Rage Against the Machine, Third Eye Blind Lead Nominees for Revamped Bammies

The Bammies are back ... and Rage Against the Machine, Third Eye Blind, and Metallica are the top runners for the newly-christened Tower Records California Music Awards.

Rage Against the Machine and Third Eye Blind have scored seven nominations each for the revamped awards, which honor California-based artists. Metallica earned four nominations, while the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Blink-182, Beck, Fiona Apple, and Me'Shell NdegeOcello tied with three nominations each. Rage, Santana, Beck, Fiona Apple, and Blink-182 are competing in the Outstanding Album category, while Lit, Santana, Blink-182, Smash Mouth, and Sugar Ray are vying for Outstanding Single honors.

The 23rd annual ceremony is set to take place Saturday, April 8, at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco. So far, Smash Mouth is the first band confirmed to perform.

The Bammies were founded by BAM, the seminal San Francisco music magazine, to honor Bay Area artists. Last year, the Bammies became the California Music Awards, and included Southern California artists. BAM closed its San Francisco and Los Angeles magazines in June, 1999.

The nominees for the Tower Records 1999 California Music Awards are:

Outstanding Album:
Santana, Supernatural
Beck, Midnight Vultures
Rage Against the Machine, The Battle of Los Angeles
Fiona Apple, When the Pawn ...
Blink-182, Enema of the State

Outstanding Single:
Lit, "My Own Worst Enemy"
Santana featuring Rob Thomas, "Smooth"
Blink-182, "All the Small Things"
Smash Mouth "All Star"
Sugar Ray, "Someday"

Outstanding Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Album:
Rage Against the Machine, The Battle of Los Angeles
Korn, Issues
Primus, Anti Pop
Metallica, S&M
Buckcherry, Buckcherry

Outstanding Hip/Hop Rap Album:
Dr. Dre, Dr. Dre
Will Smith, Willennium
Master P, Only God Can Judge Me
Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott, Da Real World

Outstanding Rock/Pop Album:
Red Hot Chili Peppers, Californication
311, Soundsystem
Smash Mouth, Astro Lounge
Beck, Midnight Vultures
Third Eye Blind, Blue

Outstanding R&B Album:
Me'Shell NdegeOcello, Bitter
Macy Gray, On How Life Is
Ledisi, Soulsinger

Outstanding Debut Album:
Stroke 9, Nasty Little Thoughts
Bell Rays, Let It Blast
Oleander, February Son
For Stars, For Stars
Applesaucer, Applesaucer

Outstanding Group:
Third Eye Blind
Blink-182
Rage Against the Machine
Smash Mouth
Offspring

Outstanding Female Vocalist:
Fiona Apple
Cher
Sheryl Crow
Jewel
Me'Shell NdegeOcello
Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott

Outstanding Male Vocalist:
Beck
Steve Harwell (Smash Mouth)
Adam Duritz (Counting Crows)
Zach De La Roche (Rage Against the Machine)
Stephan Jenkins (Third Eye Blind)
Mark McGrath (Sugar Ray)

Outstanding Guitarist:
Tom Morello (Rage Against the Machine)
John Frusciante (Red Hot Chili Peppers)
Kirk Hammett (Metallica)
Ben Harper
Kevin Cadogan (Third Eye Blind)

Outstanding Bassist:
Les Claypool (Primus)
Flea (Red Hot Chili Peppers)
Me'Shell NdegeOcello
Jason Newstead (Metallica)
Arion Salazar (Third Eye Blind)

Outstanding Drummer:
Donna C (the Donnas)
Lars Ulrich (Metallica)
Joey Waronker (R.E.M.)
Brad Wilk (Rage Against the Machine)
Brad Hargreaves (Third Eye Blind)
Greg Camp (Smash Mouth)

Outstanding Songwriter:
Tom Waits
Zach De La Roche (Rage Against the Machine)
Adam Duritz (Counting Crows)
Jenkins/Cadogan (Third Eye Blind)
Fiona Apple