Glenn Hughes with Ian Paice -Classic Rock Roll of Honour Awards – Roundhouse London, November 9th 2011.

Photo copyright Ross Halfin –  more at Ross Halfin Facebook link  http://www.facebook.com/rosshalfinofficial

Black Country Communion, The Who, Deep Purple and Jeff Beck were amongst the winners at last night’s annual Classic Rock Roll of Honour Awards at the Roundhouse in London hosted by Kiss legend Gene Simmons.

Glenn Hughes was in attendance ahead of his UK tour next week. ‘’It’s only taken me 50 years to get a Breakthough award!’ he told me before accepting the aforementioned named award on behalf of Black Country Communion with a speech that made reference to Jon Lord. A heartfelt note from the keyboard legend currently ill with cancer, was read out by Deep Purple’s Ian Paice, who along with Ian Gillan and Roger Glover accepted the Innovator award.

It was good to see Roy Harper on hand to present the Sprit Of Prog award to Jethro Tull’s Ian Anderson. I spoke with Roy prior to the Awards Ceremony. Talking about last Saturday’s Festival Hall Roy said ’’ It was a very emotional night. ’It was like coming home to a small club gig where everybody knew everybody else. Jimmy was fantastic. He put a lot of work into getting that song up to scratch again and I really appreciated that – it showed real dedication
We didn’t do a lot of rehearsing together. We did a couple of days, we did like three run through on one day and one on the next. It was absolutely brilliant on the night. It was a great honour and it was a lovely moment when everyone sang Happy Birthday. Looking back we have always had such a mutual respect and artists on the same level can always connect so it was great to do that again with Jimmy’’
More of my exclusive conversation with Roy will appear in the next TBL magazine.

Brian May and Roger Taylor accepted the Best Reissue award for the Queen reissue series, guitarist Snowy White came up to collect the Event Of The year award on behalf of Roger Waters for The Wall live tour. Steve Winwood was the recipient of the inaugural Maestro award. Lemmy picked up the Best Film/DVD award for his Lemmy documentary film.

Ex Humble Pie members Peter Frampton and Jerry Shirley introduced the Tommy Vance Inspiration award given posthumously to Steve Marriott – Steve’s mother and sister accepting the award to a moving standing ovation. Gene Simmons relayed a story afterwards of how he been at the Fillmore once where a singer had been compared to Robert Plant ‘’that’s not Robert Plant’s influence’’ Gene told him ‘’it’s Steve Marriott –he was there first’’

Ross Halfin presented the VIP award to veteran photographer Baron Wolman – during his acceptance speech Baron decided to turn the tables on the guitar smashing antics of Pete Townshend who he had often photographed in the 60’ and 70s by demolishing a camera on stage.

Pete himself came up with Roger Daltrey to receive the Classic Album award for Quadrophenia. The Who two were also afforded a standing ovation.

As was the final winner of the night Jeff Beck – Queen’s Roger Taylor presenting the award to the legendary guitarist. As Jeff came on to make a very humorous speech, a montage of footage of his career included a clip of him performing Immigrant Song with Jimmy at the Hall Of Fame in 2009.

Jeff went on to play a storming set that included a guest appearance by Joss Stone.

During the evening I canvased the opinions of various musicians, journalists and celebs in attendance – including Roy Harper, Lemmy, Thunder’s Danny Bowes, ex Sounds journalist Geoff Barton, Classic Rock editor Scott Rowley and TV presenter Jeremy Clarkson, for their thoughts on Led Zeppelin IV 40 years to the week it was released. More on all this in the next TBL magazine. (DL)

Here’s the full line up of Classic Rock Roll of Honour winners:

The Living Legend Award (sponsored by Orange Amplification)
Jeff Beck

Event Of The Year
Roger Waters’ ‘The Wall Live Tour’.

Breakthrough Act Of The Year (sponsored by Universal Music)
Black Country Communion.

The Spirit Of Prog (sponsored by EMI)
Jethro Tull.

The Innovator Award (sponsored by Rimowa)
Deep Purple

Musicians’ Union Maestro Award
Steve Winwood

Tommy Vance Inspiration award
Steve Marriott

Classic Songwriter (sponsored by Fender)
Manic Street Preachers

Outstanding Contribution (sponsored by Monitor Audio)
Bob Ezrin.

Metal Guru Award (sponsored by Mascot Label Group)
The Scorpions

Classic Album Award (sponsored by Ear Music)
The Who’s ‘Quadrophenia’

VIP Award (sponsored by currencies.co.uk)
Baron Wolman

Best New Band (sponsored by Kraken)
Vintage Trouble

Album Of The Year (sponsored by Eagle Vision)
Michael Monroe for ‘Sensory Overdrive’

Re-issue Of The Year (sponsored by Alchemy)
Queen ‘Re-Issues’ package of their five albums

Film/DVD Award
Lemmy for ‘Lemmy’
Band Of The Year (sponsored by Live Nation)
Foo Fighters

Robert Plant has joined forces with Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend to launch a campaign to raise money for young cancer sufferers in the USA. The new program — the first of its kind in the United States — plans to turn part of a unit at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Centre in Los Angeles into a separate space for patients aged 15 to 25. The Who stars will build on the previous successful efforts of the Teenage Cancer Trust, which has helped fund 19 special teen cancer units in the United Kingdom
Robert and Roger were both present at a joint press conference held at the UCLA Medical Centre in Los Angeles, with Townshend who was unable to attend the launch, appearing on video.
“We believe that teenagers have a much better chance in their fight against cancer if they are treated by experts specializing in their care in a compassionate environment tailored to their needs,” Daltrey said. “At a time when your body is changing, your social life is everything and you’re still trying to figure out who you are, getting cancer can seem like an impossible blow to take,” Daltrey continued “I hope that our fans will really get behind Who Cares and do their bit to make a difference to young people living with cancer,” he said. “We are grateful to UCLA for helping bring the treatment successes we’ve made with young people in the U.K. to teens in America.”

Plant said “We hope to bring the success of the Teenage Cancer Trust program in the U.K. to this inaugural program at UCLA, the caring and support the program provides have made a huge difference in the lives of many teens and young adults who are battling cancer.”
The UCLA Daltrey/Townshend Teen & Young Adult Cancer Program will be supported by Who Cares, a fundraising initiative for fans of the Who, started so that the band could respond quickly to charitable causes. Through Who Cares, Daltrey and Townshend have helped raise millions of dollars with a series of all-star concerts that have grown into one of the most highly revered and anticipated annual music events in the world.
The pair signed a guitar that will help raise funds for UCLA’s new program. In addition, a portion of each ticket sale from Daltrey’s current “Tommy” tour in Canada and the U.S. will be donated to the UCLA Teen & Young Adult Cancer Program through the Who Cares organization. For more information, visit www.uclahealth.org/rockevent .

Robert Plant’s collaboration with Alfie Boe, a re-recording of the Tim Buckley classic Song For The Siren is to be released as a single in the UK this week. It’s taken from the celebrated tenor’s new album Alfie which is already in the UK top ten album chart. Boe is best known for his highly regarded appearance as Jean Valjean in ‘Les Miserables.
Alfie Boa is due to start a full UK tour in December and January and includes a London show at the Royal Festival Hall.
He is a short clip of the song (without Robert appearing)

GQ magazines latest issue is a all music affair and features a new interview with Robert Plant; check it out on line at GQMusic Issue

Debbie Bonham and Paul Rodgers are set to headline a exclusive benefit concert in Chichester with all proceeds going to the Racehorse Sanctuary re-homing Centre and Rocking Horse Children’s Charity, based in Coolham West Sussex.
Deborah is a founder Trustee of The Racehorse Sanctuary and Children’s Rocking Horse Charity, a unique charity set up by Graham Oldfield and Sue Collins which rescues ex-racehorses, re-homes the horses it can and supports the others to live out the rest of their days in a caring, calm environment, giving these animals they respect they deserve after being specifically bred for mankind’s entertainment and gains. 5000 thoroughbreds leave racing every year, many of which are destroyed, some in horrific circumstances. Rocking Horse is a children’s charity within the Racehorse Sanctuary that offers horse and music therapy to all children of all abilities.
Introduced to the charity by Deborah, both Paul and his wife Cynthia are now Patrons of this charity. Paul said, of the charities work, “I am deeply moved by the commitment and sacrifice of these beautiful, noble creatures and to their lives on the other side of the finish line. Involving young, autistic and inner city kids is brilliant and helps encourage a healthier next generation.”
The evening will open with a band called Room 4, a group of 12 year olds formed with the support of the newly opened Chichester Music Academy.
The evening will include a Silent Auction of Music Memorabilia and a Live Auction, with the main item being a Songwriting Session with Paul Rodgers. Many more auction items are being lined up. For ticket info Email: info@deborahbonham.com – more details at   http://www.deborahbonham.com/news.html

Roy Harper/Jimmy Page Update : Another shot by Michael Rae for TBL -note the Zoso symbol on the guitar neck. The full set list for the Royal Festival Hall show ran as follows:
Highway Blues, Frozen Moment, North Country Girl, I’ll See You Again (accompanied by Nick Harper), Me And My Woman (accompanied by Nick Harper) Hallucinating Light, Commune, Twelve Hours Of Sunset, I Hate The White Man, Another Day (accompanied by Joanna Newsom), When An Old Cricketer Leaves The Crease
Encore: The Same Old Rock (accompanied by Jimmy Page), The Green Man

LED ZEPPELIN IV AT 40 EXHIBITION UPDATE

The previously mentioned exhibition of Led Zeppelin IV art prints is launched next  Thursday November 17 – myself and the TBL will be in attendance – more details of the launch and the ordering of the prints can be seen now at

http://thefloodgallery.com/blogs/news/4551842-led-zeppelin-iv-at-40-grand-opening-exhibition-details