Liverpool's GIT Award announces 2013 judging panel

BBC 6 Music presenter and son of the legendary John Peel, Tom Ravenscroft and the editor of rock and pop music bible Q Magazine, Liverpool-born Andrew Harrison will join the 12-strong judging panel.

The GIT Award, dubbed ‘the Scouse Mercury Prize’, launched its second annual outing in November after a hugely successful inaugural prize in 2012.

Tom and Andrew join 10 other respected industry experts to decide a winner for this pioneering award in April next year.

Returning to judge The GIT Award are Matt Wilkinson, NME's new music editor, Craig G Pennington, editor of Liverpool music magazine Bido Lito! and John Doran, editor of the music webzine The Quietus.

“Last year’s GIT Award helped to bring Liverpool’s music scene to national attention - I’m pleased to see it back this year and can’t wait to get involved again.” - NME

Other new judges for the GIT Award 2013 are David Lloyd, founder and editor of Liverpool culture blog Seven Streets, Clarry Mowforth, co-founder of Liverpool events and promotions company everisland, and Juice FM Deputy Programme Controller, Johnny Collins.

GIT Award organiser and Liverpool Echo journalist Peter Guy also takes a place on the 2013 judging panel, alongside Liverpool music promoter, Steve Miller, the man behind club night EVOL, and former music journalist Paul Rogers, who is head of content at Liverpool Football Club. Completing the judging line up is Yaw Owusu, music manager and chief executive of award-winning Liverpool youth culture company URBEATZ. 

GIT Award organiser Peter Guy said: "I'm thrilled with the judging panel for the GIT Award 2013. They represent the cornerstones of music on a national scale while their brands are respected throughout the world. The diversity of the Merseyside-based judges shows how communal the GIT Award has become in Liverpool, while those judges based around the country shows how respected, and how serious the industry considers new Liverpool music to be. It's shaping up to be a superb second year."

Launched in November 2011, The GIT award captured the music industry’s attention becoming the first regional award of its kind to champion new and emerging music.

Collaborating with over 80 companies from Merseyside and the national music industry, the Award showcased Liverpool’s rich musical diversity resulting in a showcase which captured the world's music press garnering coverage from the BBC, MTV, the national print and online press, the UK music industry and the cornerstones of Liverpool's media.

“The GIT Award 2012 was one of the highlights of the city’s musical calendar. It showed the strength of the Liverpool music offer, raised the profile of the city’s music scene, and attracted vast positive national coverage.” - Kevin McManus, Liverpool Vision

“Liverpool has long since stepped out of the huge shadow cast by the Beatles. It takes something as good as the GIT Award to let the rest of the country know and make them pay attention." - The Quietus.

Liverpool has long been considered a hotbed of musical talent and The GIT Award is committed to putting the city’s most innovative new bands and artists on the national and international stage.

Musicians, bands and creative types who would like to enter for this year’s prize are asked to send four tracks to getintothis@gmail.com or alternatively post to Peter Guy, The GIT Award, Liverpool Daily Post and ECHO, PO Box 48, Old Hall Street, Liverpool, L69 3EB.
Businesses who would like to get involved with the GIT Award can email getintothis@gmail.com for more information