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  • FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 9 2005 7:00 PM

Antony & the Johnsons win 2005 Mercury Music Prize

Submitted by xokatyxo

Edited by Keith

In a surprize result that will no doubt outrage millions of Coldplay fans, Antony & the Johnsons have won the 2005 Mercury Music Prize.

Yahoo news UK was among the first to report the unexpected victory.

Antony Hegarty, whose quavering voice has been likened to Billie Holliday and Nina Simone, won the Mercury Music Prize with his band, Antony and the Johnsons, for their album "I Am a Bird Now".

Widely-acclaimed by the critics but little known in the mainstream music world, Hegarty has been described as the "gayest thing ever recorded".

The 20,000 pounds prize is awarded each year by an independent judging panel to the best album by a British or Irish band.


Antony's inclusion in the short-list was rather controversial, since the prize is for "British/Irish" artists and Antony grew up in California and is based in New York.

Antony and the Johnsons only qualified for nomination because Hegarty was born in Sussex, southern England, before moving to the United States.

"I am completely overwhelmed," Hegarty, 34, said after accepting the award at a central London ceremony. "I think they must have made a mistake. I think that is insane."


The winner was announced earlier this evening (September 6th) at a star-studded ceremony at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London.

Upon accepting the prize, a rather overwhelmed Antony said "It's kind of like a crazy contest between an orange and a spaceship and a potted plant and a spoon - which one do you like better?"

 
Comments
furnacedoor

furnacedoor

I'm lost
September 2003

SEP 09, 2005 07:49 PM

i see he's handling it well ooo aaa

Charley

Charley

SUICIDEGIRL

United Kingdom

SEP 09, 2005 08:10 PM

Lets hope it doesn't kill his career!

lamdalamdalamda

lamdalamdalamda

Chicago, IL
February 2003

SEP 09, 2005 09:35 PM

one of the most beautiful voices out there right now...that makes me very happy! smile

YUSHi

YUSHi

United Kingdom
May 2004

SEP 10, 2005 04:08 AM

The Mercury Music Prize has always gone to artists that most need a bump in their album sales.

AstralTraveller

AstralTraveller

United Kingdom
January 2003

SEP 10, 2005 08:45 AM

I don't think it was a surprise, it was the obvious choice. Out of the nominees I prefered M.I.A. If they had voted Coldplay they would have completely discredited their award of any worth. I'm also glad the Kaiser Chiefs didn't get it, their music so pedestrian. As for Hard - Fi...fucking hell they are definately a manufactured band, saw them 'perform' a couple of nights ago, appalling. Anyway good for Anthony, not my cup of tea - his voice is like a red wine that's strong enough to be a port!

xokatyxo

xokatyxo

United Kingdom
December 2004

SEP 13, 2005 04:54 PM

NME.com update. A week later...

Antony & The Johnsons album sales soar
‘I Am A Bird Now’ flies up the charts following Mercury Prize win

Antony & the Johnsons’ ‘I Am A Bird Now’ is flying up the charts since winning the 2005 Nationwide Mercury Prize.

Record store HMV have reported that sales of the album have increased twenty-fold since it won the prize a week ago (September 6).
The LP has now soared from number 135 to number 16 in this week’s UK album charts, which marks the first time ‘I Am A Bird Now’ has ever been in the Top 20 since its' release in March 2005.

HMV Head Of Music Phil Penman said: “The Nationwide Mercury Prize just keeps getting better and more influential every year and its effect on sales of shortlisted albums becomes more pronounced.”
He added: “This year has been no exception and we have seen a huge interest in the winning album by Antony & the Johnsons since they pretty much stole the show with their spellbinding performance at last week’s Mercury Prize awards."

Antony & the Johnsons sales rise in the highest ever reported in the 14-year history of the Nationwide Mercury Prize.



So. There ya go. Next round is on Antony.

Onibubba

Onibubba

Hopkinsville, KY
October 2004

SEP 14, 2005 05:38 AM

Fantastic news. Do check out his self titled release as well. I think I still prefer it to the second, but it has had more time to grow on me. There are a few EPs worth tracking down as well.

M.I.A. is definately the shit too. And that certainly does reinforce Antony's "apples and oranges" comment.

prolegomenist

prolegomenist

I'm lost
May 2005

SEP 19, 2005 05:52 PM

I just picked up this album. Incredible.

Dylan

Dylan

SUICIDEGIRL

United Kingdom

SEP 19, 2005 06:23 PM

I watched it and I was glad he won, half of the rest were pretentious and shit. Or Coldplay, who I'm sure are too big to be included.
He seemed sweet, in a kind of you know he spent his entire teenage years in his room in the dark listening to the Cure and writing bad poetry way.

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