Exclusive: Ian Brown back with UNKLE/ Full report from MUSO Awards

Along with Virtual Festivals, the most famous people to make it included Ian Brown, Bobby Gillespie, Badly Drawn Boy, Arthur Baker, members of The Cooper Temple Clause, Haven, My Vitriol and Lost Prophets.

The event, presented by former Kenickie singer Lauren Laverne and comedian  Johnny Vegas, was held in the soulless TV studio surroundings of London's Hackney Ocean last night (Tuesday 3 September). Decked out like the backstage are of a festival, the Ocean's floor was covered in real turf, white plastic chairs, with burger and chips stalls at the sides and a free bar which failed to last the night.

Awards dished out included the following:

• The Musos Muso: Paul Weller (award accepted by drummer Steve White)
• Best Album: Nitin Sawhney
• Best Single: Ian Brown
• Best Vocal: PJ Harvey
• Best Lead Guitar: Jonny Greenwood
• Best Drummer: Alan White (Oasis)
• Best Bass: Peter Hook (New Order)
• Best Keyboard: Tony Rogers (Charlatanas)
• Best Songwriter: Badly Drawn Boy
• Best Live Act: Charlatans
• Best New Act: Haven

Prize quotes of the evening included the irrepressible Ian Brown, telling everyone to 'Stay off the coke' and Johnny Vegas heckling (The Charlatans bassist) Martin Blunt, who collected his band's award for Best Live Act. The fat, boozed up funny man shouted,  'You're at the corner of the bar making moves at the barmaid whilst your singer's in LA! Does that tell you something?' He responded by throwing a pint of beer over Johnny, who was sick over the lectern at the end of the ceremony.

A spokeswoman for the event commented, 'They won't be able to get their deposit on the lectern, the organisers aren't very happy.'

Earlier in the evening, Ian Brown exclusively revealed to Virtual Festivals that he has been back in studio with James Lavelle. 'We're working on new UNKLE stuff and it's sounding fucking ace!' commented Ian, who recently put his hand prints in stone for the charity Sight Savers (click here for more info).

Som Warner, frontman from My Vitriol also found time to chat. Pictured alongside Rocksound editor Darren Taylor and in moody contrast in Virtual Festivals' drunken attempt to recreate shots from their album sleeve, he commented about the recent re-release of their debut LP.

'I just wanna get on and record new stuff, I'm bored. They want us to promote the first album in the US, by I don't give a shit about selling records in America.' Talking about the new stuff he commented, 'I can't really say too much yet, it's early days, but it will definitely be dark.'

Despite the lack of any Modfathers or naked Sugarbabes, the event was definitely fun, if a little shambolic, though perhaps having the actual people collect some of the more major awards would be a good way to grow the event into something slightly more worthy or any attention. The laminate for the event billed it as 'the last music festival of the summer'.

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