Kerrang winners

This year's awards knees-up attended by Metallica, Slipknot and Carl Barat

22 August 2008 - The Kerrang! Awards were held in central London last night (21 August) with two massive rock acts headed for Reading and Leeds festivals being awarded.

Rage Against The Machine, who're currently making a comeback, were inducted into the Kerrang Hall Of Fame and Metallica received the Inspiration Award.

Rage frontman Zack De La Rocha thanked the The Clash, Public Enemy and Bob Dylan from the podium, while Metallica singer James Hetfield said heavy metal was “coming alive again.”

Actor Jared Leto’s band 30 Seconds To Mars scooped Best Single for From Yesterday with Best Album going to Avenged Sevenfold.

The surprise attendee of the night was Carl Barat, who confessed he used to be into heavy metal.

The former Libertines man and Dirty Pretty Things frontman said he wanted to see Rage Against the Machine: “I’m a massive fan… so I thought I’d pop down and see what was going on.”

Bullet For My Valentine, who scooped the award for Best British Band, also spoke to 6 Music.

Padge from the band explained what the awards night means to them: “It’s a great ceremony and it’s great to bring everyone together and have a good knees up. As for winning, we’re just happy to be invited”.

Jay added: “If you win something, it’s just rewarding after all the hard work you’ve done all year.”

"It’s a great ceremony and it’s great to bring everyone together and have a good knees up. As for winning, we’re just happy to be invited."
Bullet For My Valentine

Speaking to the organisers

Katie Parsons, the new bands editor for Kerrang! Magazine, spoke to 6 Music about the importance of the night: “In the world of rock and metal and heavy music, there aren’t many mainstream opportunities to be recognised as being good at what you do, and the Kerrang! awards is the biggest event of the year for mainstream press to recognise these sorts of people are doing something great.”

She also thinks the awards differ from those that are chosen by industry insiders: “It’s voted for by fans, so I think it means a huge amount to bands, regardless of their genre to be involved in the Kerrang! Awards in any way, whether that’s presenting, coming along as an attendee, being nominated or in fact winning.”

Hosting the event was Scott Ian, from Anthrax, who thought his job was preferable to being nominated: “At least I get to be doing something for an hour and a half, whereas if you’re just sitting in the audience, especially if you’re not even up for an award, award shows are the most boring thing in the world.”

Kerrang! Winners 2008

Best International Newcomer – Black Tide
Best British Newcomer – Slaves to Gravity
Kerrang! Icon – Slipknot
Best Video – Coheed and Cambria
Best Single – 30 Seconds to Mars – From Yesterday
Best Album – Avenged Sevenfold – Avenged Sevenfold
Best Live Band – Machine Head
Classic Songwriter – Def Leppard
Spirit of Independence – The Dillinger Escape Plan
Best British Band – Bullet For My Valentine
Best International Band – 30 Seconds to Mars
Hall of Fame – Rage Against The Machine
Inspiration – Metallica

Victoria Hannaford