MOJO Honours Yoko

Lifetime Achievement for the avante-garde musician and artist

11 June 2009 - At the sixth annual MOJO Honour's List awards held in London this evening (11 June) the artist, musician and filmmaker Yoko Ono has been awarded the Lifetime Achievement gong.

Yoko told us it was a real surprise: "I'm in shock! Because I always thought that I was an outsider, also knowing that outsiders do have power. I wasn't feeling bad about it... I never thought that I would (win an award like this) it's so alien to me."

As to what her late husband John Lennon would have made of the award, Yoko laughed: "He would have said I told you so, man! To all of you, cos he was the only person who was really believing and sticking to promote my work. Without that I think I might have been discouraged."

This comes in the same year that the 66 year old is set to make her UK debut with the Plastic Ono Band at Ornette Coleman's Meltdown festival on the Southbank.
 
Elbow Song of the Year

There are five categories voted for by the rock magazine's readers. Unsurprisingly Elbow walked away with Song Of The Year for One Day Like This, which has already scooped an Ivor Novello Award and was on the album that won the Mancunians the 2008 Mercury Music Prize.

Frontman Guy Garvey joked: "Who'd have thought that we'd get used to award ceremonies?! It's really nice. I'm excited because it's voted for by the readers."

"Who'd have thought we'd get used to award ceremonies?" -  Guy Garvey, Elbow

Paul Weller Album of the Year

Paul Weller was given the Album Of The Year vote, for 22 Dreams, beating off competition from Fleet Foxes, Elbow, PJ Harvey and John Parish and Kings of Leon.

Weller told us he couldn't quite believe it: "I didn't even think it (the album) would get the reaction it has got. It's just nice that people recognise it as a whole album, they listen to it in it's entirety, in the days of downloading one track and all that. It's phenomenal."

Nashville rockers Kings of Leon left empty-handed, also losing out to Elbow for Song of the Year. Five-piece Seattle band Fleet Foxes won Best Live Act, over Radiohead, Leonard Cohen, Seasick Steve and Paul Weller.

The other two reader voted categories saw White Lies take home Best Breakthrough Act and Best Compilation went to Take Me To The River: A Southern Soul Story.

Other gongs dished out by the magazine include an Inspiration Award for Blur, a post-humous Icon Award for Phil Lynott and a Hero Award for The Pretty Things.

Full  list of winners:

Album Of The Year - Paul Weller - 22 Dreams

Best Live Act - Fleet Foxes

Breakthrough Act - White Lies

Song Of The Year - Elbow - One Day Like This

Compilation Of The Year - Various Artists - Take Me To The River: A Southern Soul Story

Inspiration award - Blur

Icon award - Phil Lynott

 Hall Of Fame - Mott the Hoople

Classic Album - Zombies - Odyssey and Oracle

Hero - The Pretty Things

Catalogue Release - Miles Davis Kind of Blue 50th anniversary edition

Les Paul - Billy Gibbons (ZZ Top)

Lifetime Achievement - Yoko Ono

Mojo Maverick - Manic Street Preachers

Mojo Medal - Chris Blackwell (Island)

Mojo Vision - Joy Division

Outstanding Contribution to Music - Joe Brown

Roots - Topic Records

Classic songwriter - Johnny Marr


Ruth Barnes