Black Sabbath celebrate ‘shock year’ at Classic Rock Awards

Black Sabbath won three awards at last night’s Classic Rock Roll Of Honour, sponsored by Orange Amplification in association with Currencies.co.uk.

They took home Album Of The Year for comeback title 13, Event Of The Year for reaching number one after 43 years, and the previously announced Living Legends award. Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler were present at London’s Roundhouse venue to celebrate what the frontman called a “shock year.”

The gala event, presented to an invited audience by prog musician Fish, also celebrated the work of Led Zeppelin, John Mayall, Wilko Johnson, Zakk Wylde and others.

Osbourne said: “I never thought I’d be standing here, what, 45 years later? It’s an incredible event for us all. We’re still in shock. It’s been an incredible year, after I spent all those earlier ones trying to kill myself.”

Bandmate Iommi, who’s continued to tour with the band despite receiving cancer treatment, said: “Thanks for everything – it’s great to see all these old and new faces.”

Classic Rock Awards as it happened

Jimmy Page accepted the FIlm Of The Year award for Led Zeppelin concert movie Celebration Day, saying: “It was a great concert and we got the energy into the video – well, the DVD… and the Blu-ray. I’m here on behalf of the band and I thank you on their behalf.”

Page returned to the stage to present Wilko Johnson with the Inspiration award. The former Dr Feelgood guitarist, who’s suffering from terminal cancer, laughed: “They told me I had ten months to live and ten months have gone by. How long can this go on? We don’t know. But it’s particularly gratifying to receive this recognition of my efforts.”

John Mayall was given the Classic Album gong for 1966 release Blues Breakers With Eric Clapton, recalling: “We had a lot of fun with it – we just did what we did on stage and had no designs other than making an honest album. The label never did understand how it sold so well.”

Other awards went to Fleetwood Mac, the Rolling Stones, Rory Gallagher, Mott The Hoople, and rising stars The Temperance Movement and The Virginmarys.

Classic Rock Roll Of Honour 2013

Best New Band, sponsored by Kraken: The Temperance Movement
Reissue Of The Year, sponsored by Alchemy: Fleetwood Mac, Rumours 35th Anniversary Edition
Film Of The Year: Led Zeppelin, Celebration Day
Album Of The Year, sponsored by Live Nation: Black Sabbath, 13
Band Of The Year, sponsored by Investec: The Rolling Stones
Breakthrough, sponsored by Fuji: The Virginmarys
Spirit Of Prog, sponsored by USM/UMC: Alex Lifeson of Rush
Event Of The Year, sponsored by Roadrunner Records: Black Sabbath hits No1 after 43 years
Innovator, sponsored by Rocksmith: Wilko Johnson
Musicians’ Union Maestro: James Dean Bradfield, Manic Street Preachers
Classic Album, sponsored by Eagle Rock: Blues Breakers With Eric Clapton by John Mayall
Showman, sponsored by Butlins: The Darkness
Outstanding Contribution, sponsored by Monitor Audio: Mott The Hoople
Metal Guru, sponsored by Mascot Label Group: Zakk Wylde
VIP, sponsored by Currencies.co.uk: Shep Gordon
Tommy Vance Inspiration, sponsored by Spinefarm Records: Rory Gallagher
Living Legends, sponsored by Orange Amplification: Black Sabbath

source: classicrockmagazine.com

Fleetwood Mac’s McVie has cancer

Fleetwood Mac have confirmed bassist John McVie is suffering from cancer.

The band have been forced to cancel their upcoming 14-date tour of Australia and New Zealand so the 67-year-old can undergo urgent treatment.

The news comes after they completed the European leg of their first world tour in four years, which saw former member and McVie’s ex-wife Christine rejoin them on stage as a guest.

The band say in a statement: “We are sorry not to be able to play these Australian and New Zealand dates.

“John McVie, one of the co-founding and original members of Fleetwood Mac, is scheduled to be in treatment for cancer during that period of time.

“We hope our Australia and New Zealand fans, as well as fans everywhere, will join is in wishing John and his family all the best.”

The tour leg was to begin in Sydney on November 10 and end in Auckland on December 7. No word has been given on the status of a show planned for Las Vegas on December 30.

During the summer Mac released their first new material in a decade, in the form of an EP entitled Extended Play. Guitarist Lindsey Buckingham recently said a full-length album could only be made if vocalist Stevie Nicks wanted to do it – and he could understand why she might not.

The re-release of classic album Rumours has been nominated at this year’s Classic Rock Roll of Honour awards, which takes place next month.

source: classicrockmagazine.com

McVie to sing with Fleetwood Mac

Christine McVie will make a guest appearance with Fleetwood Mac at two of their upcoming UK shows, Stevie Nicks has confirmed.

The news follows speculation that the retired vocalist could sing with her former bandmates once more, after she told BBC Radio 2: “If they ask me, I’d play.”

She’d attended several Mac shows since retiring in 1998, but hadn’t previously taken the stage with Nicks, Lindsey Buckingham, Mick Fleetwood and ex-husband John McVie.

Now Nicks tells the BBC: “She’s going to come and do a song on the second two shows. I think it will probably be Don’t Stop. I don’t know – but she’s coming to Ireland to rehearse with us.”

A band spokesman was not able to clarify which of Mac’s eight shows she referred to, although it’s likely to be their appearances in London on September 24 and 25.

It’s not likely that McVie will make guest appearances further afield after Nicks explains: “She doesn’t want to fly. She doesn’t want to come back to America.”

And she reflects that she didn’t realise how much her co-singer brought to the band until she’d left. “From the very beginning, we made a pact that we would be a force of nature together – and we were.

“We had a lot of power when there were two of us. That wasn’t really so noticeable to us, because we just had, it until she left.

“Then I realised how much power we had when she was there, and how when she left she took 50% of the power with her. I felt powerless in many ways.”

Fleetwood Mac UK dates

Sep 20: Dublin O2
Sep 21: Dublin O2
Sep 24: London O2 Arena
Sep 25: London O2 Arena
Sep 27: London O2 Arena
Sep 29: Birmingham LG Arena
Oct 01: Manchester Arena
Oct 03: Glasgow Hydro

source: classicrockmagazine.com