Cliche count goes through the roof.(DOOLEY'S DIARY)

Remember where you heard it: It took Bond music man David Arnold to lighten the mood at last Thursday's Ivors after classical award winner Sir Harrison Birtwistle had kindly suggested the audience might be "brain dead" because of all the "erring loud music" they listened to, while also diplomatically adding, "I didn't know so many cliches existed as I've heard in the last half-hour." Over then to Arnold, who neatly introduced the best original film score prize he was presenting as "an award for the brain dead and cliched" ... Things really are changing at EMI Music Publishing: Peter Reichardt's successor Guy Moot generously stayed in his seat to let the company's Declan Morrell grab the stage limelight for James Blunt's Ivors wins ... It was confessional time for Bernard Sumner at the Grosvenor House-held event, admitting, "I don't think we ever knew what publishing was" as he and New Order collected the outstanding contribution award. "We knew we liked it, though," he tellingly added before revealing the first ever songwriting deal the band--then Joy Division--struck was during their first visit to London, when Ian Curtis bumped into then Island Records executive Nick Stewart in a bar. Stewart apparently produced a cheque for the princely sum of 25 [pounds sterling] for Grace Jones to record one of the group's songs. From the Ivors stage, Sumner then had to use all his diplomatic skills as band colleague Peter Hook got in on the act to complain about Virgin allegedly "ripping" them off, along with four other acts. Sumner interjected with, "Virgin Trains--he's talking about the price of tickets from Manchester to London" ... Meanwhile, Ian Anderson was just glad the stage didn't get too crowded as he grabbed the international achievement award. "I'd like to thank all the ...