The Golden Gods Awards, a ceremony devoted solely to hard rock and heavy metal, is returning to TV on Saturday, May 24 via VH1 Classic at 8 p.m. ET/PT, produced by **** Clark Productions and Revolver magazine. The four-hour live show will tape Wednesday, April 23, at Los Angeles' Club Nokia, and stream at VH1.com and on VH1's mobile app, with a black carpet hosted by Dee Snider. The May 24 telecast will be an edited, 90-minute version of the show.
Topping this year's star-studded talent lineup will be Guns N' Roses frontman Axl Rose, who will be presented with 2014's Ronnie James Dio Lifetime Achievement Award, and Joan Jett, the first-ever female recipient of the Golden God Award, which will be presented by 2011 winner Alice Cooper. Guns N' Roses and Jett are also among the show's confirmed performers, alongside Zakk Wylde, who will play during a very special musical tribute to the heavy-metal and hard-rock legends who've passed away over the last year. Additional appearances will include Dave Navarro, Alice Cooper, Marilyn Manson, Rob Zombie, Andrew Dice Clay, Joe Manganiello, Tony Hawk, Pauley Perrette, Carmen Electra, A Day To Remember and The Pretty Reckless.
The show will be hosted by metal experts Eddie Trunk, Don Jamieson and Jim Florentine, hosts of VH1 Classic's own "That Metal Show."
The 2014 Golden Gods Awards marks **** Clark Productions' first year producing the show, which executive producer Assaf Blecher says is an extension of the company's growing portfolio of music-themed programming – from next month's Billboard Music Awards (both DCP and Billboard are owned by Guggenheim Digital Partners) to November's American Music Awards to this summer's all-new music competition series "Rising Star," set to air on ABC.
"We are very into music properties, so it's just natural that the Golden Gods would make sense for us," Blecher says. "The show is a good combination [of older] and newer heavy-metal icons, and it's a great occasion for the community to come together for a one-night only event."
Blecher is one of two executive producers for DCP, alongside Paul ****erill. Executive producing for VH1 Classic are Lee Rolontz, Rick Krim and Jay Moran. Executive producing for Revolver Magazine is Alana Zinn. Rolontz, executive vice president of music production for VH1 and VH1 Classic, says in a statement, "The VH1 Classic audience has a rabid appetite for all things hard rock and metal, so bringing our audience the only hard rock awards show was a must-do on our programming list."
