Classic Rock Awards 2009

"It's quite an experience to be in a room packed with almost every one of your heroes" said Joe Bonamassa in accepting the Breakthrough gong at last night's Classic Rock Awards. It's a sentiment we have to admit to sharing.

On arrival at last night's awards – hosted at London's regal Park Lane Hotel – MusicRadar was greeted with an awesome barrage of celebrity the likes of which we'd never seen.

Look, there's Slash! There's Ronnie Wood! Pete Townshend! Brian May, Jeff Beck, Billy Gibbons, Tony Iommi, Jimmy Page, Ginger Baker! These were people whose music we'd grown up listening to – bona-fide rock legends we'd idolised as kids, now all together under one roof.

The atmosphere was genuinely electric. An hour in and all the star guests had arrived - the party was now in full swing. Drinks were being quaffed, old bandmates reunited and glamorous young women apparently hired to look glamorous, young and, well, like women were being, erm... politely accosted by a '60s rock 'n' roller we shan't name. (His girlfriend kept an eye on him though – we guess you can't always get what you want.)

Marshall Classic Rock Roll Of Honour 2009 – full list of winners

Best New Band
Voted for by readers of Classic Rock magazine
Sponsored by Mean Fiddler
Winner: Chickenfoot

Album Of The Year
Voted for by readers of Classic Rock magazine
Sponsored by Universal Catalogue / Lost Tunes
Winner: AC/DC Black Ice

Band Of The Year
Voted for by readers of Classic Rock magazine
Sponsored by Guitar Hero
Winner: Iron Maiden

Best Reissue
Voted for by readers of Classic Rock magazine
Sponsored by Live Nation
Winner: Black Sabbath Reissues

DVD / Film Of The Year
Voted for by readers of Classic Rock magazine
Sponsored by Play.com
Winner: Anvil! The Story of Anvil

Event Of The Year
Voted for by readers of Classic Rock magazine
Sponsored by Alchemy
Winner: Download Festival

Outstanding Contribution
Chosen by a Classic Rock Judging Panel
Sponsored by Monitor Audio
Winner: Ronnie Wood

Tommy Vance Inspiration Award
Chosen by a Classic Rock Judging Panel
Sponsored by Rhino
Winner: John Bonham

Innovator
Chosen by a Classic Rock Judging Panel
Sponsored by Eagle Rock
Winner: Ginger Baker

VIP Award
Chosen by a Classic Rock Judging Panel
Sponsored by Dannoff Premium Vodka
Winner: Doc McGhee

Metal Guru
Chosen by a Classic Rock Judging Panel
Sponsored by Bravado
Winner: Biff Byford

Spirit Of Prog
Chosen by a Classic Rock Judging Panel
Sponsored by Planet Rock
Winner: Dream Theater

Marshall 11 Award
Chosen by a Classic Rock Judging Panel
Sponsored by Marshall
Winner: Billy Gibbons

Childline Rocks Award
Winner: Steve Harley

Classic Songwriter
Chosen by a Classic Rock Judging Panel
Sponsored by Sony Music
Winner: Paul Rodgers

Classic Album
Chosen by a Classic Rock Judging Panel
Sponsored by Provogue
Winner: Aerosmith Rocks

Breakthrough
Chosen by a Classic Rock Judging Panel
Sponsored by Rock Radio
Winner: Joe Bonamassa

Comeback Of The Year
Chosen by a Classic Rock Judging Panel
Sponsored by EMI Music
Winner: Mott The Hoople

Living Legend
Chosen by a Classic Rock Judging Panel
Sponsored by Marshall
Winner: Iggy Pop

courtesy @ musicradar

Yamaha unveils DTX-Multi 12 percussion pad

PRESS RELEASE: Drummers, Producers, DJs, and beginners and experts alike will all welcome the superb newDTX- Multi 12from Yamaha. The most powerful all-in-one percussion device ever created, it brings the professional power, sound and creativity of the acclaimed high end DTX range to musicians at a highly affordable price.

The understanding of musicians needs are immediately apparent when you power up theDTX-Multi 12and with its powerful inbuilt module and 12 on board percussion pads the device is completely self-contained.

It's bursting with many of the high end features that characterise the DTX range and will be the choice of professional drummers the world over. A perfect tool for live performance, production or practice it's expected the instrument will have much broader appeal beyond the drumming fraternity.

Feature packed, theDTX-Multi 12boasts over 1200 stunning voices in high quality covering drums, percussion and keyboard sounds, many drawn from Yamaha's professional Motif synthesizer range and many completely new. Up to 200 custom set ups can also be created and stored with ease to suit any musical context using all internal sounds and 42 types of effects.

Alternatively additional sounds can be loaded and stored into the onboard 64MB of memory and allocated to any pad for total customisation

For established drummers theDTX-Multi 12will bring a huge new sound set and performance capability to current set-ups and compliment any musical setting. The unit is designed to easily integrate into an existing acoustic set up or act as a stand alone unit. DTX- Multi 12will also prove invaluable to composers thanks to the included Cubase AI 5" software which facilitates quick and easy computer connectivity.

Performing at the highest level for pro players, a wide range of play modes ensure it can adapt to any style, up to four voices can be assigned to a single pad for simultaneous or sequential playback and a wide range of dynamic options are made available.

Versatility is enhanced with 128 on-board phrase patterns covering a wide variety of styles and users can also record their own patterns and assign them to pads. A sophisticated click track function also allows players to control the unit instantly, ideal for live shows.

TheDTX- Multi 12is perfect for computer musicians too, functioning as an excellent input device connectivity is simplicity itself via a single USB cable. The included Cubase AI5 DAW software facilitates the recording and extensive editing of MIDI data, it can also function as a high quality sample playback device with 64MB of flash ROM on board.

For live use, the pads feel great and allow creative freedom, they can be played with sticks, hands, fingers and palms, totally responding to every dynamic nuance and for added creative power Hi-Hat controllers and kick pedal pads can be added if you wish to use theDTX-Multi 12as a compact stand alone electronic drum kit.

We are really excited about the launch of this product which will bring the many possibilities electronic drums can offer

'The DTX-Multi 12 is the perfect tool to bring the many possibilities electronic drums can offer to any acoustic drummer or percussionist' explained product manager Gavin Thomas 'This launch is testament to Yamaha's extensive research into players demands and the first of many new exciting products currently in development'.

WATCH: Foo Fighters' New Video

The alt-rock giants release the Tom Petty-esque "Wheels," off their upcoming greatest hits package.
By Peter Gaston (spin.com)

Foo Fighters - New Music - More Music Videos

Dave Grohl and Foo Fighters have been drifting further and further into the mainstream over their 15-year existence, but their latest single and video, "Wheels," culled from their upcoming Greatest Hits package, is their most straightforward salvo yet. Watch the video below.

The song, which leaked last week, feels far more Kings of Leon than Queens of the Stone Age. Its midtempo strumming brings to mind some of the brawnier stuff coming out of Nashville these days.

It also has the nostalgic feel of a band looking back on a remarkable career that included a rise from the ashes of one of rock'n'roll's most iconic bands. "When the wheels touch ground, and you feel like it's all over," Grohl sings, "there's another round for you." Here's hoping that's true for Foo Fighters.

Greatest Hits arrives Nov. 3, and will also feature a second new song, "Word Forward."

And if you're craving heavier rocking from the Foos camp, catch Dave Grohl in the thumping power trio Them Crooked Vultures, and bassist Nate Mendel in the reunited Sunny Day Real Estate.