REMI wins AMP, Lorde and Gotye’s managers discuss career

Taking home $30,000 in prize money courtesy of PPCA, 23-year-old Melbourne hip hop artist REMI was honoured last night in Sydney for his LP Raw X Infinity.

Chairperson and AMP judge Dave Faulkner (Hoodoo Gurus) presented REMI with the award alongside Dan Rosen, CEO of PPCA and Double J presenter/AMP judge Myf Warhurst. During Faulkner’s brief chat with Warhurst onstage he said he “wasn’t as excited” about the shortlist this year, which featured #1 Dads, C.W. Stoneking, Laura Jean, Chet Faker, The Peep Tempel, Total Control, Caitlin Park and Blank Realm.

“The best part about judging the AMP is that we get to really explore and discuss the albums deeply […] We get other people’s perspectives which can completely change our view,” he said last night.

The 10th Coopers AMP was presented at the invite-only AMPed Up in Conversation at Paddington Town Hall. The event was attended by some of the shortlisted artists and 200 industry and media guests, and featured an interview with artist managers John Watson (Gotye, Silverchair, Cold Chisel) and Scott MacLachlan (Lorde), by Fairfax Senior Music Writer (and AMP judge) Bernard Zuel.

During the conversation MacLachlan discussed his experiences in the early stages of Lorde’s career.

“It gets to the point where people say ‘you don’t know what you’re doing, you’ll fuck this up’. And literally, for whatever reason, not trust you and the artists to be in control of that destiny, and that, at times, was very, very tough. Especially because I also have a responsibility of protecting a – at the time [Lorde aka Ella Yelich-O'Connor] had just turned 17. There were many levels of keeping Ella from the spotlight.”

“[…] My role with Ella was, she had a vision and I was just clearing the way for her to come through," MacLachlan continued. "Whether people bought into that or not, to be honest I didn’t really care. I think she and I were so on the same page, we didn’t want to do it any other way anyway. If it was a failure, we would have been happy with it the way it was done, which is important.”

“That last point is the key thing I think,” added Watson, who discovered Silverchair, one of Australia’s most prized and successful bands, and who helped guide Gotye to Grammy winning status. “There is no point having a type of success when that success belongs to somebody else. If you turn yourself as someone you’re not and that artificial you becomes successful, you won’t derive any satisfaction from it anyway because it wasn’t you that became successful.”

REMI’s album was chosen by a 15-strong judging panel, which included Chairperson Dave Faulkner (Hoodoo Gurus), Chris Berkley (Red Eye Records, Sydney), Mikey Cahill (New Ltd), Bryget Chrisfield (The Music), Jen Cloher (artist), Mike Glynn (JB Hi FI), Chris Johnston (Fairfax), Tim Levinson (Urthboy), Sam Lockwood (The Jezabels), Shannon Logan (Jet Black Cat Music, Brisbane), Nate Nott (Polyester Records, Melbourne), Christopher Powell (Blackwood Sounds, Adelaide), Sarah Smith (Sound Alliance), Myf Warhurst (Double J), and Bernard Zuel (Fairfax).

Previous Coopers AMP winners:

2013 – Not Art by Big Scary

2012 – Hyperparadise by Hermitude

2011 – Prisoner by The Jezabels

2010 – Bliss Release by Cloud Control

2009 – Wonder by Lisa Mitchell

2008 – Primary Colours by Eddie Current Suppression Ring

2007 – Devil’s Elbow by The Mess Hall

2006 – Moo, You Bloody Choir by Augie March

2005 – Wait Long By The River and the Bodies of Your Enemies Will Float By by The Drones
 

Image: Remi, Myf Warhurst and musical collaborator Sensible J