The Mercury Prize - Am I becoming an old fart?

[Gonzo]

When I was younger I was very interested in music. I don't think that I have yet become an old fart. But...

I have read the list of bands nominated for this year's Mercury Music prize and I have to face the fact that I know nothing about modern music:

Arctic Monkeys - lots of hype about this lot but I have never heard them play a note.

Dizzee Rascal - I think he lives near me. That's it.

Fiona Regan - Who?

Jamie T - Who?

Klaxons - I think they sometimes play a song of theirs on SoccerAM.

The Young Knives - Who?

Bat for Lashes - Who?

Maps - Who?

New Young Pony Club - I only know this lot because they were on the the same morning flight as me from London City to Copenhagen two fridays ago to play at Roskilde.

Basquiat Strings - Who?

The View - again, a song of theirs gets used on SoccerAM.

Amy Winehouse - Who?

Should I just accept that, approaching my late thirties, I am old and am just counting down the days to my death?

[DimPrawn]

Yes. Next.

[Diver]

Gonzo!
If you were an eskimo.............snow

[Sockpuppet]

Arctic Monkeys - Overplayed tulipe. Dont get me wrong the songs are good just not 20 times a day good.

Dizzee Rascal - Think Black, Stereotype, Rapper and you are there.

Fiona Regan - Fionn Regan. Actually one of the decent ones there.

Jamie T - Slightly more understandable then Dizzee Rascal

Klaxons - Ok, still overplayed.

The Young Knives - Who?

Bat for Lashes - Her video for "what is a girl to do" is a cross between catatonia and Donnie darko

Maps - Electric, enough said.

Basquiat Strings - Can just imagine thier music being played as background music in a film. Other than that not much to it.

Amy Winehouse - Looks like a crack whore with good voice. Needs a shower.

[Moscow Mule]

Arctic Monkeys - some good tunes

Dizzee Rascal - "wot U cal it? Urban? wot U call it? Garridge?" not my favourite

Fionn Regan - never heard anything of hers

Jamie T - good, but not Mercury worthy

Klaxons - Good album, best track their first single, "Golden Skans"

The Young Knives - not a fan

Bat for Lashes - No clue

Maps - No clue

New Young Pony Club -No clue

Basquiat Strings - No clue

The View - I liked "Mens Needs" but couldn't get on with the rest of the album

Amy Winehouse - Jazz warbler, I like most of the album.


I usually use the Mercury as an excuse to buy stuff (after a quick listen on iTunes to see if it's any good) that's passed me by in the year.

[Cowboy Bob]

Arctic Monkeys - Music's not that great, but the lyrics are. Great tales of urban life told in a poetic and humerous style. I'm quite partial myself. Won last year though with their first album, so unlikely to do so this year.

Dizzee Rascal - Nothing special as far as I can tell. He's good at what he does, but then so are many others.

Fiona Regan - That'll be Fionn Regan. It's a bloke. Kind of Irish folk singer mixed with Steve Harley. OK, but not groundbreaking.

Jamie T - Overhyped rubbish.

Klaxons - OK, think The Coral meets The Killers. NME darlings. No staying power.

The Young Knives - Dress like Chris Eubank. That's about all that's noteworthy.

Bat for Lashes - Never heard her stuff.

Maps - Spiritualized, Sigur Ros type stuff, but more electronic. The kind of thing you have on in the background at dinner parties.

New Young Pony Club - Never heard their stuff.

Basquiat Strings - Token classical/jazz nominees. A bit like the Brodsky Quartet from what I understand.

The View - "Discovered" by well known heroin addict Pete Doherty. That's all you need to know.

Amy Winehouse - Album sounds like the Supremes. Live she sounds like the cat next door when it wants to come in. Will probably win though.

Having said all that, I'm not sure I'd know what to nominate as best British album this year. I might give it to the Happy Mondays, not because their new album is their best, but probably for nostalgic reasons as they'd most likely have won it for Bummed if the Mercury Prize had been around then.

[wendigo100]

Pah - Victoria Beckham misses out again. No wonder she's fecked off to Hollywood.

[BlasterBates]

Never eard of 'em

[gingerjedi]

As soon as you start saying things like '"who?" or "never herd of them" you are not necessarily old but way out of touch and therefore not cool.

I know plenty of people in their 20's who say this but at the same time my mates mum and dad still go to gigs to see new bands and they're close to 60.

[Kyajae]

As soon as you start saying things like '"who?" or "never herd of them" you are not necessarily old but way out of touch and therefore not cool.

My neighbour's 16 year old has never heard of Jimi Hendrix. Don't talk to me about cool. Cool today is knowing about everything that is tulipe, vacuous, facile, irrelavent and inconsequential.