except for the Kaisers who's smiles looked really false.

― mms (mms), Wednesday, 7 September 2005 10:20 (twenty years ago)

The Kaisers did say they didn't expect to win. They reckoned being the favourites was a poisoned chalice and they wouldn't get the prize. They seemed fine about it.

― Anna (Anna), Wednesday, 7 September 2005 10:39 (twenty years ago)

Those Amazon placings in full, at 13:15...

Antony & The Johnsons - 1
Coldplay - 2
KT Tunstall - 3
Seth Lakeman - 5
Kaiser Chiefs - 8
Magic Numbers - 9
Hard-Fi - 14
The Go! Team - 16
Polar Bear - 22
Antony & The Johnsons (debut) - 32
Bloc Party - 34
Maximo Park - 38
Antony & The Johnsons (I Am A Bird Now, alternative version, huh???) - 44
MIA - 58

― mike t-diva (mike t-diva), Wednesday, 7 September 2005 11:15 (twenty years ago)

theory : it was antony's actual performance not the award that sent it back up the amazon chart. at least, that's based on what my boss says. he went out and bought it early this morning on the back of it. which song did he do?

― piscesboy, Wednesday, 7 September 2005 11:19 (twenty years ago)

"Hope There's Someone" - and they repeated it in full at the end of the show.

― mike t-diva (mike t-diva), Wednesday, 7 September 2005 11:20 (twenty years ago)

How come it didn't chart when he performed the same song on Later With Jools Holland?

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Wednesday, 7 September 2005 11:37 (twenty years ago)

"Some of the other nominees appeared less than pleased with the results. British-Sri Lankan rapper M.I.A. walked out of the ceremony within minutes of the announcement. The Kaiser Chiefs did not pass comment."

― zeus, Wednesday, 7 September 2005 11:39 (twenty years ago)

I suddenly want to actually hear to this record very badly indeed.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Wednesday, 7 September 2005 11:41 (twenty years ago)

Nominees who are likely to be in the actual album chart on Sunday, as opposed to the Amazon one:

Kaisers, Tunstall, Coldplay, Hard-Fi - top 20
Bloc Party, Magic Numbers - 21-40
Massimo Park, Go! Team, Antony - 41-75
Polar Bear, Seth Lakeman, MIA - forget it

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Wednesday, 7 September 2005 11:42 (twenty years ago)

Antony top ten, surely?

― mark grout (mark grout), Wednesday, 7 September 2005 11:43 (twenty years ago)

I checked Woolworth's at lunchtime and they're not stocking it, so top ten unlikely but not unprecedented.

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Wednesday, 7 September 2005 11:46 (twenty years ago)

Antony may sneak into the arse end of the top 40 this week (and even if he does, expect him to be about #37), but he should make a top 30 appearance around the time of his next single, assuming Radio 2 put it on the A-list.

Also: expect another chart reappearance when he becomes an HMV sales item in January.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Wednesday, 7 September 2005 11:50 (twenty years ago)

and he tops all the end-of-year polls (though I suspect Arcade Fire will do better out of those).

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Wednesday, 7 September 2005 11:51 (twenty years ago)

The Stones will have the number one album on Sunday because that's what The Industry wants.

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Wednesday, 7 September 2005 11:52 (twenty years ago)

And "Don't Cha" is on course to have some of the biggest first week singles sales figures of the year. What a great country.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Wednesday, 7 September 2005 11:54 (twenty years ago)

Stones? Pussycat Dolls? Which is more crap?

Well, the PCD's obviously, but wheyyyyy....

― mark grout (mark grout), Wednesday, 7 September 2005 11:56 (twenty years ago)

Poor Tori.

― Sociah T Azzahole (blueski), Wednesday, 7 September 2005 11:57 (twenty years ago)

Leave Kenneth Clarke out of this.

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Wednesday, 7 September 2005 11:58 (twenty years ago)

Is Don't Cha going to be number one??? Ahead of Coldplay?

― Tom (Groke), Wednesday, 7 September 2005 11:58 (twenty years ago)

Surprised there has been a sales impact for Antony already based on the performance. How many would actually have been watching this on BBC4. Not many I'll bet. Maybe more of an impact after Friday's BBC2 repeat I would have thought.

― mms (mms), Wednesday, 7 September 2005 11:59 (twenty years ago)

(Tom xpost)

According to the midweeks, yes.

Of course, this means that you'll have to play the PCDs at Club Popular next week...

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Wednesday, 7 September 2005 12:00 (twenty years ago)

Yeah, Pussycat Dolls are outselling Coldplay 3-1 at the moment.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Wednesday, 7 September 2005 12:01 (twenty years ago)

HURRAH! Poptimism is saved!

(i.e. I thought I'd have to play Coldplay)

I quite like the PCDs anyway.

― Tom (Groke), Wednesday, 7 September 2005 12:01 (twenty years ago)

The Sun:

[Antony said] he’d be spending his £20,000 prize money on a new wardrobe, telling us: “I really should buy some new clothes. I look a bit rough.”

Despite previously blasting Antony as “American”, the Kaiser Chiefs said if they couldn’t win then they’re glad the prize didn’t go to a rock rival.

Frontman Ricky Wilson told us: “I would have been very jealous if Maximo Park, Hard-Fi or Bloc Party had won.

“We can’t contend with Antony And The Johnsons as they’re so different, so I don’t really mind.

“Although I thought KT Tunstall should have got it.”

And Hard-Fi weren’t too upset about losing either, with singer Richard Archer revealing his group had already made the prize money back in alcohol.

“Antony fully deserves it but we’ve drunk £20,000 worth of booze – so we’ve also won!” he boasted.

― JoB (JoB), Wednesday, 7 September 2005 12:02 (twenty years ago)

I'm sure this has been answered before but do the winning artists really get all of the money themselves, directly?

Still 'funny' that Coldplay will seemingly never have a #1.

I have boycotted the PCDs in the same way I boycotted Spacedust.

― Sociah T Azzahole (blueski), Wednesday, 7 September 2005 12:05 (twenty years ago)

(x-post)

Alan: [Hands him the folder] Just some notes I made last night, for a laugh. I was drunk, you know. Yeah, I mean, I woke up this morning asleep on the sink, just like this. [leans on the bar, half-crouching, with his eyes closed]. I'd been asleep for eight hours like that. Got up, walked downstairs, straight downstairs. Had breakfast, didn't even wash my hands. Cause I'm a bloody bloke!

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Wednesday, 7 September 2005 12:06 (twenty years ago)

Still 'funny' that Coldplay will seemingly never have a #1.

This'll be the third time they've been kept off the top, following previous defeats at the considerable hands of Darius and Crazy Frog. Make of that what you will.

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Wednesday, 7 September 2005 12:10 (twenty years ago)

Do frogs even have hands?

― NickB (NickB), Wednesday, 7 September 2005 12:20 (twenty years ago)

"The Hands of Crazy Frog"

― mark grout (mark grout), Wednesday, 7 September 2005 12:24 (twenty years ago)

my god, kaiser chiefs and hard-fi are twunts.

i'd be so happy about the pussycat dolls if i'd never heard tori's version!

― The Lex (The Lex), Wednesday, 7 September 2005 12:27 (twenty years ago)

tom, can you cheat a little and play tori's version instead?

― The Lex (The Lex), Wednesday, 7 September 2005 12:28 (twenty years ago)

Virgin Megastore had A & The J's as their main walk-through display item this lunchtime, and were down to their last 3 or 4 copies of IABN and 1 copy of the debut (re-issued 3 weeks ago). 1 copy of Polar Bear left, which I bought.

― mike t-diva (mike t-diva), Wednesday, 7 September 2005 12:30 (twenty years ago)

my god, kaiser chiefs and hard-fi are twunts.

my god, how big trouble you'd be in, if the kaisers wouldn't exist...
confess, you need them, or where could you swagger with your MIA and bark psychosis records?

― zeus, Wednesday, 7 September 2005 13:00 (twenty years ago)

MIA is including a Kaiser Chiefs cover as part of her live set now!

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Wednesday, 7 September 2005 13:02 (twenty years ago)

I'm happy A&TJ won. I'll have to torrent the show tonight.

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Wednesday, 7 September 2005 13:16 (twenty years ago)

i'm disappointed if it's true that MIA "stormed off", but i don't think i believe it.

i just hope antony puts his big johnson to good use now and gives us an album full of songs that are really worthy of his voice. my problem really is that fucking cover of "mysteries of love": now i've heard him do that, absolutely nothing can compare.

i urge you all to (soul)seek it out ASAP. it's on "i fell in love with a dead boy", IIRC. i can YSI later too, maybe.

― grimly fiendish (grimlord), Wednesday, 7 September 2005 13:25 (twenty years ago)

Seth "not exactly hit by the ugly stick" Lakeman now at #2 on Amazon.

― mike t-diva (mike t-diva), Wednesday, 7 September 2005 14:56 (twenty years ago)

he's like a hollyoaks folkie though isn't he? i bet he rides a moped.

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Wednesday, 7 September 2005 15:08 (twenty years ago)

On Dartmoor? Not likely. I bet he drives a fucked Range Rover that's older than him.

― Sick Mouthy (Nick Southall), Wednesday, 7 September 2005 15:44 (twenty years ago)

Amazon chart update! (24 hours after the end of the Mercurys.)

Antony & The Johnsons - 1 (1)
Seth Lakeman - 2 (5) (WOW)
KT Tunstall - 3 (3)
Coldplay - 4 (2)
Magic Numbers - 5 (9)
Kaiser Chiefs - 8 (8)
Hard-Fi - 10 (14)
The Go! Team - 12 (16)
Antony & The Johnsons (debut) - 14 (32)
Polar Bear - 16 (22) (playing it now - excellent)
Antony & The Johnsons (I Am A Bird Now, alternative version, huh???) - (22) 44
Bloc Party - 24 (34)
Maximo Park - 25 (38)
And, er, MIA - 39 (58)

― mike t-diva (mike t-diva), Wednesday, 7 September 2005 22:19 (twenty years ago)

The Stones will have the number one album on Sunday because that's what The Industry wants.

Remember when Jagger's solo album sold 158 copies in its first first week.

Why is the MIA album selling so badly compared to all the others? Is it on sale at a less-discounted price?

― James Mitchell (James Mitchell), Thursday, 8 September 2005 00:22 (twenty years ago)

Nope, it's cos the only people who were convinced by it were those who slavishly read blogs, not those who watched TV.

― paulhw (paulhw), Thursday, 8 September 2005 02:01 (twenty years ago)

Latest Amazon chart shows things to be settling down somewhat:

1 - Antony & the Johnsons
2 - Coldplay
4 - KT Tunstall
8 - Kaiser Chiefs
10 - Magic Numbers
12 - Seth Lakeman
15 - Hard-Fi
22 - Go! Team
50 - Bloc Party
60 - Maximo Park
79 - Polar Bear
and, er, 200 - M.I.A.

I note that Antony is not even in the Woolworths album chart, which currently has the Stones at number one.

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Friday, 9 September 2005 05:46 (twenty years ago)

simple reason for that, Marcello: Antony is not even stocked by Woolies!

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Friday, 9 September 2005 05:51 (twenty years ago)

As I believe I said several posts above. Unfortunately if Woolies don't stock you, you ain't gonna get a number one.

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Friday, 9 September 2005 05:52 (twenty years ago)

Well, no. But top ten shouldn't be impossible.

― mark grout (mark grout), Friday, 9 September 2005 08:43 (twenty years ago)

I heard a bit of Antony being patronised, sorry interviewed, on Steve Shite in the Afternoon yesterday. Among the probing questions he was asked were: is he really a tranvestite, and if not, what does he think of "those sorts of people"? He was also given a trivia quiz to prove he was "really English" (i.e. Who is the England cricket manager? Antony, taking the whole thing as seriously as it merited: "George Michael?"). He made his diplomatic excuses and retreated swiftly. Following cursory airing of album title track/single, Mr Shite commented: "Well that was certainly different" in the same manner in which Peel commented on TOTP several decades ago: "Isn't it great that Billy Joel has two singles in the Top Ten?"

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Friday, 9 September 2005 08:50 (twenty years ago)

My god! When did that happen? (Billy Joel, I mean)

― mark grout (mark grout), Friday, 9 September 2005 08:57 (twenty years ago)

End of '83 I think, when "Uptown Girl" and "Tell Her About It" were both out and selling.

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Friday, 9 September 2005 09:01 (twenty years ago)

There we go.

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Friday, 9 September 2005 09:04 (twenty years ago)

Ah that's a 'monthly' chart but I'll take your word. And John's, obviously.

― mark grout (mark grout), Friday, 9 September 2005 09:07 (twenty years ago)

I wish the Guinness people would hurry up and get the ACTUAL CHARTS online (I guess they assume that no one would buy their books if they did).

OK, the Top 10 for w/e 17 Dec 1983 FROM MEMORY was as follows:

1 (1) Flying Pickets - Only You
2 (2) Paul Young - Love Of The Common People
3 (5) Slade - My Oh My
4 (11) Culture Club - Victims
5 (4) Thompson Twins - Hold Me Now
6 (6) Tina Turner - Let's Stay Together
7 (9) Cliff Richard - Please Don't Fall In Love
8 (22) Billy Joel - Tell Her About It
9 (8) Tracey Ullman - Move Over Darling
10 (3) Billy Joel - Uptown Girl.

Impressed, aren't you, ladies?

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Friday, 9 September 2005 09:15 (twenty years ago)

On the bright side, MIA's album has had a resurgence of interest on Amazon and is now at 147, just like Cliff Thorburn.

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Friday, 9 September 2005 09:18 (twenty years ago)

I have been unable to find Big Tony's album anywhere. Not that I've been trying very hard.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Friday, 9 September 2005 09:40 (twenty years ago)

Well you know, "Is This The Way To Amarillo?" is a very popular song...

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Friday, 9 September 2005 09:41 (twenty years ago)

Even my niece told me not to sing that the other day...

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Friday, 9 September 2005 09:46 (twenty years ago)

I suppose we'll be hearing it at Club Popular next week but I am NOT DOING THE WALK!

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Friday, 9 September 2005 09:47 (twenty years ago)

I looked in Sainsbury's and they didn't have Antony, but they did have Bob Dylan. A more impulsive man than myself would have bought it.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Friday, 9 September 2005 10:58 (twenty years ago)

Future supermarketing tip: get the actual Bob Dylan to stand there morosely at the checkout, with a "GEORGE AT ASDA - £25" hung around his neck in the shape of a harmonica!

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Friday, 9 September 2005 11:00 (twenty years ago)

Impressed, aren't you, ladies?

Well I'm not a lady but certainly impressed, as I now know the top 10 from the week I was born. Cheers.

― jive session (elwisty), Friday, 9 September 2005 12:43 (twenty years ago)

Amarillo prospects "poor" says a passing Poptimist.

― Tom (Groke), Friday, 9 September 2005 12:47 (twenty years ago)

Misery guts!

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Friday, 9 September 2005 12:59 (twenty years ago)

You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.