Glenn Hughes says Black Country Communion’s reunion record will be the “big rock album” that the world needs.
He’ll start work next month with guitarist Joe Bonamassa, keyboardist Derek Sherinian, drummer Jason Bonham and producer Kevin Shirley, with the follow-up to 2012’s Afterglow due to arrive early next year.
The sessions come five years after the supergroup imploded when vocalist-bassist Hughes and guitarist Bonamassa disagreed over balancing their commitments with their solo careers.
But Hughes tells Metalized: “Joe and I are very friendly. We never ever fell out. Joe is a solo artist, as I am now.
“The fans on the internet thought we were fighting – we never fought. When Joe and I had dinner in March in LA, we hugged each other and said, ‘We’re friends, we’re family.’ I’m a big fan of Joe as a person and a musician.”
The disagreement arose when Hughes pushed for more live shows, despite Bonamassa’s position that he didn’t want to suspend his solo work for too long.
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This time round things will be different, says the frontman, who’s currently recording a solo album. “We’re going to do this one step at a time,” he reports. “Let’s do the album and think about doing some shows. Let’s see what happens – let’s embrace it.”
He adds: “We did 33 shows in all in three years, which isn’t very much. There was no expectations to play any more, but when we broke up there was the factor: If you can’t play any shows, there’s no point making new music.
“I was writing all the time. I said to Joe, ‘I think I should go back and make a solo album,’ and he said, ‘Great!’ – and that what’s happened. My first thing is my solo career now.”
Asked what to expect from the next Black Country Communion release, Hughes replies: “I think the world needs another big rock album.”
Bonamassa was driving force behind Black Country Communion comeback
