Elbow Conquer Ivors

Elbow Conquer Ivors

Elbow were the big winners at the Ivor Novello Awards in London today (21.05.09).

The group - who won two Brit Awards earlier this year and the Nationwide Mercury Prize in 2008 - scooped Best Contemporary Song for 'Grounds For Divorce' and Best Song Musically and Lyrically for 'One Day Like This'.

Frontman Guy Garvey insisted the band was planning to celebrate in style, saying: "I've had seven glasses of champagne already and I'm going to keep going. I'm going to get a T-shirt with ‘Ivor Novello Winner' printed on it and insist that's how my friends and family refer to me from now on."

Badly Drawn Boy - who presented the group with their second prize at the ceREMony, which recognises excellence in British music writing - admitted it was hard to keep the fact they had won a secret from them.

He explained: "I've actually known about it for a few months. I live quite near these guys in Manchester so it was quite hard not to tell them, but even after a few drinks I managed to keep my mouth shut."

Among the special accolades given out, 'A Girl Like You' singer Edwyn Collins was presented with the Ivor Inspiration Award, and confessed the honour "broke his heart".

He said: "I'm really touched by this. It's broken my heart."

Collins is still unable to play the guitar after suffering several major cerebral haemorrhages in 2005.

He had emergency brain surgery and is undergoing a lengthy neurological rehabilitation programme.

Other winners at the ceremony - which was held at London's Grosvenor House hotel - included Duffy, whose track 'Mercy' was Most Performed Work, The Ting Tings, who got the Album Award for debut 'We Started Nothing', and Coldplay whose song 'Viva La Vida' was the Best Selling British Song.

Robert del Naja and Grant Marshall from Massive Attack took home the statuette for Outstanding Contribution to British Music, while Eg White - who has written tracks for Will Young and Adele - was handed the prestigious Songwriter of the Year accolade.

The Special International Award went to Smokey Robinson and Don Black was given the coveted Academy Fellowship.

Ivor Novello Awards 2009 full list of winners:

Best Contemporary Song: 'Grounds For Divorce', Elbow

Album Award: 'We Started Nothing', The Ting Tings

Best Television Soundtrack: 'Wallace And Gromit (A Matter of Loaf and Death)'

Outstanding Song Collection: Vince Clarke

The Ivors Classical Music Award: James MacMillan

Best Selling British Song: 'Viva La Vida', Coldplay

PRS for Music Outstanding Contribution to British Music: Robert del Naja and Grant Marshall from Massive Attack

Best Song Musically and Lyrically: 'One Day Like This', Elbow

Best Original Film Score: 'There Will Be Blood'

The Ivors Inspiration Award: Edwyn Collins

PRS for Music Most Performed Work: 'Mercy', Duffy

Songwriter of the Year: Eg White

The Special International Award: Smokey Robinson

The Academy Fellowship: Don Black