Ben Lee, Wolfmother, the Drones, Go-Betweens among Australian Music Prize finalists

from heraldsun.news.com.au

by Nui Te Koha

Australian Music Prize between Lee, Wolfmother

07feb06

COMEBACK kid Ben Lee and rockers Wolfmother are vying for the Australian Music Prize.

Eight finalists were revealed yesterday for the inaugural AMP ceremony on Wednesday, March 8.
Albums by Lee and Wolfmother were named alongside the Devastations, the Drones, Go-Betweens, the Mess Hall, Tex Don and Charlie, and TZU.

Industry pundits have described the AMP as an ARIA award with credibility. Based on Britain's Mercury Prize, the AMP carries a cash prize of $25,000.

AMP organisers say their judging panel is free from record label ties and conflicts of interest.

Conversely, the ARIA Awards have strong links to major labels.

While Lee and Wolfmother are crowd favourites, the AMP nomination is another success story for scorching blues-rock duo, the Mess Hall.

Wolfmother drummer Myles Heskett said the AMP nomination was a compliment.

He also defended his record label's recent controversial decision to break ranks at an important US music festival.

Modular Records boss Stephen Pavlovic will distance his acts from an Australian music contingent at South By Southwest in Austin, Texas, set down for March 10 to 19.

As 40 local bands take on America at SxSW, Pavlovic will launch Wolfmother and the Presets at a private event.

"It's not about patriotism or Aussies conquering the world," Heskett said. "It's about bands on the label being of an international standard."