Revolver Golden Gods 2014 Black Carpet: Rockers Praise Axl Rose + Joan Jett [Photo Gallery]
It's the show before the show. The Revolver Golden Gods Black Carpet is a who's who of rock and metal's finest talking about the music they love so much before actually going into the event and seeing some of the top performers up close and personal.
This year, two of the big award winners were Guns N' Roses frontman Axl Rose, who received the Ronnie James Dio lifetime achievement honor and Joan Jett, who was the recipient of the Golden God Award. Both acts were on the tips of the tongues of many of those walking the Black Carpet and Loudwire was there as many shared their love for Rose and Jett.
Wendy Dio, widow of Ronnie James Dio who the lifetime achievement honor is named after, told us that her late husband would have been proud to see Rose honored. "It's fantastic. Ronnie would have been very pleased," said Dio. "He would have said, 'Yay! They've been around a lot and they've gotten a lot of things and I think it's a great honor and I think it's well deserved."
Rose's bandmate, guitarist Ron 'Bumblefoot' Thal told us, "I’m happy for Axl. He's getting a lifetime achievement award and he definitely deserves it. He's given a lot of his life for people and he's been very honest about what he gives -- the good, the bad and everything in between -- he's just always been himself. I give him a lot of credit for that because not a lot of people have the balls to do that."
Others shared their own recollections. Testament's Chuck Billy told us he was a huge fan who had seen several of GN'R's Las Vegas residency performances and he couldn't wait to see the band play with Duff McKagan at the Golden Gods. Rob Zombie guitarist John 5 stated that the 'Appetite for Destruction' album was crucial in his musical development. He reminisced, "That's was what made me move out to Los Angeles was 'Welcome to the Jungle.' They've been a huge inspiration for me."
Former Pantera and current Kill Devil Hill bassist Rex Brown stated, "We used to play the club scene down in Texas in the Pantera days and we'd just listen to ['Appetite'] over and over again. It was like a great old pair of socks that you never wanted to take off. And then [GN'R] just busted off big time. All credit due. They are a huge part of rock and roll from my generation, definitely."
Jett, likewise generated a lot of love from those attending the show. Her Runaways bandmates Cherie Currie and Lita Ford were there to support not only Jett, but women in rock. Ford told us, "We're here to celebrate what we created. We're the ones that got out that hatchet and cut down those trees and cleared the path that everyone else has to walk in."
Currie remembered the early days with Jett, adding, "She was a real shy girl. She'd pull her hair down in front of her face. For me, it was David Bowie, but we'd kind of pretend play our heroes. She was Suzi Quatro, I was David Bowie and Lita was Ritchie Blackmore. So we used those personas until we found our way."
Jett also has influence on the male rockers. Twelve Foot Ninja vocalist Kin Etik stated, "I had the biggest crush on here when I was little, especially in that leather jumpsuit. So I'm definitely hanging to see her." Papa Roach's Jacoby Shaddix added, "Joan Jett, 100 percent. 'Crimson & Clover,' c'mon dude. That was the one. That was the hot, dirty, grungy rock song that I just loved." Meanwhile Rob Zombie drummer Ginger Fish was hoping to have the opportunity to go backstage and meet Jett as well.
Prong's Tommy Victor added, "I had experience with her working at CBGB's back in the day. I had an acquaintance with Kenny Laguna, her manager, and I just love her. I still think she looks great and she sounds amazing. She's an icon, you know. And of course, Axl Rose, it's the same thing. He's an icon. He's a great singer and performer. They're the real rock stars."
Check out Loudwire's photo gallery from the 2014 Revolver Golden Gods Black Carpet below.
2014 Revolver Golden Gods Photo Gallery
Five Finger Death Punch
Guns N' Roses' DJ Ashba and Richard Fortus
Guns N' Roses' Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal
Duff McKagan
Guns N' Roses' Dizzy Reed
Papa Roach's Jacoby Shaddix
Black Label Society's Zakk Wylde
Runaways' Cherie Currie and Lita Ford
A Day to Remember
Marilyn Manson
Alice Cooper
Suicide Silence
The Pretty Reckless
Rob Zombie's Ginger Fish and John 5 With Dave Navarro
Linkin Park's Chester Bennington and Mike Shinoda
Kill Devil Hill's Rex Brown With Rita Haney
Testament's Chuck Billy
Anthrax's Scott Ian and Mother Superior's Pearl Aday
Huntress' Jill Janus
Motionless in White's Chris Motionless
Ace Frehley
The Winery Dogs
Arch Enemy's Alissa White-Gluz and Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein
Memphis May Fire
Pierce the Veil
Wovenwar
Emmure's Frankie Palmeri
Sixx: A.M.'s James Michael
Crowbar's Kirk Windstein
Twelve Foot Ninja's Kin Etik and Stevic Mackay
The Word Alive's Telle Smith
Dave Navarro
Dee Snider
Andrew Dice Clay
Prong's Tommy Victor
dUg Pinnick & George Lynch
ZZ Top's Billy F. Gibbons
Eyes Set to Kill
Wendy Dio
Monte Pittman
'NCIS' star Pauley Perrette