Foals reveal who they'd like to win the 2019 Mercury Prize ahead of ceremony

19 September 2019, 19:02 | Updated: 19 September 2019, 19:06

Frontman Yannis Philippakis revealed to Radio X's Gordon Smart who he'd like to win the prestigious award among his fellow nominees.

Foals have revealed who'd they'd like to win the Mercury Prize this year ahead of the awards ceremony, which takes place tonight (Thursday 19 September) at the Eventim Apollo.

The Oxford outfit have been recognised for the award with their Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost - Part 1 album, but they face stiff competition from everyone from Anna Calvi to IDLES.

Asked by Radio X's Gordon Smart who they would like to take the prize, frontman Yannis Philippakis replied: "There's so many great records it's hard to pick one.

"I think that slowthai would be wicked. I think that he's really exciting and he's bridging the gap between all sorts of genres and UK music together and it's really exciting.

The Exits singer continued: "IDLES obviously are wicked. IDLES deserve all the respect and the accolades they're getting."

He added: "Actually Fontaines D.C. would be my first pick, because I think that what they've done brilliantly is just the lyricism of that record is great."

Asked which one of those bands he'd liked to be in, he quipped: "I think I like being in Foals," adding: "Maybe in Fontaines D.C. I'd get to talk about more poetry, because I don't get to talk much about poetry in my band.

Among Foals' Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost - Part 1, the records recognised for the best British or Irish album of the year include IDLES' Joy as an Act of Resistance, The 1975's A Brief Inquiry into Online Relationships, Fontaines D.C.'s Dogrel, Anna Calvi with Hunter, Little Simz's Grey Area album and slowthai's Nothing Great About Britain LP.

Fontaines D.C. - Too Real

Meanwhile, it has been confirmed that former Maccabees guitarist Felix White will be lending Yannis a much needed hand on stage.

It follows after Foals were forced to cancel an upcoming European festival date due to a nasty looking hand injury sustained by their frontman.

The Oxford outfit were due to play a set at Reeperbahn Festival in Hamburg, Germany on Friday (20 September) but have had to pull out due to an accident involving a knife and Yannis Philippakis.

Taking to his personal Twitter account, Yannis shared photos of his stitched-up hand alongside the caption: "Really sorry not gonna be at Reeperbahn festival on Friday. Had a run in with a knife in Greece".

It's not clear exactly how The Runner singer sustained the injury, but the frontman has made it clear it wasn't self-inflicted, writing on Twitter: "Somebody else was holding the knife just to be clear...anyway am on the mend ".