World of Chig   

7.9.05

It’s none of my business, but, if it were, I would probably give tonight’s Nationwide Mercury Music Prize to The Go! Team. Their album, Thunder, Lightning, Strike is the one of the twelve which has caused the most joy and dancing around Chig Mansions, and that’s reason enough for me.

We’ll have no complaints if it goes to Kaiser Chiefs or Hard-Fi, as both of those albums are brilliant too, but as the point of the Mercury seems to be to ‘promote’ British music, I’d rather it went to someone who hasn’t yet had the success they deserve. The Go! Team have been mentioned in all the right places, but no one’s buying. My boyfriend Dermot even plugs them on his radio show, but to no avail. They need the publicity. Give it to them.

Having said that, I am now about to contradict myself, but it’s my blog and I’m allowed, so there. The one contender who really MUST NOT BE ALLOWED to win tonight is/are Antony & The Johnsons. Their album is without doubt the best of the lot, but I’m having a personal relationship with it – it’s the only one of the twelve which has made me cry, for instance – and the last thing I want is for the public to get their grubby little hands on it and make them famous. People would probably go and discover The Dresden Dolls next, and then my life would be ruined. Have I told you I never liked Scissor Sisters?

So, The Go! Team it must be, with their uncategorisable brand of all-over-the-place shouty pop. There, I’ve categorised it – it’s all-over-the-place shouty pop. What more do you need to know?

The Magic Numbers will win.

Meanwhile, over at Popjustice, and the rather more important Twenty Quid Music Prize, the Chig vote goes to Robbie Williams' Radio. But it’s too late to vote now. The ‘judges’ are probably picking the winner out of a hat at this very moment. Just like the Mercury judges will do later. (Oh, come on, you don’t think anyone seriously liked Dizzee Rascal, do you?)


22:30 Damn!/Fantastic! Antony & The Johnsons won. Well deserved, but now I'll have to answer the 'who are they?'. 'what are they like?' questions at work tomorrow...


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