‘It’s a great honor to win this prestigious award’

Tom Morello is the winner of the Sena Performers European Guitar Award 2024 (SEGA). The legendary musician from Los Angeles, will receive the award at a special ceremony on July 4st in the Dutch city of Bergen op Zoom.

An impressive list of former winners of the Sena Performers European Guitar Award led the way for Mr Morello: Slash from Guns N’ Roses, Brian May from Queen, Steve Vai, Joe Bonamassa, John Petrucci, Joe Satriani, Walter Trout, Steve Hackett and Steve Lukather from the band Toto are international names who came to Bergen op Zoom to collect the award. Last year, Nuno Bettencourt came over to the Netherlands to accept the prestigious award. Also Dutch stars like Adrian Vandenberg (Whitesnake), Jan Akkerman (Focus) and George Kooymans (Golden Earring) where previous winners of the SEGA.

Tom Morello is very proud to receive the Sena Performers European Guitar Award. “ Its a great honor to be presented with the Sena Performers Euro Guitar award. Many of the past recipients have been huge influences on me. When I began playing guitar at 17 years old, it really was a calling and all these years later to have the fruits of that calling be recognized by such a prestigious organization is beyond belief."

Jean-Paul Heck, organiser of the Award, states: “Mister Morello is a true genius. A man who has developed such an authentic style like no one else. During the last 45 years he made history with his unique way of playing. His skills as a composer, producer and bandleader and his unbelievable work-ethic are exceptional. Mr Morello is a legend in his own right.” Jack Pisters, chairman of the Sega, is delighted with the choice. “Tom Morello is one of those sublime guitarists who instantly changed the guitar landscape forever with his band Rage Against the Machine. With his uniquely distinct personality and innovative playing style, which includes noise, scratches, virtuoso lines, and rock-solid guitar riffs, he makes an unforgettable impression. He is a significant influence on guitar playing in the 21st century.”

Heck says that Mr Morello was on the wish list for a long time. “Like the previous winners, Tom Morello is a man who influenced millions guitar-players all over the world. Like Brian May, Slash, Joe Satriani, Joe Bonamassa Steve Vai, Steve Lukather, Nuno Bettencourt, Jan Akkerman and Adrian Vandenberg he is a musician who set the standard for many years to come. After his stunning career with Rage Against The Machine, he built his beautiful solo-empire from the ground with groundbreaking projects and wrote history with Audioslave. Now Mr Morello is at the top of his game, conquering the world as one of the greatest guitar players that ever lived and that is a majestic achievement.”

Grammy-winning, Harvard-educated, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducted artist, songwriter, and activist Tom Morello is living proof of the transformative power of rock’n’roll. Known for his innovative guitar solos and thunderous chords, Morello is a groundbreaking artist both in his solo career and as an original member of the rock bands Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave - two acts responsible for multiple Grammy Awards and a combined 30 million albums sold worldwide. His trademark style was a crucial component of Rage Against the Machine, helping launch Morello and the band to Grammy-winning, multi-platinum success, which in turn led to his recognition by Rolling Stone Magazine as the 18th “Greatest Guitar Player of All-Time” and subsequent induction into both the Rock & Roll and Metal Hall of Fame. After not just one but two multi million selling bands, Morello's signature guitar can be heard in the supergroup Prophets of Rage and with his 6-year stint in Bruce Springsteen’s E-Street Band.

Morello is a vocal political activist whose first solo outing was as the Nightwatchman. You can often find him on the front line of pickets and strikes across the country - most recently in solidarity with United Mine Workers of America in Brookwood, AL, the United Farm Workers of America in Sacramento, CA, and the Star Garden Strippers Union in North Hollywood, CA. He is also the 2023 Music Will Humanitarian of the Year recipient, helping to sponsor multiple music education programs across the country for schools in need and is an ACLU Artist for Smart Justice for his advocacy work. Additionally, you can catch him every week on Sirius XM as the host of his show “One Man Revolution.”

Tom Morello will receive the prize on July 4th in Gebouw-T, Bergen op Zoom, Netherlands. <www.gebouw-t.nl>