19^th ARIA AWARDS - HIGHLIGHTS

Daniel Merriweather won the ‘Best Urban Release’ (She’s Got Me).  Daniel supported Justin Timberlake in UK and this is his first ARIA award.   “Let’s keep making good Australian Music. All right, let’s do it,” he says after accepting his Award.

Bernard Fanning (Powderfinger) had the pleasure of being the spokesperson for the induction of Australian Rock legend, Jimmy Barnes into the ‘Hall of Fame’.   During his speech Jimmy thanked his parents for giving him passion and love.  He also thanked his siblings, especially his older brother John (Swanny) who ran away from home when he was thirteen to join a Rock and Roll band.  To this day John is still Jimmy’s hero.  Jimmy also mentioned the members of Cold Chisel with whom he teamed up when he was around sixteen.  They were like brothers to him Jimmy recalled.  Jimmy also mentioned his dear friend (and brother–in-law) Mark Lizotte (aka Diesel) and many others whom he loved or admired, or to whom he was grateful because of the help they have given him throughout his career. 

	The highlight of Jimmy’s speech, for he “left the best to last”, was his love and appreciation for his wife, Jane.  Jimmy shared with the audience his memories of the day they first met.   “I remember it was November 1979 in Canberra. I was on tour called Pool Resources with the Angels and a bunch of other bands, and I walked into this room and I saw an angel!  She was the most beautiful girl I’d ever seen in my life!  She took my breath away, and to this day she takes my breath away.  I walked on the red carpet with her and everyone was taking photos of her and not me.  But hey, that’s what you get when you marry such a gorgeous girl!  She is my heart, she is my soul.  I couldn’t live without her, my beautiful wife Jane, and I love you dearly.”
Bernard Fanning with Jimmy Barnes during Jimmy's induction to the Hall of Fame
	Jimmy followed by thanking his kids for “not divorcing” him and commented that they also featured in his Double Happiness album, which has gone platinum.  Jimmy concluded by saying,  “I would also like to thank everybody in the Industry and especially all the punters here because I’ve got to tell you, the best years of my life have been spent rocking in Australia.  Rock and Roll in Australia is the …..   best anywhere!”  This feeling appeared to be present throughout the presentation of the Awards and the theme followed strongly throughout the speeches.

Perth’s Eskimo Joe won ‘The Best Group’ but that was not the only reason that one particular member of that group was celebrating.  One very delighted member, Stuart Macleod, when up on stage accepting the Award, announced his engagement to his fiancée Jen and added excitedly, “Mum and Dad I’m getting married!” 

Eskimo Joe receiving their ARIA and Stu announcing his engagement		Stu announcing his engagement to his parents

One very moving performance was by Neil Finn who played guitar and sang ‘Better Be Home Soon’.  This was a special tribute to his friend and previous Crowded House member, “Paul Hester” (Hessie).   Paul was born in 1959 and died in March 2005.  Paul was known for being the soul of Crowded House, and was also known as the funny bone of the group.  He formed in his own rock group while still in primary school in Melbourne.   In his early twenties Paul went to Sydney with his band ‘Deckchairs Overboard’ and after this he became a member of Split Enz. After Split Enz broke up Neil Finn and Paul Hester formed Crowded House.  In 1994 Paul left Crowded House to dedicate more of his time to his family.  Paul was also known to be a great supporter of young indigenous artists.  He later got his own band together and had his own television program, Hessie’s Shed.  In November 1996 he performed with Crowded House when they reunited for a special concert event.  Paul Hester (Hessie) will be greatly missed by the Music Industry, and by both friends and fans.

 

Neil Finn performing		Neil Finn with Paul Hester screen in the background

Ben Lee’s very passionate speeches included an expression of his feelings about the Music Industry.  Ben’s first Award for the night was for ‘Best Independent Release’ for his ‘Awake Is The New Sleep’ album which he produced from his own record label, ‘Ten Fingers’. On accepting his ARIA Award he said, “Awake is the New Sleep. My album is a little record….about really big things, a record I tried to make about positivity, about love, about compassion and about spirituality.  It's been an amazing thing to feel this little record going to this world and being accepted on such a big scale with so much enthusiasm from you guys.  So thank you for accepting the music and thank you for reminding me also that we are all in this together.”

The next Award for Ben Lee during the night was for ‘Best Male Artist’. He has been recording for 12 years after he got his start with team band Noise Addict and he has been making records since he was fourteen years old.  Ben has a passion for the music world he is now a part of and “loves musical people”.  He feels “they move differently, they talk differently, they think differently, they care more about how things feel than how things look.”  He thanked the music community for being there for him for all those years. 

Ben Lee accepting his 'Best Male Artist'  ARIA		Ben Lee performing at the ARIAS

Ben's third award for the night was the ARIA ‘Single of the Year’.  On this occasion it was not only Ben’s passion about the Industry and his music that stood out.  When receiving this Award he gave presenter David Hasselhoff a big kiss.  His touching speech soon followed.  “Some people think I am a bit naïve.  They are a bit cynical, but I really believe that pop music can do more than just be entertainment.  Man, pop music has changed my life and I believe that it can change the world, right! It’s like we are coming to a time again, when there are amazing song-writers in this room writing brilliant songs that we can turn to when we need them.  So I just want to keep pushing everyone to write amazing songs for the world, you know, and to do everything you can to make pop music what it should be, which is something we can believe in.”

The infamous 'pash' from Ben Lee with David Hasselhoff		Followed by a quick hug

Even before the passionate kiss from Ben Lee, ARIA special guest David Hasselhoff had a comment to make about Australian music.  He said, “The music is so great…..it’s a lot of fun and comes from the heart, there is a lot of talent here tonight.”  When arriving at the Awards David jokingly implied that he was just sad to know that he is not going to win anything tonight.  But he definitely received a lot of attention.  Not only did Ben Lee kiss him, but Missy Higgins closely followed Ben’s lead by springing and sitting on David’s hip when he presented her with the ARIA Award for winning her last award for the night.  This was for  ‘Album of the Year’. 

Missy Higgins had seven nominations and won five ARIA in total.  She also won ‘Breakthrough Artist Album’, ‘Best Pop Release’, ‘Highest Selling Australian Album’ and ‘Best Female Artist’.  In year 12 her sister entered Missy’s song ‘Also Believing’ in the Tripple J song competition.  After this success Missy realised she could do music full time, and to her delight this meant she did not have to go to university.  Her song ‘Special Two’ is the song to date that represents one of the most difficult times in Missy’s life.  The song was written as a result of an experience of which she had felt very ashamed.  For she had hurt someone she loved.  This, she says, is the most horrible feeling in the world.  Missy says she cannot listen to her own albums because she feels they tell embarrassing stories, and she knows that thousands of people are listening to these stories.  But she realises that this is what music is.  Missy’s many fans love her music and enjoy listening to her “embarrassing stories” that she captures so well in her music. 

Missy Higgins in her "party frock" accepting one of her ARIA awards		Missy Higgins performing at the ARIAS
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Missy with Hoff (above right)

		The ARIA Awards final performance was by Jimmy Barnes with performing his brilliant song ‘Working Class Man’   followed by ‘Good Times’ with his daughter Mahalia.
				Jimmy Barnes performing at the ARIAS

For 2005 ARIA Awards Nominees & Winners

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