Mushroom Music Publishing

Mushroom Music are celebrating the signing of hip hop heavyweights Bliss N Eso. In the past few years this hugely successful combo have been pushing their third album Flying Colours to the masses, achieving gold sales and earning an ARIA Award for Best Urban Release. The trio embarked on multiple national tours, the last of which became the highest selling local hip hop tour of all time, as well as being one of the highlight acts of Sound Relief. Bliss N Eso are currently bunkered down in the Victorian bush recording their 4th LP which is slated for a mid 2010 release. After an illustrious ten year career, Bliss N Eso are still yet to reach their peak.

Congratulations to Mushroom artists The Mess Hall and Black Cab for making the coveted Australian Music Prize Shortlist.

It is a huge accomplishment for an artist to have their release selected for The Amp Shortlist. These nine original Australian albums have been selected from over 200 entries for The Amp 2009.

"I had my most enjoyable listening year since the AMP's conception. There were quality albums in all styles, and the Shortlist is particularly strong with pop and folk contenders. There is something really going on in Australian music." - Tim Freedman, The Whitlams & Amp Judge

Thanks to The Amp's strong media partnerships this year the Shortlisted artists enjoy extensive coverage across all levels of media.

One of these artists will go on to be the winner of The Amp's prestigious $30,000 cash prize courtesy of PPCA. The winner will also receive $30,000 worth of media on Channel [V] and MAX. Channel [V] is also producing a 30min program showcasing this year's Shortlisted artists.

Furthermore, all of these artists are now eligible to be the winner of the $15,000 Red Bull Award In Recognition of Outstanding Potential.

Next Key Date - The Amp 2009 Winners Event is booked in at The Sydney Museum of Contemporary Art, on Friday March 12 where one of the 9 Shortlisted artists will win the $30,000 prize courtesy of PPCA. Tickets for this exclusive industry / media event are only available through The Amp 2009 sponsors / partners.

The Amp organisers would like to reiterate that this prestigious prize only exists due to the ongoing assistance of our Principal Partners - PPCA, Channel [V] and Red Bull - our Media Partners, Industry Sponsors and Event Sponsors.

Anna Coddington is one of New Zealand’s foremost heroines of independent pop music. With the release of her debut, self-produced album, “The Lake” in 2008, Anna established herself as more than just a blip on the NZ music radar. She is the former front-woman for alt-pop gems, Handsome Geoffrey and Duchess, and her unique voice has graced the tracks of some of New Zealand’s finest artists (SJD, Bic Runga, Dimmer and Anika Moa to name a few).

Anna Coddington grew up in the sleepy seaside town of Raglan. By age 11 her Dad had taught her a 4/4 drum beat, by 14 she had wrangled a few guitar chords out of her Mum, and by age 16 she was fronting and writing for her first band, Handsome Geoffery. She later filled the same roles in four-piece band Duchess who independently recorded and released a 6-track E.P. in 2005. This featured the single “Raglan City”, which garnered the Juice TV “People’s Choice” award in 2007.

After Handsome Geoffery and Duchess, Anna completed an M.A. in Linguistics, a black belt in karate, and toured the world as a backing singer and support act. Finally, in 2008 Anna made the decision to distill ten years of songwriting into one masterpiece recording and made The Lake. The melancholy, hope and humour of the songs on The Lake will make your heart sink and soar in equal measure yet, as all good music should, leaves room for the listener to take from it what they will.

Anna Coddington has embarked on a number of NZ-wide tours, turning many heads and welcoming many new fans and friends to the stable….

“From the opening note I was captivated by the sincerity of Coddington's voice and the sophistication of her lyrics..... Coddington captured the essence of a remarkable performer” (texture.co.nz)

With the recent release of singles T-Shirt and Never Change, and performances last year in NZ’s favourite collaboration wonder-bands Fly My Pretties, and Eru Dangerspiel, Anna has proven herself to be a writer and performer to watch. 2010 will see her on the road in March, and returning to the studio for album two.