Brits and the Aphex Twin

[Martin Wheatley]

I wrote
>> The Brits are the worst since each record company just nominates the
>> artist and record they most want to hype.  We should all have sufficient
>> faith in our own judgements to like what we like and not dash out and buy
>> something because 5 industry lackeys have voted Westside the most original
>> group in the history of the world ever!
>> Belle And Sebastian aren't a better group because someone
>> managed to fix the system last year and what makes anyone think they'll

Pete Flynn wrote
>Why should the Brits be another year of what you said Martin;  I'd like to
>hear all the papers mention Aphex winning a Brit in a rather confused way
>not knowing where he came from, not having been nominated and got in there
>by Warp.   we've enough Robbie Williams/ etc all over the tv/radio/news,
>it's a simple thing to do, click a button, I don't know......i can't see the
>vehemence that ppl (other than here) have towards it.

We seem to be coming at this from two different angles.  You seem to have the 
idea that the Brits is some sort of measure of musical worth.  I suggest it
is a marketing exercise on behalf of the UK music industry.  Other people
on the list can decide what they think it is!

The organisers try very hard to orchestrate everything each time.  
This is a hard thing to do because there are many people trying to
unorchestrate 
it in search of some cheap publicity
Most years someone finds a way through.  However what you can see is that they
take great care that what happens one year can't be repeated the next.  The
celebs are moved away from the stage after Jarvis, the politicos are moved
away
from the celebs after Chumbawumba.
It therefore follows that they are likely to take great care with the email 
votes this year.  Best New Band is an important category and the industry
won't let it be won again by anyone they don't want it to be won by.
The Aphex Twin may win but that's because its in a completely unimportant 
category - 'Best Video For A Single Everyone Forgot About Months Ago'.  It
sells
no records and probably won't make it on to television unless Robbie
Williams wins it
It's even more pointless than most Brit awards. Go on - tell me who won it
last year
without looking it up!

That about winds it up I think.  Either you believe in the Brits or you don't
I don't!

martinw thoroughly cynical