My Bloody Valentine frontman Kevin Shields hit out at the Mercury Music Prize in the wake of this year's nominations, claiming that his band were effectively "banned" from the competition as first album in 22 years, m b v, was not released on a major record label nor made available on Amazon or iTunes.

“It's interesting to learn that to be as independent as we are is … virtually illegal", he said when speaking to The Guardian. "It's not a real record. Our album's not a real album because it's independent. The corporate-ness has got to such a point where we've essentially been told that we don't exist. So, technically, that album doesn't exist. OK? It's not allowed to exist according to the Mercury prize.”

Results will be published in the next issue of Hot Press (available in stores on Thursday September 26)