On The Record

Here’s the Choice Music Prize shortlist

January 14, 2009 @ 3:15 pm | by Jim Carroll

The following acts and albums have been nominated for the Choice Music Prize for Irish Album of the Year 2008 (acts in alphabetical order)

Fight Like Apes “Fight Like Apes and the Mystery of the Golden Medallion” (Model Citizen)
Mick Flannery “White Lies” (EMI)
Halfset “Another Way of Being There” (Casino Gravity Records)
Lisa Hannigan “Sea Sew” (Own label)
David Holmes “The Holy Pictures” (Canderblinks)
Jape “Ritual” (Co-Op)
Messiah J & The Expert “From The Word Go” (Inaudible)
Oppenheimer “Take The Whole Mid-Range And Boost It” (Fantastic Plastic)
R.S.A.G. “Organic Sampler” (Psychonavigation)
The Script “The Script” (Sony Music)

The live event will take place in Vicar Street, Dublin on Wednesday March 4 and will feature performances from as many of the acts who can play on the night as possible (we’ll be announcing the full details in the next few weeks). Tickets, priced €27 euro including booking fees, go on sale on Monday next. This is the same ticket price as last year and the year before. Recession, what recession?

The winning act will receive a cheque for €10,000 (courtesy of the Irish Recorded Music Association and the Irish Music Rights Organisation) and a smashing piece of glassware (courtesy of industry body Recorded Artists & Performers).

The shortlist is selected by a panel of 12 men and women, good and true, drawn from the ranks of those who write about and/or talk about music for a living. They compile their individual Top 10 lists and we combine the results, giving 10 points to the album at number one in each list, 9 points to the album at number 2 and so on right down to one point for the album at number 10.

As has happened every year, these judges have stayed schtum about their involvment in the project until now. A lot of people wonder why we keep their identities under wraps and it’s simply to ensure that there is no canvassing from PRs or labels and that the judges can come up with the shortlist without any third party pressure whatsoever. As simple as that.

Anyway, the judges who came up with this shortlist and will have the final decision on March 4 are:

Niall Byrne (State/Nialler9 blog)
Edel Coffey (Irish Independent)
Ian Dempsey (Today FM)
James Foley (Record of the Day)
Andrew Hamilton (Clare People)
Kieran Hurley (Cork Campus Radio)
Paul Mallon (Irish Daily Star Sunday)
Lauren Murphy (Entertainment.ie)
Sinead Ni Mhorda (Phantom FM)
Ed Power (Freelance)
Rigsy (BBC Northern Ireland’s Across The Line/ATL TV)
Ian Wilson (2FM)

Declaration of interest to keep everyone happy: I’m the co-founder of this yoke and am also the non-voting chairman of the judging panel.

191 Comments »

January 14, 2009
3:18 pm

*yawn*

Comment by Naomi

January 14, 2009
3:22 pm

Bar nods to the mainstream - The Script, and mainstreamish(??) - Mick Flannery (hey, I haven’t heard either record so can’t say nowt), that’s a pretty fair list.

Particularly pleased for R.S.A.G, Halfset and Oppenheimer.

My money’s on the boy Holmes.

Comment by Padraic

January 14, 2009
3:25 pm

Naomi - late night, yeah?

Padraic - and here are the odds from Paddy Power

3/1 The Script - The Script
9/2 Lisa Hannigan - Sea Sew
9/2 Fight Like Apes - Fight Like Apes and the Mystery of the Golden
Medallion
5/1 Jape - Ritual
7/1 David Holmes - The Holy Pictures
8/1 Mick Flannery - White Lies
10/1 Halfset - Another Way of Being There
12/1 Messiah J & The Expert - From The Word Go
12/1 Oppenheimer - Take The Whole Mid-Range And Boost It
16/1 R.S.A.G. - Organic Sampler

Comment by Jim Carroll

January 14, 2009
3:25 pm

I’ll have some of that 5/1 on Jape thank you very much

Comment by Sean D

January 14, 2009
3:26 pm

Surprised that Adebisi Shank didn’t make the list.

Comment by Joe

January 14, 2009
3:26 pm

I say ‘pretty fair’, I’d still have Adebisi Shank, Katie Kim and the MASSIVE omission of Chequerboard in there but could be worse. Ahem.. Snow Patrol.

Comment by Padraic

January 14, 2009
3:27 pm

Delighted to see Lisa Hannigan and Messiah J and the Expert there. Mick Flannery’s album was great too. Surprised though that One Day International aren’t there - I’d have thought they were favourites.

I’d say it’s FLA vs The Script in the most probable stakes there…

Comment by Darragh Doyle

January 14, 2009
3:28 pm

Joe - I think it was too short to be nominated?

Comment by Sean D

January 14, 2009
3:28 pm

You know me, Jim, early to bed, early to rise, up with the birds looking for the new, the original, the interesting.

Compared to last year that list is fucking boring.

Comment by Naomi

10.

January 14, 2009
3:29 pm

Good list!
I am not a Script fan but I am delighted Mjex, RSAG, Oppenheimer and Mick Flannery are all nominated though.

Comment by Dani

11.

January 14, 2009
3:29 pm

Cheers Jim, I need midnight to come pretty sharpish so the auld pay cheque can buy milk/ credit and get some MJEX and RSAG action aswell before their odds tumble Si Schroeder style.

3/1 for The Script. Ah c’mon Paddy…

Comment by Padraic

12.

January 14, 2009
3:30 pm

No Adebisi = outrage from me. That is all.

Comment by Liam

13.

January 14, 2009
3:31 pm

When will the organisers of this this wake up and cast their net a bit wider? A few people mentioned Hayes and Cahill (on a hiding to nothing there), and it’s a bit sad that there isn’t even a token trad album here (it is after all the top IRISH album).

Comment by Scutch

14.

January 14, 2009
3:36 pm

I know that everyone can’t make it onto the list and that judges can’t nominate an album they’ve never heard but I would just like to say, it’s a pity Katie Kim’s album 12 didn’t make the cut.

Comment by bren

15.

January 14, 2009
3:37 pm

Usen’t there be a long-list for Choice? Any chance of a gander if there was one this year?

Comment by Laura

16.

January 14, 2009
3:38 pm

i wa surprised to read that it was the judges who came up with the shortlist… i thought that these two elements were separated?… obviously not…

i would like jape to win it… i think that he shows some obvious quality where some of the others are just pretenders…

Comment by Ally

17.

January 14, 2009
3:39 pm

Laura - no, there’s no “long list”. There is a list we keep of Irish albums released during the year (180 albums or so in 2008) which the judges can request to jog their memories but it is not a long list because not all the judges bother with it.

Comment by Jim Carroll

18.

January 14, 2009
3:46 pm

Yes, very surprised they didn’t at least put a token trad or electronic album on there.
Maybe that’s a good sign that at least the judges were voting for what they really liked, and not what they ’should’ like.

Still massively disappointed that Adebisi Shank, Crayonsmith, Chequerboard and The Vinny Club didn’t even make the nomination list

Comment by Pee

19.

January 14, 2009
3:46 pm

Do judges pick 10 albums each or how does it work Jim?

And can you confirm if Adebisi Shank was too short? I thought it was ok based on the numbers of tracks on the album?

Comment by Joe

20.

January 14, 2009
3:48 pm

Really disappointed that Burning Codes/Spook of the 13th Lock/The Gorgeous Colours all missed the boat. Surely the Script is a joke though? U2 must be a shoe in for next year.

Comment by hugger

21.

January 14, 2009
3:48 pm

Everyone calm down and actually READ the post above again, especially the paragraph which goes:

The shortlist is selected by a panel of 12 men and women, good and true, drawn from the ranks of those who write about and/or talk about music for a living. They compile their individual Top 10 lists and we combine the results, giving 10 points to the album at number one in each list, 9 points to the album at number 2 and so on right down to one point for the album at number 10.

This is what happens every year. It’s as simple as that. The 10 albums with the highest scores make the shortlist. There is no token trad album or token jazz album or token Ukranian Celtic Trance album. To recap, the 10 highest scoring albums make the list.

And Adebisi Shank were perfectly entitled to be there - they just didn’t get enough votes. It happens - just ask Michael McDowell.

Comment by Jim Carroll

22.

January 14, 2009
3:50 pm

What am I going to do with 4,000 “I’m Not Entirely Clear How I Was Shortlisted for This” t-shirts?

If I’ve learnt anything from this, it’s not to release anything before June.

Does the full list of votes get published? Or would that be a bad thing?

Comment by emmet

23.

January 14, 2009
3:53 pm

Looking down the list of names, I find them to be entirely outrageous, pathetic, uninspiring, and pandering.

Specifically, with the county producing two leaders of their respective countries and therefore considered by many leading local authorities to be the cradle of modern democracy, why is no one from one of the Offaly Express, Offaly Independent, or Offaly Today on the judging panel?

Some Tipp bitterness perhaps?

Regarding the albums, surely Bon Iver qualifies for residency by now and was worth a nod?

Comment by JD

24.

January 14, 2009
3:57 pm

Decent list, and as always not everyone will be happy because X, Y or Z were left off. However the inclusion of the Script is mind-boggling.

Comment by Ronan

25.

January 14, 2009
3:58 pm

who’s this Rigsy chap? Must be on a par with Cher and Prince seen as he gets to only use one name..
Also, does being a national radio DJ necessarily count as being someone who talks about music for a living?
I’m not sure saying “that was the latest from this band, thanks to our sponsor, how about this weather” lends itself to inspired, and/or informed choices when it comes to judging the musical output of artists on this fair isle..
Still, whatever list you choose is always going to have someone up in arms.. perhaps the judges should be forced to listen to EVERY album that comes out in a year - that way ignorance will not stand in the way of TRUE JUSTICE…..

Comment by Liam

26.

January 14, 2009
3:59 pm

The.Script.
I…but…they…it..

Comment by adam

27.

January 14, 2009
4:02 pm

Aside from moaning about who didn’t make it on there, congrats Jim on keeping this going for 4 years. I think the best thing about it the Choice Award is that people are given another reason to think about all the great music being produced in Ireland, shortlisted or not…

Comment by bren

28.

January 14, 2009
4:04 pm

Liam - Looking forward to hearing all about the Drop-D Irish Album of the Year Prize

Comment by Jim Carroll

29.

January 14, 2009
4:19 pm

the Script?

Naomi’s yawn + 1

Comment by frank

30.

January 14, 2009
4:20 pm

I think the honourable result of 8 outta 10 earns me at least a free ticket and a Paddy Power betting token, eh Jim?

Comment by Dan

31.

January 14, 2009
4:24 pm

Dan - you got 7 right. See comment 51 on the other post.

The person who got 8 of the shortlist right was Dani (comment 52)

Comment by Jim Carroll

32.

January 14, 2009
4:26 pm

Just a few q’s regarding the prize? How well do the winners do from winning this award apart from the obvious cash prize? do album sales and gig attendance tend torise significantly? Does the award get any coverage in the UK or Stateside? are the Script just in there for a token gesture?

Comment by pandemic

33.

January 14, 2009
4:28 pm

Good list. Was disappointed not to see Ham Sandwich. Some cracking singles.

Comment by Ro Ro

34.

January 14, 2009
4:29 pm

How well do the winners do from winning this award apart from the obvious cash prize?

You need to ask them, dude

do album sales and gig attendance tend torise significantly?

Absolutely

Does the award get any coverage in the UK or Stateside?

Tons. And in Denmark, Poland and South Korea too

are the Script just in there for a token gesture?

See comment 21 above for how the shortlist is compiled.

Comment by Jim Carroll

35.

January 14, 2009
4:34 pm

Happy for Jape, Lisa, R.S.A.G., Holmes, FLApes, Halfset, Oppenheimer, and MJEx! Some more than others but all interesting albums in their own right.

Shame Heathers, Giveamanakick, Barry McCormack and The Jimmy Cake didn’t make it. Very very fine records!

Fairplay on keepin’ this going Jim and for sticking yer neck out. Such a good year for Irish artists compared to the previous few and good to see attention being paid to some of the less commercial acts. Bet someone earlier that The Script’d be on this. Obvious and embarrassing. The Script.

Think Villagers will be hard to beat next year..

Comment by John Hennessy

36.

January 14, 2009
4:39 pm

I need a fucking Script to get over this headache.

I think Liam has a point: shouldn’t judges listen to a proper array of albums before ousting decent, hard-working musicians in favour of twee Los Angeles feckwits? What have The Script done for Irish music? How have they proved original, inventive, inspirational, to anyone other than schoolgirls lamenting their rebuff of Josh in sixth form?
Considering the weight you’ve given to DIY and the hard-working ethos of quality music from original sources (not just Adebisi and Heathers but Adrian Crowley and Mumblin’ Deaf Ro, to keep it brief) I think this batch of ‘choice’ picks is desperately disrespectful to one of the most powerful eras of Irish music we’ve ever known.

And to the judges, some of whom I know, be bloody ashamed of yourself. Disgraceful lack of passion and imagination.

Comment by Naomi

37.

January 14, 2009
4:40 pm

Am I the only one who is actually glad The Script got nominated? Why not, their album is better than Snow Patrol’s anyway, even if the only song I like on it is Breeaaakkkeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeevan.

Interesting list. Would have liked to see Vinny Club or the Shank on there, and the Republic of Loose omission is odd, but the Choice is always full of surprises. Looking forward to the night now.

Comment by unarocks

38.

January 14, 2009
4:41 pm

Delighted with MJEX getting a nod and I reckon RSAG would be a nice outside bet at 16/1.

Best of luck with all the work ahead of you Jim. Stuff the begrudgers!

Comment by Le catch

39.

January 14, 2009
4:43 pm

Liam,
Rigsy is the presenter of ATL on BBC Radio NI.

By the way - it would seem the Animal collective guys love Thin Lizzy as much as Jape.

http://naturalismo.wordpress.com/2008/06/05/animal-collective-micromixes/

Comment by alexkintner

40.

January 14, 2009
4:45 pm

@ 28 - It went to Adebisi by a landslide… Their reward is the eternal respect of our current staff, their children, and their children’s children.

Seriously, all I was doing was questioning the amount of exposure that some of the judges on that list might get to smaller acts, which I feel is a reasonable point.. hence why i suggested that they commit to listening to every Irish album that’s released as part of their admission onto the Judging panel.

I love the fact that this prize exists at all, but of course, when an album that I thought stood head and shoulders above any other Irish album this year (along with 6/10 of my colleagues) doesn’t get a mention, I’m going to come on here and wherever else to highlight my disappointment - that’s what public fora such as these are for right?

Do you think maybe if we really ran Drop-D awards that people would flock to us in order to give out about our choices???

I smell a moneyspinner…

Comment by Liam

41.

January 14, 2009
4:46 pm

Who selects the panel of judges and on what criteria are they selected? People “who write about and/or talk about music for a living” seems incredibly vague. Non indie/mainstream artists must be feeling hard done by.

Comment by Aonghus

42.

January 14, 2009
4:46 pm

“…The shortlist is selected by a panel of 12 men and women, good and true, drawn from the ranks of those who write about and/or talk about music for a living. They compile their individual Top 10 lists and we combine the results, giving 10 points to the album at number one in each list, 9 points to the album at number 2 and so on right down to one point for the album at number 10…”

And yet somehow the Script got nominated…

Comment by Leigh O'Gorman

43.

January 14, 2009
4:49 pm

Do you think maybe if we really ran Drop-D awards that people would flock to us in order to give out about our choices???

Nope.

Absolutely dude. I just wonder what sort of reaction a Drop-D Album of the Year prize would get. Lots? None? We won’t know until you get off your bum and do one yourself. Just saying - it is a public forum, right?

Who selects the panel of judges and on what criteria are they selected?

I select them depending on how nice they are to me

Non indie/mainstream artists must be feeling hard done by.

Halfset, RSAG, Messiah J & The Expert, Fight LIke Apes and Oppenheimer will be happy to hear they’re “non-indie/mainstream”

Comment by Jim Carroll

44.

January 14, 2009
4:52 pm

@Una

The Script may well be better than Snow Patrol, but that doesn’t stop their album from being as dull as dish water…

Comment by Leigh O'Gorman

45.

January 14, 2009
4:54 pm

RSAG has already jumped to 6-1 on paddy power!
wowzers.
anyway… no spook no so cow no heathers no adebisi, no land lovers yadda yadda yadda…

Comment by ruan // nick thinks...

46.

January 14, 2009
4:57 pm

Ruan - what’s Nick’s take on the shortlist?

Comment by Jim Carroll

47.

January 14, 2009
4:58 pm

@ 43 - ah, that’s a pity - it’s back to Bear Dancing Training School for me and the rest of our merry band of reviewers.. It’s our only hope..

Comment by Liam

48.

January 14, 2009
4:59 pm

People only flock to us on drop-d to give out about….hang on, that’s sounds familiar. The Script ftw (that’s the right acronym isn’t it?soz)

Comment by adam

49.

January 14, 2009
5:01 pm

It’s funny to see so much bitching that all 10 artists weren’t taken from the obscure alternative end of the spectrum.. Probably 7 or 8 of those 10 names would still be totally unknown to the huge majority of people in Ireland. If the readers of this blog had their way I presume the prize would end up only being of interest to a couple of hundred blogging counterculture types.

Comment by dermot

50.

January 14, 2009
5:06 pm

Are the votes done by secret ballot? If so then there’s your answer for the script being shortlisted. Somehow I can’t imagine half of those judges rating the script at all. Guilty pleasure perhaps?

Comment by Loreana

51.

January 14, 2009
5:07 pm

@ Leigh - yeah, fine, but I still like that there’s a totally straight-forward pop album on there. I don’t know why, I just think maybe, gulp, they deserve it?

It wouldn’t be my list at all really, I would have liked to have seen some different choices; a nod to the Loose, Ham Sandwich, the Shank and so on, but you can’t have it every way.

No one can ever be happy with lists like this (apart from the anonymous commenter on my blog who guessed 10/10!) but I think it’s ridiculous to spout complete venom like some people (especially Naomi @ 36) are doing.

It’s a collective choice from a collection of judges who presumably know what they are doing considering they have made careers in music journalism/broadcasting. You may have a problem with the result, but you can’t really have a problem with the process and start going off on one about how people should be ashamed of themselves for picking The Script over Crystal Fuck Wolf, or whoever.

Comment by unarocks

52.

January 14, 2009
5:07 pm

Jim - i’m pretty sure the only artist he has even heard of on the list is lisa hannigan, he’s having an operation tomorrow so i’m gonna wait till thats done to break the news about his beloved spooks not making the cut.

Comment by ruan // nick thinks...

53.

January 14, 2009
5:09 pm

If the readers of this blog had their way I presume the prize would end up only being of interest to a couple of hundred blogging counterculture types

Totally, totally, totally. Excellent point Dermot

It’s a prize which looks at ALL Irish albums released. It has judges from ALL over the country and not just the capital. It’s for ALL the people ALL the time.

I missed my calling, I should be in advertising…..

Comment by Jim Carroll

54.

January 14, 2009
5:13 pm

ehhhh…..
excuse me Una - I’ve no problem with any of the other artists, but having heard the album it falls under the banner of dry, meandering stuff.

I’ve not sprouted venom of any kind - I have, however, expressed an opinion and as someone who also works in the industry am I not allowed to do so or are judgments strictly confined to journo’s and broadcasters?

Comment by Leigh O'Gorman

55.

January 14, 2009
5:14 pm

Jim am I right in thinking that everyone has to agree on the winner? That’s the impression that I’ve previously got.

Going by that line of thinking I picked last years winner on the morning of the award as a comprimise victor. Similarly, though I’ve not heard the albums I think Halfset or David Holmes will win it. I hadn’t heard SEBP last year either.

Comment by Ian

56.

January 14, 2009
5:14 pm

Hmmmmm. I bought quite a few Irish albums this year, as for once i didn’t have to go around buying my own albums back from Road and Tower to get the sales up.

Jim - Kudos on keeping the prize going, but this year’s list seems to have missed out quite a few good albums. I’m sure Niall and Edel were batting for some of the omitted albums people have mentioned above. About half the list is interesting and the other half is a bit Tom Dunne.

Anyway, well done to the Halfset, MJEX, Jape, RSAG etc.

Comment by Mumblin Deaf Ro

57.

January 14, 2009
5:16 pm

Jim am I right in thinking that everyone has to agree on the winner? That’s the impression that I’ve previously got.

We sit in a room and play Battleships until we have a winner

Comment by Jim Carroll

58.

January 14, 2009
5:17 pm

battleship?
is that a metaphor for getting smashed on cheap Tesco’s wine?

Comment by Leigh O'Gorman

59.

January 14, 2009
5:21 pm

@ Leigh, crossed wires, I wasn’t referring to yourself as a venom-spouting person, you are being totally reasonable, I was just making a general point about how some people get totally up in arms about the list every year. The whole of my post wasn’t directed just at you!

I’d say the Script got there because a few people put it high up on their choices and it sneaked in. It won’t win anyway, so it doesn’t matter. Although I guess it could be argued that another more deserving artist could have done with a place on the list instead of them, or that The Script have got all the success they need - number one UK album, number one single/s(?) etc, so why do they need a nod on the Choice list etc.

Anyway, I defo agree with Dermot @ 49

Comment by unarocks

60.

January 14, 2009
5:28 pm

nahhh sweat
better things to worry about

anyways fair fucks to all - it’s not easy to release an album and go through the shite that comes with it

but 180 irish albums - who’d've thunk it?!

Comment by Leigh O'Gorman

61.

January 14, 2009
5:33 pm

I have to say that I too am delighted to see the Script there. They totally deserve it, more so than a few others on the list and as far as mainstream albums go, theirs is extremely well thought-out, polished and timed. I’m no big fan of them, but they certainly have ‘it’ more so than fellow mainstreamers like The Blizzards, Coronas or whoever else Today FM wet their pants for. I’m gobsmacked that The Jimmy Cake, Pugwash, Duke Special, The Aftermath and Ham Sandwich didn’t make it. They’ve all released steady, crowd-pleasing albums, but for a sheer album ‘experience’ the Jimmy Cake’s ‘Spectre and Crown’ had everything going for it.

Pretty old age profile going on there with the judges, so I reckon it’s between David Holmes (my favourite album of the ten), Lisa Hannigan, Jape (who might get it on the ‘he’s been at it for so long now’ sympathy vote) or indeed The Script. Looking at the judges, one can only presume that the strong voices will be those of a certain vintage and of a certain musical prefernence… there’ll be no one championing Daisy Chainsaw, sorry, Fight Like Apes, Messiah J, Mick Flannery or those other acts that most of the country has never heard of.

Comment by Hot Lunch

62.

January 14, 2009
5:34 pm

C’mon The Script. Whoop!

Comment by sarah

63.

January 14, 2009
5:36 pm

Am I right in saying that being “innovative” and whatnot is not the sole element of good music?

Christ, I am no Script fanatic but I would have thought pop music deserves at least some representation on a list that is supposed to represent the full spectrum of our musical landscape.

Still would have liked to see Adebisi Shank and Heathers though.

Comment by Dave

64.

January 14, 2009
5:36 pm

for a sheer album ‘experience’ the Jimmy Cake’s ‘Spectre and Crown’ had everything going for it.

“Classical music in leather trousers” - Hot Lunches (On The Record blog)

Pretty old age profile going on there with the judges,

Nialler, Lauren, Ed, James, Sinead and Rigsy will be delighted to hear that.

Comment by Jim Carroll

65.

January 14, 2009
5:37 pm

Una, get real. That’s not venom, it’s passion. I ain’t gonna rise to a jibe from someone whose idea of culture is coordinating Fight Like Apes to the colour of her runners.

Comment by Naomi

66.

January 14, 2009
5:37 pm

IRISH BLOGOSPHERE IMPLODES AS CLOSET SCRIPT FANS STAGE MASS COMING OUT

Comment by unarocks

67.

January 14, 2009
5:39 pm

I’m really happy that I re-negotiated my contract with The Irish Times last week to get paid per comment going forward

Comment by Jim Carroll

68.

January 14, 2009
5:39 pm

Do you want me to print a few lines from that Cornershop “When I was Born for the 7th Time” review you wrote way back when you were a young fella?

Comment by Hot Lunch

69.

January 14, 2009
5:40 pm

Ronan - absolutely!

Comment by Jim Carroll

70.

January 14, 2009
5:43 pm

Rigsy is probably as old as the drummer in the Ting Tings, and Ed’s been charting out cultural highs and lows for aeons.

Anyway, best of luck to them all. Hope the best album is knocked out in the first round.

The leather trousers comment was made here on this blog by the way, not in a newspaper I once worked for.

Comment by Hot Lunch

71.

January 14, 2009
5:46 pm

“someone whose idea of culture is coordinating Fight Like Apes to the colour of her runners.”

Ha ha! That’s really good, can I use that as the tagline for my blog?

Naomi, I understand you’re passionate, totally. I’m passionate about music too, but I think ordering the judges to be ashamed of themselves is a bit much, to be honest.

That said, I totally agree that Adebisi Shank should be on the list. But they aren’t. So… whaddyagonnado?

Comment by unarocks

72.

January 14, 2009
5:47 pm

I think I said it was an “odyssey” in the actual review. Anyway, I like prog rock so who am I to know anything about short songs with words in.

Comment by Hot Lunch

73.

January 14, 2009
5:49 pm

Rigsy is probably as old as the drummer in the Ting Tings, and Ed’s been charting out cultural highs and lows for aeons.

Ronan - you seem to have a lot of issues with age. I’ve noticed this in your comments here before and wonder what provokes it?

Have corrected the leather trousers quote

Comment by Jim Carroll

74.

January 14, 2009
5:50 pm

And btw, just in relation to the Drop-D Awards: I think the reason no one else has set up similar ventures to the Choice Prize is, you were doing a great job. Up til now.

Comment by Naomi

75.

January 14, 2009
5:53 pm

@ 74: since when is it Jim’s job to coerce the judges into picking a shortlist of ten albums YOU like?

That said, I think it’s great the Choice Music Prize prompts this sort of debate, keeps it lively, innit?

Comment by unarocks

76.

January 14, 2009
5:53 pm

Naomi - feel free to throw your toys out of the pram just because the acts you like didn’t make the list. It’s called democracy - we asked 12 judges for their Top 10s and out together the overall list from that. Everyone had an equal say. Just as I’m allowing people to vent and rant and rave here.

If you want your tastes represented, please please PLEASE set up the Naomi Off Her Rocker Irish Album of the Year Prize - No Major Labels Please Or Albums From Bands Who May Be Irish But Are Too Big. Its very easy to do. Hell, we did it and we’re still doing it.

Comment by Jim Carroll

77.

January 14, 2009
5:54 pm

“It’s a prize which looks at ALL Irish albums released. It has judges from ALL over the country and not just the capital. It’s for ALL the people ALL the time. ”

Total b*llsh*t. How many of these have any expertise outside the narrow confines of rock/indie??

Niall Byrne (State/Nialler9 blog)
Edel Coffey (Irish Independent)
Ian Dempsey (Today FM)
James Foley (Record of the Day)
Andrew Hamilton (Clare People)
Kieran Hurley (Cork Campus Radio)
Paul Mallon (Irish Daily Star Sunday)
Lauren Murphy (Entertainment.ie)
Sinead Ni Mhorda (Phantom FM)
Ed Power (Freelance)
Rigsy (BBC Northern Ireland’s Across The Line/ATL TV)
Ian Wilson (2FM)

Go on, point out the jazz, electronic, trad, classical, country, whatever experts there?

Oh wait…there aren’t any.

So tell us again then how this is supposed to be a prize for ‘ALL Irish albums released. It has judges from ALL over the country’? There’d be no problem if this was clearly a ‘rock’ prize but selling it as something it isn’t is pretty misleading.

Comment by Scutch

78.

January 14, 2009
5:55 pm

Jim, I’m afraid of getting old…

Comment by Hot Lunch

79.

January 14, 2009
5:56 pm

The NMLPOAFBWMBIBATB’s?? aren’t they on in July??

Comment by Liam

80.

January 14, 2009
6:02 pm

@una…i did up my guesses in the other post, then saw you mention rep of loose a few comments later and thought “d’oh forgot they released an album last year”…i wouldn’t be surprised if that happened to a few of the judges too..

@naomi..wow. you don’t think r.s.a.g (sorry,can’t remember his real name off the top of my head - niall?) wasn’t killing himself down in kilkenny making his album? or lisa hannigan traipsing around two continents since heralbum has been released counts as hard work? i’m all for passion, but focusing on one band and ignoring the breadth of the shortlist apart from that is just misguided. if someone was to go out and buy every album on the list, i have to say, i think they’d get a pretty fair representation of what’s going on all around the country. and hey, sure why not in l.a. too?!

other than that,i got 6 out of 10..fairly happy! now i gotta go put my money on lisa hannigan..

Comment by ciaran

81.

January 14, 2009
6:03 pm

Rigsy is 30!! Since when is that old?
Jaysus.

Comment by Loreana

82.

January 14, 2009
6:10 pm

Trust me, I haven’t even thrown a hissy fit yet. Just voicing my opinion: the Choice Prize HAS done a great job until now. Just look at SEBP and Neil Hannon winning in the last few years. Excellent albums and good contenders. Originality rewarded. There’s nothing about forcing anyone to choose what I want. I wasn’t alone in nominating Adebisi et al as stellar artists deserving of worthy applause. I’m just furious to see such boring, insipid choices made by people whose opinions I respect and wonder what the hell was in the coffee on Judgement Day. It certainly wasn’t taste.
It’s just proof that original, hardworking bands face insurmountable opposition from the mainstream Irish music industry.

Comment by Naomi

83.

January 14, 2009
6:10 pm

The Script. Jesus, that makes plenty of sense, give the prize money to a band that have had multi platinum album sales. They could really do with it……

Comment by armitage shanks

84.

January 14, 2009
6:13 pm

Naomi - It’s just proof that original, hardworking bands face insurmountable opposition from the mainstream Irish music industry.

What planet are you living on? That implies that the 10 acts on the shortlist are NOT hardworking. Are you completely crazy? And what has hard-working to do with it anyway - it’s not sponsored by Fas, you know

Comment by Jim Carroll

85.

January 14, 2009
6:22 pm

Planet Reality Jim, it’s a cold, hard habitat.

Ciaran - I’m the one focussing on one band: The Script. There are other choices I don’t agree with but I think their inclusion has completely negated the value of this competition. Simple as.

I don’t mean to dismiss the hard work of the nominees in one fell swoop but think that our bands have such a hard time making viable careers in music because our industry consistently ignore them in face of more palatable, obvious choices. And y’know, I bought seven of the listed albums and appreciate them all on their own merit. However I bought dozens more and of those, believe there were many more worthy of inclusion. Simple as.

Comment by Naomi

86.

January 14, 2009
6:27 pm

@80
now i gotta go put my money on lisa hannigan..

yup me too.

I half wish snow patrol were nominated , just to witness the collective losing of shit that would occur.

Comment by Q

87.

January 14, 2009
6:48 pm

“It’s funny to see so much bitching that all 10 artists weren’t taken from the obscure alternative end of the spectrum.”

Totally agree with Dermot @49. C’mon guys, if The Script and even one other aren’t for you, 8 out of ten’s still pretty good. Surely all this outrage goes to show just how good a year it’s been for Irish music - I certainly had trouble narrowing 20 very fine records down to a predicted 10.

And sure it’s only an award, it doesn’t mean Adebisi, Katie Kim etc’s records aren’t great and they won’t go on to make even better one’s - although to echo the comments above, fair play Jim for keeping it all going into a fourth year.

And seeing as the gauntlet was thrown down elsewhere to come up with an alternative, our writers cast their votes for one at the end of last year - http://www.raggedwords.com/?q=node/817.

And don’t forget Nialler’s ever-reliable and great public vote - http://www.nialler9.com/2008/12/23/results-irish-albums-of-2008-poll/

Think this one might break the Top 50 Irish albums record for angry comments Jim.

Comment by Padraic

88.

January 14, 2009
6:57 pm

Just two points in the context of generally admiring what the Choice award is setting out to do.

1. I suffer from a prejudice where I equate music journalism and its link to record companies, with conventional medical and its relationship with pharmaceuticals.
Sometimes I prefer alternative medicine, because it feels like the practitioners treat the person as opposed to ‘sell’ a product.

2. Thus, it feels to me that there is a chance that awards try too hard to ’sell’ and I think that’s why people get ridiculously suspicious. In this context would you consider including the following in a judging panel?

• Musicians/songwriters: i.e. experienced writers judge literary awards.

• Honorary outsider (i.e. an artist from another discipline outside of music)

• Random outside music-lover? Like some of the entertaining folk who post here?

It just feels that objectivity is at risk otherwise.

All in all I wouldn’t be against a ‘journalist / dj’ award system per se if this is what you’ve set out to do.

Comment by Finola

89.

January 14, 2009
7:02 pm

Ah, that’s what I love about the Choice Prize - the shocks, the upsets, the giving out afterwards. Distilling 10 Choices by 12 people into a shortlist sounds like a pretty comprehensive and fair way to do things, but there are always going to be surprise omissions and inclusions.

I’m scratching my head over The Script, but apart from that, I think it’s a fair, wide-ranging list. Sure there are albums I’d love to have seen on there (Chequerboard, The Jimmy Cake, Katie Kim) but there’s only room for 10 - and not everyone is going to like some/all/any of the acts. Them’s the breaks. It’s all about opinion and consensus.

Jim, fair play for shining a light on Irish music once again. The sheer level of commentary has at least got people talking about the breadth and range of Irish music out there.

Naomi, pray that you’re never judge - it’s like a cage-fight in there. And even at that stage, some people will be more happy/less happy than others with the eventual winner but it will have been democratically voted for. The year that Neil Hannon won, he had been written off by lots of people - including some judges - so anything can happen*. Roll on March 4th!

* Although I’m pretty sure Jape will win.

Comment by Sinead

90.

January 14, 2009
7:26 pm

people need to relax and get a bit of perspective..the choice music prize is not the final word on music..music is subjective which is something people seem to be forgetting..all 180 artists who released albums this year should be proud of their achievement..time is really the only judge on which one’s are great and which one’s are passing fads..my only critique is the judging..ireland is too small a country for any judges to be impartial and judgemental..although it’s not practical for someone to listen to 180 albums there must be a better way of drawing up the list of nominations..think i prefer to just let you pick em jim, reckon you’d be objective enough..i could name at least 5 of this years judges who are more then passing acquaintances of the nominees and some who could be called their personal friends!

Comment by mayo man

91.

January 14, 2009
8:02 pm

@ scutch

Nialler knows more than his fair share of electronic music and other genre’s, although I’m surprised about Ian Dempsey - I could’ve swore he was a cuddly bear that Ray D’Arcy shot in the woods and stuffed thereafter.

At least that’s what my sister said when Ray started presenting the Den…

Comment by Leigh O'Gorman

92.

January 14, 2009
8:04 pm

no, there’s no “long list”. There is a list we keep of Irish albums released during the year (180 albums or so in 2008) which the judges can request to jog their memories but it is not a long list because not all the judges bother with it.” Jim

Errrr, what? there was only 180 Irish albums released last year?
Don’t think so horse.
Shouldn’t this be called the Irish Indo Awards since three of the heads work for the indo, nialler is day&night, edel coffey is too and ed power works for that rag and the metro too.
ye have someone from the clare people, which is great seeing as clare is abuzz with musical givings at the minute, for jaysus sake.
Ian Dempsey, “half man, half jumper”…zig&zag
Someone from cork college radio, this is a mistake please, tell us it’s your idea of a sick joke……..

and i aint even started on the nominations,
No Shank= no fun,
No And So I Watch You From Afar=No Fun
No Infomatics=No Fun
No God Is An Astronaut=No Fun
No Vinny Club=No Fun
No Giveamanakick=No Fun
No Robotnik=No Fun

“To recap, the 10 highest scoring albums make the list.” Jim
Do you really expect us to believe that the Script got there fairly?
For shame, they do nothing for irish music, they;re nothing but a matchbox 20 rip off.

it’ll be like the year neil hannon won it, he’d done nothing of worth for years then his pals in the media gave him 10,000 for being a nice fella.

music journalism is dead, long live the ones that still bother to rattle the cages

Comment by paddydrop-d

93.

January 14, 2009
8:27 pm

I’m off to have a listen to the script now to see if ye all are wrong! Oppenheimer for the win! Go Rocky ………. cue Eye of the Tiger!

Comment by Peter

94.

January 14, 2009
9:31 pm

Congrats to all the nominees

I think Jape, Fight Like Apes, MJEX and Lisa Hannigan were a given, great to see Halfset in there too

On a separate rant….Can someone please shoot Paul McLoone for me? His preoccupation with the Northern Irish acts is getting a bit tiresome. I actually booed him at the ‘07 awards because I could not handle him salivating over Snow Patrol & Duke Special…… Jim I think you’re the man, please tell me he’s not presenting the awards again!?

Its an award for best IRISH album, that includes North, South, East & West….. Grrrrrr….

Comment by Elle

95.

January 14, 2009
9:33 pm

To be fair, there’s more quality on that list than I’d expect from an award. Better this the MTV/Kerrang/ (insert name of other useless media publications/channels here) awards, by a long shot. Disappointed Adebisi, Dudley Corp, and Vinny Club aren’t on it, but glad that some class acts like RSAG (Jeremy’s his name, to whoever was wondering) and Jape are on the list. It’s great that these acts are getting well deserved attention through this.

However I do think there should be more support from IRMA and such to help other artists get off the ground, rather than only rewarding the ones who do everything themselves. Many acts undoubtably are finding it hard to start out, and money like this could go a long way to smaller acts. I’d say Canada wouldn’t be such a hotbed of international attention right now if their Canada Music Fund and other schemes didn’t exist - http://www.pch.gc.ca/cmf-music/msc_fnd-eng.cfm (especially the Canadian Musical Diversity Component). On the other side of the coin, fair play to IRMA for their starter pack donation the other month. More of that please!

Comment by Dave

96.

January 14, 2009
9:41 pm

In my opinion, this choice business doesn’t really amount to a hill of beans. Its a fine idea. The winners to date (mediocre to decent albums) haven’t yet taken over the world or their parish, the sales of the albums that have won may have jumped 150% the week after the results, but a jump from from 5 to 15 sales per week in your average shop won’t keep Elton John awake at night. The profile of the bands has faded very fast come late spring.

Maybe it needs a live broadcast on TV to alert the general public to what should be a real leg up for the bands. If Hannigan or Jape win, and get the press they deserve, either album would grow legs well into 2009, The Script don’t need any help, a winner from the other seven would have the same impact as the previous three years.

Hedge Schools or Republic of Loose should have been nominated, the list is alright, the idea of the awards is fine, the point of it all is lost on your average punter.

Jim, you probably need to have a word with your idol and good friend Bono to see how to get the bus drivers talking about this years winner.

Comment by Peter

97.

January 14, 2009
9:47 pm

Oh and in relation to this deep seated resentment at TheScript being nominated….Get off yer high horses muso heads, jaysus theres some amount of snobs on here! The lads in the Script have been working hard for a very long time to make it and now that they have done well, everyone hates them! How typically Irish! Shower of begruders! The Script are good for what they are….. But musically yes the rest of the nominees are waaaay better than them.

Wonder will they play at the awards though? You snobs can spit down from the balcony at their fans and dirty their school uniforms

Comment by Elle

98.

January 14, 2009
9:53 pm

The resentment, unhappiness, self-loathing and sheer missing-the-point-of-it-all simply zings off the screen on some of these comments, people.

Comment of the Day - and I gotta admit that there were some beauts - is this piece of complete and other horse manure from Paddy from Drop-D. I have to admire and salute those Drop-D boys for adding to the gaeity of the nation today. Just a pity they won’t be adding to their own readership, eh? At least they’re been eco-friendly by recycling their comments from a site where no-one will read them (ie their one) to a site which, well, everyone reads (ie this one).

Anyway….Comment of the Day, extrapolated from a lenghty comment which made me laugh out loud several times, which is no mean feat (*)

“Shouldn’t this be called the Irish Indo Awards since three of the heads work for the indo, nialler is day&night, edel coffey is too and ed power works for that rag and the metro too.”

If anyone needs to have to hve it pointed out to them why this is one of the most ridiculous ever put to type, simply check the URL of this site.

Congrats Paddy. Your chips for both shoulders are in the post.

(* I’m sure Naomi Off Her Bleedin’ Rocker will be pissed off that she didn’t win this despite many worthy efforts but we’ll send her a Dolphins Discs voucher for her troubles anyway)

Comment by Jim Carroll

99.

January 14, 2009
10:19 pm

“The sheer level of commentary has at least got people talking about the breadth and range of Irish music out there.”

couldn’t agree more..Fair play Jim.I think the level of comments only proves how far the choice music prize has come..You’re never going to please everyone with the shortlist, but at the very least it gets the general public and mainstream media talking about Irish music which can only be a good thing!

Comment by S

100.

January 14, 2009
10:21 pm

Christ on a bike…this is like standing in a chipper at 3am.

@ whoever said that some of the judges are acquainted with the bands or friendly with them, I’d like to set you the challenge of finding one music writer in Ireland who isn’t on some sort friendly terms with one of the bands on the list. Dublin is a fairly small pond. People can’t help knowing people like.

@ whoever’s having a pop at Rigsy. Why not research about people before you have a go? The Choice prize includes Northern Irish bands as well as bands from the Republic and Rigsy is not only deeply involved in the Northern Irish music scene but writes for AU too.

@Paddy Drop-D, do you think Nialler was selected as part of a grand Indo led conspiracy he started writing a feature for Day&Night a couple of months ago as opposed to all the sterling work he does on his blog and state? To infer this is insulting to him.

Comment by Darragh

101.

January 14, 2009
10:24 pm

Is there still time to lump in and say that while The Script might not be everyone’s cup of tea, they’re still another Irish band who’ve made it big, therefore have contributed greatly towards the Irish music by virtue of drawing attention on it, and therefore deserve to be on this list?

Stuck a tenner on MJEX as soon as I heard. It’s always the outsider!

Comment by Eric

102.

January 14, 2009
10:29 pm

I wish the Drop-D lads would spend a little more time proof-reading their articles.

I said it!

Comment by Dave

103.

January 14, 2009
10:32 pm

People are totally missing the point - the Choice Music Prize has already done its job becuse people are talking about all these bands - good, bad and indifferent.

Some of the comments above beggar belief. Those goons from Drop-D are only after publicity and if they need to make fools of themselves to do that, well, their look-out.

As for that over-wrought girl from Hot Press, words fail me. The Choice Music Prize has got people talking about Irish music with great energy and enthusiasm - has her magazine ever done that? We all know the answer to that

And all those people ragging at Rigsy obviously haven’t bothered to do any research on him, Ask any band from Northern Ireland and they’ll say he’s done more for them than they could possibly ever have asked for.

Comment by Sandra

104.

January 14, 2009
10:45 pm

Sandra - Do your own research, in the last year I’ve been blogging and discussing Irish music more than any other journo on the web. I’m rather proud to say as a result, people have discovered Irish music via Hot Press.
And Rigsy is a legend who’s done buckets for the stellar bands up north.
And thanks for the compliment but I’m not a girl, I’m a mother of two with a huge fucking gas bill because I spend all my money buying CDs and paying into gigs to work instead of asking for guestlist.

Sinead - I will never be asked. I’m not a music critic, I’m not educated. I’m just in love with the great buzz of gigs and good albums. So totally unsuited

Jim- get a grip. That’s completely unwarranted bitchiness. Is it necessary to always stoop to point scoring when people piss you off?

So what if the DD lads bound together here and voiced their dissatisfaction? They love music and like many of us, work their arses off and give their time, gratis, unlike the plethora of vapid ‘journos’ who think their salary equals IQ. Would you prefer everyone tugged their forelocks and agreed with you? I think you’ll agree there are enough sycophants doing the rounds. It’s not easy being honest here, especially when faced with such ascerbic retorts from yourself and cohorts for simply venturing valid opinions.

I’d rather be off my rocker than on the fence. It’s times like this I thank my lucky stars I do my job for love and nothing else. It means I don’t have to watch my step or people-please just in case a trumped-up Tribune hack whose idea of good music revolves around takes offence.

ADEBISI SHANK WOZ ROBBED.
My final word of the night. A certain CMP judge lent me The Wire today and so, I have better things to do than justify myself after a very, very long day at work.

Comment by Naomi

105.

January 14, 2009
11:06 pm

That girl from Hot Press is the funniest poster here in ages - she’s way funnier than her magazine

Oh, hold on, you mean she’s not a joke?

Comment by Band Aid

106.

January 14, 2009
11:07 pm

Amazing how those Drop-D and Hot Press people have to come here to have a go. Wonder why?

Comment by Naomi's Ego

107.

January 14, 2009
11:18 pm

You can’t stop the Cats - RSAG for the cup!

Comment by Carter The Unstoppable Text Machine

108.

January 14, 2009
11:46 pm

What’s the betting that Naomi chick is actually in one of the bands who didnt make the list?

Comment by Rasher

109.

January 15, 2009
12:26 am

@ 108: She’s not. Unless she’s secretly May Kay from FLA, Sinead from Halfset, or Lisa Hannigan. Are you Lisa Hannigan, Nay? No lies, now.

It seems Adebisi and Vinny aren’t eligible anyway, as their albums are under 33 1/3 minutes long, which is one of the rules of the Prize. A shame, but them’s the rules. I suppose they have to have SOME restrictions on album length. Only realised that after someone pointed it out on Thumped.

Comment by Dave

110.

January 15, 2009
1:03 am

Christ, Naomi is speaking sense what’s the beef exactly? There really is absolutely NOTHING to morally justify The Script’s inclusion on that list. We’re talking about a sanitized deadhead lowest-common-denominator boyband here people. Calculated muck. Weren’t they called My Town or some such a few years back?
BTW, the list ain’t bad by any means. Just seems like Johnny Dollar took a seat somewhere on that shortlist panel.
RSAG deserves it.

Comment by Ben

111.

January 15, 2009
1:48 am

Wow, a lot of fuming here. What makes me laugh is the incredulity shown by the hipster brigade to the fact that The Script are included. Snobbery is alive and well and it’s pathetic. The Script’s vocalist has a good voice and they write solid, quality pop-songs. Their inclusion makes the Choice awards less of an an obscure irrelevancy as 99 percent of the population won’t have a clue who most of the acts are anyway. In fact, I would rather listen to The Script than the godawful RSAG. I don’t see what the fuss is with this guy. Listened to the tracks on MySpace and I am mystified why he’s included when excellent albums from Katie Kim, The Hedge Schools and God Is An Astronaut didn’t make the cut. The list is a little dull and quite predictable. Good to see Halfset there but the only truly great album on the list is ‘The Holy Pictures’ by the master David Holmes. It is a brilliant, sophisticated album that is, to be frank, absolutely head and shoulders over everything else on the list. It will be a complete farce if it doesn’t win.

Comment by Quint

112.

January 15, 2009
2:59 am

Jim, have to disagree with comment of the day there, dude. For me it’s your own:

I’m really happy that I re-negotiated my contract with The Irish Times last week to get paid per comment going forward.

You bastid

Comment by Darragh Doyle

113.

January 15, 2009
6:53 am

Wow, some pretty interesting opinions there.

As someone removed from the irish music scene for a few years now, I’ve only got to hear snippets of most of these and no chance to see any live. But a few comments on the selection process. One thing i find amusing is that you have people complaining about a perceived lack of diversity in the artists nominated, and also in the background of the judges. With a group selection process you can never satisfy everybody, and almost inevitably the more challenging pieces are the ones that suffer, because they’ll score very highly with one group and very poorly with another.

Same thing goes if you have a hugely diverse selection panel, as their areas of interest might only peripherally overlap. I’m only passingly familiar with several of those on the panel, but I’d hold off on criticising anyone unless you personally know them to be full of shit.

And to the person who criticised having a panellist from cork campus radio station, I can tell you that many of the guys i know from my local college radio station here in New Zealand would put most music journalists or bloggers to shame with their breadth of knowledge.

If you are so passionate about bands/artists who didn’t make it, then fine, say so. But it doesn’t make your opinion any more valid. But if you explain why you think something else should be there, you might encourage others to check them out.

I hope the Apes win. though i wish i had the chance to hear the Halfset album since the one or two tracks i’ve heard sound really good.

Comment by Gearoid

114.

January 15, 2009
9:06 am

To be honest….I’m more excited about the gig than the winner! Jape, MJEX, RSAG, David Holmes all on one bill! It’s gonna be a great night (if they all play). Last year we saw some great performances!

Comment by Le catch

115.

January 15, 2009
9:28 am

una - “you can have a problem with the result but you can’t really have a problem with the process”…

well yes you can…

jim, first of all congrats on running this award… it is good, garners good publicity and is at least more honest than the mercury prize…

may i suggest though that you cast the net wider in the future when getting people to nominate their top 10 albums… i.e. do not limit it to the 12 judges… this is not a good reflection… the bigger the panel taken from a good cross-section of music lovers in ireland, the better the results… you can keep the ‘names’ for the judges but you can therefore use smaller less public names also for the panel… suggest independent record labels, promoters, more left-field radio presenters etc…

as long as your panel represents a good cross-section, there could be 50 people on it… it would not take much extra work to collate those votes… they should also ALL be forced to look at your list of 180 albums… plus the panel for next year should know now that they are on it, forcing them to focus on the coming year…

this is honest advice jim… i am involved in a similar thing in a different area… nothing to do with music… rankings / ratings are always controversial but there ARE ways to ensure the fairest results…

Comment by Ally

116.

January 15, 2009
9:45 am

After sleeping on it, I think the list is a suitably diverse collection of Irish music (it was an uncomfortable sleep). Complaints abound that it means nothing because there aren’t enough ‘good’ albums on there, but if it means nothing, why so up in arms? Does anyone honestly think there are only 10 or less hard-working bands in Ireland at the moment?

Comment by Ruairi

117.

January 15, 2009
10:20 am

My kids like The Script and they have the same ingrained pop sensibilities like myself so they must be good. It looks like a fair enough final ten. I haven’t heard the Mick Flannery or Oppenheimer albums so I’ve no idea what they’re like.

And just to be controversial: Roisin Murphy should have won last year.

Comment by Matt Vinyl

118.

January 15, 2009
10:23 am

cant we just all form a band and rattle some cages? i can spit venom like, 2 metres.

Comment by mr pharmacist

119.

January 15, 2009
10:34 am

LOUD NOISES!!!!!

Ahem. Couldn’t resist. Anyway I take HUGE issue with Paddy from drop-d’s post.

ye have someone from the clare people, which is great seeing as clare is abuzz with musical givings at the minute, for jaysus sake. which he then follows up with this beaut music journalism is dead, long live the ones that still bother to rattle the cages

To quote Bart: the ironing is delicious. As someone who works for a local paper, which I assume is my area’s equivalent of the Clare People I can assure you, Paddy, that the journalist in question could well be the ‘cage rattler’ whose presence on the panel you lament - ditto the rep from Cork Campus Radio.

As you are so knowledgeable as to the ways of journalism I’m sure you are well aware that local newspapers and college radio stations are a breeding ground for journos - some of us make it to the ‘big time’ - many of us don’t. It’s a hard environment to work in yet in it are those who look to the mainstream and think ‘If I was there I’d do it differently…’. Who the hell are you to judge the tastes of a judge from a local paper?

As Jim said, the panel is compiled with the aim of covering as wide a range of tastes as possible - much like the nominations list the judges selection will not please everyone.

This is a music prize for Ireland - a writer from the Clare People has just as much a right to be there as someone from the Indo, Star, or whoever.

Perhaps Drop-D should take the advice mentioned here and start your own annual awards.

I look forward to commenting on the Drop-D Irish Album Of The Year should Jim or someone whose blog I read decides to cover it. I look forward to bitching about the selection of acts and lament that the Irish acts who were afforded any radio time are automatically disqualified. Finally I look forward to questioning the validity of the panel of judges who will only represent the major urban centers in Ireland.

I don’t agree with the selection, I don’t think the script should be there, but enough judges clearly do. It’s democracy.

Comment by Joe

120.

January 15, 2009
10:35 am

Naomi: how can you berate Jim for “point scoring when people piss you off” when you have completely slagged me off a few times in your posts for no reason?!

Luckily, I don’t care what you think about me, but you should probably take your personal insults to another forum, because we’re meant to be discussing the Choice Music Prize here, not providing a platform for you to bitch about other journalists.

ANYWAY, anyone who says that the Choice has done its job because of the debate it kicks off is totally correct. This is what it’s all about - debating the merits of some music over other music and ranting about Irish bands (without resorting to pointless insults, hopefully.)

And for everyone moaning about the selection process, the list, the judges, blah blah blah, YOU try to organise something this controversial that involves such a large amount of work. YOU go off and get your own award set up. Nothing is ever perfect, but what Jim is doing here will have far greater positive reprecussions for the Irish music scene than any of your empty bitchiness and complaining.

With regards to the constant mentioning of “hard working” bands, I’d say the most hard working band up there is The Script. They fucked off to the US for what - ten years or something - to perfect their craft and work as session musicians and train as producers, working as sound engineers with the Neptunes and then wrote and produced their own album.

That doesn’t mean their music is any good, of course, but if you want a “hard working” band, then there you go.

Anyway, I hope Jape or FLApes win.

Me = pro-Choice.

Comment by UnaRocks

121.

January 15, 2009
10:46 am

Anyone notice that if you look at the cover of the Jape album from far away or with squinted eyes or as a tiny jpeg you will notice that it is in fact ….a skull ?
(..his head being the nose, the keyboard -the teeth etc.)

Kind of like those old Victorian staged photos that create an optical illusion.

Maybe it’s a reference to mortality.
Maybe I’m straying off the point here.

Anyway congratulations to all the nominees!

Comment by Adro

122.

January 15, 2009
10:56 am

jesus.. this one kept right on going huh?

I’m a little disappointed in the insulting nature of some of your responses Jim -

“I have to admire and salute those Drop-D boys for adding to the gaeity of the nation today. Just a pity they won’t be adding to their own readership, eh? At least they’re been eco-friendly by recycling their comments from a site where no-one will read them (ie their one) to a site which, well, everyone reads (ie this one). ”

I read this site all the time, and comment on a large variety of your pieces with varying levels of agreement and disagreement with yourself. You mentioned just the other day how you got turned on to Dylan Haskins/Hideaway House by virtue of comments from users last year - one of them was me, so i’m not just here to score points or generate publicity or whatever people seem to think we’re doing. I’m a regular reader and commenter in these parts and I disagreed with the judges’ choices - as i’m entitled to, and that’s fair enough..

I don’t think anything I said above was insulting to you, or even the judges. My criticisms were levelled at the process and included suggestions for how that process could be imrpoved - thus making them constructive critcisms.

For many years now you have bemoaned the lack of a dedicated online music site for Ireland, while choosing to ignore that we’ve been there for 5 years, trucking away. That’s fine, you may not like the work we do, but at least have the grace to admit that what we’re doing, and have been doing, is worthwhile. Much as I had the grace earlier on to profess my admiration for the fact that Choice exists in the first place, regardless of whether I agree with the nominations, eventual winners, or whatever..

Anyway, I know you’re taking flak from all angles and that can be tough, but there’s no need to resort to taking cheap shots at people who have a similar goal to you - to promote and report on the finest music known to man…

Have a nice day.

Comment by Liam

123.

January 15, 2009
11:22 am

I remember one of your contributors suggesting a few weeks ago during the Great Night Live Debate that bloggers should get together and write their own sitcom. My god Jim, with a bit of judicious editing you’ve got an award-winning script (or, dare I say it, Script) from the comments above. Hilarious. I can only hope that some of the more exercised commenters have spittle-guards for their screens and keyboards… Halfset to win and Maeve Binchy for the Pulitzer, they can only overlook her for so long…

Comment by Chris

124.

January 15, 2009
12:39 pm

I can see how it would be hard to be honest in the face of overwhelming support for the blog’s author, and i commend Naomi for sticking to her guns, i for one have got a lot out of her blog in the past year. But she’s facing the blog’s regular readers, and Jim, popularity doesn’t necessarily equal merit. Otherwise the script would be a shoe in and no-one would complain about it. I am also a regular reader and very much enjoy your blog, but defensiveness of your award has led to some pretty insulting comments, more so then those made by any of it’s critics.

But i think her anger is misdirected, the general music listening population will always respond to PR and air play, in a small country like this bands that your average music blogger love, and who often deserve the credit heaped upon them in these small circles, will always have to work harder and experience more knock backs then bands who enjoy the support of mass-appeal radio shows and common denominator hype. I would say 10 times as many people have heard of the coronas as Adebisi Shank. How does that make sense? But that’s the world we live in.

This shortlist comes down to who the judges are, and they are chosen by a small group of organisers who have every right to exercise their own opinions, but of course these are subjective and could never cater to everyone. It is only one award, and if it does not consistently reflect the best or one of the best albums then it will lose it’s credibility and maybe even it’s popularity. It doesn’t have a mandate to support those acts most deserving, only to survive, and that’s for everyone to decide.

Comment by Michael

125.

January 15, 2009
12:51 pm

this could go on for days and months jimme aulf flower, but what’s the point…..

you’ll always have the upper hand here on your site, and that’s ok, understandable even,

but unlike you we don’t do music for money, we do it for the music, we know that the choices for nomination and judges is wack, otherwise why is it being defended so much.

i have worked for a fewnationals, but left as they were cramping me journalistic ethics.

us real journos will never cease to rattle cages and piss off those ahead of us in the pecking order, it just wouldn’t be right if we caved into pressure from editors/ advertisers/ pr

Comment by paddydrop-d

126.

January 15, 2009
2:14 pm

The surprise and furore surrounding the Script’s nomination is shocking. They are a decent mainstream band and accomplished musicians and songwriters. Stop being such elitist snobs people! They piss all over tripe like Fight Like Ape any day of the week.

Having said that, g’wan Jape, MJEX and David Holmes. Three absolute crackers. A good year for Irish music…and it’s so nice to say that after a dull spell.

Comment by Eamon Sweeney

127.

January 15, 2009
2:38 pm

On the upside, every year there is a discussion like this one and a creatively worthwhile album still gets picked as the winner in the end. I’d go for Jape this year unless the curse of Cathey Davey gets him.

Comment by Mumblin Deaf Ro

128.

January 15, 2009
3:10 pm

Another embarrasing Choice website this year I see, with the same burgundy and orange combo and awful layout, bad typography and cringey logo. Heavens above, could some of the profit on the night not be used to hire a good designer? or at least use wordpress.
Theres no reason why it can’t ‘look’ like the decent awards that it is.

Comment by Tom

129.

January 15, 2009
3:18 pm

Jim i think you missed my point at 43 above. I was pointing out that the indie/mainstream genres (including Halfset, RSAG, Messiah J & The Expert, Fight LIke Apes and Oppenheimer) were overly represented in the selection, unsurprising given the panel of judges involved whose natural inclination/line of work inclines them in that direction and that anyone from a trad/jazz etc background might be feeling a little hard done by.

Comment by Aonghus

130.

January 15, 2009
3:20 pm

Jings! What a stooshie.

Jim, Call it the Choose Your Own Shaggin Music Prize So You Bunch of Maundering Ingrates so we can have done with it.

The new prize will should be a puck in the gob and a used ticket stub to last years Munster Club Hurling Final.

Everyone else. Cool the beans. It’s a music prize. Chances are if you’re a happy amateur your personal musical continuum is a lot more interesting (at least to you) than a journalist/critic/industry insider who’s year is dictated by a job, straitjacketed by release/tour schedules, copy deadlines and the wonderful world of PR. That’s not to say you shouldn’t write about it, blog about it, fish for traffic like lampreys under the basking sharks that are the Irish Rock Blogs of Record. Settle imaginary scores against your JournoGonk enemies. By all means. It’s super fun! In fact, since the Powers That Be stopped Coursing and Badger Baiting it’s pretty much the only legal blood sport left.

But the best thing you could probably do is contact the artist who made your favourite album and thank them. Chances are they’re a small band/artist and a small, heartfelt message expressing your gratitude for their work will probably mean more to them than the turn of the coin that will inevitably choose this years winner from the shortlist. Although they’ll still probably have to continue living in that draughty rented house in Kildimo and their kids probably won’t be shod until they’re going to big school.

‘Twas ever thus.

Comment by clom

131.

January 15, 2009
3:21 pm

There really is absolutely NOTHING to morally justify The Script’s inclusion on that list.

Of course there is. If some people on the panel (and I’m thinking that it’s likely the handiwork of people who share my first name mostly) liked the record then why should they not vote for them? They’re perfectly entitled to. And if they did I find it rather disappointing that they would be pilloried for doing so. I don’t think anyone should ever have to justify their tastes.

Why is it that the discussion about the awards is always more entertaining than the awards themselves.

Comment by Ian

132.

January 15, 2009
3:32 pm

some crazy points going on here…

Choice music prize is a great thing, keep it going. I think personally, last year’s was the best line-up, but thats opinions, right?

Fight Like Apes “Fight Like Apes and the Mystery of the Golden Medallion” - i don’t get the hype. the album gets very annoying after a few listens. emperors new clothes. They remind me of Aqua.
Mick Flannery “White Lies” - haven’t heard it, will have to listen. did the same last year with Adrian crowley, and i loved the album.
Halfset “Another Way of Being There” - a great album, properly excellent piece of work.
Lisa Hannigan “Sea Sew” - nice girl, album is ok. kinda this years cathy davey, in the quirky singer-songwriter role.
David Holmes “The Holy Pictures” - not really my thing, haven’t listened to whole album.
Jape “Ritual” - great album, along with messiah J a real realisation of their/his talent. strike me down, i was a man, and all the rest are brilliant. hate the Phil Lynnott song however. yuk.
Messiah J & The Expert “From The Word Go” - really good album, a proper contender. proof that good songs are good songs in whatever “genre”.
Oppenheimer “Take The Whole Mid-Range And Boost It” - make them go away.
R.S.A.G. “Organic Sampler” - haven’t heard it, have heard good things, will check out.
The Script “The Script” - pointless inclusion. Good man Ian Dempsey.

they’re my opinions, i don’t expect anyone to agree, and i don’t care if anyone doesn’t.

best of luck to jape + mj&the ex. I’ve heard comment that the script was a cynical inclusion, but i don’t believe it works like that.

more power to you elbow Jim + Co.

ps -
any idea how many records the acts mentioned sold? for no reason except curiosity.

Comment by Graham Jobs

133.

January 15, 2009
3:53 pm

@ 131: well said

Comment by unarocks

134.

January 15, 2009
4:02 pm

folks - thanks so much for all the comments and sorry for the delay in updating today.

Keep ‘em coming.

Just one point which a few people have mentioned about having different judges and spreading the net wider. Er, no. The Choice Music Prize was set up to be a prize selected by music journalists and broadcasters - if anyone wishes to have an award which spreads the net wider, please please please go off and do it. There are music awards which are selected by the public (the Meteors) and there are lots of awards which are selected by other interested bodies. If someone wants to do one using a different judging panel or criteria, they will have nothing but my admiration and best wishes. There’s always room for more

Comment by Jim Carroll

135.

January 15, 2009
4:11 pm

Nominate Even
(To the tune of ‘Breakeven’ by The Script)
http://ie.youtube.com/watch?v=o2omyqxbsKw

I’m still alive when they’re calling treason
Just praying to Jim Carroll but I don’t believe him
We got chosen for a reason
Cos with the Choice Prize no it don’t nominate even

Our best days will be some of your worst
Stealing props from bands who deserve them first
While you’re wide awake we’ve no trouble sleeping
Cos with the Choice Prize no it don’t nominate even

What are we supposed to do when you prefer Adebisi Shank and Republic of Loose?
What are we supposed to say when Ham Sandwich don’t get their way?
You’re falling to pieces
You’re falling to pieces

They say bad things happen for a reason
Recession Choice Prize with no nods to Whelan’s
But no blog bitching gonna stop this feeling
That Snow Patrol are clearly grieving
Cos with the Choice Prize no it don’t nominate even

We got the nod and odds on to win the whole thing
Blogs lose the plot, what about Katie Kim?
Now Thumped is trying to make sense of what little remains
Cos we left you with no love and no Jimmy Caaaaake.

I’m still alive when they’re calling treason
Just praying to Jim Carroll but I don’t believe him
We got chosen for a reason
Cos with the Choice Prize no it don’t nominate even

Comment by unarocks

136.

January 15, 2009
4:19 pm

here you go jimbo
you want our record of the year so here you go

http://www.drop-d.ie/article.php?article_id=811

Comment by paddydrop-d

137.

January 15, 2009
4:30 pm

There really is absolutely NOTHING to morally justify The Script’s inclusion on that list.

Morally? Did you call your Bishop or theologian or something? Or do you suffer from poor rhetorical skills?

What Ally outlined @ 115 sound somewhat similar to Christgau’s Pazz & Jop poll of yore, which I liked especially when you got to see the individual ballots etc. Seeing as professional music criticism is losing its place in papers in the US it’s probably difficult to figure out who to award ballots to.

And slagging off regional papers betrays a certain amount of sheer asinine ignorance, sure didn’t Jim’s Big Boss Lady, Madam, cut her teeth down on the Munster Express and the Cork Examiner? Where do you think journalists come from exactly?

It’s a decent shortlist. I hopes it’s Holmes or Hannigan. Ooh alliterative.
It might be nice if maybe some of your fellow journos like Ray Comiskey organised parallel prizes for trad and jazz, not to turn it into the Grammy’s now or anything. Don’t go bullying Dempsey now.

Comment by Major Alfonso

138.

January 15, 2009
4:32 pm

jim@134,

mine being one of the comments @115 that i presume you are referring to… what i said holds but i didn’t realise that it was a prize to be selected by music journalists and broadcasters…

so what you say is fair enough… i would keep some of my points in the back of your head though…

Comment by Ally

139.

January 15, 2009
4:43 pm

Out of interest Jim, would you have considered Nialler for a spot on the judging panel before he went pro as it were?

Comment by Ian

140.

January 15, 2009
4:49 pm

Major - Glad you picked up on that point because I overlooked it (hey, I have a lot of points to keep an eye on). Speaking as someone who cut his teeth doing album reviews for the Tipp Star and Clonmel Nationalists, the snobbery towards non-Dublin hacks is hugely telling.

Una - You missed your calling

Ally - No, no, not aimed at you - a few people made that point

Ian - Absolutely.

Comment by Jim Carroll

141.

January 15, 2009
4:53 pm

I’m loving the Clare People for awarding Drugzilla People of the Year. That’s what I call daring music journalism

Adebisi Shank in the same sentence as Republic of Loose? Sacrilege.

Comment by Naomi

142.

January 15, 2009
5:05 pm

Wow, this thread is epic.

Ok, Jim put €100 prize up for anyone who can pick the top ten. No-one could. So what does that tell us? It’s pretty nigh on impossible to have a top ten on which anyone can agree on. So of course there is going to be acts that some will love, other will hate.

The reactions of some people, namely Naomi and Drop D have been laughable. Someone doesn’t agree with you SHOCK!

Top marks for delusion of granduer to Naomi.

“Do your own research, in the last year I’ve been blogging and discussing Irish music more than any other journo on the web.”

Be that as it may, but ever hear the expression quanity over quality? You may be discussing it, but sure no-one is listening, judging by the comments section.

Comment by nerraw

143.

January 15, 2009
5:07 pm

I think it should be changed to 12 spots next year like the mercury prize.

My top 5 ommissions :
The Jimmy Cake
Chequerboard
Adebesi Shank
Sunken Foal
Katie Kim

Comment by Tom

144.

January 15, 2009
5:35 pm

Nerraw - Q vs Q right back atcha. If I was writing for comments, I’d have given up yonks ago. Sure I could give up posting every day and focus on major features that would bring in a lot more commentary but that’s not the point of what I’m doing. OHR is just a forum to post developments on Irish music and put up pics from gigs because no one else was doing it.

Comment by Naomi

145.

January 15, 2009
5:38 pm

A very lackluster, and averagely boring bunch of albums they have picked.
I guess they couldn’t choose anything too left of field after the big stink cause by last years winners.

Comment by cletus_buckley

146.

January 15, 2009
5:41 pm

What is obvious here is that both Naomi and Drop-D are fuming and talking shite in the hope that Jim’s readers will go to them.

This realistically is not gonna happen.In the case of Drop-D, it is just un-readable and in the case of Naomi, well, it’s Hot Press.

Say what you will about the Choice Music Prize, it has done more for Irish music in their short history than either of the above publications

Naomi - will the Choice Music Prize be on the cover of Hot Press? I think we all know the answer to that.

Comment by Joe The Greek

147.

January 15, 2009
5:49 pm

Ian - Absolutely.

I see, so in future would there be a chance that you would have judges whose involvement in writing about music is strictly unpaid and online be it from a blog or an online publication like drop-d (well those dudes have probably fucked themselves, but you know).

I know in previously years you’ve had bloggers like Una and Sinead Gleeson and Nadine O’Regan judging but they’re also full time journos. And Lauren’s output is as far as I know exclusively online but I presume that that’s her job too (having looked at the general slickness of the record of the day site I’m guess the same goes for James Foley).

Actually forget keeping it to online, people doing zines or freesheets or people like the folks at Analogue who provide copy for the mag gratis. Would they be in the running?

Actually having typed all that out the I realise the inclusion of Kieran Hurley (assuming he hasn’t got a full time role on CCR) on the panel makes me assume the answer would be “yes” because in a lot of ways the relation between him and the other four radio people on the list would be analogous to, if not quite a blogger’s relation to a professional critic it would certainly be the same as say Karl from Analogue to someone like yourself.

Comment by Ian

148.

January 15, 2009
5:54 pm

Actually forget keeping it to online, people doing zines or freesheets or people like the folks at Analogue who provide copy for the mag gratis. Would they be in the running?

Again, as I said earlier, absolutely. We’ve had bloggers and boggers in the past and we’ll have them again.

And FYI - Record of the Day is an online only publication. It’s a UK-based industry magazine which publishes a daily news round-up and an excellent weekly mag. It’s also home to a very busy forum. James Foley is their Music Editor.

Comment by Jim Carroll

149.

January 15, 2009
5:54 pm

Be that as it may, but ever hear the expression quanity over quality? You may be discussing it, but sure no-one is listening, judging by the comments section.

I distinctly remember no less than a year ago our esteemed host twice, once online and once on the radio refer to Off Her Rocker as “the best music blog in Ireland”.

Comment by Ian

150.

January 15, 2009
5:58 pm

Joe, I’ve been commenting on this blog - with a fair few altercations of opinion - for a long time now. If anything, it would have looked mighty weird if I’d ignored this thread. I don’t give a toss what anyone thinks. I’m just voicing my daffy opinions as a music lover who believes that in the spirit of the Choice Music Prize as an award to recognise an album deserving a while longer in the spotlight on its cultural merits, The Script were given a place which would do much, much more for many bands/musicians more worthy of the attention.

And I’m not Hot Press. I just write for them (and Drop-D) like a multitude of others. How would I know what goes on the cover? Ed Power (a judge) writes for them too, longer than I, so why don’t we ask him?

Seriously, the one thing that annoys me is people daubing me with their own prejudices just because of my employers. Am I supposed to claim the dole?

Comment by Naomi

151.

January 15, 2009
6:10 pm

Ah ok. Perhaps I wasn’t clear, I was drawing a comparrison between him and Lauren as people whose job it is to write about music online.

Comment by Ian

152.

January 15, 2009
6:17 pm

Everyone at Hot Press should shut up shop and claim the dole as a mark of respect to State.

I would have commented in the new State post, but it took me a while to get through all these comments first.

Journalists are a funny bunch though, is it like the movies where ye all just drink coffee and argue, it sure seems like it!

Comment by Dónal

153.

January 15, 2009
6:28 pm

I must have missed the issue of Hot Press where Adebisi Shank were on the cover

Comment by Patrick

154.

January 15, 2009
6:30 pm

Ian - Lauren also writes for AU magazine, Hot Press and The Ticket

I would have commented in the new State post, but it took me a while to get through all these comments first.

Donal - God bless your perseverence!

Patrick - that was the same week they were on the cover of the Ticket

Oh and just saw this comment above (I’m sure there are loads I missed but hey, I’m a busy culchie so what ya gonna do?)

Elle - Paul has never presented or compered the Choice Music Prize event - you’re thinking of Rigsy. But sure, one Nordie is easy to mistake with another when you’re ranting away, eh? Rigsy is a judge this year and Paul will be presenting Today FM’s live four hour extravaganza on the night from the event on March 4

Comment by Jim Carroll

155.

January 15, 2009
6:35 pm

Aren’t the David Holmes and Oppenheimer albums British albums, as opposed to Irish?

Just asking like

Comment by Neill

156.

January 15, 2009
6:37 pm

Neill - see under ELIGIBILITY at http://www.choicemusicprize.com/

Comment by Jim Carroll

157.

January 15, 2009
6:42 pm

Thank you Jim. That clears that up.

Comment by Neill

158.

January 15, 2009
7:16 pm

“Lauren also writes for … ”

Gotcha, thanks for the info.

Comment by Ian

159.

January 15, 2009
7:48 pm

Wow if shit bands can get selected for awards then I’m going back to my 3 chord basics and forking out 7 grand on some PR so precious people like Jim Carroll will write nice things about me.

My God, long gone are the days when musicians were rewarded for talent and not how much work their PR companies have done for them.

Jim I used to like you but these choices are ludicrous and I think you know it. Somewhere deep inside you is a proper journalist and fan of genuine original music but unfortunately you have been mistaking your salary as your IQ, as was said earlier. That is all.

Comment by Paul

160.

January 15, 2009
8:36 pm

Well holy God, as Miley would say. Look what The Script caused! Utter carnage on the On the Record blog…

I think it’s great to see regional journalists included in the judging panel - the music industry is so Dublin-centric sometimes that they often get forgotten when it comes to things like this. Being one myself, I may be a bit biased, of course Also I worked with Kieran Hurley for many years in Cork Campus Radio and can vouch for the fact that this is a man who is passionate about his music, and supporting local and independent artists - I didn’t have him down as a Script fan, though….

Comment by sweetoblivion

161.

January 15, 2009
9:18 pm

157 comments later my eyes are sore. Great reading though. A few sports articles under a pseudonym in the Clonmel Nationalist till the heat dies down Jim?

Comment by barryb

162.

January 15, 2009
9:26 pm

157 comments?

I thought heady days such as these had passed.

Honestly, I can’t see what all the fuss is about.

The awards are called Choice for a reason.

Reflect on that next you all try to strong arm your musical fascism, either in public or behind the apparent anonymity of internet monikers.

Comment by markg

163.

January 15, 2009
10:09 pm

bloggers and boggers

Jim, those of us in Dublin may well form a support group….might nick the title…

Comment by Joe

164.

January 15, 2009
10:22 pm

So Jim, since I got 8/10 guessed correctly in the previous thread on the Choice does that mean I get €80?

Comment by Dani

165.

January 15, 2009
11:33 pm

Paul @ 159 - you are obviously not paying attention, sweetie. Re-read the post - I don’t have a vote in this. I dont have a, er, choice in this. The judges are listed above. I’m the hypeman, the figurehead, the stool pigeon, the merchant of merriment, the ringmaster etc etc.

Please come down from your high horse and join in the fun! For a start, it must be fecking freezing up there on the high moral ground this weather. We can’t do anything about your own self-loathing but, sure, we’ll see what we can do to put a smile on your face, old bean

Dani @ 164 - nice try!

Comment by Jim Carroll

166.

January 16, 2009
12:08 am

@125 PaddydropD - “but unlike you we don’t do music for money, we do it for the music …it just wouldn’t be right if we caved into pressure from editors/ advertisers/ pr”

Is this bloke for real? I reckon “the pressure” of fending off calls from Diageo and Plectrums.com all day is getting to him. Whatever anyone reckons about the shortlist and the organisers, no–one can touch this award on the corporate-affiliation score. The Choice Prize is more independent than Jackie Healy-Rae reading the Life magazine on a uni-cycle.

And I really don’t get the niggling and mis-informned antipathy elsewhere towards certain members of the judging panel - Ian Dempsey and Ian Wilson have done more for independent Irish bands than your average Johnny Post-A-Blog could ever dream of.

Comment by colly

167.

January 16, 2009
12:18 am

Colly - I have a feeling that the niggling comments have a lot to do with resentment about not being on the panel. After all, they’re spending more time on this blog than even myself these days

Comment by Jim Carroll

168.

January 16, 2009
1:12 am

I’ve just listened to Katie Kim for the first time properly, on myspace. I am blown away and actually a bit freaked out by how good it is. What a voice. Katie Kim should have definitely made the list.

Halfset to win. Or Jape.

Comment by Neill

169.

January 16, 2009
2:07 am

Jim - Play the ball not the man, as you’d say.

Anyway, I love the Choice Prize, and the debate it garners.

BUT wasnt it the Choice Prize’s expressed aim to shine light on those in the dark / left of centre, or some such??

Questioning how the judges are selected therefore seems fair if said judges include a band like The Script and not the likes of the Jimmy Cake etc.

People have taken your Choice Prize to their hearts Jim. They like it and it is very few who are in a position to start their own awards.

Imagine Dave and Julie at Road records stocking Britney Spears and not Chequerboard or whatever and then telling us to go open our own shop when we question the methods of our beloved indie retailer/ tastemaker.

Looking forward to the night anyway, last year was fun.

Comment by Frank

170.

January 16, 2009
4:00 am

the Choice is worth doing for this thread alone. so much gold up there.

Comment by leagues

171.

January 16, 2009
8:40 am

Ah now YOU’RE the funniest poster here in ages!

Comment by Naomi

172.

January 16, 2009
9:08 am

Neil - Your experience with Katie Kim is telling. Forgive me for being so presumptuous but you probably read her name above and decided to check her out. You like her and you’ve become a fan

Now imagine how many other people - including Script fans -who have never heard of Jape or Halfset or Mick Flannery or Oppenheimer or MJEX. They will have seen their names on the Choice list and they will, like you, be curious and go off to listen to them. They may well like what they hear and actually purchase the album/gig ticket/t-shirt. They may even become a fan

Now THAT is why we set up this Prize

Comment by Jim Carroll

173.

January 16, 2009
9:28 am

@ Jim 172.

And imagine how many readers will be checking out Adebisi Shank because of the comments on this blog? Another positive outcome!

Comment by Le catch

174.

January 16, 2009
9:33 am

“And imagine how many readers will be checking out Adebisi Shank because of the comments on this blog?”

….or checking out that silly fanzine and silly girl and going “what a load of awful, badly written, badly presented, chip-on-shoulder, attention-seeking” rubbish”

Comment by Joe the Greek

175.

January 16, 2009
9:42 am

Sorry Joe, what’s your blog addy again? Jim, do you mind if I plagiarise your “get off your bum” comment and hurl it at this hater?

Google “photos adebisi shank”. Gwan ya hater, I dare ya!

Comment by Naomi

176.

January 16, 2009
11:27 am

“or checking out that silly fanzine and silly girl ”

I don’t get this comment. What’s so silly about her, that she thinks the script shouldnt be on it? that she thinks the shank should?

You’d be agreeing with her if this discussion hadn’t ended up as her versus the majority of posters. So easy to jump in with the crowd. And i don’t see how any of her comments warrant such personal attacks from you or others

Comment by Michael

177.

January 16, 2009
11:51 am

“And imagine how many readers will be checking out Adebisi Shank because of the comments on this blog?”

or re-watch an OZ boxset

Comment by OC

178.

January 16, 2009
11:57 am

It would be great to see the Script performing on the night….

Comment by Sean D

179.

January 16, 2009
12:41 pm

i will personally pay for the script’s flights if they were to play on the night.*

now THAT would be gold, even compared to this thread (to rob leagues’ phrase). imagine the tension, the booing,the sheer hatred in the room!

(*probably not true. actually, definitely not true.)

Comment by ciaran

180.

January 16, 2009
2:32 pm

Jim - Is this a record number of comments for a topic? If not, how many more do we need?

Comment by Derek

181.

January 16, 2009
4:00 pm

Thank you Michael, I appreciate your support.

Comment by Naomi

182.

January 16, 2009
4:11 pm

Derek - nah, a long way to go yet!

There were 221 comments for the Top 40 Irish Albums of All Time and all the Tom Waits in Dublin posts combined came to nearly 400.

Comment by Jim Carroll

183.

January 16, 2009
4:35 pm

“So eh, what about Tom Waits eh?”

*just feeding the thread a little juice to reach the magic 400

Comment by darragh

184.

January 16, 2009
4:59 pm

If the result of this post and its comments leads to anyone watching an OZ boxset, then we should all be very proud indeed. Paaaaaarp Lockdown!

Comment by adam

185.

January 16, 2009
9:53 pm

Glad I can cause a bit of controversy been asked to be one of the judges, but it is a fair question. far as I can read into the posters concerns it is the lack of experience of the judge that was selected is his main concern .
Suppose like everyone else on the panel we were all given a title but as anyone who works in the music industry in Ireland knows most of us would have a few things on the go as well as the day job.

I have worked in radio for of 10 years on a full times bases, will be doing the Green Room on Corks 96FM for the bones of two months while Mick is off . Worked with 7 of the artists shortlisted in Cyprus Avenue were I can be found twice a week as the house engineer and also I have recorded 2 of them in the production studio in CCR.
Got a fairplay For Airplay from Hotpress a few years back and I help out with the selection for the IMRO gigs here in the south.
Finally I am very serious about what I do. Was quite happy to be asked to be a judge but have no intention of been there just to make up numbers.

BTW if anyone wants to send me a demo or whatever to be considered for airplay (especially for the Greenroom) or gigs
Kieran Hurley
Station Producer
Cork Campus Radio 98.3FM
Student Centre
University College Cork
Cork
–

Comment by Kieran Hurley

186.

January 18, 2009
4:26 pm

I don’t normally read these things (as I told you, Jim) but I thought I’d check out the traffic on the Choice Music Prize in a sudden fit of professional interest. Some really interesting points here, amid the usual incoherent ramblings. I should like to point out to Elle, however, that I have never presented the Prize, I don’t much like Snow Patrol or Duke Special and I’d prefer not to be shot just yet. You got the wrong man, chicken.

Comment by Paul McLoone

187.

January 18, 2009
6:44 pm

Paul - Hope you didn’t read ALL the comments. It’s like PhD thesis in resentment, agenda-setting, chips on shoulders and missing-the-point-isms.

Elle has already been told s/he should have gone to Specsavers (comment 154)

Comment by Jim Carroll

188.

January 18, 2009
8:17 pm

This year was so good for irish music that the list could have been filled 3 times over and so there will always be artists that people feel deserved a nod - for me i adore the jimmy cakes spectre and crown

Fair play to the script, wouldnt begrudge them any success but as has already been said a band still working at success could have done with their place but thats not the criteria of nomination. By my calculations though a couple of, may i say mainstream judges, ranked them very high on their lists and hence, poinstwise, they were guaranteed a place on the nominations list

Comment by Ronan

189.

January 19, 2009
1:46 pm

This thread is hilarious. Naomi, what are you, five years old?

Comment by Fergal

190.

January 21, 2009
4:14 pm

Is it safe to come out now?

Comment by Jim Carroll

191.

January 21, 2009
9:07 pm

Excuse my ignorance, but who are The Script?

Comment by Cian O C

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Here’s the Choice Music Prize shortlist

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