PA ReadyGlasgow band Mogwai have claimed the Scottish Album of the Year award.
The group’s tenth studio album As The Love Continues – which shot straight to the top of the UK album charts when it was released in February – clinched the award for the band for the first time.
The honour was given at a ceremony at Edinburgh’s Usher Hall on Saturday, which also included a tribute to Frightened Rabbit frontman Scott Hutchison who died in 2018.
Accepting the award, Mogwai lead singer Stuart Braithwaite said: “I really was not expecting this, I have not thought of anything to say other than thank you and I wish I’d got steaming.
“This has been a really mental year for the band and this is just another thing we never thought would happen.
“I want to thank everyone who has bought and played the album, I’d like to dedicate this to Mick, our booking agent, who passed away last week.”
Frightened Rabbit were awarded the Modern Scottish Classic award for their 2008 breakthrough album The Midnight Organ Fight.
Collecting the award, Hutchison’s brother Grant said: “I don’t why you’re clapping for us, we didn’t write any of it.”
He added: “All of us can come at it from the same place that all of you can – this was and is Scott’s album.
“These are his words and they should be shared by all of us. It’s amazing to have an album that’s 13-years-old and still inspires artists today, because it still inspires me every day.
“We recently put a book of Scott’s lyrics out and I listened to every single song and read every single lyric and was still like – f****** hell.
“He got all the talented genes. This shouldn’t be a sad and sombre remembrance award, it’s not what he would have wanted, he would want us to get drunk. He would want us to sing and dance and get sweaty.”
Grant Hutchison – who has repeatedly stressed the importance of mental health since his brother’s death – ended his speech by imploring the crowd to reach out to someone they know.
“If everyone here tonight could do one thing – if you could text someone in your phonebook who might need to hear from someone,” he said.
“Just ask them how they are or if they want to meet up. Just say hi, it might change their path.”
The Sound of Young Scotland Award was won by Edinburgh-born artist LVRA, who will be given £5000 to complete her debut album as well as press 500 vinyl of the finished release.
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