Foo Fighters, Biffy Clyro and Enter Shikari were among the big winners at the Kerrang! Awards 2018, as the weekly rock title relaunched its annual ceremony tonight (June 21) at Islington Town Hall.
The event was attended by a host of the biggest rock bands around, including supergroup The Hollywood Vampires – featuring Alice Cooper, Aerosmith’s Joe Perry and Johnny Depp – plus Toni Iommi of Black Sabbath and Corey Taylor of Slipknot and Stone Sour.
Foo Fighters emerged as the biggest winners on the night, taking home both the Best International Live Act gong and Best International Band, the latter of which was presented to them by Alice Cooper.
Speaking from the stage, Dave Grohl used his acceptance speech of their second award to salute late Linkin Park frontman Chester Bennington.
“I would like to dedicate this to Chester Bennington,” said Grohl to a huge round of applause. “I know what it’s like to lose someone...”
Among the triumphant homegrown bands emerging victorious on the night were Biffy Clyro (Best British Band), Neck Deep (Best Song), Architects (Best British Live Act) and Enter Shikari (Best Album).
The winner of the biggest laugh of the night was a draw between Alice Cooper and Enter Shikari frontman Rou Reynolds. The former brought the house down by saying he was nervous to be in the same room as "Biffy the vampire slayer" while the latter offered a, well, somewhat explicit description of Shikari's creative process.
A number of special awards were also handed out to veteran acts who have shaped the sound of rock music.
Joe Perry was presented the Kerrang! Inspiration Award by fellow Hollywood Vampires band member and Hollywood star Johnny Deep, who hailed the Aerosmith guitar hero onstage as someone who was “born to be a rockstar.”
The recipient of the Kerrang! Legend Award was Slipknot/Stone Sour frontman Corey Taylor.
“I’m humbled by this, I don’t look at myself like that,” acknowledged Taylor. “But if other people do; fuck it, let’s get it on!”
The ceremony closed with Black Sabbath legend Tony Iommi receiving a standing ovation from the room as he was presented with the Kerrang! Icon Award.
You can read the full list of winners below:
Best British Breakthrough: Dream State
Best International Breakthrough: Code Orange
Best Song: Neck Deep - In Bloom
Kerrang! Inspiration: Joe Perry
Best International Live Act: Foo Fighters
Best British Live Act: Architects
Best Album: Enter Shikari - The Spark
Kerrang! Legend: Corey Taylor
Best British Band: Biffy Clyro
Best International Band: Foo Fighters
Kerrang! Icon: Tony Iommi
The Kerrang! Awards 2018 was the first version of the ceremony to be held following investment from its new independent owners Wasted Talent Ltd - the weekly rock title having moved from Bauer Media last year.
You can read Music Week’s recent interview with the Kerrang! team talking about the ceremony and their plans for global expansion here.
