'I'm quite proud' — major award for quiet man of music PR Murray Chalmers
Former Harris Academy pupil Murray Chalmers left Dundee in 1978 for a new life in London, which meant living in a squat and performing menial tasks at his first job.
Murray Chalmers at the awards with Palomo Faith.
- By Alan Wilson, Rocktalk writer
- Published in the Courier : 01.12.11
- Published online : 03.12.11 @ 11.20am
Now 52, the former head of PR at EMI with responsibility for the likes of Grace Jones, Dusty Springfield, Morrissey, Robbie Williams, Kylie Minogue, Lily Allen, Coldplay and Radiohead, has been awarded a lifetime achievement award for his contribution to music press.
Murray, who still retains a home in Newport, won the Outstanding Contribution to PR Award at the Record Of The Day (ROTD) Awards in London, which was presented to him by his own client, Paloma Faith.
It was one of three lifetime achievement awards given that night, the other two going to iconic music journalist and author Nick Kent and photographer Gered Mankowitz.
Also this week, industry bible PR Week has profiled Murray on the front page, describing his company as ''key players'' in music PR, while he was recently named among the London Evening Standard's 1000 Most Influential Londoners — ironic given he is not actually from the capital.
Murray told The Courier he was ''honoured'' to receive the award.
''I think it's great, especially winning it the same year as Nick Kent, who is one of my favourite writers, and Gered Mankowitz, who is an incredible photographer.
''Out of the three of us I'm the least deserving but mine is for PR and it's great that it comes from within your own industry.
''We don't really publicise our company but all the artists have come to us so although we don't make a song and dance about it, I'm quite proud of our achievements.''
The award caps a memorable year for Murray, coming hot on the heels of 2011's biggest musical announcement: that of the ''resurrection'' of The Stone Roses, who he was asked to work with.
In contrast to his normally quiet, shun-the-limelight manner, the quietly spoken Murray's voice was heard around the world at the press conference to announce that the Mancunians will be reforming for special reunion shows next year.
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