Mercury Prize
I think I dropped out of keeping up with new artists and music releases sometime about 1997 (and I’ve got the the MusicMobs playlist to prove it), probably the last album I bought was Pulp’s This Is Hardcore. Occasionally, I would (always to my horror and unending regret) inadvertently catch the tail-end of something from Operaćion Triunfo or the latest one-hit wonder and it always seemed meaningless and devoid of should somehow. Maybe I was listening to the wrong thing but if there was any searing political comment or the punk spirit out there I somehow missed it.
To me, music has always been bound up with some sub-culture (or even counter-culture on a good day) movement like punk, hippies or whatever. I’m not talking about any specific music genre but a movement - ie something that was going forward, being ‘driven’ somewhere. And by someone other than record company marketing execs. Anyway, for the last 5 years or so I had washed my hands of contemporary music, just listened to all my retro stuff on my iPod in the gym and gave up any hope that there would ever be anything exciting ever again (while taking great care to avoid TV and Radio as much as possible - this is always a good health move in any case btw).
But then last night, through a series of strange and convoluted events, I found myself obliged to watch the Mercury Music Prize.
As I was clearly going to be obliged to endure it, I settled into a trance-like meditative state and ‘absented myself’ (as you do) but then a strange thing happened - I started enjoying one of the bands who had been nominated and were playing. As I say, I wasn’t really ‘present’ but this kind of brought me back to earth in time for the next band and it was then I noticed something strange: they seemed to be real musicians who were actually believing in what they do. I started paying more attention and it happened again. By the time of the end of the show I was shocked and awed - not only had I heard on of the most amazing tracks I’ve heard for years and years from the eventual winners Antony and the Johnsons (as well as an unbelievable performance - words cannot express it - just amazing) but my faith in music had been completely restored.
It was like a mystical experience (after I’d stopped the meditating) and it had the same quasi-religious overtones, I was left with the unshakeable feeling (that I still have this morning) that something has started. I can’t tell what it is yet (but then perhaps I don’t relate to it, am too old or maybe the ‘meme’ is not yet developed. maybe there isn’t one even!) but something is definitely going on. It’s started and in some way it is perhaps political though not overtly so. the most I can conceive it of being so far is that it is a ‘reclaiming’ of music form soul-less and greedy marketing. Kind of saying: “Enough - Music is ours we’re taking it back and we don’t need your labels: folk, rap, rock, ballads - it’s all just music. You stole it and now we’re taking it back.’ Another refreshing thing was an (almost) complete lack of concern for image - kind of an anti-pop star sort of vibe.
Anyway, check out Antony and the Johnsons’ I am a bird now
Also absolutely brilliant was Seth Lakeman
Also impressive were the Magic Numbers
This has been a revelation to me. Maybe it’s been going on for a while and I missed it. My faith is restored though and that’s what it’s all about.
