Mercury awards

[Steve Mansfield]

I did promise myself and everyone else that I wouldn't return to the subject
of Rachel Unthank & The Winterset's rise to popularity - but the news that
they have been nominated as the annual token folkies for this year's Mercury
award is just too much.

I accept that I am the one marching out of step.

But please, honestly, tell me, what am I missing?

What am I completely failing to hear?

I really am, truthfully, asking, what is it that 'The Bairns' has, that
makes it better than the CDs by Eliza Carthy, Spiers & Boden, Kate Rusby,
Benji Kirkpatrick, Martin Simpson, Seth Lakeman, Faustus [flipping heck
what, in the year gone by, is more glorious than passages of the new Faustus
CD], and many others I've either temporarily forgotten or just not had the
opportunity to hear?

What?

Anyone?

--
Steve Mansfield
Manchester, England
http://www.lesession.co.uk

[johnb]

I do wonder if, in order to fill the token folkie slot, they just scan
the press and webpages to see which name has been featuring most
prominently - except they've had one of the Waterson-Carthy clan on
before, and hasn't Kate been nominated once already? Must be someone
else's turn.
I have to say I do like Rachel Unthank. When she and the Winterset
came to our club, it was a most enjoyable night even if I can't say
why in words that would convince anyone else. Their two albums are in
my collection and are pleasant enough, if a little downbeat, but I
doubt if I could explain what you're missing anymore than anyone else
can explain why I should really like Seth Lakeman.
However, album of the last year for me is still Martin Simpson's
Prodigal Son.

[Jacey Bedford]

In message <GwFhk.3649$GE1....@newsfe28.ams2>, Steve Mansfield
<sfm...@yahoo.com> writes

>I did promise myself and everyone else that I wouldn't return to the
>subject of Rachel Unthank & The Winterset's rise to popularity - but
>the news that they have been nominated as the annual token folkies for
>this year's Mercury award is just too much.
>
>I accept that I am the one marching out of step.
>
>But please, honestly, tell me, what am I missing?
>
>What am I completely failing to hear?

Nominations for the Mercuries are a buy-in thing.

You apply to be 'considered' by sending something like 200 quid and 300
CDs. If Fred Bloggs has got the dosh and the 300 CDs he can bet himself
on the longlist, too.

I guess after you get on the longlist the rest is up to your lobbying
team

Jacey
--
Jacey Bedford
jacey at artisan hyphen harmony dot com
posting via usenet and not googlegroups, ourdebate
or any other forum that reprints usenet posts as
though they were the forum's own