From 1973-76, Glenn Hughes was bassist and vocalist for what is among the world's greatest ever rock acts: Deep Purple.
For the first time since leaving the band 40-plus years ago, Glenn will front a handpicked group of musicians to perform the 'Classic Deep Purple Live' shows.
One of heavy rock's most enduring artists, Glenn says the time was right for him to return to the music. “This is the first time since 1976 that I've done anything quite like this,” Glenn says. “I've never done an entire Deep Purple show, never mind a tour.
“People say to me 'why now?'. Well, you know, maybe the time wasn't right for me last year, or the year before, or ten years ago. Maybe that time is now and there seems to be a lot of interest in this kind of thing for me and I've embraced it with my heart. I'm really looking forward to bringing the songs back to people and giving it some love.”
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Since their origins in 1968, Deep Purple have evolved through several incarnations known as Mk. I, Mk. II. Mk. III and Mk. IV. Glenn was bassist/ vocalist for the band during its Mk. III period, sharing singing duties with a then-unknown David Coverdale (Whitesnake). “David and I came in and brought new blood into the band,” Glenn says.
“When Tommy Bolin came in [1975, as replacement for guitarist Ritchie Blackmore – Tommy died of a heroin overdose in 1976], God rest his soul, he wasn't really a classic rock guitar player; he was more of a fusion-rock guy and he was changing the band slowly to dip into some different waters.”
During his tenure, Glenn brought his bass and vocal prowess most notably to the 'Burn' and 'Stormbringer' albums, both released in 1974.
For the 'Classic Deep Purple Live' shows, Glenn says his focus will be on these records as well as one or two simply unmissable standards. “What I'm bringing to Australia are classic songs that are taken for those particular albums, like 'Burn', 'Mistreated', 'Stormbringer' and 'Holy Man',” he says.
“It's a classic mix of the albums, and I've recorded 'Highway Star' with Steve Vai and my friend Chad Smith so I'm going to do 'Highway Star' as well.”
Glenn played his last show with Deep Purple at Liverpool's Empire Theatre on 15 March 1976, after which they disbanded until 1984 when the band re-launched with the 'classic' early-'70s line-up of Ian Gillan, Ritchie Blackmore, Ian Paice, Jon Lord and Roger Glover. “We felt at that time [1976] it was a good time to take a break or just go our separate ways and of course Tommy died later that year in December of '76, so there was no way of reforming the band,” he explains.
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“Every band, as you know, from the '70s has a moment where they break-up and they get back together again, but those opportunities never arose for Mk. III or Mk. IV.”
Glenn's career story is the stuff rock & roll dreams are made of, but it's also the prototypical 'live fast, die young' lifestyle that brought countless, talented artists of the era to their knees, and the grave. “I've done the impossible and come back from cheating death and I've recovered from every kind of thing you can imagine, you know? I think I introduced 12-step programmes to a lot of people,” he says.
“What I'm trying to say is that I think I'm a bit of a messenger, in fact I know I'm a messenger, and I'm so glad to have gone through everything I've gone through and come out the other side with a smile on my face.”
Glenn Hughes Shows
Wed 20 Sep - State Theatre (Sydney)Sun 24 Sep - Concert Hall (Perth)
Fri 29 Sep - Hamer Hall (Melbourne)
Sun 1 Oct - QPAC (Brisbane)
