2008 Jagermeister AIR AWARDS | NOMINEES ANNOUNCED

The Australian Independent Record Labels Association is proud to announce the nominees for the 2008 Jagermeister AIR AWARDS. These artists are the cream of our incredible crop of independent musicians and songwriters. Some are already well known both here and overseas. Others are artists that will become household names in the months and years ahead.

The nominees for Best Australian Independent Artist are some of our most vibrant and creative talents in a range of music genres. They are The Waifs, Lior, Ricki-Lee, The Getaway Plan, The Herd and Birds of Tokyo. Sydney’s Lior and West Australian band, The Waifs have also received nominations for Best Independent Blues/Roots Album.

Shortlisted for the coveted Best Australian Independent Album of 2008 is the tender and soulful Lior for his second album Corner of an Endless Road, the surprise indie hit Little Red’s Listen to Little Red, underground rock & rollers British India for their second album Thieves, chart and sales sensation Sneaky Sound System for their album 2 and two-time ARIA winner Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu for his mesmerisingly beautiful album Gurrumul. Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu is also nominated for Best New Australian Independent Artist and Best Independent Blues/Roots Album.

The 2008 AIR Awards ceremony will be held at The Corner Hotel in Melbourne on Monday 24 November.

THE 2008 Jagermeister AIR AWARD NOMINEES

Best Australian Independent Artist
The Waifs (Jarrah Records/MGM)
Ricki-Lee (Public Opinion/Shock)
The Getaway Plan (Boomtown Records/Shock)
Lior (Sensico Unico/MGM)
The Herd (Elefant Traks/Inertia)
Birds of Tokyo (Independent/MGM)

Best Australian Independent Album
Lior - Corner Of An Endless Road (Sensico Unico/MGM)
Little Red - Listen to Little Red (Hooch Hound Records/Shock)
British India – Thieves (Flashpoint Records/Shock)
Sneaky Sound System – 2 (Whack Records/MGM)
Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunipingu – Gurrumul (Skinnyfish Music/MGM)

Best Australian Independent Single/EP
Stealing O'Neal – Collidescope (BNM Records/Shock)
Wolf & Cub - One To The Other (Dot Dash/Inertia)
Sneaky Sound System - Kansas City (Whack Records/MGM)
The Getaway Plan - Where The City Meets The Sea (Boomtown Records/Shock)
Grafton Primary – Relativity (Sonic Constructions/MGM)
Ricki-Lee - Can't Sing A Different Song (Public Opinion/Shock)

Best New Australian Independent Artist
Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu (Skinnyfish Music/MGM)
Drapht (Obese Records)
Little Red (Hooch Hound Records/Shock)
Abbe May (Independent/MGM)
A-Love (Crookneck Records/Shogun)
 
Best Australian Independent Hard Rock/Punk Album
Birds Of Tokyo – Universes (Independent/MGM)
The Getaway Plan - Other Voices, Other Rooms (Boomtown Records/Shock)
Magic Dirt – Girl (Emergency Music/MGM)
Eddy Current Suppression Ring - Primary Colours (Aarght Records/Shock)
Horsell Common - The Rescue (Boomtown Records/Shock)

Best Australian Independent Hip Hop Album
Muph and Plutonic - …And Then Tomorrow Came (Obese Records)
Katalyst - Whats Happening (Invada/Inertia)
Resin Dogs - More? (Hydrofunk Records/MGM)
A-Love - Ace Of Hearts (Crookneck Records/Shogun)
The Herd – Summerland (Elefant Traks/Inertia)

Best Australian Independent Country Album
Noll Brothers - A Country Heart (Emporium Records/Shock)
The Flood - Everybody's Favourite (Independent/One Stop Entertainment)
Davidson Brothers - Davidson Brothers (Independent/Shock)
Felicity Urquhart - My Life (Independent/Shock)
Bec Willis - Bec Willis (Independent/Shock)

Best Australian Independent Dance/Electronica Album
Grafton Primary – Relativity (Sonic Constructions/MGM)
Meem - The Bumpy Ep (Non Label/Creative Vibes)
Peret Mako - The Devil Is In The Detail (Future Classic/Inertia)
Jamie Lloyd - More Trouble (Future Classic/Inertia)
Theatre Of Disco - Theatre Of Disco (Future Classic/Inertia)

Best Australian Independent Blues/Roots Album
Gin Club – Junk (Plus One Records/Shock)
The Waifs -Sun Dirt Water (Jarrah Records/MGM)
Lior - Corner Of An Endless Road (Sensico Unico/MGM)
Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu – Gurrumul (Skinnyfish Music/MGM)
John Butler - One Small Step (Jarrah Records/MGM)

Best Australian Independent Jazz Album
Gest8 – Kaleidoscope (Independent/Tall Poppies)
Matt McMahon & Guy Strazz - 2@1 (Independent/Birdland)
Mike Nock Project - Meeting Of The Waters (Jazzhead/MGM)
Oehlers/Grabowsky/Beck - Lost and Found (Jazzhead/MGM)
Tina Harrod - Work Songs (Independent/Vitamin)

2008 AIR AWARDS – MON 24 NOV 08 – CORNER HOTEL Bookings: phone 03 9427 9198 or online www.cornerhotel.com

For Press Enquires Please Contact
Michelle Buxton
Buxton Walker Pty Ltd
PO Box 2197
St Kilda West VIC 3182
T: 0419 134 278
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Perth blues and roots outfit the JOHN BUTLER TRIO was presented with the award for Best Performing Independent Album for their ‘Grand National’ release. From an incredible six nominations, SNEAKY SOUND SYSTEM was presented with the awards for both Best Performing Independent single for ‘UFO’, and Best Independent Artist.

The Best New Independent Artist Award went to Melbourne act, BRITISH INDIA. The act followed up their win with an amazing live performance to close the event’s formal proceedings.

C.W STONEKING was awarded the Best Independent Blues and Roots Release for ‘King Hokum’.

 http://www.accessallareas.net.au/music_news/EkkZVAkuyZZZpfLzMA.php

 Posted on November 26 2008

Acclaimed Sydney hip-hop collective The Herd have picked up two prestigious honours at 2008’s annual AIR Awards (Australian Independent Records Labels Association), being named: ‘Best Independent Artist’ and ‘Best Independent Hip Hop Artist’ for 2008.

The victory saw The Herd beat out an impressive field of competitors, including The Waifs, Ricki-Lee, The Getaway Plan, Lior and Birds Of Tokyo in the ‘Independent Artist’ category, and Muph & Plutonic, Katalyst, Resin Dogs and A-Love in the hip hop category.

This enormous achievement follows another recent milestone for The Herd, whose Elefant Traks label recently celebrated its 10th Anniversary with a monumental performance. Last Saturday, The Herd – as well as labelmates including Hermitude, Urthboy, The Tongue, Horrorshow, and Astronomy Class – took to the stage of Sydney’s The Forum for a landmark one-off show, celebrating a decade of success for the iconic Australian hip-hop imprint.

"After celebrating ten years of our label Elefant Traks over the weekend it was a real buzz to win these awards,” says Elefant Traks founder and Herd emcee, Tim Levinson (aka. Urthboy). “Strange things do happen."

Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu winning streak continued tonight when the Indigenous singer picked up three AIR Awards at a ceremony in Melbourne.

Yunupingu, who has been blind since birth, was named best new independent artist. His critically-acclaimed debut effort Gurrumul won best Australian independent blues and roots album, as well as best independent album - beating the likes of Lior and Sneaky Sound System.

In the best independent artist category, The Herd was recognised, while best independent single went to The Getaway Plan's Where the City Meets The Sea.

The AIR Awards recognise the outstanding achievements of local artists who release their work through an Australian-owned independent record label and distribute their work through an Australian-owned distribution company.  (AAP: Skinnyfish Music, Helen Page - file photo)

The Australian Independent Record Label association AIR have named the nominees for their annual awards. Hilltop Hoods, Gotye, Wolf & Cub, The John Butler Trio and Sneaky Sound System are all up for best independent artist.

ABC News  By Rebekah van Druten
Sneaky Sound System has picked up two major prizes at the second annual Australian Independent Recording Industry (AIR) Awards in Melbourne. The Sydney-based group beat other popular acts The John Butler Trio and the Hilltop Hoods in the best performing independent single and best independent artist categories.