New York, NY (Top40 Charts) "In 1965 and '66, our brothers across the pond were making a lot of beautiful noise, and we attempted to create our own magical sound out here on the west coast. It's really nice to see them now turning around, coming back here to L.A., and recognizing what the four of us accomplished together on a beach in Venice, CA. To receive this award on our own soil, from the Brits, is an honor, and we take it as a sign of respect, so-thank you, from us and on behalf of our fallen brothers, Jim and Ray." - John Densmore and Robby Krieger, The Doors
Hosted by UK-based Classic Rock magazine, the 10th annual Classic Rock Awards-the Classic Rock Roll Of Honour presented by
Orange Amplification - announced today via LA Weekly that Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame inductee The
Doors are this year's recipient of the Inspiration Award. As previously announced, the all-star November 4 event will be hosted by multi-platinum Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inductee
Sammy Hagar and will air on AXS TV in December. Also announced is this year's guest of honor and recipient of the prestigious Living Legend Award, Gregg Allman, one of rock's most acclaimed and beloved icons still continuing a great tradition. Voting is now open for the listener and fan-voted categories (full list of nominees below) and will close on Wednesday, October 22, vote: classicrockmagazine.com/awards.
The
Doors stand as one of the most influential bands of all time; it is without doubt that today's rock landscape would be unrecognizable without them. The Inspiration Award celebrates artists who have influenced others and left a lasting legacy on the world of rock and beyond. Classic Rock is honored to celebrate the music of The Doors, the memory of Jim Morrison, the recent passing of Ray Manzarek and the two surviving members, guitarist Robby Krieger and drummer John Densmore, who will be presented with the award at the ceremony. Previous Inspiration Award recipients include: Rory Gallagher, Jon Lord (Deep Purple, Whitesnake), Steve Marriott (Small Faces, Humble Pie), Ronnie
James Dio, John Bonham (Led Zeppelin), Syd Barrett (Pink Floyd), Mick Ronson and Phil Lynott (Thin Lizzy).
In celebration of The
Doors announcement, Classic Rock magazine has put together a reader-voted list of their greatest songs of all time, https://tinyurl.com/kj42c7q.
In addition, the LA Weekly named the classic song "L.A. Woman" by The
Doors as the #1 song written about Los Angeles. Read the excerpt from writer Nicholas Pell about the quintessential L.A. inspired song: https://tinyurl.com/mrxlpfc.
"You wake up on a chigger-infested couch after a late night of partying. The inside of your mouth tastes of stale cigarette smoke and hangover. You walk out to your '69 Nova, pump the gas pedal twice, cross your fingers and pray to a god you don't believe in that it starts. The engine fires up and you reach into your center console for your last smoke. Lighting it, you pull on a pair of shades even though the sky is still twilight blue and there are still stars twinkling overhead. Your temples throb as you drive around looking for donuts and coffee, hoping you can get some sleep before work.
And just as the sun cracks the top of its head over the Hollywood Hills, you hear 'L.A. Woman.'
Congratulations. You're part of the great chain of lowlife existence that arguably began with Mr. Mojo Risin'. Without this document of what it means to be young and degenerate in Los Angeles, we get no "Welcome to the Jungle," no "
Los Angeles" and certainly no "White Punks on Dope." It all began here, and it sounds just as good now on the classic rock station as it did on the Mighty Met over 40 years ago."
The
Doors are one of the most iconic and important bands of all time. Inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1993, they were recipients of a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2007 and have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. But above all, it is their unique and unmistakable sound combined with powerful, scintillating and, quite frankly, mind-blowing live performances that make them rightful recipients of the 2014 Inspiration Award.
Intoxicating, provocative, uncompromising, mesmerizing, ground-breaking and poetic are just some of the superlatives that surround The Doors. Lead singer Jim Morrison is renowned worldwide as one of the greatest frontmen of all time, and along with Robby Krieger, John Densmore and the late organist Ray Manzarek, this formidable Los Angeles four-piece created an unforgettable legacy.
The band recently announced the November 11 street date of a previously unreleased documentary film that was produced by the band. Titled 'Feast of Friends,' the intimate and rare look at the explosive rock band is, after 45 years, finally being made available. Shelved due to lead singer Jim Morrison's legal issues, the film was only ever seen at a few film festivals and was never completed.
Doors Property, LLC and Eagle Rock Entertainment have painstakingly remastered the audio and video and compiled bonus footage as well, including a historic British documentary from 1968 called The
Doors Are Open.
Classic Rock editor Siân Llewellyn says: "In the year that we bring the Classic Rock Roll Of Honour to Hollywood, it's only fitting that we pay tribute to The Doors-one of the most quintessential Los Angeles bands of all time. The music Robby Krieger and John Densmore made with Jim Morrison and Ray Manzarek is some of rock's most influential. It's high time we honoured them, and this is the perfect time and place."
Evan Haiman, AXS TV VP of music programming and production, says, "The 2014 Classic Rock Roll of Honour is destined to be one of the most ground-breaking events of the year, as music's biggest names come together to honor one of the most iconic and influential bands of all-time. This eclectic lineup truly has something for everyone to enjoy, from up-and-coming acts and established favorites, to classic rock n' roll royalty.
Music fans cannot miss this historic night and we're proud to be its official U.S. broadcast partner."
Here is the full list of nominees for this year's listener and fan-voted categories classicrockmagazine.com/awards:
Best New Band - awarded to the best new rock band
BlackWolf
Blues Pills
Deaf Havana
Massive
No Sinner
Purson
Royal Blood
The
Cadillac Three
The Golden Grass
The Strypes
Band Of The Year - awarded to the most exciting rock band
Black Sabbath
The
Black Keys
Guns N' Roses
Iron Maiden
Metallica
Queen + Adam Lambert
Film Of The Year
Inside Llewyn Davis
Joe Bonamassa - Tour De Force: Live In London
Metallica - Through The Never
Rolling Stones - Sweet Summer Sun, Hyde Park Live
Supermensch - The Legend Of Shep Gordon
The
Doors - R-Evolution
Album Of The Year
Augustines - Augustines
Black Stone Cherry - Magic Mountain
Bruce Springsteen - High Hopes
California Breed - California Breed
Judas Priest - Redeemer Of Souls
Motörhead - Aftershock
Pearl Jam - Lightning Bolt
Rival Sons - Great Western Valkyrie
The
Black Keys - Turn Blue
The
Temperance Movement - The Temperance Movement
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - Hypnotic Eye
Wilko Johnson &
Roger Daltrey - Going Back Home
Reissue Of The Year - awarded to the best-embellished reissue
The
Beatles - The US Albums
Deep Purple - Made In Japan:
Deluxe Edition
Kiss - 40th Anniversary Kissteria Vinyl boxset
Led Zeppelin - I, II and III
Deluxe Editions
Pink Floyd - The Division Bell: 20th Anniversary Edition
Ramones - The Sire Years 1976-1981
Soundgarden - Superunknown: 20th Anniversary Edition
The
Clash - Sound
System boxset
Velvet Underground - White Light/White Heat Super
Deluxe boxset
Yes - The Studio Albums 1969-1987
Classic Rock
Radio Station Of The Year (Major Market)
Classic Rock
Radio Station Of The Year (Medium Market
Classic Rock
Radio Station Of The Year (Small Market)
The all-important listener and fan votes can be cast now at classicrockmagazine.com/awards. Voting closes on Wednesday, October 22.
Additionally, US radio listeners will be able to vote on their Classic Rock radio stations' websites, via a sponsored digital banner which will be made available by Krantz Media Networks, a division of Krantz Media Group (KMG) and digital partners TUNEGENIE and Classics Du Jour. AdLarge Media will be exclusively responsible for radio advertising sponsorship sales. Fans also can vote for their favourite Classic Rock radio station.
Radio station winners will be recognised in the Major Market, Medium Market, and Small Market categories. More details on US listener voting will be provided shortly.
For one night only, Classic Rock magazine plays host to some of the world's most renowned rock legends. This exclusive evening welcomes some 400 artists, industry figureheads and VIPs with a champagne reception and a three-course dinner, followed by the presentation of the awards themselves. The evening culminates with a live performance.
Reflecting the explosive growth of the Classic Rock brand, the event has grown from humble beginnings to become one of the rare 'must-dos' on the rock calendar. It has consistently attracted A-List guests, including
Black Sabbath, Jimmy Page, Alice Cooper, Slash, Rush, ZZ Top, Jeff Beck, Brian May, The Who, Gene Simmons, Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, Rob Halford and Paul Stanley, among many others, as well as live performances from
Jeff Beck with special guests, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Rival Sons and Zakk Wylde.
This really is the ultimate in rock'n'roll awards, and as such will be broadcast in the US on radio exclusively through KMG Networks, a division of Krantz Media Group, it's national programming partner VH1 Radio, producer of On Tap with Nik Carter, Vh1 Classic Rock Prep and Vh1 Rock Prep, and KMG's advertising sales partner Adlarge Media. In the UK it will be broadcast on TeamRock Radio. Check out highlights from past Classic Rock Awards here: https://bit.ly/1qVqXoT.
