Gregg Allman, The Doors, Metallica and Queen led the winners at the tenth annual Classic Rock Roll Of Honour presented by Orange Amplification last night.
The gala event was held at The Avalon in Hollywood, Los Angeles, hosted by Sammy Hagar, with assistance from Billy Gibbons, Scott Ian, Henry Rollins and Monty Python icon Eric Idle.
Presentations took place after live performances by Scott Weiland and the Wildabouts and Rival Sons, with California Breed playing at the interval and supergroup Kings Of Chaos – including Hagar, Gibbons, Joe Elliott and Glenn Hughes – closing the evening.
Liveblog: The awards night as it happened
Allman was presented with the Living Legend Award sponsored by Orange Amplification, joining previous recipients Ozzy Osbourne, Jimmy Page, Lemmy, Jeff Beck, Iggy Pop, Alice Cooper and ZZ Top.
Speaking after he was confirmed as this year’s winner, Allman said: “I am so very honoured to be receiving this award. The magazine is one of my favourites and they are always so generous to me and the Brothers.” He’ll return to the UK in July 2015 to headline the inaugural Ramblin’ Man Fair.
The Doors, who won this year’s Inspiration Award sponsored by Global Merchandise, are poised to release long-lost documentary Feast Of Friends. Guitarist Robby Krieger recently told Classic Rock: “When people see this who have already seen The Doors movie, and they think that’s how Jim was, that he was a total idiot – now they’ll see him as a real person; how brilliant he is.”
Queen and live collaborator Adam Lambert were named Band Of The Year sponsored by Universal Records. Lambert, who’s been working with Brian May and Roger Taylor for three years, admitted: “At first it freaked me the fuck out – but then I started learning from them.”
Metallica’s Lars Ulrich thanked fans via a video when their concert movie Through The Never won them Film Of The Year sponsored by AXS.TV.
Def Leppard frontman Elliott presented Ozzy Osbourne with the Classic Album award sponsored by Eagle Rock for Blizzard Of Ozz, saying: “A guy once came into a theatre where we were playing and asked us if we were okay – then had a piss out the window. His name was Ozzy Osbourne. Ozzy, we will never forget how you looked after us.”
Wilko Johnson and Roger Daltrey, Jeff Lynne, Led Zeppelin, Joe Perry, Dave Mustaine, Eric Burdon and Sharon Osbourne were also honoured, along with The Cadillac Three, who were named Best New Band.
Classic Rock Roll Of Honour 2014
Living Legend (sponsored by Orange Amplification): Gregg Allman
Inspiration (sponsored by Global Merchandise): The Doors
Band Of The Year (sponsored by Universal Records): Queen + Adam Lambert
Film Of The Year (sponsored by AXS.TV): Metallica – Through The Never
Album Of The Year (sponsored by MixRadio): Wilko Johnson & Roger Daltrey – Going Back Home
Classic Album (sponsored by Eagle Rock): Ozzy Osbourne – Blizzard Of Ozz
Outstanding Contribution (sponsored by CitiBank): Jeff Lynne
Reissue Of The Year (sponsored by The Great Frog): Led Zeppelin_ I_, II, III Deluxe Editions
Maestro: Joe Perry
Metal Guru: Dave Mustaine
The Bluesman (sponsored by The Blues Magazine): Eric Burdon
The VIP (sponsored by Sunset Marquis Hotel, Restaurant, Spa): Sharon Osbourne
Best New Band: The Cadillac Three