Oh, what a night!

The third annual Classic Rock Roll Of Honour, Classic Rock magazine’s prestigious awards show, last night honoured one of rock music’s most iconic figures, Jimmy Page, with its ultimate accolade: the Living Legend award.

iving Legend award.

The November 5 ceremony at London’s über-posh Landmark Hotel was awash with rock royalty. The stars and the industry watched on as Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler made a moving tribute to Page before unveiling an extended video of the celebrated guitarist’s life, which included messages from Elvis‘s guitarist Scotty Moore, guitar legend Les Paul and Jimmy’s long-time rock partner Robert Plant.

As Living Legend, Jimmy was presented with a vintage Gibson Les Paul, the guitar Jimmy made famous in the 60s and 70s, signed by Les Paul himself.

In just its third year, the Classic Rock Roll Of Honour has established itself as the award show of choice for rock legends across the globe, attracting a phenomenal list of award winners and guests.

Heaven And Hell, collectively, picked up two awards in the form of Comeback Of The Year for the whole band and the Metal Guru award for guitarist Tony Iommi.

National rock institution Status Quo were honoured as Classic Songwriters, while War Of The Worlds mastermind Jeff Wayne picked up the Showman Award.

In keeping with Classic Rock’s commitment to honouring the often-overlooked stars of the rock world, Pink Floyd‘s Nick Mason took to the stage to honour long-term collaborator and artistic genius Storm Thorgerson with an Outstanding Contribution award, while the late guitarist Mick Ronson was presented, posthumously, with the Tommy Vance Inspiration Award that was collected by his widow Suzi Ronson and daughter Lisa Ronson, and presented by Ian Hunter and Def Leppard‘s Joe Elliott.

Meat Loaf unfortunately came down with a bout of laryngitis on the eve of the awards. In Meat Loaf’s absence his daughter, Pearl Aday, picked up the Classic Album award for her father’s 1977 epic Bat Out of Hell, which even now sells approximately 200,000 copies a year and is estimated to have exceeded 34 million sales worldwide in total.

In the Classic Rock Readers’ Awards, Kiss picked up the Reissue Of The Year gong for their Alive! 1975-2000 box-set, which was collected by Velvet Revolver/Guns N’ Roses bassist Duff McKagan.

Rush were honoured as Band Of The Year.

Aerosmith‘s appearance at Hyde Park Calling was voted the Event Of The Year, pipping the favourite – Keith Richards snorting his Dad’s ashes – to the top spot.

And the Frank Zappa Classic Albums DVD picked up DVD Of The Year and was collected by none other than Alice Cooper.

The winners in full are as follows:

* Best New Band: Black Stone Cherry
* Reissue Of The Year: Kiss – Alive! 1975-2000
* DVD Of The Year: Frank Zappa Classic Albums
* Album Of The Year: Porcupine Tree – Fear Of A Blank Planet
* Band Of The Year: Rush
* Event Of The Year: Aerosmith at Hyde Park Calling
* Classic Songwriters: Status Quo
* Metal Guru: Tony Iommi
* Showman Award: Jeff Wayne
* The Classic Rock/Childline: Ian and Jacky Paice
* Tommy Vance Inspiration: Mick Ronson
* Outstanding Contribution: Storm Thorgerson
* Classic Album: Meat Loaf – Bat Out Of Hell
* Comeback Of The Year: Heaven And Hell
* Living Legend: Jimmy Page

Scott Rowley, Classic Rock’s Editor In Chief, said:

“It’s been quite a year for rock music. From the 20 million attempts to get Led Zeppelin tickets to the new album from the Eagles going straight in at No.1 in the album charts this week, 2007 has proved that fashions can come and go, but rock music continues to move people.

“Which is weird: because for the last few years, people have been saying that not only is rock’n'roll dead but that the game’s up for magazines too.

“In fact, now that people can get their news from a bazillion different websites, digital radio stations or TV channels, a magazine like ours becomes one of the few things that we all have in common.

“The Classic Rock Roll Of Honour brings it all to life: an awards show run by real music fans and giving musicians the chance to honour their peers. It’s something genuine in an industry fuelled by hype.”