Mercury Music Prize

[geordierussell]

Once again Ginger has been overlooked for a major award. I was hoping that VdC would have been on the shortlist for the Mercury Music Award, but once again media dahlings are up there.

rant over

[Damian]

One slight problem... the record companies actually have to put the album forward, which I doubt happened. But then they also have to pay - which is a good reason not to do it.

Even then, thousands become 150, then the judges turn 150 albums into 12. The odds aren't great unless you're a record company with plenty of money to fritter...

Never mind, perhaps the Howling Willy C**t album can be put forward for next year!

[geordierussell]

And people say Italian football is corrupt....

I hate the way the music industry works.

[Ross]

Ginger has chosen to "Opt-out" of the music business and release things himself by his own means. Therefore, he will never be nominated or win music industry prizes.

[Still PHUQed]

Ginger has chosen to "Opt-out" of the music business and release things himself by his own means. Therefore, he will never be nominated or win music industry prizes.

And rightly so. I was explaining the concept of a "fan base" to a friend at the weekend who has got tickets to see Shayne Ward with his girlfriend.

It always bugs me when these X-Factor, Pop Idol, Fame Academy wannabes thank their fans... what fans? They have fans of the television programme theiy're appearing on, not fans of them or their music.

Will Young and that bloke from Fame Academy (Lemar or Limhal or whatever his sodding name is) are the only 2 that seem to have longevity. Hear Say, Steve thingy-majigy who won last year, Gareth Gates et al ??

Ginger has fans. REAL fans. His next album (or Wildhearts album if the rumours are correct) may be the biggest piece of crap ever recorded but he'll get my money on a pre-order long before I ever get to hear anything from it. Why? I'm a fan. The same reason why I bought Motley Crue's "New Tattoo" album on the day of release and spent many months bitchin' about how crap it was.

Who needs the sanctimonious praise of your own record label when you have people that will part with their hard earned money, travel to see you play, buy your merchandise at the gig and pay your mortgage for you? That's a fan.

I know Ginger has always been troubled by the fact both he and The Wildhearts never got the "popular" recognition their music deserves. "I'll never get the money that they got".

As far as I'm concerned, keep Ginger off the "popular" radar. I like him where he is. Those who need to know about him do (and believe me, I spread the word). Last thing I want is to hear is a Ginger track playing in a wine bar. I'll have him on my MP3 platyer and blasting out of my car stereo where he belongs.

He doesn't need the recognition of "the Industry" when he has us.

Keep it up Ginger. You keep recording, I'll buy it. You keep touring, I'll be there. And there are many more behind me (and in front of me) who will do the same!!

[Wilddan1]

I couldn't have put it better myself mate!

[Damian]

As far as I'm concerned, keep Ginger off the "popular" radar. I like him where he is. Those who need to know about him do (and believe me, I spread the word). Last thing I want is to hear is a Ginger track playing in a wine bar. I'll have him on my MP3 platyer and blasting out of my car stereo where he belongs.

He doesn't need the recognition of "the Industry" when he has us.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGH!

Sorry, but Ginger has never wanted less than mass recognition (to my knowledge). I remember his Radio 1 set where he was urging people to buy Sick Of Drugs saying "We want to be in the realms of The Bluetones and Pulp" (both huge at the time).

The last thing in the world I want is to encourage the "ghetto mentality" where you have to be 'good enough' to listen to it. That sort of thing brings on the diminishing returns that many long-standing bands have. There's nothing more depressing than watching, say, New Model Army play year in, year out to the same group of ever-diminishing fans. (I don't especially care for their music but that's not my point)

Music is for everyone. I haven't been in a McDonalds for 15 years but if they wanted to play Ginger in there, great.

And I bet if Ginger had been nominated for the Mercury everyone would have been queuing up to say how great it was. Personally, I can take or leave awards but I've gone long past caring vehemently pro or anti them, and I wouldn't have said anything different if it had been on the shortlist.

It might be pie-in-the-sky but for any act I like, I want to see them in the venues that suit them best. For Ginger's music, that for me would be arenas with ruddy great pyro displays and a PA designed by Marshall himself. Bring it on...

[Damian]

I should have paid attention when I first wrote that. I've fixed the post now - the first bit made so little sense it confused what I was trying to say...

[Nik]

It always bugs me when these X-Factor, Pop Idol, Fame Academy wannabes thank their fans... what fans? They have fans of the television programme theiy're appearing on, not fans of them or their music.

Just to make what will probably be quite an unpopular comment - Alex Parks has quite the genuine fan base. (Holds hand up unashamedly) Although she's taking the Ginger-esque indie route and doing things herself from the sound of it after refusing to be turned into some throwaway cash-cow for Polydor...

I read about the nominees for the Mercury prize and had quite the rant about it myself. I mean, these awards things are usualy a load of crap anyway - but my two main issues over the nominees:

1. Thom Yorke? Thom Yorke whose album has been out for approximately one week? The pretentious wanker? Quelle surprise...

2. Scritti Politti???? I recall them having one song..."Oh Patti" in about 1988. Surely to nominate them is just...are they having a laugh??

[SteveP]

I read about the nominees for the Mercury prize and had quite the rant about it myself. I mean, these awards things are usualy a load of crap anyway - but my two main issues over the nominees:

1. Thom Yorke? Thom Yorke whose album has been out for approximately one week? The pretentious wanker? Quelle surprise...

2. Scritti Politti???? I recall them having one song..."Oh Patti" in about 1988. Surely to nominate them is just...are they having a laugh??

That's the problem with the award sytem in the entertainment industry, why do you think such a big thing is made of the categories that they say are "Voted for by you"
The music industry suits restrict who we vote for for these awards because they want us to buy the shite that they've invested in because at the end of the day, that's all they care about, f***ing money.
Even Kerrang and their awards are pretty restrictive on who were vote for.
The same thing happens in tv, not being partial to all the celebrity backslapping and all round arseyness of the whole thing, but how did Eastenders which bases the whole programme around death, misery, crime and all that shyte end up winning nearly all the awards over Coronation St????

Scritti Politti????, didn't know they were still going??, shows how long I've been out of the pop loop

Thom Yorke??, does that mean we're gonna be subjected to a one man misey party album as opposed to the 4 or 5 man (how many are there in Radiohead??)

[Damian]

At the risk of being controversial (for a change), Scritti Politti were always purveyors of well above average pop, and the fact that the singer has now found the courage to perform live has brought them to peoples' attention. And I really like the Thom Yorke record... variety is the spice of life.

That's why I never really bother about award ceremonies - unless there was just one in the whole world, judged by some superior being that could accurately quantify what makes good music, it's always going to be subjective, 'industry' involvement or not...

[Col]

Sorry, but Ginger has never wanted less than mass recognition (to my knowledge)

Totally agree.

I remember his Radio 1 set where he was urging people to buy Sick Of Drugs saying "We want to be in the realms of The Bluetones and Pulp" (both huge at the time).

That's on Anarchic Airwaves and I took that as tongue in cheek.

[Damian]

I remember his Radio 1 set where he was urging people to buy Sick Of Drugs saying "We want to be in the realms of The Bluetones and Pulp" (both huge at the time).

That's on Anarchic Airwaves and I took that as tongue in cheek.

The bands might have been (although he was a big fan of stuff like Supergrass - good man - so perhaps not) but the sentiment certainly wasn't!

[Col]

yup