Artist: GLENN HUGHES
Album: "FIRST UNDERGROUND NUCLEAR KITCHEN (CD)"

Year: 2008
Media type: CD

Vocalist/bass guitarist/songwriter Glenn Hughes is a true original. No other rock musician has carved such a distinctive style blending the finest elements of hard rock, soul and funk. That astonishing voice is Hughes' calling card. He's known as a singer's singer: in fact, Stevie Wonder once called Hughes his favourite white singer.

Hughes, a native of Cannock, England, absorbed all kinds of influences, including early British hard rock, the Beatles and, most importantly, American soul and R&B. The sleek Motown sound from Detroit and the gritty Stax/Volt sound from Memphis left their mark on him.

The first important band Hughes was a member of that achieved notable success was Trapeze, while in 1973 he joined one of the most popular bands in the world, Deep Purple. The trailblazing hard-rock legends had just weathered the departure of vocalist Ian Gillan and bass guitarist Roger Glover, but guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, keyboardist Jon Lord and drummer Ian Paice continued with the addition of Hughes and David Coverdale. Any scepticism was squelched with the 1974 release of Burn. This stunning album rejuvenated the band and stands tall among Deep Purple classics.

In the halcyon days, Purple headlined at the famous California Jam in 1974 in front of quarter of a million people. World tours via Purple’s own jet plane, “The Starship” and two more studio albums later, (the Hughes influenced Stormbringer and Come Taste the Band), Deep Purple finally split in 1976.

Now living in Los Angeles, Glenn’s first solo album Play Me Out was released in 1977. He joined former Pat Travers guitarist Pat Thrall to form Hughes/Thrall, which released an acclaimed self-titled album in 1982. Throughout the '80s and '90s, Hughes made countless guest appearances (both credited and un-credited) as a vocalist, bass guitarist or songwriter on other artists' albums, in particular he appeared on the vastly underrated Seventh Star, was officially credited as ‘Black Sabbath Featuring Tony Iommi’. Hughes and Iommi remained friends and in the past few years they have released one brand new studio album together.

v More commercial recognition came when the KLF dubbed Glenn Hughes “The Voice of Rock”, proudly featuring him on their international best selling hit single America- What Time is Love?

Since 1992, Hughes has toured extensively in Europe, Japan and South America in support of solo albums such as Blues, From Now On..., Feel, Addiction, The Way It Is, Return Of Crystal Karma, Building The Machine, Songs In The Key Of Rock, Soul Mover and Music For The Divine.

Soul Mover saw the continuation of the successful creative partnership with Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith that began with Glenn’s live DVD Soulfully Live in the City of Angels (2004). Soul Mover was voted 12th best album of the year by highly influential UK magazine CLASSIC ROCK.

After the release of his last studio album, the successful Music For The Divine in 2006, 2007 saw Glenn make successful tours of Russia, South America, Italy, Norway and Spain, along with solo dates in London - at the prestigious Shepherds Bush Empire - Bulgaria and Greece. 2007 also saw Glenn headline at festival appearances in France and Norway. Glenn also took part in the Rock and Roll Fantasy Camp in New York, which was highly successful and he also appeared as a guest presenter at the Classic Rock Awards in both 2006 and 2007. Another highlight of a diverse and colourful year were the 2 sold out solo shows at the famous Whisky in Los Angeles and BB King’s in New York.

Glenn’s new studio album, FIRST UNDERGROUND NUCLEAR KITCHEN is the latest chapter in an extraordinary musical evolution, and is quite possibly the most compelling and positive musical statement in a distinguished career already abundant with highlights and milestones. Chad Smith again plays out of his skin on the drums, and Glenn has rarely – if ever- sounded more inspired, written with such grace, or sung with more passion.

Make no mistake: the Voice of Rock never left the building.

TRACKLIST :

01. Crave
02. First Underground Nuclear Kitchen
03. Satellite
04. Love Communion
05. We Shall Be Free, Imperfection
06. Never Say Never
07. We Go To War
08. Oil And Water
09. Too Late to Save the World
10. Where There's A Will

LINE-UP :

Glenn Hughes (All Vocals, Bass Guitar, Electric Funk Guitar, Acoustic Guitar)
Chad Smith (Drums, Percussion)
Luis Maldonado (Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar)

JJ Marsh (Electric Guitar) *
George Nastos (Additional Guitar) **
Anders Olinder (Keyboards)
Ed Roth (Keyboards, Additional Fender Rhodes Piano) ***

* All Electric Guitars on Oil And Water and Too Late To Save The World
** Additional Guitars on Never Say Never and We Go To War
*** Keyboards on First Underground Nuclear Kitchen and Never Say Never and additional Fender Rhodes piano on Love Communion