The Way Of The Jackal

I was on the phone yesterday to Darrin Robson, who manages Villagers. He was at rehearsals in London for the Mercury Awards, and despite his caution, you could tell that he was excited. At the time of nomination, the Villagers album had sold around 5,000. It has now risen to 40000, and with the new single taking up residency on loads of important playlists, the prospects are better again.

Darrin used to run a record shop on Newtownards, before he decamped to London in 1996. I think I first met the guy at the stage door of the Kings Hall in 1992, when he was getting Kurt and Courtney to sign some of his vinyl. Since then I've watched his ebullient form as he's released songs by dozens of acts, including Ash, Oppenheimer and The Immediate. The latter was a dry run for Conor J O'Brien, before all of the Mercury acclaim. Looking after musical careers is a perilous job these days, but when I watched the manager and his artist at SXSW this year, you could feel a sense of steady purpose, of great music that deserved its dues. Vindication, then.