Prodigy's Mercury rant

Liam Howlett and Keith Flint hit out at awards which aren't voted for by fans

04 August 2009 - British rave outfit The Prodigy have criticised the prestigious Mercury Prize, accusing it of being too industry-based.

Speaking at the Kerrang! awards in London, the dance band said the prize ignored fans' wishes.

"It's got nothing to do with the public," said Liam Howlett. "It's to do with a panel of people that always opt for the most obscure thing."

They were nominated in 1994 for Music for the Jilted Generation, the year pop act M People won the award.

The band made an appearance at the Kerrang awards to pick up Best Single for Omen.

Founding member Howlett laughed as he told BBC 6 Music, "I think we should have been nominated this year", for the band's fifth album, Invaders Must Die.

Speaking about the annual music accolade, he said: "We never mull it over in our minds."

Heavier rock and dance music tends not to be represented on the Mercury shortlist as much as pop and folk artists.

"An award thing can, nine times out of 10, be voted for by people that want to feel that they are important within music."
Keith Flint

To which Howlett responded: "I think it should be. Why not? Why shouldn't it be? Because that's the type of music that stirs up the emotion. It's what kids listen to."

Frontman Keith Flint was less forthcoming with his comments: "There's a few things that I'm thinking of that I could try and get controversial with, but I'm not going to give that the time."

"I think what's more important to The Prodigy is that, whatever number your album goes in at, or the single, or however many plays it gets, or doesn't get, or awards you get, or don't get; our reward, as a band, is to write the best album we can and then go to Download [festival] and rip it to pieces," he explained.

One album, out of a 12-strong shortlist, is awarded with the Mercury Prize each year.

Last year Elbow were crowned victors with their album, The Seldom Seen Kid.

But Flint said it's the awards voted for by the fans which resonate with them.

In light of the Mercurys, he added: "An award thing can, nine times out of 10, be voted for by people that want to feel that they are important within music art or literature, but the Kerrang Awards right here, is voted for by readers.

"That's why we're here, to show the respect for the people that have taken time to vote for us, because they are the people that stand in front of us and buy tickets."

The Prodigy's latest single, Take Me To The Hospital, is due for release on 31 August.

Georgie Rogers and Victoria Hannaford