NME Awards 2014 – 10 Things We Learned

The NME Awards is over for another year and what a night it’s been. From Damon Albarn picking up the NME Award for Innovation to Blondie rightly taking the title of Godlike Geniuses, it’s been a ceremony that’s celebrated the great and good of indie music. While you were watching the live stream, Team NME were scouring the room for all the gossip you won’t have seen on screen – and here it is:

1. Songwriter’s Songwriter recipient Sir Paul McCartney told Este Haim backstage that he was a fan of the Best International Band and wanted to join. Imagine Macca doing the moves to new video ‘If I Could Change Your Mind’. Worth an award alone.

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2. Debbie Harry is queen of the costume change. The Godlike Genius recipient owned a red trouser suit before changing into a black and white Beetlejuice inspired get-up and then reverting to the same outfit with a gold jacket for Blondie’s ceremony-closing performance.

3. The Horrors might have played their new track ‘I See You’ at the awards, but one member got an extra bonus from the night. Rhys Webb bumped into Paul McCartney backstage with a copy of his 1970 solo album ‘McCartney’ conveniently at hand to get signed.

4. Higgy from Swim Deep washed his hair especially for the awards, while the rest of the band turned up in suits to celebrate bassist Cav McCarthy’s 21st birthday a day early. “I’ve even used a bit of Dax wax,” the guitarist joked before the ceremony.

5. Best Solo Artist winner Lily Allen was spotted swiping a bottle of Patron tequila from the NME photo room. Seems there wasn’t enough booze provided at her table…

6. Winning the award for Best Video wasn’t enough of a high for Leeds punks Eagulls. Lead singer George Mitchell delivered an unconvincing response when asked if he was having fun while guitarist Mark Goldsworthy expressed the need to “have a tab”.

7. It wasn’t just NME enjoying Blondie’s set at the end of the night. Punk poet John Cooper Clarke was loving it so much he got on a chair to dance not once, but twice during their performance.

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8. Ellie Rowsell from Wolf Alice looked extremely embarrassed when the video for ‘Fluffy’ was playing on the big screens. During the rundown of nominees for Best New Band – eventually won by Drenge – the frontwoman tried to hide her face whilst giggling to bandmate Theo Ellis.

9. NME Radar winners Fat White Family aren’t too keen on music journalists. After receiving the Philip Hall-supported award (which the band let their unofficial spokesman accept), Lias Saoudi let rip at NME, asking “are you proud of yourself?” and generally getting aggressive. Easy tiger.

10. Johnny Marr loves new indie bands. He was seen making friends with Chilli Jesson from Palma Violets and the hotly-tipped East Londoners Telegram. Who will he be palling up with next?

NME Awards 2014 with Austin, Texas in Pictures
10 Things We Learned From NME Awards 2014 with Austin, Texas
Catch up on the NME Awards 2014 with Austin, Texas live blog

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