Blues Matters Magazine

INTERVIEW - BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION

By Pete Sargeant

"Watch this space," whispered BCC singer and bassist Glenn Hughes a while ago, after we had been discussing amps, Tommy Bolin, Andy Fraser, BCC and all manner of things in London. Soon afterwards, the musical four-piece reconvened in the studio to start work on new material and a vision to develop the potent BCC brew of rock, blues, prog, folk, soul that the act can draw on and deliver the album BCC 4. Recently and after I had listened to a stream we chatted about the new record over tea. I always learn a lot from Glenn who is as usual grounded, friendly and direct.

Thanks Glenn, I've been listening to the record, my overall response is that it is a collection full of pictures, i.e. atmospheric tracks and now and again a hint of Ronnie James Dio and maybe Led Zep 3.

(Ponders) That's interesting, no disrespect to Ronnie who as you know was one of my best friends, but I am not sure where that would come from, we can discuss that certainly.

Let's run through the tracks, maybe — first one Collide, where you're singing, it's a great full-blooded start and has what I call this kind of Black Dog lope.

(Warmly) Of course it is! Of course it is

The prog keyboard part, strikes me as a very romantic sound.

Now the use of the keys on this BCC album is a little different to those on the other albums we have done, how do I say this, Pete? We wanted the album, the songs to be more organic-sounding rather than synthesizer- based, a bit more mellotron, more piano and more organ. That's why you hear a lot more piano. Derek, by the way, as we were recording this, he hadn't heard any of the songs before then. No one had heard these songs that Joe and I wrote, just the two of us. So we went in to start the recording and Collide was the first song we worked upon, whilst we were recording them, Derek would look at me just to see if this was the right keyboard or the right tone, feeling his way in the moment. And without telling him what to play he would, from his many, many keyboard sounds, and then of course Kevin has to sign off on it. What Derek said to me after the album was done was "Did I embellish your songs, appropriately?" and all I could say was "You did! "So he was throughout really of service to the song.

So I guess what that does is give a little boost of adrenaline which can be sensed in the recording, he's watching what is developing.

(Firmly) Oh very much so. Derek on this particular album was just, right there. And I was right here. Eye To eye...Joe's over ere and Jason's over 'ere. And it's me and Derek like this! (Demonstrates)

One of my favourite tracks on this set is Over My Head, the singing is just amazing, the power, the lyric is Man On A Mission, it bursts with intent, is there a tinge of Trapeze in there, Glenn?

Well thank you. I appreciate that...l woke up at about three in the morning going (sings) "Over my head..."and I went in my studio and finished it! It was out of a dream I was having, woke up singing it, there you go! The only time I've ever done that.

And this is where your approach to singing links in with the likes of Marvin Gaye.

The falsetto thing, yeah.

And that celestial element...Curtis had it.

I am not frightened, as you know, to use the different Glenn voices, you know my work from way back.

Also it nudges Joe to draw upon all those guitar stylings that you and I know he is aware of, to complement the composition. On this one, he suddenly uses that Pat Thrall legato sound and its dead right! As used on the Automatic Man albums.

Oh wow! It is a great break.

You bet your life he knows those records just as he does say Cornell Dupree, Little Beaver…

Yes, you know Joe would be the first to say "I'm just giving you stuff back now what I've been hearing, from other people.” He's very generous in acknowledging that. He can tap into so many styles.

This epic track Last Resting Place, now this is the one where I sense a touch of Dio.

(Sighs) Ah!! Ah, I see!