Ouch. The party season started with a bang last night and I am still feeling the after effects. The occasion was the annual Record Of The Day Awards for Music Journalism & PR, when a motley crew of scribes and PR officers gossip, drink copiously and ignore the speeches.
A helpful invention in its own right, Record Of The Day is both daily music news digest and talking shop. Now in its seventh year, their awards have established themselves as a light-hearted bit of fun ahead of the Christmas party season. No one begrudges the sheepish winners, often left bemused by the voting process. So congrats to The Observer Music Monthly, Lady Gaga’s press officer and Kruger.
A particular highlight this year was an outstanding achievement award for one of our finest photographers. Pop music and pictures go together like cheese and pickle - think of any performer and usually the first thing that comes into your mind is a memorable image rather than a snatch of music.
And likely as not, that image has been created by Kevin Cummins. That is especially the case for the likes of Joy Division, The Smiths and The Stone Roses. Spot the connection? Raised in Manchester, Cummins is a dyed-in-the-blue-wool Man City fan and has maintained close ties with the North West.
Cummins’ passion for music shines through his work and he has a knack of capturing his subjects’ personalities, whether a pensive Ian Curtis or an arch Morrissey. He was always at the right place at the right time, whether key punk gigs or Madonna’s early UK showcase at The Hacienda. I was more than happy to raise a glass to him on Thursday night, though in the end had one too many. Roll on 2010.
