Brattish behaviour hits sour note

Some of us just can’t say certain words. “Sorry”; “I was wrong”; “It’s my round”; or, if you’re John Major, “I resign”. It appears to be no different in the music press, where the Melody Maker bogey-word is NME. New Musical Express runs Alternative music’s “alternative” to the luvvy Brit Awards, called the Brat Awards. Part of the promotion (sponsored by Carlsberg which supplies the beer for the event) involves a ’round-Britain tour of the NME Carlsberg Brat Bus, featuring alternative bands. In an article before Christmas, MM renamed the bus The Carlsberg Brat Bus. Clearly, NME has struck the wrong chord.