Jape wins the Choice Music Prize
March 5, 2009 by Brendan McGuirk
Filed under Anablog
Last night Jape beat off stiff competition from the likes of Lisa Hannigan, David Holmes and RSAG to win the Choice Music Prize for his album Ritual. Fair play to Richie, the album is great and the €10,000 prize money is well deserved.
In advance of the Choice, I asked Jim Carroll co-founder of the prize a few questions about setting up the competition and how he feels it has progressed since it first began back in 2005. There’s some great advice in there for new bands who want to know about how to successfully promote their music. I should have posted this before last night but better late than never…
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1. In the last four years, how has the Choice Music Prize evolved? Has it done everything you would have hoped from the beginning? Did it have any outcomes that you didn’t expect (generally, not necessarily about who would win)?
It’s evolved to the point where it has completely exceeded everything myself and David Reid (the other co-founder) had in mind when we set it up.
We set it up because no-one else had bothered to do it and we were amazed by this oversight. We wanted it to be kind of like the All-Stars are for for hurling and football and I think, in some small, warped way, we have succeeded. The critics and DJs pick the list and then everyone has a big barney about it.
Our emphasis has always been on getting the shortlist to shine a light on Irish music at a time of year when nothing is going on. In terms of the public and critical reaction and the fact that many shortlisted acts over the years have subsequently reported bumps in sales which they (NOT US!) attribute to Choice, we’re as happy as pigs in shite with what has happened. It’s not just about the winner
Outcomes we didn’t expect? We didn’t expect it to happen so fast. By Year 2, it was a 100, 1000, times bigger and getting more attention than we ever expected. Remember we’re doing this on a frayed shoestring budget – there is no sponsor, no fall-back plan. We get the cash for the prize from IMRO and IRMA and the trophy for RAAP but everything else, from hire of the hall and the production to the press and the marketing, is paid for by the punters who pay for their tickets on the night.
I think myself it has succeeded because of a few factors. (1) The process is completely transparent – you know who the judges are and you know the decision is made on the night. (2) We have huge goodwill from Irish acts, something I certainly didn’t expect (in many ways, Choice is a karma rebalancing exercise for me to offset the slaggings I’ve given Irish acts) – we now know that we wouldn’t have a Choice Music Prize without that goodwill. (3) Goodwill from the industry – they respect what we have done with this and they know we’re doing it with very pure motives. (4) The media love it because they’re at the heart of the process and they know just how scrupulous we are when it comes to choosing the judges. (5) The public seem to like it too because they turn up and pay good money for the show, a fact which means we can keep doing this.
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2. Every year when the shortlist is announced, there’s a reaction from music fans and journalists alike about albums that they feel should have made it on the shortlist. Would you say that an element of some bands not being nominated for the prize comes from poor self promotion? In simple terms, what would you say to the bands who can’t afford 1 – 2 grand for a Pr company?
Bands are shit at promoting themselves and Irish bands are really terrible. BUT YOU DON’T NEED A PR COMPANY TO DO THIS!
Case in point? Julie Feeney. She promoted her debut album herself – she researched what journalists would be into her music, collected their email addresses and got in touch with them. She sent them the CDs and they loved it. She made the Choice list and she won it. Money spent on hiring PR company? Zilch. The same this year with RSAG.
Bands say you can only get on the Choice shortlist – or get on radio or press coverage- with a PR company are lazy sods. You can do it yourself. It never fails to amaze me how terrible Irish bands are at self-promotion. It doesn’t mean becoming Annie Wilkes in Misery and stalking people, but simply getting the fucking music to the people you think will be into your band. It is not rocket science.
Here’s a story for you. Theres one act a lot of people seemed to be surprised didn’t make this year’s shortlist. I happen to like that band’s music and their sound and their attitude and it’s the kind of thing I’d play on my show on Phantom FM. Now, that band didn’t send their CD to me but I know for a fact they sent their CD to other people at Phantom who wouldn’t play their style of music in a million years. How do I know this? Because one night when I was in Phantom throwing something into the bin, I saw the band’s CD in there. True story – and no, I won’t name the act to save their blushes.
It’s so fucking easy to find out who likes what and who doesn’t like what. All it takes is some time and patience but too many acts prefer to park their arses on bar-stools and moan and give out rather than do this. Their loss – especially when they end up paying money to some PR company to do exactly just that
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3. Your Irish Times blog is a great spot for debate and discussion of music, are you surprised by how some of the comments have questioned the credibility and experience of the judges?
No, because a certain amount of blog comments are always going to be inane ramblings from deluded people with chips on their shoulders.
Many of those who have commented on the thread about the Choice Music Prize about the judges don’t really know the first thing about those same judges – and are just too lazy to go off and do some research. It’s easier to rant and rave than realise that someone like Kieran Hurley or Andrew Hamilton or Rigsy or Ian Dempsey has done more for Irish bands and Irish music than they themselves could ever do. One gobshite even attacked Paul McLoone as a host – sure, Paul McLoone has never even hosted the event! Just the kind of basic errors they themselves fume about when someone else does it.
In general, I believe that there is a huge amount of resentment, self-interest, petty bitchiness, jealousy and self-loathing amongst those who question the credibility and experience of the judges. But, as Jay-Z had it, it’s all dirt off my shoulder.
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4. What do you make of peoples reaction to the inclusion of The Script?
“There is only one thing in life worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about” – Oscar Wilde
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5. As a non voting chairperson, you chair the judges discussion of who the ultimate winner should be. How does the process of all the judges coming to an unanimous decision work?
We start by having a hearty meal because condemed men and women should always eat well. We then go into a secluded room in Vicar St and the shouting begins. Over the course of the night, there is a lot of robust talk, debate, jokes, vicious digs at people who are not in the room, bitchy put-downs of the nominated bands, questions from the gentlemen present as to where I got my suit and furniture thrown at the wall.
But the arsing about soon ends and the pressure in the room increases bit by bit. We go through all the albums and, by a process of elimination, whittle the 10 albums down to the eventual winner. The psychology of the whole thing is fascinating to me as an observer – some characters you expected to be really mouthy turn quiet and the quiet ones take over. Watching how a very eloquent judge can persuade people about an album – or, better still, change someone’s mind about an act – is amazing.
Because all the judges take a vow of omerta beforehand not to reveal what is said in the room (and none of the 36 judges to date have broken that – which is amazing when you considerable the amount of gossips in this business), you get the most incredibly open, honest and fortright discussion about music on the night. It truly is life-affirming to hear my peers discuss these 10 albums and acts with such passion and such searing, brutal honesty. It would make an amazing TV show or radio show but it will never happen because you wont get those 12 people to be so open if they know other people will hear it. You’ll get other media whores to talk loud and say nothing but not the judges we pick, which is why we pick the judges that we do. At the Choice Music Prize, what is said in the room stays in the room.
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6. What are your hopes for the future of the Choice?
That myself and David will still have the time, energy, enthusiasm and commitment to keep doing it and that all concerned – IRMA, IMRO, RAAP, Today FM, Aiken Promotions and the amazing team we have working on this – will still have the crack with it.
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You won’t name the band to save their blushes!
If you saw the CD and are now into their music maybe you should be blushing that you failed in your journalistic insticts to pick up the CD, especially if it was being discarded. Lazy and wasteful!
” happen to like that band’s music and their sound and their attitude and it’s the kind of thing I’d play on my show on Phantom FM. Now, that band didn’t send their CD to me but I know for a fact they sent their CD to other people at Phantom who wouldn’t play their style of music in a million years. How do I know this? Because one night when I was in Phantom throwing something into the bin, I saw the band’s CD in there. ”
did you pick it out? of course not, because you probably took a grudge to not receiving the cd, anyway what kind of dj still gets cds, surely you get digital releases, no?
and everyone knows you’re talking about adebisi shank too
@Paul. I think he’s implying he did pick it up. “Lazy and wasteful!” – get a grip of yourself.
@Sara. Practically all promo in Ireland is sent in CD form.
It’s just a bit of advice, I don’t know why you’re both getting so uppity. And if anything, it shows how Phantom seem to be a bit off when it comes to music in Ireland.
Who is this ‘you’ you are all talking to?
This is an interview with Jim Carroll, not his blog.
I agree with Paul & Sara. If you knew you liked their stuff then I think you were just too proud to pick the CD out of the bin.
Mr. Carroll, you are so typically Irish. That sort of shit flows through Irish veins.
Childish if you will…
Bren, where do you get off telling anyone to get a grip? There is nothing to suggest JC picked up that CD. Did you leave that bit out or are you kow-towing?
I find it more shocking that Jim’s obviously put out that he wasn’t sent an album like others. Did he really just say that he’s deliberately overlooking good bands simply on the grounds of poor self-promotion? It’s not about waiting for your free copy in the post – every single day music writers across the world go out of their way to discover and enunciate good tunes. Bands should be judged by one criteria only: the quality of their music.
Karl – the statements were made here and these are readers’ pertinent responses.
Nay, sure bands should be judged on the quality of their music alone. Jim isn’t put out that he didn’t a cd, he’s pointing out that with a little research bands can get their cds in the hands of someone who might actually appreciate it.
“Did he really just say that he’s deliberately overlooking good bands simply on the grounds of poor self-promotion?” where does he say that?
re: telling paul to get a grip, who’s he to call anyone “lazy and wasteful” or question their “journalistic instincts”? I’m sick of reading all these high and mighty self righteous comments left by members of the drop d gang.
@Sara – It is true that alot of bands are piss poor on the pr side of things and this can be a major hinderence on getting their music out there. Jim Carrolls underlying point is that bands simply need to sit down and think how they can focus their promotion on the right people. its an important lesson for all bands that struggle to be heard.
@Bren – i actually find the drop d site a refreshing break from most other irish music sites, sure they may not be the most professional out there but they sure are the most passionate imo. seems lately its the new cool thing to slate drop d. typical irish behaviour
James, I wasn’t giving out about the drop d site, just the tone of their comments on other blogs.
Bren – what are you, a cyber cop? People sre free to make whatever comments they like. I’m so fed up of people who react so negatively to real honesty. There’s far too much arse-licking that helps no one. We all love music and want to do right by the bands and artists we believe in but woe betide if our opinion clashes. Blogs like this and OTR, where the ed literally jumps down the throat of dissenters, are really bringing Irish music down.
Basically, swap “say” for ‘infer’ and the sentiment stays. And don’t give me guff that he’s making a point that bands should make more effort to send their music out – how about journalists and DJs make more effort to find stuff out themselves instead of perching on bar stools, beer gardens or bike handlebars. It’s so lazy and uninspiring.
“People sre free to make whatever comments they like” – Yeah of course they are and I’m perfectly entitled to react to those.
“how about journalists and DJs make more effort to find stuff out themselves instead of perching on bar stools, beer gardens or bike handlebars.”
You’d swear you were the only one who went looking for new music. This what I’m saying about self righteous attitudes.
“bringing Irish music down” – Are you really accusing me of bringing Irish music down because I told one dude to get a grip of himself on my blog?
i dont speak for drop-d at all, i dont know much about the site either other than it looks terrible and sometimes has good interviews,
but anyway i understand what he’s sayin and yea some bands are not great pr-heads, but what got me uppity was just the way he says things, he just sounds like every other journo in this country. self-loving and full of s….wind. i’d love to hear the interview, or was it done over emails? the tone seems quite arrogant..
another thing that pissed me off is the way he talks about the people leaving comments on his blog who dont agree with him, he just dismisses them completely, he comes across as a cruel mean-spirited old man, hopefully as his head gets bigger he will alienate more of his precious viewers and the irish times will get someone more deserving of his job.
maybe you bren, or nay?
Sure, react away. Why bring Drop-D into it though? The dude posted as Paul Murphy, not Drop-D absolute. I’m saying you and others bring Irish music blogs down by the way you jump on anyone with a conflicting opinion.
The barstools quote was an attempt at irony – just JC’s arse is parked on a stool of its own, moaning that bands ignored him because bands moan and don’t promote enough.
Feuding is the best.
What I meant with the “you” thing is that maybe “he” would have been better, because Jim Carroll isn’t actually here. This interview was done weeks and weeks ago for the magazine, originally. I wasn’t being factional and feudy. I actually wrote for Drop-D weirdly enough, about four years ago when it seemed to be primarily about Cork.
As re: what Jim said… he comes off a little badly because he seems to be implying that giving HIM music is the way to get noticed… and it also sort of points to an increasingly archaic “business model” in general.
His point mostly still stands though. You can’t play a band if you don’t know who they are. If you spend 16 hours a day on MySpace trying to find good new Irish music, you’re still going to miss Weil Rats, for example.
Amazing how the mention of “Jim Carroll” draws out all these negative reactions and personal attacks and sees Analogue’s comment count go through the roof.
Thing is, folks, Jim has been at this game for longer than any of you and is better at it than all of you put together. He gets people riled about Irish music and they react in exactly the way he wants them to react. He’s a pro at this. I don’t agree with him on a lot of stuff – I love Humanzi for instance – but he gets the reaction and gets people talking and always, always, keeps his name in the mix.
I’m sure he is sitting in his kitchen reading all these comments and guffawing loudly at having played the hip kids so well once again. High five Jimbo!
Sara – Drop-D looks terrible and sometimes has good interviews?
That’s the manifesto right there, dude.
I’m gonna make t-shirts. We’ll need a pic of you giving a non-plussed look to be emblazoned on the back of said t-shirts though. I’m so excited I just weed (weeed?weeeed?)a little bit.
nice work Bren!