Nick Cave, Dizzee Rascal Attempt to Rescue Dull Plug Awards

Does the music industry really need another way to celebrate albums released in 2007? Last night's Plug Awards seemed to answer the question by irreverently referring to its trophies as Butt Plugs. At New York's Terminal 5, industry insiders and indie-rock fans engaged in a night of back-slapping at the fourth annual ceremony, which recognized the best of independent music as chosen by an insular board of a few hundred tastemakers, industry folk, music fans and more. No one seemed remotely interested in the event, which amped up its nerd quotient by featuring a location called the "Blogger's Pit."

Still, there were some minor celebrities in attendance: Most of the guys from the National were in the crowd chatting with friends (frontman Matt Berninger wisely stayed home); the tall dude from Vampire Weekend milled about; Saturday Night Live's Fred Armisen looked like he was desperately searching for the exit. While the awards portion moved briskly — Arcade Fire's Neon Bible took home top honors for Album of the Year — the best part by far was the performances.

British hip-hopper Dizzee Rasca ran through his killer hit "Fix Up Look Sharp" and show closer Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds teased new material from his forthcoming record Dig Lazarus Dig!!! The dour Aussie legend, who weirdly enough looked the spitting image of Daniel Day Lewis in There Will Be Blood, took turns between playing guitar and wailing on an organ, as the Dirty Three's Warren Ellis spiked the tunes with some creeptastic violin drones on fan-faves like "Tupelo." The set brought some much-needed spark to an otherwise dull event.

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Song Stories

“Smells Like Teen Spirit”

Nirvana | 1991

"Smells Like Teen Spirit," named after a brand of deodorant marketed to girls, was Kurt Cobain's attempt to "write the ultimate pop song," he said, using the soft-loud dynamic of his favorite band, the Pixies. Cobain "had that dichotomy of punk rage and alienation," the song’s producer, Butch Vig, told Rolling Stone, "but also this vulnerable pop sensibility. In 'Teen Spirit,' a lot of that vulnerability is in the tone of his voice." Sadly, by the time of Nirvana's last U.S. tour, in late '93, Cobain was tortured by the obligation to play "Teen Spirit" every night. "There are many other songs that I have written that are as good, if not better," he claimed.

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