Pink Floyd takes top honors
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Pink Floyd Classic Dark Side of the Moon is the big Winner at 2nd Annual Surround Music Awards, Wins Four Including Best of Show

Friday December 19, 2:46 pm ET
Led Zeppelin, Frank Zappa, 45th Annual Grammy Telecast Win Special Awards

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 19 /PRNewswire/ -- The surround remix of Pink Floyd's seminal album Dark Side of the Moon -- at one time, the longest continuously charting album in Billboard history -- won four trophies, including Best of Show, at the 2nd Annual Surround Music Awards, Thursday, December 11.
The gala event was held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, in Beverly Hills, CA, during the 5th Annual Surround Conference & Showcase, and was hosted again this year by Grammy winners Al Schmitt and Ed Cherney.

The aspirations of a new generation of creative artists liberated from the constraints of the traditional two-channel delivery medium were given a thoughtful and articulate voice at the 2nd Annual Surround Music Awards in a special opening address by musician/composer/producer BT, whose musical score for the film Monster was conceived from the ground up in 5.1. Acknowledging the major problems inherent in today's recording industry -- overall lack of artistic control, cost cutting by the major labels, and rampant piracy -- BT pointed to surround as "a shining beacon of hope in an otherwise dark business." Composing in multichannel, he claimed, allowed him to achieve the quality of "spatiality" he had always admired in his musical heroes, from the likes of Stravinsky to Brian Eno. "Stereo is unnatural ... surround is the way I've always wanted to create music."

Special Awards and Performances

Special awards were presented to NARAS and Cossette Productions for the 45th Annual Grammy telecast, produced in 5.1, Led Zeppelin, Frank Zappa, and United Entertainment Media senior VP Martin Porter. Dweezil Zappa accepted the Surround Pioneer Award on behalf of his late father, and performed several songs in his honor.

"Frank's normal reaction to awards ceremonies in general would've been sarcastically dismissive," said Dweezil Zappa, upon accepting the award. "He wasn't fond of ego stroking. In the case of the Surround Pioneer award I believe he would have felt honored."

Led Zeppelin was named Surround Artist of the Year for its high-profile, self-titled DVD release, Led Zeppelin. In accepting the Surround Artist of the Year Award, Jimmy Page, through a prepared statement which was read at the ceremony, said "Surround sound is a fantastic way to experience music. So, in the 21st Century, armed with visuals and multitracks of various performances and modern technology, we set about presenting a chronological history of Led Zeppelin live in surround sound. It is a great honor to have our work recognized by engineers and producers whose work brings the music and listening pleasure to millions."

The 45th Annual Grammy telecast was given the Broadcast Landmark Award. Telecast producer John Cossette of Cossette Productions and Leslie Lewis, Director of The Recording Academy P&E Wing (representing Recording Academy President Neil Portnow) accepted the award from Herbie Hancock, himself an early promoter of surround music from the artistic community. Commenting on his first experience working with surround professionals, Cossette said he learned the key was to "give them the necessary spiritual and financial support and then get out of the way." Next year's Grammy Awards will again broadcast in surround and high-definition, according to Cossette.

Billboard magazine was the exclusive media sponsor of the Surround Music Awards. JBL was the technology sponsor. (2nd Annual Surround Music Awards)