Evermore wins the APRA Silver Scroll

The brothers Hume, better known as Evermore, from left, Dann, Jon and Peter.

Evermore has won New Zealand 's top songwriting award, yet most here don't know who they are.

But after taking the 2005 APRA Silver Scroll tonight for the song It's Too Late, the band of the three Hume brothers -- Jon, Dann and Peter -- are a step closer to being as well known here as they already are in Australia.

Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) director of New Zealand operations Anthony Healey said It's Too Late was an anthem that had already been adopted by Australians as their own.

"Watch as the rest of the world discovers them," said Mr Healey.

"The winning song was a stand-out hit, beautifully crafted, fun and catchy as hell," said one of the anonymous Silver Scroll judging panel.

Originally from Feilding and still barely out of their teens, Evermore have sold more than 75,000 copies of their album Dreams across the Tasman.

But in New Zealand the album has yet to reach gold status, meaning it has sold less than 7500 copies since its release in October 2004.

The band say it is confusing why it is so popular in Australia and not at home, but put it down to the fact they have based themselves in Australia for the last couple of years.

"There's opportunities internationally that you just can't turn down as a band and our success in Australia has been based on touring," Jon Hume said today before the awards.

But Evermore say New Zealand audiences are starting to warm to their sound and the kudos from winning the Silver Scroll should help their cause too.

"But when you look at some of the songs that have won in the past -- there's some amazing songs -- it's just a compliment to be nominated," Hume said.

Evermore look set to go global after signing to major American record label Sire Records, which is run by Seymour Stein, an industry legend who signed Madonna, the Ramones, and Talking Heads.

The four other finalists at tonight's award ceremony held at the Auckland Town Hall were Pluto's Long White Cross, Dave Dobbyn's Welcome Home, Goldenhorse's Out of the Moon, and the Mint Chicks' Opium of the People.

Among the night's other prizes, the 2005 APRA Maioha Award (best Maori waiata of the year) went to Anituatua Black and Whirimako Black for Tini Whetu and the SOUNZ Contemporary Award (for creative excellence by a New Zealand composer) was won by Ross Harris for Labyrinth for Tuba and Orchestra.

The Most Performed Work in New Zealand was won by the Finn Brothers' Won't Give In, and Neil Finn won -- for the umpteenth time -- the Most Performed Work Overseas for Don't Dream It's Over.

- NEW ZEALAND HERALD