Damned Good! Group Win Gong After 36 Years

The Damned have been rewarded for their outstanding contribution to music, 36 years after making their recording debut.

The band, whose hits include Smash It Up, Love Song and Eloise, were honoured at the Classic Rock Roll Of Honour.

They are often celebrated as the first British punk act to release a single after issuing their debut New Rose on the Stiff Records label in October 1976.

Frontman Dave Vanian and beret-wearing guitarist Captain Sensible - who had his own brief chart-topping solo career - collected the Outstanding Contribution prize at the Roundhouse in Camden, north London.

The Damned, who have endured repeated line-up changes and reunions, had a run of hits in the 70s.

With a new line-up, which did not feature Sensible, they had further success in the mid-1980s with songs such as Grimly Fiendish and adopting a gothic look to match Vanian's vampiric image.

Other acts to collect honorary titles at the event included Texan rock trio ZZ Top, who took the Living Legend Award, while the late Deep Purple keyboard player Jon Lord took the Tommy Vance Inspiration Award.

Other recipients at the awards - fully known as The Orange Amplification Classic Rock Roll Of Honour - included Roxy Music guitarist Phil Manzanera, who collected the Maestro Award.

Canadian rock trio Rush were double winners at the event, taking the Band Of The Year prize and the Best Album award for Clockwork Angels.

Pink Floyd's lavishly packaged "immersion" editions of their back catalogue albums won the Reissue Of The Year prize.

The DVD award went to The Story Of Wish You Were Here, looking at the making of the group's hit album.

The event was hosted by former Guns N' Roses and Velvet Revolver star Duff McKagan.

The main winners included:

:: Breakthrough Act Of The Year - Rival Sons

:: Maestro Award - Phil Manzanera

:: Tommy Vance Inspiration Award - Jon Lord

:: Classic Songwriter Award - Russ Ballard

:: Outstanding Contribution - The Damned

:: Classic Album Award - Status Quo, Live!

:: Metal Guru Award - Anthrax

:: Best New Band - Tracer

:: Album Of The Year - Rush, Clockwork Angels

:: Reissue Of The Year - Pink Floyd's Immersion series

:: Film/DVD Award - Pink Floyd, The Story Of Wish You Were Here

:: Band Of The Year - Rush

:: Spirit Of Prog Award - Family

:: Comeback Award - Lynyrd Skynyrd