The View tipped for Mercury shock
An organisation working to nurture Scots bands believes Dundee group The View could spring a shock and win Britain’s most prestigious contemporary music award.
Alec Downie, of New Music in Scotland, said The View’s Nationwide Mercury Prize nomination is a “massive achievement that puts them in a very small, exclusive club of respected artists”.
The band has been shortlisted for their number-one selling debut album Hats Off To The Buskers, and will go head-to-head with Arctic Monkeys and Amy Winehouse for the £20,000 prize.
William Hill have made Hats Off To The Buskers outsiders at 16/1 with Amy Winehouse 2/1 favourite, but Mr Downie believes The View could leave the experts with egg on their faces.
“The Mercury Awards began in 1992 as an independent alternative to the Brit Awards and subsequently have become nearly as big an event as the Brits in terms of Press, media coverage and exposure, however they have been able to retain some of their indie cool by consistently nominating albums that have artistic credibility as opposed to sales figures,” he said.
“Gaining a nomination is as much a compliment to The View’s artistic status as their commercial success or talent and to have one so early on in their career is a massive achievement that puts them in a very small, exclusive club of respected artists.
“The View have shown they have the ability to write good songs that have captured the imagination of a generation of youth in the way Oasis or The Libertines did before them and, more importantly, whilst comparisons will be made to their predecessors, they have done so with a sound that is fresh, modern and captivating.
“People have been trying to second guess the Mercury panel for years and in general they end up with copious amounts of egg on their face. Any nomination stands a chance and each of the 12 nominees have differing strengths or appeal and a look at the history of the event shows the odd curve ball being fired in.
“So why not give it to a bunch of kids from Dundee that know how to truly rip it up in the best traditions of rock n roll?”
As well as being a huge honour, the nomination should also provide a major boost to sales of Hats Off To The Buskers, particularly if they win the award at the ceremony in September.
Evening Telegraph, 15th August 2007
Link courtesy of Gang Of Ginq
Alec Downie, of New Music in Scotland, said The View’s Nationwide Mercury Prize nomination is a “massive achievement that puts them in a very small, exclusive club of respected artists”.
The band has been shortlisted for their number-one selling debut album Hats Off To The Buskers, and will go head-to-head with Arctic Monkeys and Amy Winehouse for the £20,000 prize.
William Hill have made Hats Off To The Buskers outsiders at 16/1 with Amy Winehouse 2/1 favourite, but Mr Downie believes The View could leave the experts with egg on their faces.
“The Mercury Awards began in 1992 as an independent alternative to the Brit Awards and subsequently have become nearly as big an event as the Brits in terms of Press, media coverage and exposure, however they have been able to retain some of their indie cool by consistently nominating albums that have artistic credibility as opposed to sales figures,” he said.
“Gaining a nomination is as much a compliment to The View’s artistic status as their commercial success or talent and to have one so early on in their career is a massive achievement that puts them in a very small, exclusive club of respected artists.
“The View have shown they have the ability to write good songs that have captured the imagination of a generation of youth in the way Oasis or The Libertines did before them and, more importantly, whilst comparisons will be made to their predecessors, they have done so with a sound that is fresh, modern and captivating.
“People have been trying to second guess the Mercury panel for years and in general they end up with copious amounts of egg on their face. Any nomination stands a chance and each of the 12 nominees have differing strengths or appeal and a look at the history of the event shows the odd curve ball being fired in.
“So why not give it to a bunch of kids from Dundee that know how to truly rip it up in the best traditions of rock n roll?”
As well as being a huge honour, the nomination should also provide a major boost to sales of Hats Off To The Buskers, particularly if they win the award at the ceremony in September.
Evening Telegraph, 15th August 2007
Link courtesy of Gang Of Ginq
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