Music News LIVE: James Bay, Adele, Villagers win Ivor Novello awards

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Damon Albarn has just picked up the lifetime achievement prize at the Ivor Novellos, delivering a rambling speech that he apparently wrote in eyeliner during lunch.

He starts by recalling his first band, Real Lives, and how they had to choose between mimicking U2 and Simple Minds "and made the wrong choice."

It gets more and more random (by his own admission) but rallies round at the end with a eulogy to songwriting.

"What is songwriting? What is it all about? True songwriters are people who are able to release themselves from something that's really affected them by writing a song about it. Some of us see it as going to church, some of us see it as going to work, but at the end of the day, if you're not connected to the spirit you're not making true music.

"Thank you for this extraordinary, life-affirming honour."

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More awards have been handed out at the Ivor Novellos in London.

Shaun Ryder (pictured above) looked delighted with the Happy Mondays' inspiration award.

Here is a selection of the rest...

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No surprises here - Adele has won songwriter of the year at the Ivor Novellos. And, even less surprisingly, she isn't here.

But the star did send a video message from Germany.

"Thank you so much for this award," she said. "I won it on my last album as well, but I was secretly pregnant, so I didn't enjoy the night too well.

"To win it this time is truly, truly humbling. I’m very grateful."

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Irish band Villagers gave an emotional speech as they accepted the Ivor Novello award for best album.

"I really just wanted to make something beautiful and graceful," said frontman Conor O'Brien.

"It was released at a very important time for me. A month after it came out, I finally got to experience what it feels like to be an equal citizen in my country when the Irish people voted yes to marriage equality.

"The songs took on a whole new life for me from that moment on. Touring these songs has been a very cathartic experience for me. So many people have told me their stories. It’s a really beautiful time. It's been amazing."

Much of the music industry and 10,000 music fans are making their merry way to Brighton for The Great Escape Festival, a three-day showcase for new bands and artists (as well as some more established acts), plus talks about issues ranging from mental health to the growth of YouTube.

Tonight sees headline shows from the likes of Oh Wonder, BBC Sound of 2016-ers Blossoms, Craig David and Michael Kiwanuka, who is heading up a stage hosted by the Royal Albert Hall. 

Newer acts on day one's bill include Mabel, Bleached, The Amazons and the imaginatively titled Let's Eat Grandma; and Have You Ever Seen the Jane Fonda Aerobic VHS? (both vying for the title of our favourite new band name of the year). 

TGE's general manager Kevin Moore says the festival has a good reputation for spotting the big stars of the future:

Quote Message: There are lots of reasons a band becomes successful but an event like The Great Escape really does help... the success stories speak for themselves really. Back in 2007 we had the likes of Adele perform - Mumford and Sons, Foals, Ed Sheeran, they've all come through. More recently bands like Haim, Courtney Barnet. We had Skepta headlining last year and he's just gone on to pretty much conquer the world!

There are lots of reasons a band becomes successful but an event like The Great Escape really does help... the success stories speak for themselves really. Back in 2007 we had the likes of Adele perform - Mumford and Sons, Foals, Ed Sheeran, they've all come through. More recently bands like Haim, Courtney Barnet. We had Skepta headlining last year and he's just gone on to pretty much conquer the world!

So who are his tips for this year then? "Mura Masa can't put a foot wrong at the moment, Puma Rosa are a fantastic new band - then Frances, Black Honey and Blossoms." 

We'll have more updates from the festival tomorrow. 

Irish artist Villagers, aka Conor O'Brien, wins the Ivor Novello award for best album.

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Singer Jamie Lawson, whose track Wasn't Expecting That, was named best song musically and lyrically at this year's Ivor Novello awards, thanked his boss Ed Sheeran - to whose record label Gingerman Records he is signed.

Quote Message: I wouldn't be here at all without ginger kitten Ed Sheeran who signed me to his label - I shall be forever grateful to him.

I wouldn't be here at all without ginger kitten Ed Sheeran who signed me to his label - I shall be forever grateful to him.

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DJ Fresh has opened up about being diagnosed with thyroid cancer for the second time, and told fans in a Facebook post that his prognosis is "very positive".

The Sussex producer, whose real name is Dan Stein, says he found out weeks ago but kept quiet to not look "unstable".

"I didn't want to say anything because I've been told it's a bad idea to air anything that makes you look unstable in any way," he said.

"The music industry is brutal and relentless and unforgiving."

The DJ says he was warned if promoters knew about his illness, he might not get booked.

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The outrageously talented Laura Mvula has been in Radio 1's Live Lounge today and alongside performing her new song Phenomenal Woman, she also tackled Same Old Mistakes by Aussie pysche-rockers Tame Impala.

This woman could make a Daphne and Celeste song sound compelling...

Listen to the full show.

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One of Britain's foremost composers, Oliver Knussen, has won the Ivor Novello award for classical music.

Knussen's most famous works are his collaborations with Maurice Sendak - Where The Wild Things Are and Higgelty Piggelty Pop! - but he is one of the most influential teachers, conductors and champions of new music in the UK.

He called for the government to take its "hands off the BBC" - but also had a warning for the people who programmed classical music and new compsitions in particular.

"Don’t relegate all of us to a two-hour slot that you seem to regard as a place to put pond life."

Earlier, David Holmes and Keefus Ciancia also won the best TV soundtrack prize for their impressionistic score to BBC Two's London Spy.

Holmes said they had two rules when composing for the series - "if it sounded like a film score, it was out" and "not to let any sexual tension get in the way".

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James Bay has just picked up the first trophy at the 2016 Ivor Novello Awards.

Hold Back The River won the most performed work prize, in recognition of the song's airplay ubiquity last year.

"I definitely didn't expect this," he said, explaining: "I don't [pay attention] to the numbers."

When the Foo Fighters' Dave Grohl broke his leg early last year preventing the band from headlining Glastonbury, he was apparently sent a recuperative basket of muffins from fellow Glasto performer Lionel Richie.

The two artists have just appeared at Las Vegas’ Planet Hollywood for a SiriusXM interview, where Dave returned the favour. 

And then some....

Former bassplayer with The Jam, Bruce Foxton, has revealed that he and singer Paul Weller recently reunited for a, ahem, jam session...

The pair fell out a few years back but have since become friends again and the Modfather agreed to play on some of Bruce's new songs.

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This is a musical duo we could never have predicted - Willow Smith has uploaded a new song to her SoundCloud page produced by none other than Arrested Developement star Michael Cera. 

Twentyfortyeight 2.0 follow's last year's debut album, Ardipithecus, from Smith. 

Meanwhile Cera has managed to combine acting and music throughout his career, from recording a duet of Moldy Peaches' Anyone Else But You for the Juno soundtrack to playing bassists in both Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist and Scott Pilgrim Vs the World and releasing his own lo-fi indie-folk album, true that, in 2014. 

Enjoy the ambient and dreamy meeting of musical minds below...

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Shaun Ryder is at the Ivor Novellos to pick up a lifetime achievement award for his work with Happy Mondays and Black Grape - but he's not blowing his own trumpet.

"The stuff I write is comedy genius. Don't take it all too seriously," he says.

He also talked about covering John Kongos' He's Going To Step On You Again on the Mondays' breakout single, Step On.

"If you go back in time. Those fantastic bands like the Beatles and The Stones and Animals, they only did cover versions when they started off.

"So what us lot tried to do was go one little bit up - stick our own stuff in, and rob other stuff instead of just doing cover versions. And you learn and develop from that."

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James Bay, whose track Hold Back the River is up for most-performed work at The Ivor Novellos, says he's heard his song in all sorts of places over the last 12 months.

Quote Message: The strangest was in Europe. After a night on the bus we arrived at a hotel. And as soon as we arrived, the song was playing. It was either really weirdly, cheesily posed or a very strange coincidence.

The strangest was in Europe. After a night on the bus we arrived at a hotel. And as soon as we arrived, the song was playing. It was either really weirdly, cheesily posed or a very strange coincidence.

The singer says he's honoured to be nominated for an award that's voted for by fellow musicians, calling the Ivor's "even maybe a little more important" than the Brits and Grammys.

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Man band New Kids on the Block have their set their sights on creating a whole new genre of music - "arena pop". 

Band members Jordan Knight, Joey McIntyre and Danny Wood have told Billboard a new album is coming sooner rather than later - and they're being inspired by "what will work best live".

“Yes, we’re gonna do some new music soon,” says Wood, “I know talk is cheap. We will take action and get it done.”

“You’ve heard of arena rock," Knight added, "We’re going to come out with a new genre called arena pop. 

"It has to be very danceable, and anthemic. There’s got to be some oh-ohs and callbacks and chants. Very upbeat and inspiring.” 

Well, everyone loves an "oh-oh", don't they?

It's going to be tough to do better than Hangin' Tough or The Right Stuff though...

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I'm down at the Ivor Novello Awards, which recognise achievement in songwriting.

So far, Shaun Ryder, Craig David, Alex James, Simple Minds and James Bay have stopped by - while we also spotted Years and Years, Michael Eavis and Courteney Cox.

Craig David confirmed he'd written some "garage sounding" tracks for Cheryl Cole's new album - but wasn't sure whether they'd make the final cut.

He also shared his thoughts on the prestigious awards:

Quote Message: I remember coming here whenever I was 17. I'd literally just dropped the Born To Do It album, and ended up coming away with songwriter of the year. Only after did I release how prestigious that award was - and the people who'd won songwriter of the year were among some of the most amazing writers ever to have lived. This is what the whole music industry pivots on.

I remember coming here whenever I was 17. I'd literally just dropped the Born To Do It album, and ended up coming away with songwriter of the year. Only after did I release how prestigious that award was - and the people who'd won songwriter of the year were among some of the most amazing writers ever to have lived. This is what the whole music industry pivots on.

The stars are sitting down for a slap-up lunch before the ceremony starts at 14:15 BST. I'll bring you updates as they happen.  

Earlier this year Catfish and the Bottlemen beat off competition for the likes of James Bay, Jess Glynne, Wolf Alice and Years & Years to win the Brit Award for British breakthrough.

Now they are on the verge of releasing their second album The Ride.

Like the first, all of their songs are titled with a single word.

Singer Van McCann has been speaking to Radio 2's Jo Whiley to explain why.

Listen to the full interview and session.