It's nice to know that Canada's not the only place where independent artists grumble about being left out of their national music award. With the Barclaycard Mercury Prize nominations now narrowed down to a shortlist, Kevin Shields has slagged off the award, claiming that his band My Bloody Valentine were banned from the whole thing.
Speaking with the Guardian, Shields suggested that MBV were "banned" from the award because their album wasn't released via big-money retailers like iTunes and Amazon.
Further, he made this epic statement:
Our album's not a real album because it's independent. The corporate-ness has got to such a point where we've essentially been told that we don't exist. So, technically, that album doesn't exist. OK? It's not allowed to exist according to the Mercury prize... God help [whoever wins]... There are sinister forces at work.
Artists who were nominated for the award include Arctic Monkeys, David Bowie, Disclosure, Foals, James Blake, Jon Hopkins, Savages and Villagers, among others. The winner will be announced on October 30.
Speaking with the Guardian, Shields suggested that MBV were "banned" from the award because their album wasn't released via big-money retailers like iTunes and Amazon.
Further, he made this epic statement:
Our album's not a real album because it's independent. The corporate-ness has got to such a point where we've essentially been told that we don't exist. So, technically, that album doesn't exist. OK? It's not allowed to exist according to the Mercury prize... God help [whoever wins]... There are sinister forces at work.
Artists who were nominated for the award include Arctic Monkeys, David Bowie, Disclosure, Foals, James Blake, Jon Hopkins, Savages and Villagers, among others. The winner will be announced on October 30.
