Avril Mackintosh Joins The 2018 MPG Awards Shortlist

Recording engineer Avril Mackintosh has joined those shortlisted for a prestigious 2018 MPG Award.

The change to the shortlist comes after Neil Comber, one of three originally named in the Recording Engineer of the Year category for work he had carried out on projects for Patrick Doyle, David Brent, Sigma and Jonathan Antoine, asked to be withdrawn.

“Whilst I am incredibly grateful for the MPG nomination, the engineering work I have undertaken has only been in relation to producing and mixing these records,” Comber says. “For this reason, I feel there are people far more deserving to be shortlisted who work predominantly as Recording Engineers.”

Due to his withdrawal, Avril Mackintosh becomes a shortlisted candidate having accumulated the next greatest number of votes from Full MPG members during the voting stage. She is nominated for her engineering work on The Answer’s album Solas.

The addition of Avril Mackintosh’s name brings the total number of women on the shortlist to 25%, making this the strongest year ever for females in in what is often perceived as a male dominated business. She joins Catherine Marks, Manon Grandjean, Lorde, Marta Salogni, Steph Marziano, Mandy Parnell, Adele White and Jane Third who have also been shortlisted for Awards for their production, engineering, mastering and A&R talents.

Now in its 10^th year, the MPG Awards feature 15 award categories that celebrate the best and brightest talent in music production, along with the industry’s rising stars. Previous award winners have included Sir George Martin CBE, FKA Twigs, Roni Size, Sylvia Massy, Brian Eno, Trevor Horn and Dave Stewart.

Final judging will take place at RAK Studios on December 4^th 2017 and the winners will be announced at the Awards ceremony on March 1^st 2018 at the Grosvenor House, Park Lane, London, where broadcaster and breakfast show presenter Shaun Keaveny will be the host.

The shortlists for each of the MPG 2018 Awards categories (in no particular order) are as follows:

• UK Producer Of The Year, sponsored by Kii Audio

Catherine Marks
Charlie Andrew
Tom Dalgety

• Recording Engineer Of The Year, sponsored by AMS Neve

Avril Mackintosh
Manon Grandjean
Matt Wiggins

• Mix Engineer Of The Year, sponsored by Solid State Logic

Cenzo Townshend
David Wrench
Mark ‘Spike’ Stent

• Re-mixer Of The Year, sponsored by Novation

Ewan Pearson
Matthew Herbert
UNKLE

• Breakthrough Producer Of the Year, sponsored by Focusrite

Ben Baptie
Guy Massey
Jolyon Thomas

• Self-Producing Artist Of The Year, sponsored by Spitfire Audio

Brian Eno
Glass Animals (Dave Bayley)
Sleaford Mods (Jason Williamson & Andrew Fearn)

• Breakthrough Engineer Of The Year, sponsored by Genelec

Jake Gordon
Marta Salogni
Steph Marziano

• International Producer Of The Year, sponsored by British Grove Studios

Garret ‘Jacknife’ Lee
Lorde
T Bone Burnett

• Mastering Engineer Of The Year, sponsored by Miloco Studios

Barry Grint
Mandy Parnell
Matt Colton

• UK Album Of The Year, sponsored by Universal Audio

alt-J: ‘RELAXER’
Glass Animals: ‘How To Be A Human Being’
Royal Blood: ‘How Did We Get So Dark?’

• UK Single Song Release Of The Year, sponsored by Shure

Arcade Fire: ‘Everything Now’
Harry Styles: ‘Sign Of The Times’
Royal Blood: ‘Lights Out’

• The A&R Award, sponsored by The Association Of Independent Music

Adele White
Ben Durling
Jane Third

• Studio Of The Year, sponsored by RME

Abbey Road Studios
RAK Studios
Strongroom Studios

The MPG 2018 Awards categories in the gift of the MPG are:

The MPG Inspiration Award, sponsored by Audio Note

The Award for Outstanding Contribution to UK Music, sponsored by PPL.

The MPG would also like to thank Avid for sponsoring the Nominee Seats and MQA for sponsoring the Judges Table.

Tickets for the 2018 MPG Awards are now on sale. For price information and bookings, please follow this link: http://www.mpg.org.uk/mpg-awards/2018-tickets/

Sponsorship opportunities to suit all budgets are also available for this exciting event. Companies that would like to discuss this should contact MPG Awards Event Organiser Joe Edwards. Telephone: +44 (0) 7701 030 513. Email: joe@offbeatldn.com