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Copyright
Nick Morgan, Kate Kavannagh and Serge Valentin
2006-2007
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100%
Guaranteed without any publicity, whether hidden or
not,
like
everything by the Malt Maniacs. |
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2006
Whiskyfun Music Award Winners
by Nick and Kate |
| Years
may come and go, moons may wax and wane, tides may
rise and fall, but more certain than any of that
natural stuff are the annual Whiskyfun Music Awards,
always guaranteed to whet the appetites of music
and whisky lovers throughout that virtual world
that we increasingly call home. So here goes …. |
| Fractious
Family Feuding Lifetime Achievement Award |
| Stand
aside Brian Wilson and Mike Love – this year
you two fractious feuders have been put in the shade
by Matthew
Fisher, Gary Brooker, Johann Sebastian
Bach, and “The
strange case of who wrote the organ piece on
Procul Harum’s
hit of hits, ‘A whiter shade of pale’?”
Fisher complained that he’d been gulled of
a writing credit and royalties, Brooker said Fisher
hadn’t written it, and strangely Johann, whom
everyone acknowledged as the inspiration for the
work, didn’t get a look in anywhere. Nor did
he get the cash. |
 |
| So
as things stand Fisher will get the credit and the
dosh – but hang on – the verdict is
still subject to appeal, the normally sanguine Mr
Brooker is apparently very unhappy (it must be like
waking up to find out that someone’s pinched
half your pension fund) and I have the feeling that
this one might just run and run. Ace! |
 |
The
Photographer’s “Perfect Posers”
Award
Any concentration of “Rs” around Shepherd’s
Bush is normally less than a pleasure, certainly
for crowd-controlling police horses and dogs (bite
‘em off, boy!). But the dear old Empire excelled
and produced a squad of the best “Rs”
in the portfolio. Ray
(Davies) and Roddy
(Frame) showed how to pose perfectly in top-class
performance mode: all-round naturals. Encore!! |
| Re-released
Album of the Year |
| Like
last year, and the year before, yet another triumph
from Mike Vernon and his pioneering blues label
Blue Horizon: this year it’s the double CD,
the 1968 Memphis County Blues Festival and Bukka
White’s Complete Blue Horizon Sessions, recorded
at the Ardent Studios the day after the Festival.
As Robert Gordon describes in It
came from Memphis these festivals (1968’s
was the third, held only a few months after the
assassination of Dr Martin Luther King, an event
that was to fundamentally change the ‘colour
blind’ musical milieu of Memphis) were the
public face of the blues revival – bringing
forgotten artistes such as White and Furry Lewis
to the attention of a broader public, through performance
and recordings like these. |
 |
| To
hear Bukka White say “Ladies and gentlemen,
it shouldn’t be, but I bet you don’t
know, I live here, and I was listening [to the radio]
one evening when I was on the air, and the guy said
‘I didn’t know we had anybody here sound
like that’, and I’ve been round here
since 1939…” gives an insight into just
how forgotten these recording artistes of the 1930s
and 1940s had become by the 1960s, and the performances
themselves stand as a stark tribute to the tenacity
of the blues …. |
 |
The
Photographer’s “Eat My Words”
Award
Up
front in the team of “Rs” at the Bush
was Rouse
(Josh). Any concern about his ability to project
was dispelled instantly. Not a single bland moment
all night and the crowd were ready for as much
extra time as possible. Lesson: forget reliance
upon CDs. Get music LIVE and only then come home,
dram with some of Scotland’s finest Midnight
Wine, a bag of Bombay Mix, and play the disc again.
Worked particularly well with Jarvis, too! |
| Nowhere could have been as bad as 2005’s award
winner, the awful Alexandra Palace, whose revival
as a rock venue seems to have been thankfully short-lived,
but that doesn’t mean there’s no room
for a winner this year. And it might have been an
‘historic’ (in the American sense of
the word) former cotton field in marvellous Mississippi,
where we nearly died in temperatures of over 100
degrees – where was that ‘historic’
air-conditioning? But stand up the
Pigalle, that so-called supper club
in the heart of London’s Soho where we saw
the wonderful Mr Brian Auger and his Oblivion Express.
|
 |
| The
Pigalle wins not just for the appalling décor,
a grotesque parody of reality, but also for the
truly gauche layout of stage and tables. Believe
me, even if you see that your favourite band is
playing there, you should think seriously about
buying tickets. |
Da
Bling Special Award for the Most Bejewelled Performer
Despite the best efforts of Ms Lily Allen, the be-ringed
Dr John, Mississippi Slim, the boys in the Rebirth
Brass Band and the very wonderful Mr “Legs”
Larry Smith, it’s been a bad year for bling,
so no award I’m afraid. But we do have … |
| The
Photographer’s “Natty Dresser”
Award |
 |
To
complete the line-up, The Empire fielded Ron!
(Sexsmith, that is). An astonishing gig, which sadly,
the Reviewer could not attend. Ron, wear the “sexy”
Hugh Hefner jacket if you must and sod “The
Times” – they’re just jealous.
We know you can knock anyone’s socks off,
we love you, so pleeeese keep crossing the Pond! |
Album
of the Year
Regular
readers will recall that this is the only award
in the sole gift of Whiskyfun’s Chief Reviewer.
The criteria? Well at the end of the day it’s
down to fun and enjoyment – no complex rating
systems here. Nominees were Roddy Frame (Western
Skies), James
Hunter (People Gonna’ Talk) Jarvis Cocker
(The Jarvis Cocker Album), Watermelon
Slim and the Workers (eponymous), the Who (Endless
Wire), and a very late entry, the Gotan
Project’s Lunatico. |
 |
| But
the prize goes to Rogues
Gallery, that unlikely collection of
sea shanties, featuring artistes as diverse as David
Thomas, Richard Thompson (his ‘Mingulay Boat
Song’ is just perfect), Martin Carthy, Nick
Cave and the Bad Seeds (with a truly syphilitic
version of ‘Fire down below’), Bill
Frisell – in fact a lifeboat’s worth
of Whiskyfun favourites – and even the hugely
out of place, pompous and overbearing track by Sir
Bono will make you laugh because he’s clearly
so far up his own beknighted **** |
Eurostar
Joint Anglo-French Trophy for Best Train Journey
of the Year
An unusual category, won at a stroke by comeback
band of the year The
Who, with their massive and highly
praised concert tour (including a re-run of the
now legendary Live at Leeds gig) and the very nice
(sorry Dave) Endless Wire, their first album in
more than twenty years (!). They played a blinding
gig in a hot and dusty Hyde Park in July, and during
‘Who are you’ took all of us on a memorable
break-neck train
ride from London Victoria to Brighton. Simply
first-class. Welcome back boys! |
 |
| Bang
for your Bucks Special Category Award |
 |
Had
I have been there then this award would certainly
have gone to Ron Sexsmith for his 27 songs at the
Shepherd’s Bush Empire in November. An outstanding
candidate was Bruce Springsteen and the Seeger Sessions
Band at the Hammersmith Odeon, who probably gave
us about thirty minutes more of his fabulous folk
revival, err… revival stuff than we really
needed (not that any of the Bruce fans were complaining),
and whose CD has provoked more raucous late-night
havoc than I’ve experienced for years. |
| The
over-polished John Fogerty didn’t fail to
deliver a value-packed set at the same venue, and
Pere Ubu’s David Thomas was determined to
give his Mean Fiddler audience every penny of their
ticket price. But despite these valiant attempts
this year’s award must go to Ray
Davies for a wonderful night of new
songs and nostalgia at the Bush way back in February,
and I should also thank those very nice folks who
were kind enough to give the then ailing Photographer
a seat. |
Performer
You Would Most Like Your Daughter to Bring Home
She’s already told me that she’s had
a scrap in a club with Lily Allen, so that’s
the cheeky girl of Camden Town off the list, in
which case I’ll nominate the charming and
hugely talented Teddy
Thompson - not only can he write, play
and sing but he also comes with a father of whose
profession I could only approve. You’re welcome
any time Teddy. |
 |
 |
Performer
You Would Never Want Your Daughter to be Seen Out
With
From this year’s rich tapestry of rock and
roll reprobates there is really only one contender
for this coveted award – the lacivious Lemster,
aka Lemmy, Motorhead’s
leather clad master of metal mayhem, and number
eight in Maxim magazine’s list of Living Sex
Legends. Dads, need I say more? |
The
Whiskyfun World Music Heritage Site Award for 2006
I have never quite understood why people want to
spend so much of their leisure time visiting distilleries
in Scotland, especially when you can do it for a
living. But dead blues singers graves in Mississippi?
Well that’s a different matter altogether.
And this year we visited a perfect spot, hidden
away and difficult to find in the sandy hills above
the tiny community of Avalon. |
 |
|
It’s a small burial ground, not marked from
the road, enclosed by thick growing bushes and trees,
and an appropriately pretty resting place for that
most delicate and melodic of bluesmen, the great
Mississippi
John Hurt, whose grave lies right at
the back, surrounded by his family. A moving musical
moment for some very sober reflection, as the Quakers
used to say. |
 |
The
Rolling Stones/Barclaycard Ironic Sponsor of the
Year Medallion
Irony becomes history. Who remembers The
Who Sell Out? Who remembers Odorono? Who took
the huge advertising on-stage advertising spot at
the Who’s Hard Rock Café Hyde Park
Calling gig? Who? Dove.
I rest my case. |
|
Drummer
of the Year
It’s unusual for Whiskyfun to give an award
to an individual band member for outstanding playing
– well that’s not actually true because
Norman Watt-Roy picked one up last year for his
bass-playing with Wilko and the Blockheads. But
this year we honour one of the most amazing performances
I’ve seen with the sticks for a long time
– and believe me we’ve seen some good
ones. But none quite compares with young Patrick
Carney of the two-man blues power-house
the Black
Keys. |
 |
| He
took on a packed Forum single-handed, like a prize
fighter from hell, and he won hands down with an
almost demonically possessed performance. If you
don’t believe me find out for yourself, they’re
touring Europe in late February and March. You simply
have to see them. |
 |
The
Photographer’s “Camera Shy” Award
The once very pretty Kevin
Ayers made an uncharacteristic use
of lighting technique to avoid the auditorium’s
gaze: almost total blackout. He should not have
worried because we were there for the sounds (honest!),
not the wrinkles. So keep it live, Kevin, we promise
we won’t look. (Hey, switch that light off!
Ed.). |
Craziest
People we Met at Gigs this Year Trophy
We’ve met some nice people, and, to be frank,
some arseholes. And if there was an ‘Arsehole
of the year award’ (Serge says no, because
he’s a bit of an old hippy and just likes
to be nice to everyone), but let me repeat, if there
was an ‘Arsehole of the year award’
it would be to the collective of loutish drunks
who ruined so many people’s enjoyment of the
Waterboys up in the first floor of the Bush
earlier in the year. |
 |
| But
nice people (the guys showering us with cold beers
in the Mississippi heat of the Greenville Blues
Festival deserve honourable mention) don’t
make crazy people. So this award must go to the
man with the weak bladder and pre-senile dementia
(and I told you before Serge – I didn’t
make this up) at the Bonzo’s
Astoria gig – who kept on getting lost
on his way back from his frequent trip to the Gents
– he was wandering around the theatre lost
in his personal Bonzo heaven – which I didn’t
think was a bad place to be. |
| Gigs
that we Didn’t Quite Manage to Review on Whiskyfun |
 |
The
year didn’t get off to the best of starts
so we missed Deacon Blue at the Scala (but saw them
later at the Scala), and only got to see the Mystery
Jets after several failed attempts. Pete Doherty
was in the slammer so the Babyshambles gig at the
Bush was cancelled, and Lyle Lovett yet again called
off a much anticipated visit to the UK – come
on Lyle, you’re getting worse than Elvis!
I couldn’t make Cat Power at the Roundhouse
– the Photographer said it was fantastic –
and likewise business kept me away from Ron Sexsmith’s
song-packed gig at the Bush. |
| Sadly,
due to a hectic gig schedule in November, we also
missed the launch gig for Whiskyfun favourites,
the Barcodes’
splendid new album, With Friends Like These, featuring
among others the legendary Zoot Money, but I’m
sure we’ll hitch up soon. But there were a
few gigs that we simply couldn’t get to –
and the band I most regret not seeing were Gomez,
who released a top album, How we operate, and visited
the metropolis on several occasions when we were
otherwise engaged. So let’s hope they come
back in 2007. |
The
Julie Burchill and Nick Parsons Memorial Trophy
for the Worst Piece of Rock Journalism of the Year
To be honest I’ve occasionally doubted my
credentials to give this award, as I read little
music journalism because it’s so self-important,
sycophantic, badly researched, and well man …,
basically illiterate. However when I read this article
in October the award was won at a stroke –
it’s Danny Eccleston’s piece in the
normally reliable Mojo
magazine about ‘Barrett’s
Home’. |
 |
| Yes,
a tour of the Pink Floyd’s late troubled troubadour’s
semi-detached refuge from rock and roll in Cambridge
(before he was even cold in his grave) – a
teaser for the auction of his worldly goods that
took place “in a frenzy of bidding”,
according to the Independent’s “Chief
Reporter” Terry Kirkby (shame on you Terry!)
on 30th November – I was so angry I’ve
still got the
cutting on my desk. Tasteless is hardly the
word for it. The cult of dead rockstars –
oh how I hate it. Their commoditisation –
even more grotesque. Mind you – I’ve
got a pair of Nick Drake’s underpants for
sale on e-bay if you’re interested …. |
 |
Gig
of the Year
Let me be honest – the judging panel have
been hugely divided on this. The Photographer said
– “Every gig which I didn’t think
I’d get to – which was all of them”.
Not really very helpful if you think about it. Serge
used all of his votes for Mr Brian Auger, which
I didn’t think was really fair. Smart money
was on Bruce Springsteen and the Seeger Sessions
Band, and his fabulous folk revival, err…
revival stuff, or the Who in Hyde Park, or perhaps
more obviously the Bonzos at the Astoria or the
Bush. |
| Side
betting would have included Roddy Frame, Josh Rouse,
Christy Moore and Teddy Thompson whilst the musos
would have gone for the soulful Andy Sheppard, the
simply wonderful Martin Taylor, the frankly bewildering
Marc Ribot and his Ceramic Dog or the gobsmackingly
good (sorry Serge, I’m running out of superlatives)
Wayne Shorter. But no – by an eventual unanimous
decision this most prized award goes to the Sheffield
Sage, Jarvis
Cocker, for a quite memorable night
at the Roundhouse with his new band, playing only
their fourth or fifth gig, and wonderful songs from
Mr Cocker’s new eponymous album. Jarvis –
we are proud to induct you into the Whiskyfun Hall
of Rock and Roll Fame. |
| The
Dennis Cowan and Vivian Stanshall Special Trophy
for Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band Revival Concerts |
|
Only one winner here. I, we, never thought it would
happen. Pinch me. But it did. Pinch me again. Twice.
A tearfully funny cold winter’s night at the
Astoria
in January, and then an accomplished bash at
the Bush
in November. Gentlemen, you and your comedic
assistants deserve the highest praise for pulling
this off. I’m sure you’re planning next
year’s dates as I write, and don’t
worry, we’ll all be there – but just
remember – quit while the going’s good! |
 |
 |
The
Non-plus Ultra Award
Sometimes the best awards are the shortest. To Roddy
Frame, for his album Western Skies
and a simply perfect evening solo at the Bush. It’s
an album that everyone should have, and no-one should
turn down an opportunity to see him. Non-plus Ultra
plus, err… plus. |
| Serge’s
Only 2006 Music Award |
|
Yes, only one Award from me. A lot of travelling
and business to do these days, so let’s be
quick and focused (to say the least). As Nick already
pointed out, I put all my votes on Brian
Auger - and his now familial Oblivion
Express – for his long, wonderful and ever
going musical career. While former band mate Rod
Stewart is recycling old Bonnie Tyler songs (a heartache
indeed), while Julie Driscoll-Tippets vocalizes
in the most ethereal altitudes of free jazz and
while Long John Baldry IS in heaven, Brian Auger
keeps distilling the most honest, most entertaining
and most inspired jazz-blues with lots of talent,
energy and good humour. True values indeed, hats
off to Brian! |
 |
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