Gomez seized the 1998 Technics Mercury Prize for their debut album of home-fried rock, Bring It On, in the UK last night. The fresh-faced five-piece -- most of whom hail from the previously unremarkable town of Southport, near Liverpool -- seemed genuinely bewildered to have won. But by the time the result was announced, they'd become the runaway 2-1 favorites to take the prize, betting on them far outstripping the well-fancied Verve. In fact, according to chairman of the judges, Simon Frith, it was a close call.

"We've spent the last hour and a half discussing three albums," Frith announced at the award ceremony, "Asian Dub Foundation's Rafi's Revenge, Cornershop's When I Was Born For the 7th Time and the winner ... Gomez!" The boys gleefully took the stage for Grand Prix-style frolics with a magnum of champagne.

This time last year they were newly formed and cutting primitive demos for their own amusement -- some of which actually made it onto the finished album. "This is really weird," said Ian Ball, one of the band's three singers, as they accepted the award. "We recorded bits of this on a four-track in my dad's garage!"

One of their very first attempts at recording the distinctive, rootsy songs that comprise Bring It On fell into the hands of Steve Fellowes, former member of Sheffield-based band Comsat Angels. He was so taken with the tape he offered to manage them, and subsequently gave up his job in a record store. He was missing-presumed-hungover this morning and unavailable for comment.

JIM IRVIN