Butler wins Brits producer award

By Ian Youngs Music reporter, BBC News

Bernard Butler has successfully moved from performing to producing

Former Suede guitarist Bernard Butler has won the top prize at the Music Producers' Guild Awards, which doubles as a Brit Award.

Butler was at the controls for recent albums by Duffy, Black Kids and Tricky.

He was handed both the MPG producer of the year trophy and the Brit statuette for best producer at the ceremony.

Butler beat Brian Eno, who has recently worked with U2 and Coldplay, and Steve Mac, who has produced albums for Leona Lewis, Boyzone and Il Divo.

Eno did collect the Music Producers' Guild (MPG) award for innovation in production, with Bjork and Mark Ronson also nominated in that category.

Elbow won two prizes - best UK album for The Seldom Seen Kid and best UK single for One Day Like This. Both were produced by the band's keyboardist Craig Potter.

Elbow's last album was produced by keyboardist Craig Potter (far left)

The award for international producer of the year went to Danger Mouse, a member of Gnarls Barkley who has been at the controls for work by Gorillaz, Beck and Martina Topley-Bird.

Calvin Harris - best-known for his hit collaboration with Dizzee Rascal - won the prize for best remixer.

And the best newcomer prize went to Paul Epworth, who has been at the helm for recordings by Kate Nash, Bloc Party and Florence and the Machine.

The first MPG Awards ceremony, held at the Cafe de Paris in London, coincides with the return of the Brit Award for best producer after a gap of 10 years.

MPG chairman Mike Howlett said: "We hope this event will become an integral part of the music industry calendar for many years to come."

The awards were aiming to raise the profile of "the skills and talent involved in making great records", he said.

"Audio professionals are positioned at the very heart of the music industry - we make the content that is the industry's product - and it is important that we are acknowledged as vital and key contributors."