July 22, 2004 11:09

ROBERT WYATT - IT'LL BE A 'DISGRACE' IF I WIN MERCURY PRIZE

Wouldn't it be funny if they did?...

Robert Wyatt has said if he wins this year's MERCURY MUSIC PRIZE it would be "a disgrace".

The ex-[/a] drummer - who is nominated for his latest album 'Cuckooland' - has hit out the award which could land him the £20,000 prize.

The 59-year-old, who is currently a 12-1 outsider to win, said: "I think it would be a disgrace if anything came of it."

In an interview with The Daily Telegraph, he added: "I'm just in it to keep the contest broad."

Wyatt is up against a shortlist including [a]Franz Ferdinand, Snow Patrol, and Streets, but explained: "Others who have been shortlisted - Amy Winehouse, Basement Jaxx, Belle And Sebastian - are far more deserving."

The drummer has played with a host of legendary musicians over his career including Jimi Hendrix and [/a], though made his name with [a]. He went solo in the 1970, concentrating on his songwriting, singing and drumming.

Wyatt has been wheelchair bound for 30 years since he broke his back after falling from a fourth floor window.

He said: "People say this must have been a tragedy, but it moved me into an excellent period of my life. I married my wife and started to make my own music. It would have been more tragic being in a 1950s rock band."

As previously reported on NME.COM, the winner of this year's Mercury Music Prize will be announced on September 7.

The shortlist is:
Basement Jaxx – ‘Kish Kash’
Belle & Sebastian – ‘Dear Catastrophe Waitress’
Franz Ferdinand – ‘Franz Ferdinand’
Jamelia – ‘Thank You’
Keane – ‘Hopes And Fears’
Snow Patrol – ‘Final Straw’
Joss Stone – ‘The Soul Sessions’
The Streets – ‘A Grand Don’t Come For Free’
Ty – ‘Upwards’
Amy Winehouse – ‘Frank’
Robert Wyatt – ‘Cuckooland’
The Zutons – ‘Who Killed...The Zutons’