Mercury Music Prize 2008 tittle-tattle aggregator

Unthank ftw.

My money’s on The Shortwave Set (not on any of those lists) for a nomination and Burial for the win, but my money has never ever been right, ever, since 1992, so best ignore me.

So when's the announcement of the nominees?

11.45 ish tomorrow

oh wow.

Would it be too much to hope for that "Voice of the Seven Woods" gets in?

Radiohead will win this year. The PJ Harvey mandate, basically.

Edwyn Collins dead-set for a nomination.

Bloc Party to win a prize for the onliest single called Mercury?

Quite a lot I like in contention this year: Radiohead, Portishead, Benga, Burial and to a lesser extent MIA and Girls Aloud.

Unthank seconded.

Robert Wyatt and either The Blessing or Neil Cowley Trio for nominations. Radiohead to win. Or maybe... Elbow. As an outsider. Portishead to be nominated.

what is unthank?

Rachel Unthank & the something-or-other, I assume? British twee folkness. Joanna Newsome-esque.

I'd say The Wombats are a lock for the list, and I'd be worried about Newton Faulkner too - he's only had one hit single, but all four of his singles thus far have found their way onto the Radio 1 A-list. Mysterious hands are moving for that man, to be sure...

http://www.myspace.com/rachelunthank

Southall, my office tomorrow etc.

D'ffy will win. They can't afford for her not to.

..and the Winterset.

Who are the Mercury judges this year?

that Welsh Wench from The Guardian is one.

presumably, Conor NME?

Edith Bowman was probably too busy to be involved this year, i.e with the newborn kid

A colleague of mine worked in marketing for Nationwide for a few years before coming here, and was involved in the Mercury campaign. Do not expect another wildcard winner like Anthony again.

I'd also not be shocked to see some kind of uber-fury unleashed on here tomorrow about the phrase "classic pop" being used as a description of the Scouting For Girls album.

This could be the jazz nomination:

Empirical - Empirical

http://static.rateyourmusic.com/album_images/s938026.jpg

Hahahahaha, no, not at all.

The Empirical album is FUCKING AMAZING but when was it released?

Amazon reckons July 16th last year, so cutting eligibility mighty fine.

this could be a surprise nomination:

Nancy Elizabeth - Battle and Victory

http://static.rateyourmusic.com/album_images/s968546.jpg

Bloc Party to win a prize for the onliest single called Mercury?

And John Lydon to present the award?

it qualifies ! trust me !

It should be the Keith Tippett Tapestry Orchestra but no fucking way.

Duffy may indeed crack it, or (srsly) Coldplay. Dull dull dull. The Wombats will get a nom but (jesus I hope) will not win.

I'm wondering if the delayed release of the Polar Bear album might be tactical? Apparently it was recorded in December 2006.

Coldplay wont win in a year Radiohead put out In Rainbows, unless, of course, no one at Radiohead Towers stumped up the £150 admission fee or whatever.

Who are the Mercury judges this year?

that Welsh Wench from The Guardian is one.

Stevie Nicks?

It also seems impossible that The Ting Tings will be ignored. And that Foals album that's not exactly flying off shelves might just get a late sales bump off this too...

I think I'd put Estelle as borderline, along with The Last Shadow Puppets. Oh, hang on, Adele. I can see that they might like that a bit.

could be a surprise nomination:

James - Hey Ma

http://static.rateyourmusic.com/album_images/s1374681.jpg

Polar Bear does not qualify for this year's Mercury Prize

I don't give a toss unless Youthmovies are nominated, and then I still don't care cos they'll only be in to make up the numbers.

What about Robert Plant and Alison K ? does that qualify?

http://a261.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/00594/06/20/594990260_l.jpg

Oh, and Hot Chip, almost definitely.

65dos was released May last year.

I've got the Polar Bear album already, bought it straight from the label; Dizzy's first album was nominated the day after release, wasn't it?

If Elbow win it'll be Pol Pot time.

I understand that Mercury archivists are currently hard at work in Somerset House and the Kew Public Records Office looking for possible British ancestry of any member of Fleet Foxes.

:D ^^^^

Mercury Prize loves debut albums and always has a few female artists

Adele Vs Duffy Vs Marling Vs Nash

Adele too boring
Duffy too mainstream
Marling too serious
Nash too crap

I reckon Duffy will likely be shortlisted

I wish The Notwist were British.

I don't think Hot Chip will necessarily get a nom. I'd like to see Sennen on the shortlist... well, the longlist anyway.

Kate Nash could just be nominated; August 6th release.

Polar Bear is not released till July 28th therefore will qualify for Mercury Prize 2009

predict:

Coldplay OR Radiohead
Duffy
Ting Tings
Last Shadow Puppets
Poxy Foals
Elbow
Estelle
Hot Chip OR Sam Sparro
Portishead OR Pendulum
Robert Plant & Alison Krauss OR Paul Weller
Jazz
Other

I can't see past Lightspeed Champion.

It's the hat.

I'd have a punt on Last Shadow Puppets.

Also Goldfrapp durr.

stating the obvious: but i reckon these will be shortlisted:

Burial [I know Kode9 / Hyperdub didn't enter the first Burial album, I wonder if the second Burial album was entered?]

Elbow

Portishead

Radiohead

Rachel Unthank & the Winterset [probably the token folk nomination]

Sam Sparro is Australian, no?

Sam Sparro is a shade too Australian (this also takes out Cilmi and Pendulum, I should imagine). I'd say that the list will have Adele, Duffy, Kate Nash and Estelle on it, the press bumph will be all "Yay women!", and the prize will go to... Coldplay.

Pendulum = OZ band [don't qualify for the Mercury Prize)

Lightspeed Champion would have the benefit of being both GUITAR and BLACK, thus filling the only two requirements for winning the Mercury in one total package.

I LOVE drum'n'bass. Whenever I want to get a whole dancefloor going I put on Pendulum. When that beat drops...aahhhhh. SO HEAVY. They make the best electronic music.

Fake Louis?

Burial
Edwyn Collins
Duffy
Elbow
Goldfrapp
Guillemots
The Last Shadow Puppets
Lightspeed Champion
Radiohead
The Shortwave Set
Some folkie
Some jazzbo

Petridis: "But really, is the sound of Pendulum any less authentic because it appeals to a more intelligent audience than the original junglists did?"

Uhhhh... what, Louis?

Paraphrasing the Head Of Music at our uni radio station, who made constant references to his love of "heavy rock", as championed by the likes of InMe and Reuben.

Pendulum makes a pretty good pizza topping

Pendulum bottle opener

This is a guy who thinks Laura Marling is pretty much here to save music.

Will PJ Harvey get nominated for White Chalk?

Rachel Unthank & the something-or-other, I assume? British twee folkness. Joanna Newsome-esque

such great wrongness in such a small statement :(

Tell me more then! I'm going exclusively off her Myspace.

http://www.residentadvisor.net/images/reviews/2008/fabriclive39.jpeg

Yes, she's nothing like Joanna Newsom, she's not shite

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/513ejppRh6L.jpg

^^^ brilliant heavy rock, great for when you want to make some noise

http://img3.nnm.ru/imagez/gallery/5/6/6/0/d/5660dd4cfdb97ceaa5c5097f086b15d3_full.jpg

If the Mercury Prize was selected by rateyourmusic.com ratings this would be the shortlist:

6 from the qualifying period of 2007

Radiohead
Primordial
PJ Harvey
Oceansize
Burial
Robert Plant & Alison Krauss

6 from the qualifying period of 2008

Portishead
Esoteric
Elbow
No-Man
The Fall
James

Esoteric

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B0002BO0GM.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg?

YR MISSING PIECE IS ON THE FLOOR MATE, NOT IN THAT DUSTBIN!

(xpost)

Oceansize have by far the best album of the available choices (IMO), but the chances of them getting nominated are so negligible as to be ludicrous.

The Fall?

Now that'd make an interesting ceremony.

wrong Esoteric

doom metal

Esoteric
http://www.myspace.com/esotericuk

http://static.rateyourmusic.com/album_images/s1333086.jpg

by far the most superior rock album produced by a British or Irish artist in the qualifying period:

Primordial - To the Nameless Dead

myspace
http://www.myspace.com/fallentoruin

http://static.rateyourmusic.com/album_images/s964594.jpg

Tell me more then! I'm going exclusively off her Myspace

start here and then follow DK's link, i'd say.

Just buy their last album. You'll love it!

Have bought it on the way home, ostensibly for Em, who loves stuff like this.

hurrah!

My predictions:
British Sea Power
Burial
Duffy
Elbow
Estelle
Goldfrapp
Laura Marling
Paul Weller
Portishead
Rachel Unthank & the Winterset
Radiohead
Shortwave Set

In reserve:
Benga
Foals
Last Shadow Puppets
Ting Tings

Right then, on t'block we go:

Ting Tings
Coldplay
Oonthank
Adele
Marling
Wombats
Foals
Portishead
Estelle
Burial
Radiohead
Edwyn Collins

There will be OUTCRY at the absence of Duffy, which will be assuaged when Edwyn Collins wins.

laura marling winning would be totes cool! but i don't really give a shit any more, it's just blahhh albums, british people, old people, blahhhhh

i guess the best british album of the past year is...tinchy stryder? that won't get nominated

but i don't really give a shit any more, it's just blahhh albums, british people, old people, blahhhhh

And there's Edwyn's acceptance speech.

edwyn collins has a career? i mean he's, like, some one-hit wonder from my childhood. i liked 'a girl like you', i think, but i was still disapproving of a pop star called ~edwyn~. i don't believe he's still going!

I didn't check to see if their release dates fall within the correct range, but of a crop of young bands, I'd hope at least one of these make the shortlist:

Good Shoes - Think Before You Speak
Mothers and the Addicts - Science Fiction Illustrated
The Maccabees - Colour It In
Pete & the Pirates - Little Death
XX Teens - Welcome To Goon Island
So So Modern - Friends And Fires

British or Irish Artists who released an album between July 16th 2007 and July 21st 2008.

dates can be checked on amazon uk

In a BBC 6 Music radio interview on 18 February 2005, Collins had said he felt unwell, but ascribed the nausea and vertigo to food poisoning. Two days later he was admitted to intensive care in London's Royal Free Hospital after apparently suffering a major cerebral hemorrhage. On 25 February, he underwent an operation, reportedly after suffering a second hemorrhage. The procedure was successful, and Collins is currently working on a lengthy program of neurological rehabilitation. He has right sided weakness affecting his hand and arm which prevents him from playing the guitar, and also affecting his gait.

It was announced in June 2007 that Collins would be releasing his sixth solo album in September 2007 on Heavenly Records entitled Home Again. The album was recorded before his illness but mixed after his discharge from hospital.

Mothers, Pete & the Pirates and So So Modern make it, the others are before and after cutoff.

mother and the addicts are no more.

Fuck an Edwyn sympathy vote.

Orange Juice were useless too.

^this

Having said that, "Should've Done That" is a really fucking amazing song that deserved a lot better than being trakc 12 on an album 17 people bought a copy of:

http://www.zshare.net/audio/15726805f516a622/

It's like a non-shitty Grandaddy

ROISIN MURPHY

that will be all, thank you

Inasmuch as I like Grandaddy, I'll give that a go...

Hmm.

This had far more a slow, chilled-out dancepop vibe to it than an earnest, depressive broken-machinery indiepop ambiance such as purveyed by Lytle and chums. Good song, but hardly a stick with which to beat Grandaddy.

Tindersticks' A Hungry Saw is probably my favourite british album of the last 12 months. I would love for it to get nominated but it won't.

I guess London Zoo by the Bug came out too late to qualify.

Nah, London Zoo's in time to qualify.

Could be token 'urban' nomination.

In that case, for me it'd be a straight three-way tag team comprising Unthank, the Bug and Portishead. But they'll upset Radio 2's 50-65 year old listener demographic and confuse potential future sponsors so none of them will happen.

(possibly four-way but I'm not sure whether the Led Bib or Fraud albums would qualify)

I think led Bib and Fraud are both last year, at a guess. I never really got on massively with either; should I revisit?

Yeah, definitely. Especially the Led Bib one. Best cover version of "Heroes" ever.

Amy Macdonald, The Verve and The Kooks?

The Verve isn't out yet. The kooks are too bboring.

The Brit School have already had their annual prizegiving ceremony (a.k.a. the conveniently named Brit Awards) - will the judges want another?

ROISIN MURPHY

that will be all, thank you

-- Keaney Tong, Monday, 21 July 2008 22:54

OOPS!

my 12 predictions

Burial - Untrue - Did Kode9/ Hyperdub enter this album tough?

Radiohead - In Rainbows - They have never won the Mercury Prize, maybe this time?

Portishead - Third - previous Mercury winners return to the shortlist.

Elbow - The Seldom Seen Kid - certainly deserves to make the shortlist, their debut made the Mercury shortlist in 2001, but their last 2 albums were overlooked.

Duffy – Rockferry - too boring for me, but likely to be in, as the Mercury Prize like to nominate debut albums and have a geographic representation beyond just English nominations.

The Last Shadow Puppets – The Age Of The Understatement - no my thang, but the type of album that is likely to be nominated

Robert Plant & Alison Krauss - will this album qualify? well received by the serious rock critics

Goldfrapp - Seventh Tree - their last 2 albums failed to make the shortlist, better luck this time?

Laura Marling - Alas I Cannot Swim - a debut album and the Mercury Prize likes to have some female artists on the shortlist.

Rachel Unthank & the Winterset - The Bairns - widely tipped as the folk entrant

Empirical - Empirical - always difficult to select the jazz album, but this album was widely and correctly acclaimed by jazz critics

Plus a Classical Nomination

They treat the Mercury Music
Prize with awe
They treat the Mercury Music
Prize with awe
They treat the Mercury Music
Prize with awe

...Obviously that's just jealousy on my part

Elbow deserve to make the execution list morelike

No Dan Le Sac vs Scroobius Pip then?

lol at Andy Gill saying that the fucking MITCHELL BROTHERS, of all people, deserved a nomination

Well, the new Elbow is by far their weakest IMO, so I don't think it deserves to make any list. It's got some good songs but it doesn't really work as an album.

However, seeing as I don't give a fuck, let them nominate whomever they choose.

What Else Could make the shortlist?

Debut Albums: Mercury Prize Judges like to include debut albums: maybe these

Nancy Elizabeth - Battle and Victory

Errors - It’s Not Something But It Is Like Whatever

Foals - Antidotes

Quiet Village - Silent Movie

Swimmer One - The Regional Variations

Voice of the Seven Woods - Voice of the Seven Woods - could be a surprise nomination?

Wild Beasts - Limbo, Panto

Others

Frightened Rabbit - The Midnight Organ Fight
Hot Chip - Made in the Dark
Jamie Lidell - Jim
Sennen - Where the Light Gets In
The Shortwave Set - Replica Sun Machine

Established Artists

Edwyn Collins - Home Again
The Fall - Imperial Wax Solvent
PJ Harvey - White Chalk
James - Hey Ma
Ladytron - Velocifero
Underworld - Oblivion With Bells
Robert Wyatt - Comicopera

Jazz Albums

The Blessing - All Is Yes
The Neil Cowley Trio - Loud Louder Stop
DSQ - The House Always Wins
Outhouse - Outhouse
Finn Peters - Butterflies
Gwilym Simcock - Perception

Artists That Don't Deserve to Make the Shortlist: Include

Adele - too boring
Coldplay - too bland
Kate Nash - too rubbish
Ting Tings - too shoddy
Paul Weller - I dislike Weller !
The Wombats - too awful

i think i would love an instrumental version of Dan Le Sac vs Scroobius Pip album

The Mitchell Brothers! I remember them. They had a song about going to Harrods or something.

Previous Andy Gill Mercury tips include: Day One, Cathy Davey, Claire Sproule, Witness.

ANDY GILL

Mercury rising: Who will make this year's shortlist? - Features, Music - The Independent

The shortlist for the Mercury Prize is announced today. But with a year's worth of British albums to choose from, who'll be on it? Andy Gill makes a guess - and nominates his own favourites

Andy Gill's albums of the year

James Hunter: 'The Hard Way'

M.I.A.: 'Kala'

Laura Marling: 'Alas, I Cannot Swim'

Merz: 'Moi Et Mon Camion'

The Mitchell Brothers: 'Dressed For The Occasion'

Jim Noir: 'Jim Noir'

Robert Plant & Alison Krauss: 'Raising Sand'

Radiohead: 'In Rainbows'

Spiritualized: 'Songs In A&E'

Linda Thompson: 'Versatile Heart'

The Ting Tings: 'We Started Nothing'

Paul Weller: '22 Dreams'

The Mitchell Brothers were the biggest selling act on The Beats, which is like being the ILM poster who makes the most money from music writing.

The Mitchell Brothers: From Eastenders?

James Hunter: Who?

Have the Fall ever made the list?

having not heard of it til now i expect that second Jim Noir album is not an improvement on the first.

I noticed some suggestions on the web for Johnny Flynn - is this boring serious adult contemporary singer songwriter pop rock?

Day One wuz robbed! I loved Ordinary Man.

xpost The Mitchell Brothers were indeed named after Grant & Phil.

No, as John Peel was never a Mercury Judge

What's the deal with M.I.A? Everything of hers I've heard has been boring and yet we have 900-post threads about her on ILX.

Jim Noir = Huw Stephens fave

What's the deal with M.I.A? Everything of hers I've heard has been boring and yet we have 900-post threads about her on ILX.

-- Just got offed, Tuesday, 22 July 2008 11:30 (45 seconds ago) Bookmark Link

http://www.showclix.com/event_pictures/Jerry_Seinfeld.jpg

MIA = sounds like the music for 80s drink umbungo

78-year-old on the case "electro is killing black music" Andy Gill.

looooooooool dom

Mitchell Brothers 'Alone With The TV' is sometimes great

I don't make a very good naif any more. :(

Refuge by Gilad Atzmon? Can anyone tell me more? Anyone know The Indian Rope?

has jgo even SEEN the Um Bongo advert?

yeah

Sort of like M.I.A. but with saxophones (xxp).

I never listen to daytime radio 1, but they are currently playing a really crap AOR pop rock song - it's bucket wrenching slop - is it Alanis or the bastard offspring of Heart and Avril?

ha it was Avril

how do you know what they're playing? maybe it's Sara Borealis

because the DJ Jo Smiley Wiley announced it at the end

What you doing listening to Scab Whiley?

CRIMINALLY OMITTED GLASVEGAS*

(*copyright: M Radcliffe/S Maconie)

The BBC have no idea of presentation, no discussion of the Mercury prize - some crappy Ibiza compo

http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~tones/photos/compo.gif

Early tip for Xmas number one: Basshunter remix of "Nora Batty's Stockings."

now they are playing a song that sounds like a bad europop trax with a fake rap and silly umpa pumpa wailing - this is shockingly crap

is radio 1 in the daytime always this crap?

Errr...

We were down at the Mercury Music Prize Nominations to bring you the list of nominees. Excited? You bet. Want to know who's up for it this year? Read on...

So this is it, the list of albums nominated by the Mercury Music Prize. Any surprises? You bet'cha! Any of the albums that we predicted? Of course there is. We have a way with these things. Just don't ask us about Lottery Numbers... it'll cost you.

And the list of nominees are...

http://www.xfm.co.uk/news/2008/the-mercurys-and-the-nominees-are

Voted for #9

#9 is leading #12 two votes to one.

now radio 1 are playing a dullard blando adult pop rock trax - that sounds so boring it should be on radio 2

Voted for "Tagged as Awards"

mcfly

XFM poll missing Nate Dogg and "You Stopped Loving Her Today" by George Jones

#1 will be ray joe head. I reckons.

I made a mistake and voted for #12. I wanted to vote for that umpa lumpa shit that djmartian was berating.

Where is "Alone Again Or" by Gilbert & Sullivan?

Giggs just nosing ahead of T-Pain now.

radio 1 are playing this awful Eminem type rap trax with weird garbled squeaky voice and bad moby muzak - shocking

Dean Windass - nominated every time, maybe finally his year

apparently: Ironic - Stay with me ?

Adele 19
British Sea Power Do You Like Rock Music?
Burial Untrue
Elbow The Seldom Seen Kid
Estelle Shine
Laura Marling Alas I Cannot Swim
Neon Neon Stainless Style
Portico Quartet Knee-Deep In The North Sea
Rachel Unthank & The Winterset The Bairns
Radiohead In Rainbows
Robert Plant & Alison Krauss Raising Sand
The Last Shadow Puppets The Age Of The Understatement

Absence of Portishead or Edwyn Collins surprises me. Smart money has to be on Radiohead or Plant & Krauss - can't see everyone on the panel (not that I know who they are) signing up to Burial unfortunately.

oh i heard that on the chart show - unbelievably bad. xp.

Is that shortlist official?

i'm putting 50p on Estelle

...Don Estelle

In

Radiohead
Elbow
Estelle
Last Shadow
Robert Plant
Burial
Laura Marling
Adelle
BSPower
Neon Neon
Rachel Unthank
Portico Quartet

estelle obv

Nuclear holocaust 30 years ago.

Oho, I predicted 7 out of 12. Didn't think Plant/Krauss would be eligible. Yay for Unthank. Surprise omissions: Duffy and PORTISHEAD.

ffs britain

Rachel Unthank & The Winterset The Bairns

ftw.

No weller? Surprise.
No duffy? Life is worth living.

apart from that, um, nothing really stands out does it?

Predicted eight. Worst shortlist since, oooh, the last one.

This really is a Radio 2 list.

Adele: industry's most talked up new artist last Christmas so this is pretty much a contractual obligation

If ever a "token folk" was going to win it, then this would be the year. But, yeah, fat chance. I'm predicting Elbow.

I'm still saying Radiohead, just because they'll feel they have to.

The Mitchell Brothers were the biggest selling act on The Beats, which is like being the ILM poster who makes the most money from music writing.

the nicest guy in the wrestling industry

Who is the ILM poster who makes the most money from music writing? I'm guessing Jordan S.

As usual with these things the real talents are overlooked; it's always Buggins' turn time for the rubbish that's been around for years.

British Sea Power - Such an Average Band - Why did they get nominated?

apparently: Ironic - Stay with me ?

his name is spelt ironik. i think his song is sweet! if negligible.

estelle or marling ftw but god, the fact that you people care so much is almost as embarrassing as the shortlist itself

lex = the nicest guy in the wrestling industry

I wonder if Portishead's previous win worked against them but they at least deserved a nomination. Best reviewed British album of 2008, surely?

Also - Neon Neon?!?

No more a Radio 2 list than any other year - that's always been the Mercury's schtick. What serious contenders, apart from the Bug, would have made it less so?

ironik - core blimey - is this rad with teenage kids in da charts and all that ting

So, who are Portico Quartet band? Them and Neon Neon are the only acts not to be mentioned upthread...

djmartian FYI: http://www.last.fm/user/bbcradio1

The Elbow album - 1985-style soft rock SHIT
Last Shadow Puppets - 1983-style WEA indie vanity project SHIT
Robert Plant - 1974-style soft rock SHIT
Laura Marling - 1974-style Brit School singer songwriter SHIT
Adele - 1985-style Brit School soul passion & honesty SHIT
Neon Neon - SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHITTY McSHIT FROM SHITCHESTER SHITSHIRE
Portico Quartet - RFH busking cod-jazz SHIT

Is Burial set to be the British DJ Shadow with this nomination

Girlslowd, Katenasj, the rockin' feeling, gonks go beep?

Burial won't turn up ergo won't win.

Who is the ILM poster who makes the most money from music writing? I'm guessing Jordan S.

-- MPx4A, Tuesday, 22 July 2008 11:57 (4 minutes ago) Bookmark Link

-- Dorianlynskey, Tuesday, 22 July 2008 12:00 (1 minute ago) Bookmark Link

Is the formula of the pattern of nominees now so predictable that it can be broken down utterly into X, Y, Z, etc?

I normally avoid the mainstream because the music is so shockingly bad - 30 minutes of radio 1 confirms my worst fears

Portico Quartet were recommended to me by Amazon months ago; I should have remembered tghem as tyhe exact same thing happened last year with Basquiat Strings. Oh well, I'll be able to get it for abut £7 in three weeks.

Is the formula of the pattern of nominees now so predictable that it can be broken down utterly into X, Y, Z, etc?

YES

Welllll.... there are 8 albums on this list that I really, really like. What's a boy to do?

Are you OK, DJ? Clambering out of the diving-bell you look like you've aged a decade. What the hell's down there?

I suppose it's all we can expect with 95-year-old hipster Simon Frith still in charge.

Yeah, I think it can be broken down like that. I guessed 9 out of 12 this year, which doesn't say much for the panel's wild unpredictability.

Is Frith that much older than you, Marcello?

- Just got offed, - i don't listen to mainstream radio !

No more a Radio 2 list than any other year - that's always been the Mercury's schtick. What serious contenders, apart from the Bug, would have made it less so?

tinchy stryder! ny! wiley!

Frith is much older !

Old enough to be my dad, in actual fact.

You look shaken, DJ. Perhaps a camomile tea and then we can talk about it?

NEON NEON IS THE BEST ALBUM THERE. EVERYONE ELSE SHUT UP.

He actually is 95

Adele 19 - Young female British 'sou' hope
British Sea Power Do You Like Rock Music? - Maturing indie band now writing 6+ minute songs
Burial Untrue - Token edgy urban nomination
Elbow The Seldom Seen Kid - Mature Britrock stalwarts
Estelle Shine - Token unedgy urban nomination
Laura Marling Alas I Cannot Swim - British non-soul femme debut
Neon Neon Stainless Style - Indie rockers do 'serious' electro/dance
Portico Quartet Knee-Deep In The North Sea - Token jazzers
Rachel Unthank & The Winterset The Bairns - Token folkers
Radiohead In Rainbows - Hoary old rock lords, potential "it's about time' winners
Robert Plant & Alison Krauss Raising Sand - Aged icon makes acclaimed comeback (Collaboration Division)
The Last Shadow Puppets The Age Of The Understatement

Aren't you old enough to be Louis' dad, Marcello? And possibly mine too?

Precisely (xxp).

I can't possibly comment.

Neon Neon should be shot at dawn - boring old timeserving Taff chasing the long-fled ambulance.

Aren't you old enough to be Lex's dad, Nick?

neon neon suck. it involves someone out of the super furry animals, how could it not suck.

actually even giving more than 15mins of thought to this is dispiriting and pointless enough. basically if you have any clue at all you'll be too busy listening to 'high price' by ciara ("MY BODY LOOK SOFTER THAN A MCDONALD'S HAMBURGER BUN!") and 'need u bad' by jazmine sullivan on loop to have time to give a shit. i am off to do just that, have fun stewing in your own tedium kidz xxx

xp nick is like 40 or something so yes

Ljagger was born in 1987 - so yes

Maturing indie band now writing 6+ minute songs

I don't see myself buying anything by this band, somehow

Ah, it's Zeus the crazy SFA fan, so crazy he defended the last album to the death even though it was patently shit. Can Gruff Rhys do no wrong? Apparently not. Haven't heard Neon Neon but I doubt it's all that.

Last Shadow Puppets are Token Wildcard.

Hahah, Lex is about three years younger than me!

That Jazmine Sullivan track ROCKS - best thing Missy's been involved in for years!

full press release:

An important year for musical creativity and diversity is highlighted
by the 12 Albums of
the Year shortlisted for the 2008 Nationwide Mercury Prize, announced
on Tuesday 22 July.

"This turns out to be a remarkably rich year for British music," says
Simon Frith, Chair of Judges. "What is most striking is the continued
resilience and flexibility of the album as a way of organising
music-making. It remains an unrivalled source of musical invention and
imagination, a way of linking songs, exploring themes and developing
sounds that is endlessly thrilling, surprising and worth celebration.”

The 2008 Albums of the Year are:
Adele 19
British Sea Power Do You Like Rock Music?
Burial Untrue
Elbow The Seldom Seen Kid
Estelle Shine
Laura Marling Alas I Cannot Swim
Neon Neon Stainless Style
Portico Quartet Knee-Deep In The North Sea
Rachel Unthank & The Winterset The Bairns
Radiohead In Rainbows
Robert Plant & Alison Krauss Raising Sand
The Last Shadow Puppets The Age Of The Understatement

The Nationwide Mercury Prize celebrates the year in music. The
shortlist, chosen from an entry of over 240 albums by UK artists, was
announced by Lauren Lauren at Covent Garden’s The Hospital Club, the
club for the creative industries.

The winner of this year’s Nationwide Mercury Prize will be announced
live on BBC Two on Tuesday 9 September 2008 as part of the BBC’s
coverage of the Awards Show. A second programme on BBC Two will be
broadcast on Friday 12 September. The programmes will be presented by
Lauren Laverne, with the Awards Show itself hosted by Jools Holland.

Notes to Editors:
The Nationwide Mercury Prize is open to albums from all music genres.
The Prize focuses on the music on the album – it does not take into
account album sales, media exposure or live performances. Each year the

shortlist celebrates a range of styles and genres of UK music.

Nationwide’s sponsorship of both the Prize and of
www.nationwidemercurys.com/recommends
highlights their support of UK music.

For further information:
National press: Steve Philips/Tony Linkin, Coalition PR: 020 8987 0123
Regional press: Ursula Lumb, Pomona: 01422 846 900
National radio & TV: Michelle O’Connor, Bird Girl: 07958 592944
Regional radio & TV: Liam Walsh, Ask Me PR: 07976 258577
Online: Leslie Gilotti, Charm Factory: 020 7485 0404
Nationwide Mercury Prize: Michael Hamilton: 020 8964 9964

www.nationwidemercurys.com 22 July 2008

Nationwide Mercury Prize
2008 Albums of the Year

ELBOW ‘The Seldom Seen Kid’
‘The Seldom Seen Kid’ is Elbow’s fourth album since the band formed in
Bury in 1991. Recorded at the band’s own studio in Salford and produced

by Elbow’s Craig Potter, it was released in March 2008 on Fiction
Records. The album includes the track ‘The Fix’ which features Richard
Hawley.

‘An epic rock record – triumphant, heartbreaking, unerringly melodic
and life-affirming’
The Judging Panel

BURIAL ‘Untrue’
‘Untrue’, released in November 2007 on Kode9’s Hyperdub label, is the
second album from South London artist Burial and follows his eponymous
debut in May 2006. Burial is a pioneering dubstep maestro who prefers
to remain anonymous...

‘Untrue’ is a subtle, original metropolitan soundscape – restless,
alarming and alluring’
The Judging Panel

RACHEL UNTHANK & THE WINTERSET ‘The Bairns’
Sisters Rachel and Becky Unthank grew up in the North-East of England
and were born into a family tradition of sea and border songs. They
formed their band in 2004, releasing a debut album ‘The Cruel Sister’ a

year later. ‘The Bairns’ is their second album and includes the group’s

own compositions as well as arrangements of traditional songs.

‘Contemporary folk music at its most magical and mysterious –
enchanting and uplifting’
The Judging Panel

RADIOHEAD ‘In Rainbows’
‘In Rainbows’ is the seventh studio album by the Oxford-based
five-piece. The number one album was originally released as a download
in October 2007 and later as a CD through XL Recordings.
It was produced by Nigel Godrich and features the singles ‘Jigsaw
Falling Into Place’ and ‘Nude’.

‘Music that is adventurous, challenging and hugely enjoyable. A
gripping new chapter in the remarkable Radiohead story’ The Judging
Panel

ESTELLE ‘Shine’
‘Shine’ is 28-year-old Londoner Estelle Swaray’s second album and was
recorded with John Legend as executive producer. ‘Shine’ also features

contributions from artists such as Kanye West and Wyclef Jean. The
album includes the single ‘American Boy’, which was a hit on both sides

of the Atlantic.

‘The amazing Estelle stamps her vivid personality on a refreshing
variety of musical moods – radiant, contemporary soul music’ The
Judging Panel

BRITISH SEA POWER ‘Do You Like Rock Music?’
British Sea Power is a four-piece band comprising brothers Yan and
Hamilton Wilkinson, along with Matthew Wood and Martin Noble. Formed in

2000 in Cumbria, the band are now based in Brighton. Their third album
for Rough Trade, ‘Do You Like Rock Music? features the singles ‘No
Lucifer’ and ‘Waving Flags’.

‘Who wouldn’t like rock music when it is as joyfully eccentric, noisy
and exciting as this?’
The Judging Panel

NEON NEON ‘Stainless Style’
Neon Neon features Gruff Rhys from Super Furry Animals and producer
Boom Bip. Guests on the album include Welsh singer Cate Le Bon.
‘Stainless Style’, released in March 2008 on Lex Records, is a
conceptual album based around the controversial life of automobile
mogul John DeLorean.

‘Chrome-plated electro-rock – a thrilling musical ride’ The Judging
Panel

LAURA MARLING ‘Alas I Cannot Swim’
Reading’s Laura Marling, 18, released her debut album ‘Alas I Cannot
Swim’ on Virgin Records in February 2008. She learned to play guitar at

an early age and her talents have led to recent collaborations with The

Rakes and tours with Rufus Wainwright and Devendra Banhart.

‘Beautiful composed and emotionally compelling tales of fear and
romance’ The Judging Panel

PORTICO QUARTET ‘Knee-Deep In The North Sea’
Formed in 2005, the four-piece group, all in their early 20s, were
discovered after regularly busking outside the National Theatre in
London and signed to The Vortex label in 2007. Portico Quartet make
unique use of the hang, a recently-invented Swiss percussion instrument

which underpins the album’s double bass and saxophone-driven melodies.

‘Exuberant, hypnotic acoustic music – an unusual new jazz sound’ The
Judging Panel

ROBERT PLANT & ALISON KRAUSS ‘Raising Sand’
Released in October 2007, ‘Raising Sand’ is a collaboration between Led

Zeppelin vocalist Robert Plant and multi Grammy Award-winning country
singer Alison Krauss. The album – instigated by Plant – has gone
platinum in the UK.

‘An intimate set of timeless songs and a totally seductive celebration
of the art of the vocal duet’
The Judging Panel

ADELE ‘19’
‘19’ is the debut album from 19-year-old Londoner Adele Adkins. The
album, on XL Recordings, went to number one on its release in January
2008 and has since gone platinum in the UK. ‘19’ features the hit
singles ‘Hometown Glory’, ‘Chasing Pavements’ and ‘Cold Shoulder’.

‘Heartfelt songs from an engaging new voice – vulnerable, powerful and
distinctive’ The Judging Panel

THE LAST SHADOW PUPPETS ‘The Age Of The Understatement’
Alex Turner from Sheffield’s Arctic Monkeys and Miles Kane from
Wirral-based band The Rascals, both aged 22, have collaborated to form
The Last Shadow Puppets. ‘The Age Of The Understatement’ was produced
by James Ford, who also worked on the Arctic Monkeys last album. This
album, released by Domino, reached number one on its release in April
2008.

‘Dramatic vignettes of modern love – superbly crafted and brilliantly
arranged’ The Judging Panel

"tinchy stryder! ny! wiley!"

Yeah, but Tinchy or Wiley would just be dismissed as the token grime entrant (admits ignorance of NY - who he/they?) without changing the fundamental nature of the list. It's hard to imagine a genuinely surprising, out-there list unless each panelist were allowed one fuck-you-I-like-this nomination without having to get everyone else to agree. The winner would still be a consensus choice but at least the list would be worth talking about.

Louis:
yes. Just saw Neon Neon live, and were great with a festival set. Even Har Mar Superstar was good!

Last Shadow Puppets are, in reality, the Lotus Eaters (ask your dad).

I need to Babelfish that Frith quote...

OK, so Portico Quartet are sorta Late Junction-friendly ambient softness, whose USP is some sort of pat-pending marimba thingy. Pretty and relaxing. Would expect to hear it tootling softly in a contemporary ceramics gallery.

i.e. nowhere near as good as The Blessing or Polar Bear or Empirical, then?

That Jazmine Sullivan track ROCKS - best thing Missy's been involved in for years!

i know right (though also search her guest spot on trina's banging 'i got a bottle' - "i'm so stanky stanky rich my damn DAWG drive a benz" lolz). am really hyped for jazmine's album, 'in love with another man' and 'lions, tigers and bears' are astonishing too.

Yeah, but Tinchy or Wiley would just be dismissed as the token grime entrant (admits ignorance of NY - who he/they?)

have them both! and estelle, and the bug. no tokens then. ny is a wonderful grime/r&b/reggae singer whose split endz vol 2 mixtape is v special indeed, search 'what i see', 'no one ever cared', 'real or fake', 'better than that' and 'fire' in partic. she's got this really awesome stillness and clarity to her voice.

i thought the whole LSP concept just came out of AMs covering 'Diamonds Are Forever' live

I would like Burial to win for the TV acceptance moment alone.

Burial shouldn't win, as it'd give ginger kids the false hope that they can achieve something in life.

"I'd like to thank everyone who bought 3 Of A Kind's 'Babycakes, a record I produced but never told anyone this until now."

It's official - Babelfish can't make Simon Frith interesting.

Actually, yes, how they'd work out giving the award to someone who refuses to adopt any public persona whatsoever is the only thing that could make me interested in this.

Banksy to collect on behalf

And then, at the end, Ronnie Corbett stands up and sheepishly admits "it's me."

- CharlieNo4, - where did you find this Mercury Prize press release?

Christ, Neon Neon are TERRIBLE! I had no idea. Worst album on the list?

It's like the Radcliffe and Maconie playlist from hell, this list.

i suspect i can find at least one song i like on all of these albums - altho for Adele it may have to be the Rosko remix of 'Cold Shoulder'

Candie Payne really must be kicking herself these days.

"Adele it may have to be the Rosko remix of 'Cold Shoulder'" << this is great.

Actually, yes, how they'd work out giving the award to someone who refuses to adopt any public persona whatsoever is the only thing that could make me interested in this.

They'd "work it out" by giving it to someone else, Matt - standard cowardly award show practice innit.

Martian, C04l1t10n sent me that release.

Say Hi to Tony P3rrin for me.

Ooh, that Jazmine Sullivan *is* great. Very effective reworking of this riddim: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QF_Bkk1P1rY

Weird - on checking, turns out I only picked six. Plant & Krauss now seems blindingly obvious, but British Sea Power? British fecking Sea Power? Ahead of Portishead? Really?

Unthank ftw - though why no-one can see that Burial offers The Daily Mail an angle ("REVEALED: the face of the cowardly recluse who shamelessly profits from soundtracking ASBO-land") from which to cover this...

shamelessly profits = made a couple of hundred after persuading his mates to download it as FLAC on Bleep website

Hamfatter for next year's gong 'm calling it

British Sea Power - is an undeserving selection - however there have been far worse selections in previous years, the horrors of: Turin Brakes, The Thrills, The View, Snore Patrol, Hard-Fi and Jamie T.

I think they were called Snow Patrol, not Snore Patrol

i always call them Snore Patrol

Why?

Video clips for all twelve nominees: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7519158.stm

Early odds from Hills:

The Last Shadow Puppets 5/1
Radiohead 5/1
R Plant / A Krauss 6/1
Elbow 6/1
Burial 6/1
Laura Marling 8/1
Estelle 8/1
British Sea Power 8/1
Adele 8/1
Rachel Unthank & The Winterset 10/1
Portico Quartet 10/1
Neon Neon 10/1

Last Shadow Puppets? That's shit surely?

Those odds = "we don't have a fucking clue who's going to win".

Thinking about it though my money would be on Estelle.

Wee, cowrin', timorous bookmaking going on there

Why's that, Matt?

hee i wonder if estelle and adele will have to be kept apart backstage again!

Are you 9?

the "we'll show HER who's industry is instituionally racist" vote

going against her is that she's already done well from it and had a #1

Adele should turn up in blackface

Or holding an Estelle bottle opener

And Estelle should shove some cushions up her jumper and cotton wool in her cheeks

My logic for Estelle:

- There have been two big rock winners in a row, and before that was Antony, no black artist has won it since Dizzee in what 03?

- People have actually heard of her but they can still at least look a bit credible and edgy by broadsheet standards.

- If Radiohead win they'll just look lazy.

I wonder how the members of Portishead are feeling at the mo? being overlooked for the shortlist

After all that intensive hard work on that new album too

Last Shadow Puppets? That's shit surely?
Last Shadow Puppets? That's shit surely?
Last Shadow Puppets? That's shit surely?
Last Shadow Puppets? That's shit surely?
Last Shadow Puppets? That's shit surely?
Last Shadow Puppets? That's shit surely?
Last Shadow Puppets? That's shit surely?
Last Shadow Puppets? That's shit surely?
Last Shadow Puppets? That's shit surely?
Last Shadow Puppets? That's shit surely?
Last Shadow Puppets? That's shit surely?
Last Shadow Puppets? That's shit surely?
Last Shadow Puppets? That's shit surely?
Last Shadow Puppets? That's shit surely?
Last Shadow Puppets? That's shit surely?
Last Shadow Puppets? That's shit surely?
Last Shadow Puppets? That's shit surely?
Last Shadow Puppets? That's shit surely?
Last Shadow Puppets? That's shit surely?
Last Shadow Puppets? That's shit surely?
Last Shadow Puppets? That's shit surely?
Last Shadow Puppets? That's shit surely?
Last Shadow Puppets? That's shit surely?
Last Shadow Puppets? That's shit surely?
Last Shadow Puppets? That's shit surely?
Last Shadow Puppets? That's shit surely?
Last Shadow Puppets? That's shit surely?
Last Shadow Puppets? That's shit surely?
Last Shadow Puppets? That's shit surely?
Last Shadow Puppets? That's shit surely?

they only made another album to win awards and now it's all ruined

Expect next record to be all downbeat and sulky to reflect grave disappointment.

Just in time for the 2016 Summer Olympics

radio 1 newsbeat this morning...

Portishead 'should win' Mercury
http://news.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/hi/music/newsid_7518000/7518842.stm

Apparently Portishead are doing a cover of Ultravox's Lament

Also, no female act has won the award since 2002 (Ms Dynamite).

that would be amazing (xp)

No point choosing the best winner. It's all fkn politics. No interest.

Have Los Campesinos been mentioned once on this thread, out of interest? Doesn't look like it to me. :-D

Portishead what is on your ipod is it 'Teardrop' by your fellow West Countrymen Massive Attack?

Your favourite jokes about trip-hop...

For what it's worth, Girls Aloud have only been mentioned once on this thread thus far and Sugababes not at all.

Have Los Campesinos been mentioned once on this thread, out of interest? Doesn't look like it to me. :-D

-- Just got offed, Tuesday, 22 July 2008 13:18 (1 minute ago) Bookmark Link

It ain't for nothing that Los Campesinos looks a little like Dom Passantinos when you squint at it, they excel in pissing off everyone in the music industry. And that's why I (l) them.

they must feel NUMB, and that the MMP is run by COWBOYS. maybe to cheer up they will have a cup of tea and a BISCUIT.

^^^this dude clearly ain't going to Indietracks this year

Guardian doubtless already moaning about lack of Tuung, Adem, twirly birds chopping wood etc.

So are there acts called Polar Bear and Sennen? How about ... Dreams Burn Down? In A Different Place?

Indietracks looks like hell on earth

Zoey Van Goey? Slow Down Tallahassee? Socks And Shoes? Roadside Poppies? Tortoise Shout!?

these are real band names?

^kick this sick bastard out

these are real band names? are damn great fr sure.

MILKY WIMPSHAKE might be the worst band name I have ever seen.

hey Dom maybe there will be an Innocent smoothie stand for you

ha look what turned up in my RSS reader: via Amazon New Releases RSS

Hamfatter - What Part of Hamfatter Do You Not Understand?
http://www.amazon.co.uk/What-Part-Hamfatter-You-Understand/dp/B001C3MYEY/

What Part of Hamfatter Do You Not Understand? - turning it around, I understand that you are a bunch of no talent lucky chancers that hoodwinked an idiot businessman that knows nothing about music

look at the front cover - coming to a bargain bucket in January 2010 at 2.99 in a HMV sale

would 500-1 to the make the Mercury Prize 2009? be generous odds

http://thoughts.bjsintay.com/wp-content/turn_around.jpg

Is there actually a steam train to the festival? That's nice. I would consider going for that alone.

gonna just quietly sneak away from that li'l BBCode faux pas

Indietracks looks like hell on earth

Blueski, we agree about something music-related -- this calls for a celebration.

Martian, do you have a nickname for the band COLDPLAY?

Have Los Campesinos been mentioned once on this thread, out of interest? Doesn't look like it to me. :-D

I mentioned them elsethread elseboard, but i guess that doesn't count to LJ. No Girls Aloud mention because Tangled Up is by some margin their weakest album, and Sugababes haven't had an album within the date limits have they?

I tell a lie, Change came out in October. Well how 'bout that?

http://base58.com/ilx/indietracks.jpg

kinda wanna go now

I got that Hamfatter album in the post about a year ago. I listened to it a generous once

NO HAVE YOUR SAY ON MERCURY SHORTLIST BBC NEWS WAKE UP!!!!!!

(just so we can revel in eejits writing in asking where is Dark Side Of The Moon, Britney, Billy Cotton Band Show &c.)

Martian, do you have a nickname for the band COLDPLAY?

Clodplay

http://base58.com/ilx/indietracks.jpg
^^^
misleading/outdated potential boo signifiers

pinefox stop playing the joker, it doesn't suit you

Coldgay?

Oldplay?

pinefox stop playing the joker, it doesn't suit you

http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/volume_13_4/images/music-JohnLeeHookerJr.jpg

pinefox stop playing the joker, it doesn't suit you

-- djmartian, Tuesday, 22 July 2008 13:40 (1 minute ago) Bookmark Link

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff32/evildrew81/scary%20stuff/Joker.gif

http://www.theofficialcharts.com/uploadedimages/packshot_usher_burn.jpg

Heath Ledger, stop playing the oh you have....

Wow, those last few posts *genuinely* made me, how you say? - laugh out loud.

DJ Martian, how do YOU say "laugh out loud"?

with a LOL LOL Here...

http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/simpsons/images/thumb/3/34/Rex.gif/200px-Rex.gif

"well, you all know how to laugh don't you"

Propaganda - Sorry for laughing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BmOZxuTYeo

I am close personal friends w/Milky Wimpshake and Slow Down Tallahasee. They are both lovely sets of people and good bands too.

That's my indie quotient for the week out the way. Keepin' it positive.

Pinefox - Sennen are actually named after the Ride track (which is named after the Cornish village, I assume)? Polar Bear are a jazz group and probably named after the animal. Interestingly, Snow Patrol wanted to be called Polar Bear, also possibly after the Ride track, but legal problems (Yank band called Polar Bear, not the jazz group) prevented them.

martian you are really spoiling us

it is at times like this that i am so profoundly thankful to be ~me~, you lot listen to such awful music sometimes! whereas i have listened to 'high price' maybe 20 times in a row in the past hr

Journos stock quote this week: Burial is the Banksy of the music world

lex you really are spoiling you

http://www.specialfriendsnews.com/images/a-autism.jpg

^^^ Why was this not nominated? ROBBED!

Can we just do a Lex vs Geir vs whoever poll and be done with it? Loser (or winner, depending how poll is phrased) gets banned forever?

Will the tabloids be staking London dubstep clubs looking for Burial? if Burial wins the award will he turn up with a mask ala Daft Punk / Altern 8?

ok you lot know burial's identity was revealed in...the independent, i believe, some months ago? it wasn't very exciting, i was hoping it'd be britney. benga's album is better anyway

http://us.ent1.yimg.com/images.launch.yahoo.com/000/046/722/46722472.jpg

Burial, 2nd row back, on the right

Altern 8 played Truck on Saturday. Well, I say "played", but I mean "stuck on Maximum Hardcore 1990 and left us to it".

I wonder how the dubstep forum massive are reacting to Burial's nomination

Both of them?

^ typical ruranite belittling our thriving urban scenes

Ciara? Wow, Lex, you have odd ears.

GOTTA YA:

Burial - Untrue LP - Mercury Awards 2008 Nomination
http://www.dubstepforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=53338

ok you lot know burial's identity was revealed in...the independent, i believe, some months ago? it wasn't very exciting, i was hoping it'd be britney. benga's album is better anyway

Link?

see my pic above, raw p

this thread is white btw

ok that dubstepforum link worth it just for

http://i28.tinypic.com/2ywztaf.jpg

would be so hard to choose between in rainbows and untrue..

Is that what they call Rachel Unthank?

http://muzyka.gery.pl/cms/content/repository/images/the_vines.jpg

^^^Burial, second from left

oh,and...

NME.COM's possible Mercury Music Prize contenders include:

http://tinyurl.com/5mhvvx

Babyshambles
The Enemy
The Pigeon Detectives
The Wombats
Ting Tings

Hmm, how many correct there?

from dubstepforum:

Neon Neon can fuck right off for a start, god awful nu-rave nonsense.

er...

LOL

dubstep forum:
"It is Mercury Prize named after Freddie Mercury for Best British album of the past year."

NO ! Mercury was a telecommunications company in the early 90s

OH MY GOD LITERALISM

Future Of The Left – 'Curses'

would live in this alternate reality

in fairness, nme got 8 right in their scattergun list of 213476243567476 possible noms.

Ciara? Wow, Lex, you have odd ears.

she is clearly the greatest pop star of our times though, i mean just klook at her singles alone. goodies, 1 2 step, oh, get up, promise, like a boy, high price = unimpeachable. 4 singles of the year in there. new one is unhinged and amazing. see me in the club rocking christian louboutin, i should be in iraq shawty cuz i am the bomb, got a million dollar house on my earlobe, boy i know you want it so WHAT DO YOU GOT ON IT

clearly a poll for best pop star ever is needed

Greatest pop star ever

OK, they didn't guess Rachel Unthank, Krauss/Plant and the other 'token' ones?

no black woman, no old man, no jazz or folk. correct for their demographic then, i guess, but still.

Robert Plant is old

what is Burial? I thought it must be the name of an LP, like Arcade Fire's Funeral.

Lex says 'you lot' listen to awful music, but I'm not sure to whom he is referring. do the various people on the thread listen to the same music? I don't think Blueski, Martian or I overlap in any way, and I don't know if I've heard any of the Mercury nominees. I listen mostly to Cat's Miaow, Byrds, Bruce Springsteen, Magnetic Fields, and right now Left Banke. You might not like them but I don't think Martian, Blueski or whoever is interested in them.

worth hearing again:
NO ! Mercury was a telecommunications company in the early 90s
-- djmartian, Tuesday, 22 July 2008

yes, and the NME didn't 'guess' his nomination, is the point.

xpost.

No! Mercury was a planet in the early 1990's until it was declassified as such and now is more currently described as some fossil fuel.

if only it could be HEARD. where is marscast: full frequency range rants from sardonia?

NO! Mercury is a song by Bloc Party in the late 00s!

merkury is a pretty awesome bassline house producer

ITS A METAL FFS

She should've released 'I Proceed'.

yes, and 'bang it up', and 'c.r.u.s.h.', and 'get in fit in'. and 'hotline' off her debut.

Ton listo Popjustice:

'A&E' - Goldfrapp
'About You Now' - Sugababes
'Bleeding Love' - Leona Lewis
'Call The Shots' - Girls Aloud
'Dance Wiv Me' - Dizzee Rascal feat Calvin Harris
'Flux' - Bloc Party
'Money' - Daggers
'That's Not My Name' - The Ting TIngs
'Valerie' - Mark Ronson feat Amy Winehouse
'Ready For The Floor' - Hot Chip
'Song 4 Mutya (Out Of Control)' - Groove Armada feat Mutya Buena
'Stuck On Repeat' - Little Boots

what is a ton listo?

Popjustice list is worse than the Mercury list by virtue of having several things on it that are actually offensive as opposed to just a bit dull.

^^^^this

"Song For Mutya" and "Dance Wiv Me" are much worse than anything on the Mercury list

Actually the Neon Neon album may well be offensive, I haven't heard it.

It's only offensive if you find the normal Lex (lol lex) Records output annoying.

i'm 2 songs in and quite liking it so far (xp

'Stuck On Repeat' - Little Boots

one of my 5 favourite tracks this year

if you don't like 'Song 4 Mutya' you should just kill yourself etc.

Actually the Neon Neon album may well be offensive, I haven't heard it.

it is (well the single, anyway), but nowhere near as appalling as the ting tings or bloc party. pjustice list is...better than last year i guess :/

('bleeding love' ftw, obv)

Incidentally bookies are no longer taking bets on the Ting Tings winning the annual Lex 20p Indie Prize. Although they did the same with the Klaxons last year and would have got away with it.

santogold surely?

http://www.residents.com/RZPhoto/page9/files/page9-1001-full.jpg

^^^Burial, second from left

I am fully expecting Santogold's nomination to be lost in the post/down the back of the sofa/disqualified on a technicality.

bleurgh

No Darren Styles - HAPPY HARDCORE THE PEOPLE'S MUSIC IGNORED YET AGAIN BY POLITICALLY CORRECT NANNY STATE MIDDLE CLASSES FOR GOD'S SAKE BRITAIN WAKE UP!

I am fully expecting Santogold's nomination to be lost in the post/down the back of the sofa/disqualified on a technicality.

-- Matt DC, Tuesday, 22 July 2008 14:36 (2 minutes ago) Link

Marcy, you recommending the Styles album then?

I recommended it two weeks ago, keep up lad.

According to an MC on one of his mix albums "Darren Styles is equivalent to none" so that might be the technicality that disqualified him

even the Telegraph's Neil McCormick is baffled by the inclusion of British Sea Power
http://tinyurl.com/5nsa35

Remember when people posted to a thread about the Mercury Music Prize? About five hours ago? Good times.

Watching British Sea Power play Waving Flags (aka THIS IS OUR BIG ARCADE FIRE FESTIVAL ANTHEM FOR WHEN WE FINALLY HIT THE BIG LEAGUE AND THE BIG FIELDS THIS YEAR) when half way down the bill in the John Peel tent this year was kind of embarassing.

I actually feel really sorry for BSP, because the last album was lovely - understated, characeterful, occasionally beautiful and always replayable guitar pop. This album got the "they're gonna be HUUUGE!" January hype that seems to happen every year since Snow Patrol scored a massive sleeper hit with Run in, what, January 2004? And all of a sudden became a massive indie-crossover sensation. So lazy journalists assume the same thing will happen every 'quiet' season.

'Remember Me' > everything BSP did since, no?

It's the one album on this year's shortlist that feel forced and... weird, somehow, way more than Elbow whose time has probably come (since I don't think Asleep In The Back got a nom).

Shit, it did! I suck at this analysis stuff.

sp: Snore Patrol

It was Elbow albums number 2 and Number 3 that were overlooked - and who was a Mercury Judge then... Edith Bowman - who previously went out with Guy Garvey

^^^
http://www.the-word-is-not-enough.com/blog/rob/images/No1Ladies1x1.jpg

John Mulvey at Uncut chimes in
http://tinyurl.com/5egpdy

For a start, last year’s wearying domination by indie bands on their first or second albums hasn’t been repeated. And while I would’ve happily replaced Adele, British Sea Power, Estelle, Laura Marling and the Portico Quartet with Portishead, Robert Wyatt, PJ Harvey, Wild Beasts and, with a certain grinding inevitability, James Blackshaw, at least there’s no room for the fashionably-disparaged “indie landfill” bands like The Kooks, The Wombats, The Pigeon Detectives, The Fratellis, The Courteeners, The Zutons and so on.

Portishead, Robert Wyatt, PJ Harvey and James Blackshaw on the list would've made it so much better.

http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?forumID=5144&edition=1&ttl=20080722174542

Added: Tuesday, 22 July, 2008, 13:10 GMT 14:10 UK

Where is The Maniacal Vale by Esoteric? That's surely the best album by a British band this year. Was it even considered? Have any of the Mercury judges even heard of it?

Greg, Worcester

Recommended by 1 person

Hurrah for Greg and 1 other person

BBC News on Burial:

His music has been described as a "soundtrack to the time it would take the N68 to get from Trafalgar Square to its suburban end point".

Since when has the N68 gone by Trafalgar Square?

oh william, bless your heart :-)

*googles james blackshaw*

crikey!

James Blackshaw is great

This album got the "they're gonna be HUUUGE!" January hype that seems to happen every year since Snow Patrol scored a massive sleeper hit with Run in, what, January 2004?

How about Feeder in 2001 and Doves in 2002?

Doves was April.

Blackshaw and Wyatt on the list would've made my ears prick up. As it stands, this list makes my prick fall off. Or something.

Someone summon Judge Jude Rogers and Simon Frith & co - to explain themselves

http://jumps4fun.com/Images/batsign.jpg

Also announced today the Mallcore Kerrang Awards - shockingly bad

http://blog.kerrangawards.com/2008/2008/07/and_the_nominees_are.html

good fucking lord

ugh

The Kerrang Krap Awards - music that rocks with the mallcore teenagers

Teenagers in Crisis:

NME = landfill indie
Kerrang = mallcore rock

only DiS remains

and dubstepforum

everyone on there is 95

the BBC got rid of Experimental Music yesterday:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/experimental/

You might find what you're looking for in either Dance & Electronica, Rock & Indie or Jazz & Blues.

actually laughed out loud

lex don't f-ing laugh or i will set The Wire magazine mafia on U ;-)

the post John Peel world:

Peel not adequately replaced on Radio 1, instead we have Colin Murray
Mixing It axed on Radio 3
BBC 6 Music on mid tempo guitar autopilot
BBC scrap Experimental Music on their website

This really is a banner thread for britishes zinging

Best quote from that kerrang blog comments section

Madina Lake get put forward for Best International Band but no place for bands like Foo Fighters whose time in the public eye will last a lot longer than it takes Madina Lake to do their hair.

wtf are Madina Lake?

Oh FFS this is what they look like
http://sh3168.k12.sd.us/images/MadinaLake.jpg

I am pretty sure I do not ever want to hear them.

mallcore alert

lex probably fancies them

lol men

They probably don't even play their own guitars, so that's a pass

Actually half of those bands Ive never heard.
BRING ME THE HORIZON?
YOU ME AT SIX?
KILL HANNAH
A DAY TO REMEMBER
FOUR YEAR STRONG
BLACK TIDE
ALL TIME LOW
DEAD SWANS
WE ARE THE OCEAN
SLAVES TO GRAVITY
ELLIOT MINOR
GO:AUDIO

Never heard of any of them. All mallcore?

my heart is warmed a little that britishes have their mallcore!

dude you named yourself after the most gruesomely british place in britain, you are like our new archduke

Although I'm not on the Herman and Marty "ALL FOURTEEN YEAR OLDS MUST LISTEN TO BLOOD RED THRONE" tip, Elliot Minor are the fucking pits of all current music.

Found something worse

http://www.repossessionrecords.com/webimages/elliot_minor/EM%20MySpace%20Banner.jpg

genuinely loled at bit in capitals xpost

mallcore = a term for crappy overproduced rawk bands that only appeal to teenagers, much yelping and rubbish lyrics

there is a video channel on the Sky platform that is full of this mallcore crap

actually i didn't! i figured that out after

xps

oh so THAT'S what mallcore is

Am I the only one lolling that Swansea has a club called "Sin City"?

in the US in recent years Alternative Press has become a mallcore mag, in the UK it's Kerrang

lex probably fancies them

this is actually the worst insult i have ever received in my life

Oh man i just saw what was nominated in the best single category
PENDULUM - Propane Nightmares

pendulum are the nu-prodigy for kerrang readers

Pendulum is the best dance music, it gets the whole club shaking!

just so we are clear this is my type of man:

http://www.roadstokentucky.com/tennis/marat5.jpg
http://www.queerty.com/queer/safin01.jpg

and http://ruthlessreviews.com/pics/americanpsycho1.gif

not those gross emo metal wimps up there

lol @ the url of the second one, is he some sort of gay icon?

not especially but gay men do have a tendency to fancy good-looking men, oddly enough

2nd one is marat safin?

Oh the 1st and 2nd both are.

Mallrat Safin

dj martian did you post on these comments?
http://blog.kerrangawards.com/2008/2008/07/and_the_nominees_are.html

you must be joking

Not even that post about mallcore and Esoteric?

nope that was not me

Pity, I was going to say you forgot about Electric Wizard.
If it was the DJ Martian Rock/Metal awards who would you have in?

BEST BRITISH NEWCOMER
BEST INTERNATIONAL NEWCOMER
BEST BRITISH BAND
BEST INTERNATIONAL BAND
BEST SINGLE
BEST ALBUM
BEST LIVE BAND

sorry, I think those type of awards are a waste of time

^^^ $$$

haha

djmartian's 'Guide To Stuff That Is A Waste Of Time' available now in all good truck stops

but not in stores in the mall.

yeah but you can get "kerr's little book of jokes" there instead

"Kerr's Little Book Of Why The Youth Of Today Don't Listen To Enough Diamond Head"

Except I have never listened to Diamond Head (voluntarily anyway)

Over on the rolling metal thread I'm the one who isn't a real troo metaller apparently.

always a bigger fish (fish from marillion!)

small fry (Alexander Frei is Switzerland's best footballer, and The Young Gods are Swiss!)

The best thing about this thread is Dorian Lynskey trying to have a serious discussion about music in between the pictures of bouncy castles and Chris Benoit gags.

he post John Peel world:

Peel not adequately replaced on Radio 1, instead we have Colin Murray
Mixing It axed on Radio 3
BBC 6 Music on mid tempo guitar autopilot
BBC scrap Experimental Music on their website

Kings of Leon at Glastonbury
Salif Diao at Stoke
Rat in the kitchen

This is my annual post where I say "why don';t we set-up our own awards thingy to rival the Mercury?" and Louis says "I'm in!" and then we do nothing.

This is my annual post where I pretend I want to set up my own awards thingy to rival Nick's awards thingy to rival the Mercury and no-one does anything

This is my annual post where I invite Wiley and Portishead and Vampire Weekend round to my house for a cup of tea and no one turns up.

This is my annual post where I c+p some crappy spam from my work email

MERCURY NOMINEES GETCLOSER TO EACH OTHER
From Estelle to British Sea Power – the Mercury Prize shortlist’s 11 degrees of separation

This year’s Nationwide Mercury Prize has again thrown up an eclectic shortlist of UK musical talent but HMV’s new social discovery site, getcloser.com, has revealed that the nominees are not as unconnected as they appear.

The website, which provides a new and different way for people to get closer to the music and film they love by sharing collections and discovering connections, has unearthed a series of connections between the shortlisted artists

1. Burial to Radiohead - Burial’s ‘Archangel’ was chosen by Radiohead as the Hottest Record In The World when they filled in for Zane Lowe on Radio 1.

1. Radiohead to Elbow – Elbow frontman, Guy Garvey was quoted as saying the Manchester outfit wouldn’t exist without Radiohead saying: "I think they're a terrific band - there'd be no Elbow without Radiohead.” Bassist Pete Turner added that, unlike other bands they're not ashamed to talk about Radiohead's influence on their music. "A lot of bands shy away from it, a lot of bands wouldn't admit to Radiohead being an influence but they're one of our biggest," he said.
2. Garvey admitted that he had been taken on a journey by the group - which began with Radiohead's 1995 'The Bends'.

1. Elbow to Neon Neon - Elbow appeared in the film 9 songs as did Super Furry Animals, who were the project of Neon Neon’s Gruff Rhys.

1. Neon Neon to Last Shadow Puppets - Yo Majesty who appear on the Neon Neon album are signed to the same label as Last Shadow Puppets.

1. Last Shadow Puppets to Adele - Jim Abbiss worked with Last Shadow Puppets’ Alex Turner when producing the Arctic Monkey’s debut album as well as producing Adele's 19.

1. Adele to Estelle - both appeared on the same Later with Jools Holland show with Adele not impressing Estelle, who is quoted as saying: "Adele ain't soul. She sounds like she heard some Aretha records once, and she's got a deeper voice - that don't mean she's soul. That don't mean nothing to me in the grand scheme of my life as a black person. As a songwriter, I get what they do. As a black person, I'm like: you're telling me this is my music? F*** that!".

1. Estelle to Portico Quartet – both played the Jazz World Stage at this year’s Glastonbury Festival.

1. Portico Quartet to Rachel Unthank - both are on the line-up for this year’s Big Chill Festival.

1. Rachel Unthank to Robert Plant & Alison Krauss - Rachel Unthank cites Plant's legendary band Led Zeppelin as an influence on their myspace page.

1. Robert Plant & Alison Krauss to British Sea Power - Phil Brown produced Dreamland by Robert Plant and Open Season by British Sea Power.

1. British Sea Power to Laura Marling – both performed together at this year’s End Of The Road Festival.

To discover more connections and to share your own go to getcloser.com.


ENDS

Fuck me that's tenuous.

Portico Quartet to Rachel Unthank - both are on the line-up for this year’s Big Chill Festival.

COSMIC

"The best thing about this thread is Dorian Lynskey trying to have a serious discussion about music in between the pictures of bouncy castles and Chris Benoit gags."

Yeah, I learned my lesson there.

I could give you some rather less tenuous connections - with some emphasis on "Fuck me" - but the libel laws prohibit me from doing so.

^^^ cop out. Do a Popbitch-style blind item.

It's kinda weird that they not only repeat judges, but will have the same people on for two years in a row. Are there not enough pop-hacks in Britain or is it just that they need a safe pair of hands?

Robert Plant to Elbow - on listening to Elbow's new album Plant was heard to exclaim, "Fuck me, I didn't spend years flying from city to city in a tricked out jumbo jet and banging 14-year-old groupies to let this dreary horseshit exist"

You better have chapter and verse for that DJM.

Oh and Robert Plant, dreary horseshit, kettle, pot.

Apparently Mercury Music panel membership is reserved for Nobel Prize winners, latterday saints, people who have seen God and selected relatives of our dear Queen.

Lauren laverne!

more people named, re: who are the Mercury judges this year

http://www.bbc.co.uk/6music/news/20080722_mercury.shtml

Prior to the nominations, the director of the Mercury’s, Kevin Milburn, explained to 6 Music the criteria for the award.

The albums need to have been released between July 2007-2008 by UK or Irish artists.

He explained who makes up the panel: “Basically people have to listen to music every day as part of what they do but have no direct involvement with any of the records.”
And this year the panel is made up of some key industry people, as Kilburn explained: “We’ve got Charles Hazlewood - the conductor, we’ve got Kitty Empire - Music Editor of The Observer, we’ve got Janis Long from Radio 2, George Ergatoudis – Head of Music from Radio 1, Conor McNicholas from NME. It’s basically people who have a broad range of musical tastes.

is Janice Long responsible for British Sea Power on the shortlist?

"Key industry people" = seventh or eighth choices.

Nice also to see that the BBC care enough about their employees to spell their names correctly on their website - "Janis Long."

Basically it's all BBC lickarses (including nominee and 6Music presenter Guy Garvey).

the standards of journalism these days ! mind you Civil Blakey-Boy jailed passes as music news on 6 Music, and they have just found out Franz Ferdinand have delayed their album till January.

To get that all important post-New Year sales lull number one slot (see also third Strokes album).

Blakey boy?

Charles Hazlewood, George Ergatoudis and Conor McNicholas were on the panel last year. Jude Rogers was on the panel last year and is this year as well I think?

Why does she get two goes and you (presumably) haven't had one yet, Dorian?

so cynical - yet so true

Blakey boy?

I'll get you, Butler!

Is Laverne on the panel again, G? Coz she was on last year too.

Blakey boy? - it's a nickname - wake up ! Blake Fielder-Civil = Blakey boy

To paraphrase Bill Hicks: "What does the Mercury Music panel family tree look like - a stump?"

it's ironic but he's not very civil!!?!?1//!/1

The Mercury Panel is like Rugby League - they get signed up for 3 years with no relegation even if they perform badly by selecting Jamie T and The View

They should sign up Blake as their own Joey Barton.

George Ergatoudis - where did this bloke start on Radio 1? newsbeat?

Just like Matthew Bannister.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/biographies/biogs/radio1/george_ergatoudis.shtml

Experiencing Sheffield's live music scene and listening to John Peel on the radio inspired George to co-found and edit a music fanzine called Babel while still at university in 1986.

The venture was George's first foray into publishing and journalism, allowing him to meet and interview bands such as The Fall, New Order and Sonic Youth.

Ah, so he's the one responsible for BBC music radio apartheid.

'Egg And Two Shits' morelike

1. British Sea Power to Laura Marling – both performed together at this year’s End Of The Road Festival.

er, EOTR doesn't happen till September...

Why don't they get DLT on the Mercury panel? Surprise victory for Chris de Burgh!

That "Mercury" song is good, innit.

er, EOTR doesn't happen till September...

Fire whoever subedited that piece of pointless email spam!

"Why does she get two goes and you (presumably) haven't had one yet, Dorian?"

Not sure, but I did take a pop at Simon Frith in a piece after the 2001 ceremony and got an angry email from him so that might have something to do with it. Life goes on.

I'm all about The Wombats not getting nominated, through, disappointing all five students that take this shit seriously.

Really they need to get rid of wrinkly wombat Frith. It's like bloody Jazz Journal in there.

Q: What year did Professor Simon Frith gatecrash ILM?

an angry email = the angry professor = "anger is an energy"

I remember him posting one year but forget which.

he was marissa

he never her!

jol out.

-- simon frith, Wednesday, September 23, 2007 14:08 AM

would blap laverne

-- simon frith, Wednesday, September 23, 2007 14:08 AM

-- Matt DC, Wednesday, 23 July 2008 12:10 (5 minutes ago) Bookmark Link

I just looked up blap in urban dictionary. I thought it just was a wee euphemism for fucking. I was wrong.

Must have been a real slap in the face.

I thought it just was a wee euphemism for fucking. I was wrong.

choosing to ignore this cos blap is a funny word and doesn't have connotations of 'smash' et al for us wet libruls

Judge Jude Rogers chimes in...

Mercury Prize 2008: Judge me not, conspiracy theorists
http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/music/2008/07/mercury_prize_2008_judge_me_no.html

no mention of Portishead missing out though

re: Burial

The first Burial album didn't get nominated because it was first released before July 18, 2006, and submitted as if it had been released after that date.

looks like Kode9/ Hyperdub forget to enter it 2 years ago ! then tried to enter it the following year

To my mind, they were three notable omissions. I can't tell you what they were, as I've signed a confidentiality contract

.. sort of does.

Anyway, is 'apeth' an actually recognised word? The 'halfpennyworth' !

confidentiality contract = they can't moan which albums they wanted in that didn't make it

I don't agree with every album on this year's Mercury shortlist either. To my mind, they were three notable omissions. I can't tell you what they were, as I've signed a confidentiality contract that ensures that I don't get lynched by people like you, but anyone who has read pieces I've written for The Guardian in the last twelve months should have some inklings.

Doing a good impression of being "far from annoyed," isn't she?

Thing is, you can howl all you like dearie but I don't believe you and I have good substantive reason not to believe you.

Now stop whining and if you can't handle it go back to Smoke.

three notable omissions.

Guardian dorian - has the research skills to find out !

name them

Does anyone, apart from Jude Rogers, follow Jude Rogers' career closely enough to know what she's written about in the last 12 months, or the last 12 days for that matter?

http://www.joystiq.com/media/2008/01/oh-snap-chart-.jpg

xxp

She reckon she's got fanboys ! like Davey Boy Hepworth

Does anyone, apart from Jude Rogers, follow Jude Rogers' career closely enough to know what she's written about in the last 12 months, or the last 12 days for that matter?

^^^this you fucking nutbars

She reckon she's got fanboys ! like Davey Boy Hepworth

Sorry, I don't read ILWWE that often :(

LBZC are very much the Tom Billington of the music crit world: we set trends, we bring the heat, got jokes for days, but we're gonna end up crippled and broke in a Salford council flat

Only Professor Frith can comment as the chief headboy - Duffy was too retro - but he didn't say Kate Nash was too crap - because it would make her cry

That JR article is really angry and aggressive!

[Throw your metaphorical mouldy fruits at me, by all means - the body armour can take it]
but can it? then why write this aggrieved piece and say you are bored to tears?

[where I voiced some anxieties and crushed a few myths.]]
that last phrase is arrogant.

[The first Burial album didn't get nominated]
what is this Burial thing that people keep talking about?

[I don't agree with every album on this year's Mercury shortlist either. To my mind, they were three notable omissions.]
Clearly 'they' should be 'there'.

[Stop whining about tokenism.]
this is aggressive and crude language.

[Another thing I've learned, then: us judges can never win.]
should say 'we judges'
- why can't Guardian journalists write properly these days?

[and yes, conspiracy-theorists, we do reduce the list from 12 records to 1 on the night by arguing and shouting, rather than receiving blow-jobs from the majors]
I didn't know that a woman could receive a blow job. I know that a woman can receive oral gratification, but didn't know it was usually referred to as a blow-job. If it is, fine. Perhaps I should start using the term more widely.

[I get a little clammy.]
why?

[carry on creating your own conspiracies about what happens behind the scenes by all means - you always will, anyway - but do yourself a favour while you're ranting and raving.]
this, again, is remarkably aggressive - I don't think it is proper language for a Guardian writer.

[Recognise for a moment that some of us know the truth.]
utterly banal, pompous, 6th-form ending.

we set trends, we bring the heat, got jokes for days

omg you lot actually believe this :o

Mencap, are you serious you don't know: Davey Boy Hepworth - you remember Live Aid in 1985, ljagger has a valid excuse, but i expected better from you !

Remember when Hann came on here a while back and said that Guardian Music had no place for writers who just insult their readership? Seems to me someone should alert him about this piece.

That is absolutely correct.

and yes, conspiracy-theorists, we do reduce the list from 12 records to 1 on the night by arguing and shouting, rather than receiving blow-jobs from the majors...I get a little clammy

pinefox - do you have Phd in English Linguistics?

DK: There is probably a Guardian code of conduct for all full-time contributors under which abusive rhetoric like this is a violation of a journalist's contract. Someone should tell the Readers' Editor!

Martian: I will take that as a compliment.

Yeah, I could probably get her sacked for that, couldn't I?

Jude on that Guardian music thread:

"I'll add here too that I'd be happy to post the judges list, but I'd rather do that with the consent of everyone else on the panel, and I don't have many of their email addresses."

Jude to me last year:

"And are you SURE the MMP don’t say who the jurors are? I’ve been told I can say in any articles or correspondence. I will check that too!"

(She said that after I'd given her the reply she claims I never sent her).

I don't have a valid excuse - I was at school with his son xposts to martian

The reason why broadsheet journalism is so bad now is ego.

In the old days you were lucky if you got a byline after 20 years' service. Articles and reviews were anonymous. You worked for the greater good of the paper, not to serve yourself. For most of the time you had no idea who the writers were, let alone what they looked like. Not surprisingly, the standard of writing was infinitely better than it is now.

Now when writers get routinely plastered onto the covers of newspaper sections (usually in slow weeks), get given pointless columns, etc., their egos get pumped a little more and they make the fatal mistake of thinking they're the show when their role is to be that of unobtrusive servant to their readers.

Take it this isn't gonna be printed tho - to my mind things like this result partly from the shift you describe and partly from the blogosphere (and resultant belief that it's deeply necessary to ape it)

It might not be printed in the actual newspaper, but it has still been published, and when a supposedly trained journalist feels it necessary to insult her readers then it's still a clear contravention of journalist guidelines and ethics.

The sooner that big media realises that blogging isn't "a great way to increase interactivity with our readers" and rather "a great way to make our writers look like 15-year-olds on Livejournal", the fucking better.

Mood: bored

Completely agree, Dom.

Yeah this is what I mean about Graun writers aping the generic blog style when they do these columns - more often than not they submit, and have waved through, stuff that would rightly get subbed to buggery/sent back in the actual paper. But it's OK cos it's online ergo 'casual'

The reason why broadsheet journalism is so bad now is ego.

In the old days you were lucky if you got a byline after 20 years' service. Articles and reviews were anonymous. You worked for the greater good of the paper, not to serve yourself. For most of the time you had no idea who the writers were, let alone what they looked like. Not surprisingly, the standard of writing was infinitely better than it is now.

Now when writers get routinely plastered onto the covers of newspaper sections (usually in slow weeks), get given pointless columns, etc., their egos get pumped a little more and they make the fatal mistake of thinking they're the show when their role is to be that of unobtrusive servant to their readers.

This is as far as I can tell completely OTM, and one of the reasons why I'm extremely reluctant to attempt a career-path along these lines. In fact, the last few posts have been depressingly on the button.

ah we'd know if it was you tho

all ILM posts should be anon

Jaggeran Hari

what kind of 'training' do you think JR has had?

believe me, if ALL the fuckheaded otiose self-indulgent nobbish cunts around my age who ARE going to write for major publications posted to ILX, you'd have all slashed your wrists by now

http://image.guardian.co.uk/sys-files/Guardian/documents/2007/06/14/EditorialCode2007.pdf

what kind of 'training' do you think JR has had?

-- the pinefox, Wednesday, 23 July 2008 13:28 (43 seconds ago) Bookmark Link

Rogers is an odd one. She came up through, as Marcy points out, the utterly dire Smoke magazine, but she flipped it on us afterwards and now rolls as the kinda "token young woman" for a lot of old dude press. Word Magazine, most notably, but there's a couple of other ones out there.

I don't count that as Training.

"Journalists must not engage in intimidation" -- Appendix 3.1 Press Complaints Commission Code of Practice

Is she still editing The Lipster? Which seems to be just a news-blog these days.

what kind of 'training' do you think JR has had?

Davey Boy Hepworth and Mark the Man Ellen - trained her up at Word magazine, learning from the experts that created Q magazine

Can we pause for a few minutes just to post some images of Davey Boy Smith?

http://hoysecumplen.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/daveyboysmithrip.jpg
http://imagecache2.allposters.com/images/pic/PHO/AAHF153_8x10-No356~Davey-Boy-Smith-Posters.jpg
http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/reviews/wrestling/images/PWF2bbdc.jpg

Conor Mctwatnicholas chimes in on the Guardian blog:

and the Joe Lean album is actually quite good. Better than we expected, actually. It all went well wobbly for a bit but the boys done good and played a blinder. 8/10 in this week's NME and championed by journos here as diverse as James McMahon (loves Guns 'n' Roses) and Hamish MacBain (loves, er, Oasis). A surprise. Not as much of a surprise as the news yesterday that they'd pulled the whole thing (http://www.nme.com/news/joe-lean-and-the-jing-jang-jong/38368), but there you go. All very odd.

WE LIKE ALL FOUR KINDS OF MUSIC: COUNTRY, WESTERN, GUNS N ROSES, AND OASIS

^^^Oxford comma, concession to the educatory facility of music journalists worldwide

Chaki comma >>>>>>> Oxford comma

Horrid, gay, awful, Oxbridge, university

Can we pause for a few minutes just to post some images of Davey Boy Smith?

Smith's middle name, Boy, was the result of one of his parents mistaking the name field on Smith's birth certificate for the gender field.

^my favourite bit of wiki trivia ever.

Useless, crappy, no-good, cash-strapped, Charlton, Athletic

The sooner that big media realises that blogging isn't "a great way to increase interactivity with our readers" and rather "a great way to make our writers look like 15-year-olds on Livejournal", the fucking better.

dom, i've stolen that for my f4c3b00k quotes page, hope that's ok!

i don't really agree with it. big media blogging can work if people just do it properly. and to combat egomania why not take the photographs away, reduce those author names in 10px and enforce a more rigorous editorial discipline?

Charlie, not a problem.

stevey boy smith: for some reason, every broadsheet now seems to operate under the delusion that people buy newspapers for "personalities", big column piece writers, dudes who have the big buyline and the big gimmick. For some reason, they don't actually hire writers with big personalities to fill this role, but just give rote staffers lots of space and razzmattaz.

However, again, the alternative is Johann Hari.

But why do they need blogging at all? It's like Sir Alex Ferguson going up to his players and going "well, y'see, I know I've been saying all this stuff about how we should be playing better and more stylishly than ever, but what would really endear us to people is playing a bit more like those guys hoofing it around in the Goole Pub and Working Men's Club League last year".

They don't. I give CiF another 18 months, maximum

They don't need it, I mean.

I just looked at the Guardian thread about this. Is Blueski on it?

Despite having contributed to this ILM thread and found it very entertaining (anything that gets Martian out and about), and been appalled by JR's bad Guardian polemic, I don't actually know what all this controversy, if there is any, is about.

1. does anyone - here, for instance - care about the Mercury Prize? I felt that I did in about 1994-5. But it really has nothing to do with my pop life.
2. what is the 'conspiracy' supposed to be? what is the controversy? the list of records is probably just as silly and dull as the usual list of records, non?
3. I have never heard Adele or Burial, who / which seem to be the most discussed names on that thread.
4. I haven't heard the new Portishead LP either, which some people seem to like; I doubt I would like it if I did.

People on ilx have been predicting the demise of CiF for a while, and the time-frame for that seems to keep getting extended.

There are certain areas where a blog actually makes sense for newspapers. Political campaign, for instance, has lots of stories that are either not worthy enough for a full piece, or absolute breaking and in need of analysis there and then. Funnily enough, writing about The Cool Kids and Maps doesn't require either of these things.

xxp

that is an insult to the many fine semi-pro music bloggers out there (xposts to matt dc)

maybe the blog system should be reserved more for useful news/info rather than casual opinion/rebuffs...but there's comments boxes for pretty much all articles now anyway so not much difference

I didn't read the Jude Rogers piece incidentally, it's just the whole Comment Is Free experiment hasn't really worked. I'd be surprised if they didn't pull the plug on the whole thing in the next couple of years.

(xpost haha)

1. No
2. Internet mentalists be picking up on pointless details and being generally mental
3. Yes but you are the Pinefox
4. Probably not

I give it a week.

xp.

NON STOP BLOGGING
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/jul/23/1

"I am very happy to be breaking down boundaries, stepping on toes, genre-bending and throwing everything up in the air - all in a blog."

3. I have never heard Adele or Burial, who / which seem to be the most discussed names on that thread.
4. I haven't heard the new Portishead LP either, which some people seem to like; I doubt I would like it if I did.

no offence intended but is it worth mentioning what you haven't heard? we'd rather hear about what you have heard. peace brother.

otoh if djmartian would like to list all the 2008 albums he hasn't heard he is most welcome

i don't see what is so bad about CiF. what's that? it's not proper journalism? OH NOES

You could actually make a fairly convincing argument that it's detrimental to the brand equity of the Guardian.

^basically this

And that's the people in the comments box as much as the people blogging.

(loves, er, Oasis)

NME has been sucking the Gallagher's collective dick for the past 15 years, does the 'er' finally indicate that they've realised what a pile of baabaa they've been for at least 10 of those?

Maybe maybe, but everyone else is doing it too so brand equity presumably remains constant in that respect. xpost

I mentioned what I hadn't heard as a reason that I don't understand what people are upset or excited about. I find it hard to believe that people really are upset or excited about the Mercury Prize. I really do find that hard to believe.

if the controversy / conspiracy is just www mentalism and nobody cares about the prize, then why is this thread nearly 600 posts long or something? is it just cos we like reading DJ Martian?

I don't know if 'equity' is the right word, but otherwise I agree with DC - I wrote the Gdn some lengthy emails arguing this case.

I mean, if you base the appeal of your newspaper around the fact that it's a liberal (small l) vaguely left-leaning paper, or even centrist these days, for a more intelligent reader, and then the website is full of rabid right-wing trolls and people spouting off incoherently about all sorts of nonsense, it's not exactly a great advert is it?