Glenn Hughes needs no introduction. Glenn is the Voice, period. He has played with the best players and bands in the history of music and he has parlayed that into his newest creation, California Breed. California Breed is the breakout band of 2014 and their S/T record is a force to be reckoned with. Glenn Hughes belts it again and his band brings it hard. Glenn took a few minutes to enlighten his fans on the creation of the band and album and why it always goes his way.
An interview with Glenn Hughes of California Breed.
By Jeffrey Easton
Metal Exiles: When Joe Bonamassa left Black Country Communion did you have the itch to go back and do a solo record or do another band project?
Glenn Hughes: I want to stress this: I left the band. Joe left the band in the public eye and I left behind the scenes before he did. Joe did not want to tour and yes there was bitterness. I wasn’t angry, I was sad because we could have been a rather large band but there was no commitment. I knew I wanted to do something new so I called Jason Bonham and made some things happen. The thought of doing another solo album did cross my mind as well as other projects but I wanted to be in a real band again.
Metal Exiles: So Julian Lennon introduced you to Andrew Watt?
Glenn: So Julian introduced me to Andrew the night before the Grammys and he tells me that he writes and who he is influenced by so I told him to send me some music. So he sends me something and I felt he could write and sings very well and has a great right hand. Its time to start talking about right handed guitar players like Keith Richards, Angus and Pete Townsend. Mamsteen and Van Halen, all left handed guitar players, all hammer on stuff which I have never been a fan of. Andrew has a great right hand and the band needed that. We are also three generations of musicians on this album but if you listen to it you can’t tell it, can you?
Metal Exiles: No, the California Breed album sounds like right now. When you first met Andrew was he intimidated by your rap sheet of guitar players you have played with?
Glenn: I think he was more intimidated by the people I was introducing him too. Jerry Cantrell is a good friend of mine and Andrew is a big Alice In Chains fan. Andrew is not a 70’s/80’s kid, he grew up on grunge which is a genre that I absolutely love. Listen, as far as guitarists, it was time for me to make a decision. Steve Vai was interested, Zakk would have played a few shows but it would have been just a few shows and those people are my friends and I did not want to put them in a situation where they could not commit to anything. So Jason and I never pushed the “go with a famous member” button. We bravely went with an unknown guy who has all the attributes of being a star, whatever that means. I told Andrew that I am wise considering all I have been through so just follow my lead.
Metal Exiles: I know that Andrew was into the grunge scene and it really does show in the album as there are some dark moments on this album. Considering your background how did you make that work in your favor?
Glenn: When Andrew came to my house we went to my studio and wrote Chemical Rain. We wrote the music and lyrics together and that was the beginning. You need to know I am always writing but when I write for a certain project and for California Breed I knew that it would not be like Black Country because the songs are in minor 9ths and major 7ths and when you play those chords really hard they sound amazing. So all of these songs were coming to me so since this band is a collaborative effort I send the songs to Andrew so he can groove on them and then to Jason. When we got to Dave Cobb we started changing the songs and the songs just kept coming. This is what happens when you have a real band and they work together. With some bands you have the main writer and he will tell you that “I wrote this song, nope, its mine.”
Metal Exiles: Like I said this is one of your heaviest records, one of your best and your soul really does shine through here especially with Midnight Oil.
Glenn: I don’t make music to satisfy the great majority out there, I make it for me and thinking that it might be appropriate for people.
Metal Exiles: With that track how did you manage to bring your soul through Andrew’s massive guitars?
Glenn: That song was screaming for me to be me and the producer David Cobb let me be me. He let all of us be ourselves. In BCC, if there was a chord that Joe did not like it had to go, Kevin Shirley did not like that. When we came to Nashville David knew what we were bringing.
Metal Exiles: You bring up Dave Cobb a lot. What made you decide to go with him and do the record in Nashville?
Glenn: About 4 years ago I was hosting a party and this young band came up to me and they said they were called Rival Sons and could I play Pressure & Time on the radio show I had. I had never heard of them but when I played the song I thought it was great and wondered who produced it. So I found him and found out who he has produced and said “This motherfucker is really good”. So when I started putting this band together I called him up and the rest is history.
Metal Exiles: I know recording in L.A. has so many distractions, what was it about recording in Nashville that did it for you?
Glenn: You said it correctly and who would not want to record in Nashville or even Austin. I needed to get out of L.A. and go do the record somewhere else. I asked Dave if he had any fears and he said no so I had to work with him. I am fearful of many things but when I have a bass on me and a mic in front of me I am all good. I have been in bands where fear has reared its ugly head and destroyed the band, fear is a fucking killer.
Metal Exiles: How did it feel to make a free form rock record with swagger that does not go with any trend?
Glenn: I am not trying please anybody and I am not trying to sound like anybody, I am just trying to be me. I wanted to go back to being in a trio, I wanted to go back to the Trapeze days, I know a trio is where I am supposed to be and keyboards for all intents and purposes never really worked. I wanted to get into the dirtiness of it and become primal again. I love all kinds of music but I am a rocker at heart and this is where I am supposed to be.
Official California Breed Site
BUY California Breed
An interview with Glenn Hughes of California Breed.
By Jeffrey Easton
Metal Exiles: When Joe Bonamassa left Black Country Communion did you have the itch to go back and do a solo record or do another band project?
Glenn Hughes: I want to stress this: I left the band. Joe left the band in the public eye and I left behind the scenes before he did. Joe did not want to tour and yes there was bitterness. I wasn’t angry, I was sad because we could have been a rather large band but there was no commitment. I knew I wanted to do something new so I called Jason Bonham and made some things happen. The thought of doing another solo album did cross my mind as well as other projects but I wanted to be in a real band again.
Metal Exiles: So Julian Lennon introduced you to Andrew Watt?
Glenn: So Julian introduced me to Andrew the night before the Grammys and he tells me that he writes and who he is influenced by so I told him to send me some music. So he sends me something and I felt he could write and sings very well and has a great right hand. Its time to start talking about right handed guitar players like Keith Richards, Angus and Pete Townsend. Mamsteen and Van Halen, all left handed guitar players, all hammer on stuff which I have never been a fan of. Andrew has a great right hand and the band needed that. We are also three generations of musicians on this album but if you listen to it you can’t tell it, can you?
Metal Exiles: No, the California Breed album sounds like right now. When you first met Andrew was he intimidated by your rap sheet of guitar players you have played with?
Glenn: I think he was more intimidated by the people I was introducing him too. Jerry Cantrell is a good friend of mine and Andrew is a big Alice In Chains fan. Andrew is not a 70’s/80’s kid, he grew up on grunge which is a genre that I absolutely love. Listen, as far as guitarists, it was time for me to make a decision. Steve Vai was interested, Zakk would have played a few shows but it would have been just a few shows and those people are my friends and I did not want to put them in a situation where they could not commit to anything. So Jason and I never pushed the “go with a famous member” button. We bravely went with an unknown guy who has all the attributes of being a star, whatever that means. I told Andrew that I am wise considering all I have been through so just follow my lead.
Metal Exiles: I know that Andrew was into the grunge scene and it really does show in the album as there are some dark moments on this album. Considering your background how did you make that work in your favor?
Glenn: When Andrew came to my house we went to my studio and wrote Chemical Rain. We wrote the music and lyrics together and that was the beginning. You need to know I am always writing but when I write for a certain project and for California Breed I knew that it would not be like Black Country because the songs are in minor 9ths and major 7ths and when you play those chords really hard they sound amazing. So all of these songs were coming to me so since this band is a collaborative effort I send the songs to Andrew so he can groove on them and then to Jason. When we got to Dave Cobb we started changing the songs and the songs just kept coming. This is what happens when you have a real band and they work together. With some bands you have the main writer and he will tell you that “I wrote this song, nope, its mine.”
Metal Exiles: Like I said this is one of your heaviest records, one of your best and your soul really does shine through here especially with Midnight Oil.
Glenn: I don’t make music to satisfy the great majority out there, I make it for me and thinking that it might be appropriate for people.
Metal Exiles: With that track how did you manage to bring your soul through Andrew’s massive guitars?
Glenn: That song was screaming for me to be me and the producer David Cobb let me be me. He let all of us be ourselves. In BCC, if there was a chord that Joe did not like it had to go, Kevin Shirley did not like that. When we came to Nashville David knew what we were bringing.
Metal Exiles: You bring up Dave Cobb a lot. What made you decide to go with him and do the record in Nashville?
Glenn: About 4 years ago I was hosting a party and this young band came up to me and they said they were called Rival Sons and could I play Pressure & Time on the radio show I had. I had never heard of them but when I played the song I thought it was great and wondered who produced it. So I found him and found out who he has produced and said “This motherfucker is really good”. So when I started putting this band together I called him up and the rest is history.
Metal Exiles: I know recording in L.A. has so many distractions, what was it about recording in Nashville that did it for you?
Glenn: You said it correctly and who would not want to record in Nashville or even Austin. I needed to get out of L.A. and go do the record somewhere else. I asked Dave if he had any fears and he said no so I had to work with him. I am fearful of many things but when I have a bass on me and a mic in front of me I am all good. I have been in bands where fear has reared its ugly head and destroyed the band, fear is a fucking killer.
Metal Exiles: How did it feel to make a free form rock record with swagger that does not go with any trend?
Glenn: I am not trying please anybody and I am not trying to sound like anybody, I am just trying to be me. I wanted to go back to being in a trio, I wanted to go back to the Trapeze days, I know a trio is where I am supposed to be and keyboards for all intents and purposes never really worked. I wanted to get into the dirtiness of it and become primal again. I love all kinds of music but I am a rocker at heart and this is where I am supposed to be.
Official California Breed Site
BUY California Breed
