An ongoing post, as Chig watches the launch on ITV2...

Hurrah! At last! The Brit Awards show is going to be live on our TVs again, for the first time since 1989. Hurrah again! We love the unpredictability. Presented by Russell Brand. Thrice hurrah! It's on St. Valentine's night. That should cause a few arguments across the country. Thank goodness for singledom.

Performing on the night: Amy Winehouse / Snow Patrol / The Killers / Corinne Bailey Rae / Take That / Red Hot Chili Peppers / Scissor Sisters / oasis

No superstar collaborations as yet. I hope they will come later.

Outstanding Contribution Award: oasis
Hmm. Leaving aside the fact that the Gallaghers' egos hardly need feeding, this seems rather too soon. They haven't split up yet. Still, as the Spice Girls were given this award, it was completely devalued anyway.

There's a very modern innovation with this next award.

British Single:
For the first time, this is to be decided on the night, presumably by a televote. (Chig's alter ego writes: What else could it be, you fool? A show of hands in the hall? An 'It's A Knockout' style contest between the nominees, live on stage? Tsk.)

Put Your Records On - Corinne Bailey Rae
Fill My Little World - The Feeling (Not even the best of their own four singles.)
A Moment Like This - Leona Lewis
You Give Me Something - James Morrison
She Moves In Her Own Way - The Kooks
Smile - Lily Allen
America - Razorlight
I Wish I Was A Punk Rocker (With Flowers In My Hair) - Sandi Thom
Chasing Cars - Snow Patrol
Patience - Take That
All Time Love - Will Young (Yes, it was only released in January 2006. It seems much older.)

British Album:
Black Holes and Revelations - Muse
Back To Black - Amy Winehouse (Currently the UK's number 1 album.)
Eyes Open - Snow Patrol (The UK's biggest seller of 2006.)
Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not - Arctic Monkeys
Alright, Still - Lily Allen

And where, may I ask, is The Feeling's 'Twelve Stops and Home'?

British Male:
James Morrison / Jarvis Cocker / Lemar / Thom Yorke / Paolo Nutini

British Female:
Amy Winehouse / Lily Allen / Corinne Bailey Rae / Jamelia / Nerina Pallot

British Group:
Snow Patrol / Muse / Kasabian / Razorlight / Arctic Monkeys (Last year's British Breakthrough winners)
WHERE THE HELL ARE THE FEELING?!

International Album:
St. Elsewhere - Gnarls Barkley / Futuresex/Lovesounds - Justin Timberlake /
Modern Times - Bob Dylan / Ta-dah - Scissor Sisters / Sam's Town - The Killers

British Breakthrough Act:
The Kooks / James Morrison / Corinne Bailey Rae / The Fratellis / Lily Allen
WHERE THE HELL ARE THE FEELING???!!!???!!! AGAIN!

British Live Act:
Robbie Williams / Kasabian / George Michael / Guillemots / Muse

Where are Take That?

International Male:
Jack Johnson (Last year's International Breakthrough winner.) / Damien Rice / Bob Dylan / Justin Timberlake and, of course, Beck. (It's good to see that some things never change. Does Beck sponsor this award? He must have beaten Annie Lennox's nomination tally by now, surely? He's won this three times, in 1997, 1999 and 2000. I have a feeling he's been nominated every year, in-between and since.)

International Female:
Beyoncé / Pink / Nelly Furtado / Christina Aguilera....and Cat Power. A nation screams 'WHO?????'

International Group:
The Killers / Gnarls Barkley / Scissor Sisters / The Flaming Lips / Red Hot Chili Peppers

International Breakthrough:
Gnarls Barkley / The Raconteurs / Wolfmother / Ray LaMontagne / Orson

I have a sneaking admiration for Wolfmother. I've only seen them on TV a couple of times, but never has a combination of wailing and MASSIVE hair made such an impression on me. Good luck to them.

Labels: Brit Awards, Brits

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