The Manchester musician - real name Damon Gough - was a virtual unknown when he set up his own record label, Twisted Nerve, in 1997.
He first came to prominence a year later after guesting on UNKLE's Psyence Fiction album, but there was still no indication of what was to come.
Even when The Hour Of Bewilderbeast, for which he won this year's prize, entered the top 20 upon its release in June, Gough could happily walk down the street without causing too much of a stir.
Now, though, the bearded face - which generally lives under a tea cosy-style woolly hat - will be familiar to millions.
His new-found popularity should also see sales of his album dramatically increase from the 60,000 copies he had shifted up until Tuesday night.
Gough is perhaps best known for his erratic stage performances which have on occasion seen members of the bemused audience actually walk out.
By his own admission, many of his gigs have been "shambolic" - often involving the stopping and starting of songs, as well as forgetting the words.
As if to prove the point, he went through the introductions to three of his songs on acoustic guitar during his live performance at the Mercury ceremony, before finally settling on album track The Shining.
His new single, Disillusion, is released on Twisted Nerve on 4 September.
It features fellow Mancunians and Mercury nominees Doves on bass, guitar and drums, while he sings lead vocals and plays lead and acoustic guitar.
But whether they'll let him do it live on Top of the Pops is another matter.