We all love to moan about the Mercury Prize every year. Moaning about who won, who didn’t win, who didn’t get nominated, and Jools Holland. Every year, Jools bloody Holland.

This week sees the launch of the ‘GIT’ award, conjured up by local music writer Peter Guy, which looks to pat on the back Mersey musicians and bands who are doing good things. Like the Mercury Prize, there’ll be a judging panel who will pore over the entrants and thrash out a winner (we hope we’re invited, but we’re never invited to anything. Even our mums don’t invite us for dinner). Unlike the Mercury Prize, it’s specifically for music created with a clear connection to Liverpool. Boss, la.

As well as slots at Liverpool Sound City and Liverpool Music Week, the winner gets a gig promoted at the Old Blue Last in London, some studio time and their very own music video directed and premiered.

It’s a good idea, and one we’re excited to see the outcome to. What would we like to see from it? Well, we’d love the prize to go to a someone that really could do with it. There have been a few musicians and bands who’ve broken out recently (congrats to Stealing Sheep for example, who’ve just inked a deal), but for many bands in the city it’s still a real uphill struggle to get noticed. So we hope those juicy prizes gets to really benefit one of ‘em, and uncover some gems along the way.

Musicians can nominate themselves now by sending four tracks to [email protected]. The judging and eventual winner will be announced in the spring.