Old-hands Muse lead the winners at NME awards

It may have been a night of success for the youngsters but it was established act Muse who came out on top at the NME Awards.

Fri, 02 Mar, 2007 - 08:36

It may have been a night of success for the youngsters but it was established act Muse who came out on top at the NME Awards.

The band, which has been on the music scene for a decade, won Best Band at the London awards ceremony, beating Arctic Monkeys and Pete Doherty’s outfit Babyshambles.

Muse’s lead singer Matt Bellamy was even named Sexiest Man, again beating fellow nominee Doherty.

But the young guns had their day in many of the other categories, with Jamie T, a 20-year-old from south west London, named Best Solo Artist ahead of heavyweights Jarvis Cocker, Radiohead star Thom Yorke and Lily Allen.

Jamie T, who has been making music since the age of 14, is dubbed an “urban Bob Dylan” by critics.

He sings about binge-drinking teenage girls, “lost boys in a lost town” and modern urban life in the UK.

The Arctic Monkeys walked away with two awards – Best Album for their debut, Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not, and Best Music DVD for Scummy Man.

Supermodel Kate Moss attended with boyfriend Doherty, and while the musician went home empty-handed, Moss beat 15-stone US singer Beth Ditto, vocalist with US band The Gossip. to win Sexiest Woman.

The waif-like catwalk star was supposed to present the Godlike Genius Award to Primal Scream but she and her boyfriend had disappeared when the gong was announced.

Primal Scream went on to close the awards with a memorable performance of The Clash’s classic “(White Man) in Hammersmith Palais”.

US acts took two awards – My Chemical Romance winning Best International Band while The Killers won Best Video for Bones.

Otherwise it was a night of success for British music – Devon trio Muse won Best British Band, beating Oasis, Babyshambles, Kasabian and the Arctic Monkeys.

Brighton-based group the Klaxons were named Best New Band and Kasabian won Best Live Band.

The View, from Dundee, who are tipped to follow the Arctic Monkeys’ success this year, won Best Track, for Wasted Little DJs.

The awards night was another disappointment for tabloid favourite Allen, 21, after she failed to win a single gong at the Brits.

There was even more bad news for the trainer and gold earring-wearing star, known as the Queen of Chav, when she was named worst-dressed celebrity at the awards.

Robbie Williams’ Rudebox was voted Worst Album – bad news for the star recently admitted to rehab for addiction to prescription drugs.

There were live performances from The Killers, Kasabian, the Kaiser Chiefs, The View, and a collaboration from Jarvis Cocker and Ditto.

The televised awards, voted for by fans and fronted by Lauren Laverne, were held at London’s Hammersmith Palais.

NME editor Conor McNicholas said: “This is the verdict of the real passionate British music fans, the ones who keep the music scene alive at gigs up and down the country week-in and week-out.

“It’s a reflection of how strong the British music scene is that there’s so much to be celebrated.

“The NME Awards this year has been the biggest of the modern age with an unprecedented number of bands attending and with a line-up to rival most festivals. It’s been a triumph for the bands and NME alike.”

ends

Winners:

:: Best British Band

Muse

:: Best International Band

My Chemical Romance

:: Best Solo Artist

Jamie T

:: Best New Band

Klaxons

:: Best Live Band

Kasabian