From Culturedeluxe

 

Elbow have won the Mercury Music Prize for 2008 with their album `The Seldom Seen Kid`.

 

The album, which received a rare ten stars on this site from Ben Goldrun upon its release in March beat the bookies favourite `Untrue` by Burial

 

"Thankyou...very much" said a clearly chuffed Guy Garvey collecting the award. "This is quite literally the best thing that`s ever happened to us. I know I`m supposed to be cool and say something coy...We`d like to dedicate this award to our friend Bryan Glancy because he was won of the greatest men that ever lived."

 

"We had a sweepstake before, I had Neon Neon." revealed bassist Pete Turner later before handing a tenner to guitarist Mark Potter.

 

`The Seldom Seen Kid` is Elbow`s fourth record and, at a time when band`s often find themselves on a downward trajectory, it`s a remarkable accomplishment and a timely recognition for a band who have been together in some shape or form for an impressive eighteen years.

 

Sales of the album are expected to soar over the course of this week as tardy fans log onto iTunes, pop into HMV or surreptitiously pilfer a copy from their mate.

 

Congratulations go out to Elbow - thoroughly deserving recipients.

Edited September 9, 200816 yr by richie

Meh, there really haven't been any good winners since Antony and the Johnson's fabulous "I Am A Bird Now". Burial really should have won. Still, twas to be expected I suppose.

Personally, I'm delighted.

 

I expected Burial to win after Portishead's shocking omission (it was put forward as an entry for those of us who could not believe it failed to make the final shortlist) from the final 12.

 

It makes up for the fact their debut album Asleep At The Back should have won in 2001 when it ironically got beaten by PJ Harvey - Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea won.

 

Ironically, IMHO PJ Harvey's To Bring You My Love should have won when it lost the 1995 Mercury Music Award to Portishead's Dummy album.

 

So for me it seems a case of 3 wrongs making a right - so the Mercury Music Awards seem to be becoming like the Oscars & Grammy's where acts are deservedly winning for inferior material after previously releasing their best work and not winning. :lol:

Fantastic choice! If this can head back to the top ten and Kings Of Leon get to #1 then this will make a brilliant week for music! :cheer:

Wednesday, 10 September 2008 02:56 UK

Elbow enjoy slow-burning success

By Ian Youngs

Music reporter, BBC News

 

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/45003000/jpg/_45003186_-31.jpg

Elbow have released four albums in the last seven years

 

Elbow may not be household names, but they are one of the best-loved bands in the indie scene, and one of the most popular winners of the Nationwide Mercury Prize.

 

When the name Elbow came out of the envelope in host Jools Holland's hand, there was a massive cheer from all corners of the ballroom at the Grosvenor House Hotel, where the ceremony was being held.

 

The band themselves looked stunned, then stood up and embraced, their faces displaying how much the accolade means after 18 years of setbacks and slow-burning success.

 

Their music is heartfelt, romantic, ambitious, melancholy, grand.

 

Their four albums have been consistent in quality and credibility, and continually growing in confidence and scope.

 

They have not courted the mainstream, and have happily continued to sail under the radar of the pop-loving public.

 

Regularly talked up in the press, they have always been the nearly men of rock. Until tonight, that is.

 

"I suppose you could look at it in the same way that certain Bedouin tribes look at a bowl of milk," is frontman Guy Garvey's tongue-in-cheek take on the Mercury win.

"It's something that doesn't occur very often, and it's so much sweeter for it."

 

By turns funny, sincere and mischievous, the portly Garvey, teetering on the line between smart and scruffy, is one of rock's most treasured characters.

 

When he stepped up on stage to accept the Mercury Prize trophy, he didn't attempt to play it cool and hide his satisfaction.

 

And afterwards, he was in his element holding forth with journalists backstage.

 

Asked what they would do with the £20,000 prize money, the five-piece looked at each other before Garvey replies: "Charity."

 

The cheeky grin suggested that charity might be the hotel bar.

 

And when asked about the band's tough journey, he replied: "It's a bit strange to talk about music as hard work.

"We love what we do but nearly everyone we've ever met works harder than we ever have.

"Having said that, it's been a long time that we've been doing it and this is a cause for celebration. I'm just so very proud that we've been working together this long to this end."

 

The band formed in college in Bury in 1990, signing to a major label in 1997 and recording an album.

 

But they were dropped soon after and the record did not see the light of day.

That was not the only setback the band have had to overcome.

 

More recently, they were embroiled in a legal dispute with their record label V2 during the making of The Seldom Seen Kid, before moving to Fiction, the home of Snow Patrol, Ian Brown and Kate Nash.

 

And personally, the band lost one of their best friends, Manchester singer Bryan Glancy, who died at the age of 39 two years ago.

 

'Great friend'

 

The award was dedicated to him, just as the album is - he is, in fact, the Seldom Seen Kid referred to in the title, Garvey revealed.

"You don't get any more seldom seen than when you're not alive any more, and I think he would have appreciated the gallows humour in that," Garvey says.

Suddenly serious, Garvey continues: "I miss him every day. He was a great man and he should be stood here in many ways.

"That very heavy trophy there is going to be sat on Mandy Glancy's mantelpiece, his mum, because she's a particularly amazing lady."

 

After 18 years together, Elbow have kept going where other bands would have given up - and what's more, they actually still seem to like each other.

 

So what is their secret? "Are you happy for me to answer this?" Garvey turns to his bandmates, making a gentle joke about band relations.

 

"Respect for each other," he says. "Respect and love and friendship, and we all really get a kick out of sleep deprivation, which is essential if you're going to be in a band together."

 

They give the impression they will be happy to continue ploughing their own fertile furrow for a long time yet.

 

Any awards like this will be a welcome bonus, but they don't mind being the underdogs.

 

Sometimes it is great to see that the good guys can win?

 

 

I expected Burial to win after Portishead's shocking omission (it was put forward as an entry for those of us who could not believe it failed to make the final shortlist) from the final 12.

You've got to be joking :mellow: Bloody Adele went in ahead of the gorgeous masterpiece that was Third? :wacko:

 

Still, yes, very ironic I will concede :lol:

You have to wonder if the Mercury panel have any idea about music.

 

Is the Mercury panel's role to honour the best British album of the year? Elbow certainly haven't released the best album of the year. So many other thoroughly deserving acts. It's ridiculous tbh and irritating. If only there were some alternative...

You have to wonder if the Mercury panel have any idea about music.

 

Is the Mercury panel's role to honour the best British album of the year? Elbow certainly haven't released the best album of the year. So many other thoroughly deserving acts. It's ridiculous tbh and irritating. If only there were some alternative...

It's not just the 'best' they have many things they judge them including of course musical quality they have innovation etc.

 

To be fair it is one of the best albums of the year, one of the top five of the year and been critically acclaimed across the board! Klaxons is the only winner that I'd disagree with of recent years anywhere!

 

Elbow really deserve to be a lot bigger than they are and hopefully this can do it!

 

It is supposed to be an alternative anyway to the brit awards where it's just basically 'congratulations on selling a million albums' or the 'Duffy awards' as it'll be next year..

Edited September 10, 200816 yr by Grandwicky

a great album.

i m glad about them

would have been better if it was Laura Marling who won, but The Seldom Seen Kid is still a good album.

 

I heard Conor McNicholas is on the panel so we shouldnt take it too seriously.

Conor McNicholas is always on the panel, despite having the musical knowledge and appreciation of a spotty sixteen year old.

 

I noticed Lauren Laverne was reduced to presenting the BBC coverage this year instead of judging...clearly they didn't want another bunch of zeitgeist-chasers picking Klaxons again.

 

I thought Elbow were deserved winners - four albums in and still consistently great? Why not recognise someone that continually delivers (oops, sorry Radiohead).

I wouldn't even come close to putting Elbow in my top five albums of the year. =/ I agree with Jake; I really doubt that whoever judges this thing really have that great of an idea about music.

 

Burial clearly should have won. Even then, though, there were better albums.

I'm really pleased Elbow won!

I would've been pleased if British Sea Power had won as well -_-

I'm glad to see this brilliant band finally getting some recognition. Really pleased for them.

 

Their first two albums are the greatest though.

Salford's finest.

The only track on this album that is any good is "Grounds For Divorce", the track sticks out like a sore thumb amongst the rest. I did own this album, based on PS's 9/10 review, but sold it soon after.

 

Even if this album was a steaming hot pile of $h!t, it would still get rave reviews. Why on earth goes Guy Harvey in the GFD video repeatedly bang on the table a pint glass of beer EVERY TIME the chorus kicks in!!?.

Edited September 10, 200816 yr by Marcus