The late Tommy Bolin is one of the great lost guitar heroes of the 1970s. A player of amazing vision and imagination, Bolin was equally versatile in a diverse range of styles, whether it was blues, hard rock, funk, or freewheeling jazz, and he did so with an incredible fluidity of tone and emotion in his playing. From his roots with the blues-rock band Zephyr and his ground-breaking session work on Billy Cobham’s fusion classic Spectrum, to a two-album stint with the James Gang (replacing Domenic Troiano, who himself had replaced Joe Walsh) and a brief tenure with Deep Purple (admirably filling Ritchie Blackmore’s shoes), Tommy Bolin brightened up every recording he touched.
Tommy Bolin’s Great Gypsy Soul
Tragically, Bolin’s fledgling solo career was derailed by a heroin overdose in 1976, with only two proper studio albums – 1975’s Teaser and the following year’s Private Eyes – released during his lifetime. His younger brother Johnnie, himself a musician, has kept the flame burning through all the years since Bolin’s tragic death, and there have been a wealth of posthumous releases showcasing Bolin’s six-string skills in both live and studio settings released under the Tommy Bolin Archives label. Among the best of these is the Live At Ebbets Field album, which documents a 1974 performance by Bolin’s post-Zephyr band Energy with the guitarist proving himself the bridge between Jimi Hendrix’s jazzier six-string excursions and Jeff Beck’s later jazz-rock fusion.
There have also been a number of Bolin tribute albums released over the years. Great Gypsy Soul is the latest of these tributes designed to cement Bolin’s status, albeit with an interesting twist. Working from unreleased outtakes and alternate versions of songs previously recorded by Bolin, producers Greg Hampton and Warren Hayes brought in a cast of talented guest musicians to add their instrumental flavor to Bolin’s original vocals and guitar. The resulting effort is credited to “Tommy Bolin and friends.”
Pros & Cons
While I’m not personally convinced that this entire effort is necessary, one can’t deny the talents of the invitees to this party, a partial list which includes Haynes, Derek Trucks, Steve Morse, Joe Bonamassa, Steve Lukather, and Bolin’s former Deep Purple bandmate Glenn Hughes. In the absence of detailed liner notes, it’s sometimes difficult to separate the original performance from new additions, but Trucks’ flourishes on Bolin’s “Smooth Fandango” sound mighty good; ditto for Sonny Landreth’s scorching slidework and Hughes’ throaty vocals on “Sugar Shack.” Hughes, with Bonamassa and Nels Cline, take “Lotus” to another spiritual plane altogether.
Other tracks fail to impress, however, Peter Frampton’s take on “The Grind” is lacking something seminal in its execution, while Myles Kennedy – singer with former Guns N’ Roses guitarist Slash’s band – falls flat on his face on Bolin’s “Dreamer,” a performance only partially redeemed by Nels Cline’s (too) sublime fretwork. Aerosmith’s Brad Whitford adds bombast to Bolin’s “Wild Dogs” where the late guitarist would have brought stealth, and even the great Warren Haynes experiences a rare misfire in taking on Bolin’s signature tune “Teaser.” Guitarist John Scofield seems entirely lost here, while Lukather seems to be still trying to find his way to the studio with a lukewarm reading of “Homeward Strut.” Bolin’s work is too often overshadowed by the contributions of his “friends,” and the listener would be better off slapping a well-worn vinyl copy of Private Eyes on the turntable.
The Reverend’s Bottom Line
If you’re already a Bolin fanatic, you’re probably going to want to grab a copy of Great Gypsy Soul; I’m telling you that you should resist the urge to spend your money on an album that adds absolutely nothing to the guitarist’s legacy. I realize that there’s a legitimate dearth of quality Bolin material available, but you’d be better served in spending your money on one of the guitarist’s incredible ventures into the world of jazz-rock fusion, notable among these Billy Cobham’s Spectrum and/or Alphonse Mouzon’s Mind Transplant.
On the other hand, if you’re a newcomer to the Tommy Bolin mystique, pass this one by in favor of one of the several variations of Teaser that you’ll find available; even with a myriad of dodgy demo tracks and raw alternate takes on expanded versions of Teaser, you’ll fare better than you will with Great Gypsy Soul if you’re looking to discover Bolin’s enormous charms. (429 Records, released March 26, 2012)
The classic rock “supergroup” Black Country Communion was always destined to break bigger in the U.K. and across Europe than in the United States – less trend-mongering, more respect for music traditions, and so on – but that hasn’t stopped the band from steamrolling itself to notoriety and a modicum of stateside success. On the eve of the release of BCC’s Afterglow, their third studio effort in as many years, apparent discord had begun to surface as singer, songwriter, and bassist Glenn Hughes (Trapeze, Deep Purple) fretted publically over the future of the band in light of guitarist Joe Bonamassa’s crushing, never-ending solo roadwork. Hughes wants to be part of a touring band like ye olde Purple and other monsters of the ‘70s, while Bonamassa is satisfied with a few BCC side dates to compliment his busy schedule.
Black Country Communion’s Afterglow
Soap opera drama aside, it’s quite obvious from the eleven jams on Afterglow that something is amiss with the band’s world-beating sound. Don’t get me wrong – Hughes and Bonamassa, drummer Jason Bonham, and keyboardist Derek Sherinian, along with producer and unofficial “fifth man” Kevin “Caveman” Shirley, are still one of the biggest-sounding, blustery, and bad-ass outfits on the rock ‘n’ roll highway today. But Hughes shouldered the lion’s share of the songwriting chores for this go-around while Bonamassa was traveling, and it shows in the final product. While Hughes may be an accomplished and skilled wordsmith in his own right, what made BCC so special in the first place was the creative tension between Hughes’ hard rock, soul, and funk tendencies and Bonamassa’s blues-infused rock ‘n’ roll fretburning.
As a result, Afterglow finds the material a slight bit fatigued, down a notch, perhaps, from the first two ground-breaking, earth-shaking albums. Not that you could tell from the all-in, full-blast instrumental assault here, BCC still delivering hurricane-strength thrills and chills for the listener who appreciates 1970s-era Sturm und Drang. There’s always been an air of Jimmy Page and Led Zeppelin in the BCC sound, mainly through Bonamassa’s wiry fretwork and Bonham’s propulsive percussion and Afterglow offers up plenty of the musical chemistry that made the outfit special in the first place, songs like “Big Train,” with its staccato rhythmic intro and subsequent fluid groove atop which Hughes’ vocals soar godlike astride Bonamassa’s subtle six-string flourishes and Sherinian’s underlying keyboards. “Confessor” neatly ties a bow on a the classic rock decade, evoking memories of Deep Purple, Judas Priest, Scorpions, and even a bit of former Hughes bandmate David Coverdale’s Whitesnake.
The Reverend’s Bottom Line
The lone Bonamassa vocal here, on the growling, howling “Cry Freedom,” mixes up some taut, Joe Walsh-styled guitar-wrangling (more James Gang than solo) with a measure of six-string stomp ‘n’ stammer reminiscent of Dust Bowl, while the album-closing “Crawl” is a sly bit of Zeppelinesque blues-funk with larger-than-life instrumentation and an overall impact like a sledge hammer to your medulla oblongata. Overall, with Afterglow, Black Country Communion delivers almost everything you could want from the band on a silver platter. Considering their haste at music-making and the fractured pace of the individual members’ careers, however, maybe they should take 2013 off and come raging back in 2014 with new fire and commitment (and Joe, take a day off every now and then, will ya?!). Grade: B (J&R Adventures, released October 30, 2012)
Glenn Hughesis a contradiction – the talented singer, songwriter, and
musician remains a relatively obscure figure in America, in spite of his status
as a bona fide rock ‘n’ roll legend. Although you may not have heard of Hughes,
or maybe remember his name only vaguely, chances are that if you’re a fan of ye
olde “classic rock,” you’ve probably heard the “voice of rock” upon a time.
Hughes’ tenure with bands such as Trapeze, Deep Purple, and Black
Sabbath during the 1970s and ‘80s has long been the stuff of myth, while
collaborations with like-minded musicians like Sabbath’s Tony Iommi, singer Joe
Lynn Turner, and guitarist Pat Thrall have only added to his legacy. Throw in a
moderately successful solo career (especially in Europe) that has yielded almost
two-dozen recordings, and add Hughes’ role as an integral part of the classic
rock supergroup Black Country Communion, and the question becomes not “who is
Glenn Hughes” but, rather, “why haven’t you heard of Glenn Hughes?”
Glenn
Hughes: The Autobiography
With better than 40 years of rock ‘n’ roll
history behind him, Hughes has some stories to tell, and tell them he does in
Glenn Hughes: The Autobiography. Unlike similar celebrity rock bios that either
shovel mud on somebody else (Keith, I’m thinking of you) or mindlessly revel in
behavioral excesses (ahem, Mutley Crew…), the punches that Hughes throws are
almost exclusively thrown at himself. Glenn has been a bad boy through the
years, and the decades of soul-seeking and struggling with addiction he reveals
in these pages aren’t shared as thinly-veiled boasts but rather as cautionary
tales.
Although Hughes’ longtime struggle with cocaine is certainly
no secret to many in the industry, the extent to which it threatened to derail
his career is shocking in its extremity. That Hughes managed to come out the
other side of decades of abuse with his musical gifts and sense of humor intact
is not only amazing, but downright encouraging. Aside from the obvious sincerity
that shines from the pages of Glenn Hughes: The Autobiography, Hughes’
conversational style and the way he frames his story conveys a friendliness and
down-to-earth personality that the average reader can relate with. Personally,
I’ve spoken with Hughes on occasion, and have always been struck at the ease in
which he engages you…it’s like meeting an old friend on the street and coming
away thinking “what a hell of a guy!”
As for the dirt in Glenn
Hughes: The Autobiography, there’s little of it, really, although Hughes comes
embarrassingly clean on a number of high-profile sexual and romantic liaisons,
and offers the truth, from his perspective, of a number of high and low points
throughout his storied career, most of the self-professed lows involving drugs
of one sort or another. The bio begins with a brief overview of his childhood
and teen years, and touches upon his early musical efforts. Hughes’ first band
of note, the vastly-underrated Trapeze, is covered to some extent, leading up to
the unexpected break that would launch his career into the stratosphere – his
recruitment as a member of Deep Purple.
Joining Deep Purple
Joining
Deep Purple in 1973 was a huge advance for the young singer and bass player’s
career. Purple was already one of a handful of jet-setting, globe-spanning
superstar rock bands at the time, and Purple’s choice to bring in Hughes and
vocalist David Coverdale to replace Ian Gilliam and Roger Glover had the band’s
longtime fans wondering. Hughes contributed bass and vocals to three of the
band’s mid-to-late 1970s studio albums, and a handful of live discs, and he goes
into detail on his time with the band, his relationships with both old members
like Jon Lord and Ian Paice as well as newcomers like Coverdale and, later,
Tommy Bolin. For a Purple fan, Hughes’ memories of his time with the band –
positive and negative – provide priceless inside info.
After the
break-up of Deep Purple, Hughes would be involved with a number of various
projects, some more successful, creatively and/or commercially, than others.
There would be a short-lived Trapeze reunion, a pair of well-regarded albums
made with former Pat Travers guitarist Pat Thrall (Hughes/Thrall); an
unsatisfying collaboration with blues-rock guitarist Gary Moore; and a number of
projects with Tony Iommi, some better than others, that would culminate in the
ill-conceived Iommi solo work cum Black Sabbath album-in-name-only Seventh Star.
Some of these projects Hughes touches upon only fleetingly, others he offers
more detail, but often they are just presented as an interesting aspect of the
overall narrative flow.
Also only briefly addressed is Hughes’
seemingly secret career as a studio gun for hire. Although Hughes’ career is
indelibly marked by high-profile band memberships and musical collaborations, he
has also often lent his talents to a lengthy list of other artists’ recordings.
Among Hughes’ session credits are those one would expect – guest appearances on
albums by Purple alumni like Roger Glover, Jon Lord, and Tommy Bolin – the not
entirely unexpected, such as singing with Pat Travers or Ken Hensley (Uriah
Heep), and the surprisingly diverse, including sessions with the KLF, Motley
Crue, Ryo Okumoto, and Quiet Riot, among many others. One gets the sense that
Hughes brought his unique voice to many of these sessions not for monetary gain
(although there probably was some) but rather because of the immense joy he has
in the music.
Play Me Out
Given short-shrift by Glenn
Hughes: The Autobiography is the artist’s lengthy and, at times, brilliant solo
career, which began in 1977 has since resulted in a number of solid albums of
Hughes’ trademark funk-infused rock ‘n’ soul music. Although Hughes touches upon
a few of the milestones of his solo work, including his 1977 debut Play Me Out,
he concentrates mostly on his post-sobriety recordings of the 21st century,
which include such gems as 2003’s Songs In the Key of Rock, 2005’s Soul Mover,
and 2006’s Music For the Divine.
A little more insight is provided
Hughes’ role in the formation of Black Country Communion with blues-rock
guitarist Joe Bonamassa, drummer Jason Bonham, and keyboardist Derek Sherinian.
Hughes has seemingly found a new creative spark playing alongside these three
talented musicians, and the overwhelming European acceptance of the band’s
blues, rock, and soul hybrid sound has added another interesting chapter to
Hughes’ still-ongoing story. Two studio albums and a live CD and DVD into the
career of a band that’s only a couple of years old, only stateside dominance as
eluded Black Country Communion so far.
Glenn Hughes: The
Autobiography is constructed as a sort of oral history, with Hughes’
recollections punctuated by commentary from family (including his wife and
parents), friends like Rob Halford (Judas Priest) and Tom Morello, and former
bandmates like Coverdale, Thrall, and Iommi. Woven throughout Hughes’ tales of
famous musicians and various girlfriends, however, is that of his struggle in
the face of overwhelming addiction, including the self-deceit, the rationalized
relapses, and the final moment of clarity where Hughes heard the voice of God
(not literally, tho’ maybe…I’m not revealing any spoilers!) that led to his
current sobriety and obvious joy of life.
The Reverend’s Bottom Line
Overall, Glenn Hughes: The Autobiography tells an amazing and
engaging story – that of the rock star brought down to earth and subsequently
resurrected to enjoy a second (third?) chapter of his career. One aspect of
the book seemingly overlooked by others who have reviewed it is the
perspective of the various people who have offered their comments on Hughes.
Without exception, they all seem genuinely relieved that Hughes has found
peace with himself, their comments displaying a fondness for the man and an
appreciation of his talents…for Glenn Hughes is living proof that a nice guy
can finish first… (Jawbone Press, published November 1st, 2011)
Review originally published by Blurt magazine, 2012
Glenn Hughesis one of those bona-fide rock ‘n’ roll leg¬ends that never seems to receive the credit and accolades that he deserves. His late ‘60s tenure with British rockers Trapeze resulted in three albums, including the band’s groundbreaking 1970 debut, Medusa. That album’s inspired mix of rock, funk, and soul would influence later bands such as Bad Company and Foreigner. His work as vocalist and bass player for Trapeze would move Hughes onto the next level of rock stardom when he replaced Roger Glover in Deep Purple.
Although his tenure with Deep Purple was brief, from 1973 until the band’s break-up in ‘76, Hughes’ presence helped breathe new life into the classic rock dinosaur. Purple’s 1974 album Burn benefited greatly from Hughes’ presence, the bassist providing a funky bottom line to the songs, his soulful vocals offering a fine counterpoint to those of bluesy shouter David Coverdale. This formula reinvigorated the band, Burn rising to number nine on the Billboard album charts. The band followed with the Top Twenty charting album Stormbringer later that year, and closed out this chapter of Deep Purple with Come Taste the Band in ‘75, American axeman Tommy Bolin replacing the departing Ritchie Blackmore for the recording. A live album from this era of the band was issued in 1976, featuring Coverdale, Hughes and Blackmore from a 1975 European performance.
Glenn Hughes’ Music For the Divine
If only for his work with Trapeze and Deep Purple, Glenn Hughes has earned his place in rock history. However, he has also enjoyed an impressive solo career that launched in 1977 and shows no signs of diminishing today, thirty years later. Throughout it all, Hughes’ enormous vocals have pounded out the songs in a series of collaborations with guitarslingers like Pat Thrall, Black Sabbath’s Tony Iommi, Pat Travers and Dave Navarro, among others. Hughes’ 2005 album Soul Mover was a career high among a lifetime scattered with such, but even Hughes has outdone himself with Music For the Divine.
Hughes had hooked up with drummer Chad Smith from the Red Hot Chili Peppers for Soul Mover, and the two found an immediate kinship and chemistry in the way that the best bass players and drummers do. With longtime Hughes’ foil J.J. Marsh on six-string, and keyboardist Ed Roth, the four created a great musical dynamic for the songs on Soul Mover. The guys must have enjoyed the experience, because Hughes, Marsh and Smith reconvened in Smith’s Hollywood Hills home to record Music For the Divine. Released last year in Europe by Italy’s forward-thinking, classically-minded Frontiers Records label, Music For the Divine is just now making its way to these shores.
Sadly, Music For the Divine is the album that the Red Hot Chili Peppers should have delivered in ought-six, all sweat and soul, muscle and grit. The album’s lead-off track, “The Valiant Denial,” is the sort of driving funk-flavored rock that the Chili Peppers once excelled at, Hughes’ voice rising above the mix like a phoenix reborn while the band choogles along behind him. “Steppin’ On” features razor-sharp guitarwork courtesy of Marsh, the axeman tearing off great big greasy chunks of meat while Smith beats out some of his most explosive rhythms in a decade.
You Got Soul
“Monkey Man” is a more conventional cut, of sorts, smoothly gliding from one funky curve to another as Hughes channels Sly Stone’s vocals and the band lays down a solid groove. The song would make a great radio single, with an infectious rhythm, staccato guitar leads and fluid changes in direction that leave the listener breathless. “You Got Soul” revisits 1973 with a loping groove set down by Smith, Hughes reciprocating with his best Curtis Mayfield impersonation, Marsh with a driving, multi-layered and slightly phased chukka-chukka six-string vibe. “Black Light” is another funk-rock rave-up, a high-flying track guaran-damn-teed to get yer feet a tappin’ and your ass moving. Marsh’s guitar solo rips from one speaker to another, his nimble fingers tickling the frets with a reckless abandon.
Hughes is a much better songwriter than a lot of critics have given him credit for, and it shows on Music For the Divine. His lyrics are short and punchy, yet imaginative and weighty with distinctive imagery. Musically, as described by the songs above, Hughes and crew jump deep into the murky depths of funkytown, rockin’ the house like the roof’s on fire. It comes as some surprise, then, that the band decided to tackle the Moody Blues’ classic “Nights In White Satin” as the album’s lone cover. I suspect that Hughes has been carrying the torch for this one for some time now, his vocals a powerful maelstrom of emotion and emoting while the band mostly plays it straight behind him. Chili Pepper guitarist John Frusciante drops by to contribute a wicked guitar line behind Hughes’ vocals, the result adding a haunting element to the song’s already elegant veneer.
The Reverend’s Bottom Line
You can’t spell “funky” without the word “fun,” and that’s what Music For the Divine sounds like. These guys obviously had a hell of a time recording these songs, and it shows. No label pressures, no commercial expectations, just a bunch of talented musicians getting together and jamming without a care. This looseness shows in the inspired performances of these grooves, making Music For the Divine as much fun to listen to as it probably was to make. Play it LOUD! (Frontiers Records, 2006)
Review originally published by Alt.Culture.Guide™, 2006
Way back in 1974, former Deep Purple bassist Roger Glover agreed to produce an album by his longtime bandmate Jon Lord, The Butterfly Ball and the Grasshopper’s Feast a concept album based on a popular British children’s poem. When Lord couldn’t find time away from his obligations with Purple, Glover decided to go forward with the project, writing most of the songs and then opening up his phone book and recruiting a veritable “who’s who” of ‘70s British rock ‘n’ roll to record the project, including vocalists Ronnie James Dio, David Coverdale, and Glenn Hughes.
Released in November 1974 in the U.K. (almost a year later in the U.S.), the album earned a modicum of critical acclaim and performed respectively on its home turf, the Dio-sung “Love Is All” hitting the U.K. charts and reaching #1 in the Netherlands. As a result, a single performance of the production was held at the Royal Albert Hall in London on October 16th, 1975. With singer Ian Gillan (Deep Purple, duh…) appearing in place of Dio, who was touring with Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow, the performance also included narration from the great Vincent Price and included model/actress Twiggy as one of the singers. The live concert was filmed and released in 1976, produced and directed by Tony Klinger.
Klinger has produced a limited edition, deluxe edition of the live performance of The Butterfly Ball and the Grasshopper’s Feast which includes a double DVD containing the original concert film as well as the re-edited, re-mastered 2017 version; a previously-unreleased double-CD soundtrack from the live performance, a reproduction of the original press pack including five 8”x10” glossy promotional photos, and an A3 sized (roughly 11.5”x16.5”) reproduction film poster. Each box contains a numbered certificate signed by Klinger, and will be strictly limited to 250 copies. The deluxe edition of this beloved performance is available for order from the PledgeMusic website and runs roughly $129 plus shipping.
The Butterfly Ball and the Grasshopper’s Feast is also available in other, less expensive formats from PledgeMusic, including just the two-disc DVD set of the concert (roughly $26) and the two-disc CD set (roughly $19) as well as t-shirts, a poster, and other memorabilia of the event. This is a gift for the Deep Purple fanatic as the concert features vocals from Ian Gillan, David Coverdale, and Glenn Hughes as well as music by Roger Glover and Jon Lord. The concert also includes talents like John Gustafson and Eddie Jobson of Roxy Music, John Lawton (Lucifer’s Friend, Uriah Heep), and Eddie Hardin (Spencer David Group), among others. A cool relic of the classic rock era, check out all the goodies available on the PledgeMusic website.
November is upon us and with it a dearth of new album releases at the end of the year. This month we're giving you, our readers, a 'two-fer' with both November and December release dates; there will be no column next month. But that doesn't mean that there isn't some great music coming our way, including a fine new album by the legendary Glenn Hughes, an outstanding tribute album for one of our favorite rock 'n' roll singers, Frankie Miller, a bunch of stuff from the Zappa archive, and cool new blues-rock discs by Greg 'Stackhouse' Prevost and the Rolling Stones...dig it!
NOVEMBER 4
Glenn Hughes - Resonate CD/DVD BUY!
Jim James - Eternally EvenBUY!
Lambchop - FLOTUS (For Love Often Turns Us Still) BUY! The Pink Fairies - Naked RadioBUY!
Public Image Limited - Metal BoxBUY!
Frank Zappa - Chicago '78BUY!
Frank Zappa - Little DotsBUY!
Frank Zappa - Meat Light: The Uncle Meat Project/Object BUY!
NOVEMBER 11 The Band - The Last Waltz (40th Anniversary Edition)BUY!
Frankie Miller - Frankie Miller's Double TakeBUY!
Pink Floyd - Cre/ation: The Early Years, 1957-1962 BUY!
NOVEMBER 18
Rory Block - Keepin' Outta Trouble: A Tribute to Bukka WhiteBUY!
Jethro Tull - Stand Up (The Elevated Edition) BUY!
Metallica - Hardwired...To Self-Destruct BUY!
R.E.M. - Out of Time (25th Anniversary Edition) BUY!
Mike Zito - Make Blues Not WarBUY!
DECEMBER 2
The Rolling Stones - Blue & LonesomeBUY!
Album of the Month: Greg Prevost's Universal Vagrant is the singer, songwriter, and guitarist's second solo album after years of fronting garage-rock legends the Chesterfield Kings. The follow-up to 2013's acclaimed Mississippi Murderer LP, Universal Vagrant is another white-hot slab of ramshackle blues-rock that will rattle the teeth right out of your mouth. Whereas many otherwise earnest blues-rockers depend on covers of the classics with which to frame their fretwork, Prevost penned six of ten songs here, and they're barely distinguishable from his inspired covers of tunes by Muddy Waters, Buffy Sainte-Marie, and others.
