Artists: Fav songwriters

Moby + other acts talk ahead of Ivors

22 May 08 - Artists have been telling 6 Music who their favourite song writers are, ahead of The Ivor Novello awards.

The award bash starts at 2pm today (22 May) and is all about celebrating songwriters and composers in the music industry.

The likes of Amy Winehouse, Radiohead and Kaiser Chiefs are all up for gongs and the event is happening at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London.

Moby

One star who has written a couple of gems in the past is Moby, and he told us Leonard Cohen is his own stand out song writer.

Moby said: “Some how he manages to write songs that are both personal and universal which I think really is the hall mark of a great song writer.

“Like his songs are very, very intimate but they seem sort of like they have an every man quality to them as well.

“So if I had to pick a favourite song writer – it would be Leonard Cohen.”

"Some how he manages to write songs that are both personal and universal"
Moby talking about Leonard Cohen

Santogold said Morrissey was the song writer for her as he really had an effect on her when she was growing up.

She said: “I would say that Morrissey is up there. I think that his lyrics are so honest and smart and sarcastic and thought provoking.

“As a child they like resonated with me so strongly and they still do.”

Nick Drake
 
Indie folk singer Bon Iver had this to say about his favourite songwriter: “For a long, long, long time - since I was in high school still - I’ve really been influenced by Nick Drake and his work.

“It still continues to astound me and surprise me and kind of bring me a new direction still.”

But not everyone had a positive word to say on the subject.

Songwriter Neil Hannon from the Divine Comedy said: “I have never been a big fan of the singer songwriter, even in the sort of 70s.

“I find the kind of one man and an acoustic guitar pretty dull.”

Who is your favourite songwriter?



Kelly Stooke