Mercury Music Prize 2008 tittle-tattle aggregator

ELBOW SELECTOR: We speak exclusively to Simon Frith about how he came to this decision.

A humerus look at the Mercury Prize

I've never heard Elbow

I've only just realised that Elbow aren't Doves, and now I have no idea who they are.

Don't worry, they are Doves really.

I felt very Pol Pot on Tuesday evening for sure and it's probably just as well ILx wasn't up at the time to allow things to cool down a little.

Lauren Laverne reported "disappeared"

Watching 6Music DJ Lauren Laverne lickarse 6Music DJ Guy Garvey on Tuesday night was the most offensive thing I've ever seen on TV and I've duly written to OFFTHETELLY or whatever the broadcasting regulation commission is now called.

I put my boot through each respective arse and sent 6Music the cleaning bill

HOW DARE THIS BROADSHEET-FRIENDLY INOFFENSIVE COMPROMISE CHOICE ALBUM WIN THIS BROADSHEET-FRIENDLY INOFFENSIVE COMPROMISE TYPE PRIZE?!!!

YOURS,

A VERY ANGRY MAN

Burial reported "middle class" at the findings.

That is, if they'd managed to find Burial.

Burial was apparently in a hotel over the road.

He loves his Little Chef mega-deals.

From the Mercury HYS thread:

Instead of watching a show that really only served one purpose- to add to the endless list of rather tiresome accolades a musician or group of musicians can get, I watched Maestro instead, which was not only entertaining, but served to create a deeper awareness of classical music to people who would not be as likely to listen to it. Indeed, classical music has existed for a long time, whereas ten years from now, people will have forgotten modern musicians.

Hannah, Bristol

But Maestro was on BBC2 as well, immediately before the Mercuries show.

Classical music listeners are only allowed to watch one hour of television every other day, and none at all if it's on ITV.

You guys can hate all you want but deep down you know that classical music has existed for longer than modern music

TV's Bradley Walsh has existed for longer than Sue Perkins. Does that necessarily make him better?

He is though

Fair enough.

I'm just glad that jolly frolics Daily Mail-friendly Jane Asher missed the final count.

Maestro might be fine if it was an elimination contest for actual composers and not just whichever slebs are free and willing. I don't care that they get to learn how to do something new and isn't that great for them and also maybe we learn something about ourselves and our capabilities as Ordinary People at the same time. FUCK OFF.

Maybe they should have been made to conduct the full 60-minute version of Goldie's "Mother."