Glenn Hughes

All Music Guide:

Starting out as the bassist and lead vocalist for English hard rockers Trapeze (which evolved from British soulsters the News) in 1969, Glenn Hughes achieved his greatest fame as the bass player of Deep Purple from 1974 until the group split in 1976. Hughes subsequently reconvened Trapeze (with no records resulting) and issued his solo debut, Play Me Out, in 1978. His next effort, recorded with guitarist Pat Thrall under the name Hughes/Thrall, appeared in 1983, and worked in the supergroup Phenomena in 1985. Hughes then joined Black Sabbath as lead singer for 1986's The Seventh Star, departing after that album and eventually surfacing with -- of all artists -- the techno/house group the KLF, performing on their 1991 single "America -- What Time Is Love?." In 1993, Mike Varney's Shrapnel label issued the new Hughes solo album Blues, on which he played bass and sang with an array of guest guitarists. A string of solo releases followed through the '90s, including 1995's Burning Japan Live, 1997's Addiction (which addressed some of the personal problems that had kept Hughes out of recording for most of the latter half of the '80s), and 1999's The Way It Is. Mid-2000 saw the release of Return to Crystal Karma and Feel. The bluesy Building the Machine hit the shelves in 2001 while 2002's Hughes Turner Project coupled the bassist with another Deep Purple alumni, Joe Lynn Turner. Songs in the Key of Rock appeared in 2003, followed by Soul Mover in 2005.

Wikipedia:

Glenn Hughes (born 21 August 1951) is an English rock bassist and vocalist, best known for playing bass and performing vocals for funk rock pioneers Trapeze and the Mk. III and IV line-ups of Deep Purple, as well as briefly fronting Black Sabbath in the mid-1980s. In addition to being an active session musician, Hughes also maintains a notable solo career, and previously fronted the supergroup Black Country Communion.

History [edit]

Hughes fronted Finders Keepers in the 1960s as bassist/vocalist, as well as the British funk rock band Trapeze. Hughes was recruited to replace Roger Glover as bassist in Deep Purple in 1973, though he considered himself a vocalist as opposed to a bassist. When David Coverdale was later hired as Deep Purple's lead vocalist, the two would ultimately share lead vocal duties in the band until their breakup in 1976. Battling severe cocaine addiction, Hughes embarked on a solo career following his departure from the group releasing his first solo record on 1977 called Play Me Out.

In 1982, he joined with ex-Pat Travers guitarist Pat Thrall to form Hughes/Thrall, they released one self-titled album which went virtually unnoticed at the time but is now often cited by many fans/musicians to be their favourite Glenn Hughes album. In the mid-1980s, Hughes recorded several different albums with bands and artists including Phenomena (Phenomena, Phenomena II: Dream Runner), Gary Moore (Run For Cover), and Black Sabbath (Seventh Star, though this was to have been a solo album by Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi, and only came out as a Sabbath album due to record label pressure).

Beginning in the mid-1980s, Hughes' health problems due to over eating, drugs and alcohol began to seriously affect his musical projects, and this contributed to very short stints with Gary Moore and Tony Iommi, as Hughes was unable to tour with them properly due to his bad health. By the end of the decade, Hughes' realised his ongoing drug problem was derailing him, and by 1991 a clean, sober and fully rejuvenated Hughes returned with the vocal for the hit "America: What Time Is Love?" with KLF. He also recorded all the vocals for former Europe guitarist John Norum's solo album Face the Truth. He then re-embarked on a solo career that he has primarily focused on to date. In 1999, Hughes did a short tribute tour to Tommy Bolin in Texas, with Tommy's brother Johnny (of Black Oak Arkansas) on drums.

In 2005 Hughes released Soul Mover supporting it with a European tour. He also collaborated with Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi on the 2005 album Fused. Hughes then released Music for the Divine in 2006, which featured Red Hot Chili Peppers members Chad Smith and John Frusciante. Hughes toured in support of the album throughout Europe in autumn 2006.

Released on edel records on 17 November 2007 is Live in Australia, an acoustic CD and companion DVD of a performance at Sydney's famous "Basement" club. The show features songs from most recent Hughes albums, Purple classics and rare gems and covers.

His newest album, First Underground Nuclear Kitchen was released on 9 May 2008 in Europe and on 12 May in the rest of the world. In 2010, Hughes formed Black Country Communion with Jason Bonham (drums), Joe Bonamassa (guitar) and Derek Sherinian (keyboards). The band has released three albums as of October 2012.

In July 2010 Hughes appeared as a guest vocalist (together with Masterplan singer Jørn Lande) fronting Heaven & Hell at the High Voltage Rock Festival in London as a tribute to the late Ronnie James Dio.

Hughes' autobiography was published in May 2011 by British specialist limited edition publishers Foruli. The book, titled 'Deep Purple And Beyond: Scenes From The Life Of A Rock Star', was co-written with author Joel McIver and featured contributions by Tony Iommi, David Coverdale, Ozzy Osbourne and Tom Morello, as well as a foreword by Lars Ulrich of Metallica. An extended paperback edition, retitled 'Glenn Hughes: The Autobiography', was published in late 2011 by Jawbone Press.

On 13 September 2012 Glenn Hughes and Derek Sherinian met Bako Sahakyan, the president of de facto independent Nagorno-Karabakh Republic and organized a concert in Stepanakert.

In 2013, Hughes makes a special guest appearance on the debut, self-titled album from Device. Hughes is featured on the song, Through It All accompanying David Draiman on Vocals.

In April 2013 Hughes appeared in Readings, Carlton for an Australian launch of Glen Hughes: The Autobiography.

Influences [edit]

He stated that he grew up listening to many Motown bass players and he was a funky kind of bassist. He has cited acts like Marvin Gaye, Sly and the Family Stone, and Stevie Wonder as influences.