Produced by Yamaha and LIPA, the 2009 Make It Break It awards, whose judging panel is headed by Coldplay's Chris Martin, are considered the most prestigious national awards to acknowledge the UK's most outstanding young songwriters. This year's awards added new promotional partners EMI publishing, HMV retail and XFM Radio.
In addition to the prizes for the young talents, the contest also provided the winners' schools a £500 prize of Yamaha equipment plus the opportunity of an on-site master-class held by a LIPA lecturer specifically crafted for the school or college. LIPA founder Sir Paul McCartney stated: "I like the experience MIBI gives and what it does for young songwriters who want to get their songs in front of a public audience."
International Talent News - A band of Tuareg musicians from the Sahara region have been crowned the winners of this year's Uncut Music Award for best album. Tinariwen won for their fourth album Imidiwan: Companions, beating the likes of Kings Of Leon and Bob Dylan. The prize is handed to the album judged to be the "most inspiring and rewarding" of the past 12 months. Tinariwen, who formed in 1979 in northern Mali, were the only non-US act on the shortlist of eight. The group rose to prominence in the 1980s, raising awareness of political issues faced in the region.
Labour of Love - Comic Peter Kay is to record a charity single for this year's Children in Need appeal, which he says has the potential to be "another Amarillo". The as yet unnamed track will be accompanied by an all-star video featuring almost 100 famous faces. Kay, 36, said making the video had been "a real labour of love". The comedian's cover version of Tony Christie's Is This the Way to Amarillo, released in aid of Comic Relief, was the UK's best-selling single of 2005.
Goodnight Liverpool - Morrissey stopped a concert halfway through the second song after he was hit by a missile thrown from a member of the crowd in Liverpool. The former frontman of The Smiths was hit in the eye by a plastic drinks container during Black Cloud at the Liverpool Echo Arena. The 50-year-old singer then said "goodnight" to the 8,000-strong crowd on Saturday and walked off.
Echo Arena general manager Tim Banfield said: "We are exceptionally disappointed that one individual should choose to recklessly cause the concert to be abandoned, ruining what should have been a brilliant night out for thousands of Morrissey fans. The Echo Arena team take great care to ensure the safety of visitors and artists at the venue."
Concert-goers have been advised to contact their ticket retailer to find out if they will get their money back.
(Jim Evans)
