Glenn Hughes: The Autobiography: From Deep Purple To Black Country Communion

A must read for any musician and music lover. It's great at pointing out the bad side of drugs. Glenn is one of my favorite musicians, and I'm glad he finally got sober. And he's still making excellent music. No spoilers here, just read the book.

Great book on a Legend in the Music Industry. Very entertaining. I will say some adult stuff in the book so PG-13 and up. Big Fan of Deep Purple. My only complaint was there is not a photo section in the middle of the book. Pretty much a blueprint staple in every Hard Rock/Metal Autobiography. It lessens the experience just slighty. Glenn never explained that I know of why he didn't have pictures in the book. Maybe budget was low? Oh well, I would still recommend, even if you are not a Fan. A looking glass into the World of Rock and Roll.

If you mention the band, Deep Purple, to any baby boomer, you will likely hear instant mouth-generated riffs of some of their huge hits like Hush, Smoke On The Water, Space Truckin', Burn and many, many more.One of the most flamboyant and remarkable members of the band was bass player, Glenn Hughes, who joined the band in 1973, making up what is referred to as the "Mark III" and "Mark IV" band line-ups. To be sure, Hughes made his first mark with his band, Trapeze, but his first huge success happened when he joined Deep Purple. Hughes went on to work with many great artists and bands, as well as doing his own solo work, and is currently thumpin' the bass with the super group, Black Country Communion.After over forty years in the music business, it was high time that Hughes came out with a book to tell his story up to this point. He does so (along with the excellent help and guidance of Joel McIver) with Glenn Hughes: the Autobiography: From Deep Purple to Black Country Communion.I don't want to ruin any surprises in the book but I will say that Mr. Hughes is pretty darn lucky to be alive. I wasn't surprised by the drug use. I was surprised by extent of his addictions and the distance of his fall.The book is chock full of entertaining stories from his days in Trapeze and Deep Purple as well as his work (or attempts at work) with greats like Tony Iommi, David Bowie and Gary Moore, to name but a few. Woven within those tales is the story of a severely addicted but incredibly talented artist. I found my stomach turning into knots as I read his many, many accounts of drug-addled living. The vast amounts of money spent and the great opportunities lost can neither be recaptured.That all said, Hughes tells his entire story, warts and all, from the vantage point of one who has finally come to grips with his disease and knows his life of sobriety is a rare second chance at life. It's obvious that he's now living life to its real fullest, with the love of life, Gabi, and the renewed passion he has for writing and making music. No, he can't recover what he has lost in the areas of time and money but that only fuels the intensity to make every moment of every new day count. And, while I'm a huge fan of his work and love the stories behind the music, my biggest take-away is the insight Glenn Hughes provides by baring his soul regarding his disease and his sobriety.One interesting thing about this book besides the incredible stories: All the photos provided are in the front of the book instead of in the middle or scattered throughout. I'm not saying that it's better or worse that way - just interesting.Glenn Hughes: the Autobiography isn't just a must-have book for the rock music fan, it's a must-have book for anyone who wrestles - no, make that "battles" - with addictive demons.Boomerocity.com

I was not able to put this book down after I picked it up. The pace is fast, and the content is pretty much "all killer, no-filler" that takes the reader, whether he/she is a Glenn Hughes fan or not, on one hell of a crazy SEX DRUGS N ROCK AND ROLL ride. This book is the sort you want all of your favorite celebrities to write; it dishes the dirt we want to know and then some.This brisk quality *does* come at the expense of some details I would have liked to have learned. I would have liked to have learned more about the nitty gritty of Glenn's musical career, and his relationships, both in his career and personal (which are quite glossed over. Literally, all you really learn about any of the women he's been with is that they were "absolutely beautiful!", and all you really learn about Ritchie Blackmore is "he's eccentric!" and Ian Paice is "quiet" and so on). If you want to learn more about Glenn's musical career in Deep Purple, Jerry Bloom's incredible "Black Knight: Ritchie Blackmore" is the book you want, as it contains wonderful, detailed portraits of not only Blackmore, but also of Glenn and the rest of the band and how they interacted as musicians. Hell, I think it even has more information on Tommy Bolin than you'll find here. But I digress, because the book ITSELF states that none of this is the point.The book states that it's mainly a document of Glenn's terrible addiction, and it does an absolutely stellar job of showing Glenn's decline from a soulful, eager young musician into a ego-driven hellbat of a drug fiend. It is an excellent cautionary tale that reminds readers that the danger of drugs is not so much that they'll physically kill you, but that they'll rob you of your very soul, spirit, health and essence. Reading through, you will discover it is a miracle that Glenn climbed out of the deep abyss that he dug for himself and made an excellent new career for himself with Black Country Communion.Yes, there were small flaws - some of the organization of the material looked a little rushed and it could be confusing as to whether we were in, say, 1977 or 1980, the way the anecdotes skipped about - but as a book that you will enjoy reading, that will take you on a wild, star-studded ride (Glenn mingles with so many huge stars, including Ozzy Osbourne and David Bowie) and make you gasp and laugh and cry, this is an incredible, successful book. I recommend it not only to Glenn and Deep Purple fans, but to any fan of the '70s rockstar lifestyle or juicy tell-alls, or to anyone who has suffered through addiction.

As Rock autobiographies go, if you're read one, you're read almost all of them! The format starts with childhood stories of growing up, the inspiration to take up an instrument and the journey of starting a band. Then the timeline moves on to the vicissitudes of the ensuing success and the accompanying tales of love and lust, drugs and other debauchery leading to the darkest recesses of the subject under scrutiny; and ultimately his redemption.You would have thought that reading a Rock autobiography would have given you a deeper insight into the inspiration and ideas behind how your favourite songs and albums were crafted. However, this never really happens as your are given a tourist's tour of the subject. Instead, whilst learning more about the artist's personal life, you unexpectedly become a hard core drug nomenclature expert!Glenn's book is no exception to the rule. Without ever glorifying the monkey nobody wants on their backs, a significant amount of chapters is devoted to the use and abuse of ubiquitous illegal substances, so much that the reader feels that he is being reluctantly dragged across a desert with a disease for a companion. How is it possible for a singer of Glenn's stature and versatility to allow himself to waste his God given talent in this way? Why is it that in their spare time creative people stumble onto a path of self destruction instead of harnessing that energy into the practice of various positive non music related activities?Glenn's autobiography however manages to stand out on the bookshelves in that it is clear from the outset that a lot of thought has gone into the planning and the layout of the book. The first thing that dawns on the reader is how effortlessly the story flows. The reader is enraptured in Glenn's words from the very first paragraph and only exits his world at the end of the book.The unique feature of the book is the pertinent recollections by relevant parties, which intersperse Glenn's to give the proceedings an air of authenticity without losing focus.A considerable portion of the early chapters is devoted to Glenn's time with Deep Purple. Of particular interest to music aficionados is the song-by-song analysis of the three Deep Purple albums he was involved in. This analytical delight is unfortunately exclusive to the Deep Purple albums. This treatment is not bestowed on either the Trapeze or solo albums. Some of the solo albums (L.A. Blues Authority) only get a one sentence mention whilst other albums are completely ignored! Sacrilege!One might proffer that armies of words have been devoted to the music on the Web and in the specialised press. However, hearing about Glenn's music in his own words would still be valid and valuable. Glenn's struggle with drugs has been a major part of his life and one can appreciate why so many chapters have been marshaled into it. However, the gravity of the issue could still have been condensed into fewer chapters without losing the impact on the reader; and re-deploying those resources towards acknowledging the solo albums in some detail.The reader is however compensated for this shortcoming with an extensive appendix documenting every single project Glenn has been involved in up to the date the book was published.After all has been said, Glenn was, is and remains a monumental singer. Only a select few can sing Rock, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, Blues, Soul and Funk so effortlessly and touch the listener on a spiritual level. Despite its shortcomings, The Autobiography is still a good read . But a second book from Glenn, focusing exclusively on exploring his vast back catalog, with a song-by-song treatment would not go amiss.

Glenn Hughes, einst Hoffnungsträger bei Deep Purple, einer der ersten Rockmusiker, die Funk und Rockmusik miteinander verknüpften, langjähriger Kokain- und Speedjunkie und heute Frontmann der "Supergroup" Black Country Communion, legt seine schon seit Jahren angekündigte Biografie vor.Wer nun erwartet, den Entwicklungsweg eines Musikers präsentiert zu bekommen, in dem detailliert auf die mittlerweile knapp 100 Platten eingegangen wird, auf denen Hughes zu den Protagonisten zählte oder gar auf die über 200 Scheiben, auf denen er als Session-Musiker/-Sänger vertreten war, der wird eine herbe Enttäuschung erleben. 20 Jahre seines Lebens, so gibt "The Voice of Rock" wie Hughes gerne genannt wird zu, hatte er mit Drogen zu kämpfen. War süchtig nach Kokain, Crack, Speed und Ecstasy. Im Gegensatz zu vielen anderen Musikern, hat Hughes überlebt, seine Drogensucht überwunden und ist heute clean. Hughes musikalisches Leben steht deshalb auch nur am Anfang und am Ende der Biografie im Mittelpunkt. Über seine erste Liebe zur Musik und seine Eltern, die diese immer förderten führt uns Hughes zu Trapeze, seiner ersten richtigen Band. Zusammen mit Mel Galley (später Whitesnake) und Dave Holland (später Judas Priest) feiert diese Gruppe insbesondere in den USA und dort in Texas große Erfolge. Aber Hughes will mehr, er fühlt sich berufen und als Deep Purple bei ihm anklopfen, wechselt er die Band. Wohl wissend, dass ihn das seiner musikalischen Freiheiten teilweise berauben wird, aber eben auch das Sprungbrett für weltweiten Ruhm darstellen kann. Doch mit Deep Purple beginnt für Hughes auch eine bespiellose Drogenkarriere, die (zusammen mit der Heroinsucht von Tommy Bolin, der Ritchie Blackmores Posten nach dessen Ausstieg übernimmt) schliesslich zum vorläufigen Ende von Deep Purple führt. Von da an bewegt sich Hughes mehr und mehr in Drogenkreisen, er beschreibt immer wieder, wie die Musik ihm nur noch im Weg und lästig war, ihn an allem eigentlich wichtigen, nämlich Crack rauchen, Koks schnupfen hinderte.Selten habe ich einen Musiker und ehemaligen Drogensüchtigen über seine Sucht so offen reden hören. Hughes zeigt sich oft von seiner unsympathischen Seite, offenbart, wie er Personen, die ihm helfen wollte, hat hängen lassen, wie er Termine und Songs versaute, weil er lieber eine Linie reinzog. Er erzählt von seinen Lebensgefährtinnen, die allesamt irgendwann flüchteten, weil sie seine Seitensprünge und seine Drogeneskapaden, seine durch die Drogen hervorgerufenen Psychosen nicht mehr ertragen konnten. Zahllose Weggefährten, darunter auch bekannte Musiker wie Rob Halford oder Tony Iommi kommen zu Wort, stellen einzelne Ereignisse aus ihrer eigenen, machmal von Hughes` Sicht abweichenden Perspektive dar. Der Schwerpunkt des Buches liegt auf diesen harten Jahren, in denen Hughes sein Talent verschwendete, Freunde vor den Kopf stieß, Chancen verschenkte, die Wege der Stones, Led Zeppelins, David Bowies, Gary Moores und anderen kreuzte, es aber nicht schaffte und als Junkie eben auch nie wirklich wollte, sich aus diesem Sumpf zu ziehen und sein Potential zu nutzen.Erst im letzten Drittel der Biographie erleben wir den Glenn Hughes, der wieder die Musik zum Mittelpunkt seines Lebens machen will, der im Entzug war, rückfällig wurde und wieder im Entzug war. Wir erfahren von dem einen Augenblick, der so bedeutend für seinen Drogenausstieg war und dann doch wieder von Rückfällen, über die er bisher geschwiegen hat und die er hier erstmals anspricht.Eine schonungslos offen Biografie, die sich stellenweise wiederholt, manchmal ohne ersichtlichen Grund Themen fallen lässt und wieder aufgreift, insgesamt aber einen einzigartigen Blick auf den Menschen (und Musiker) Glenn Hughes erlaubt. Am Ende bleibt ein sympathischer, zu seiner Vergangenheit als Drogenwrack stehender aber diese nie glorifizierender Musiker, der noch heute jedem Fan ein Autogramm gibt, der auf dem Boden geblieben ist, seit Jahren clean und mit seinen Soloalben und zuletzt Black Country Communion endlich dorthin zurück gefunden hat, wo er eigentlich hin gehört.Die Biografie ist in einem - bis auf drogen- und suchtspezifische Begriffe - sehr gut verständlichen Englisch geschrieben und hätte gerne ein paar mehr Bilder enthalten können. Schade ist auch, dass keiner von Glenns Weggenossen bei Deep Purple zu Wort kommt. Wirklich ärgerlich ist, dass zwar auf die drei Scheiben, die mit Deep Purple entstanden sind, ausführlich eingegangen wird, spätere Platten aber teilweise noch nicht einmal Erwähnung finden, geschweige denn, dass man (bis auf Ausnahmen) Details zu den darauf vorliegenden Songs erhält. Davon abgesehen ist diese Biografie aber rundum gelungen, für Purple und Huhges-Fans Pflichtlektüre und für jeden, der sich für die Musikszene der 70er und 80er interessiert oder einfach mal wissen will, was Modedrogen wie Kokain aus einem machen können, lesenswert.

What a story !!!! Well worth reading. He doesn’t boast about how addictions and is brutally honest about the effects it has had on him and the people around him.As for the music , I really didn’t know he had been involved in so much !!!!!!

I'm a huge fan of the talents of this man.Mainly Purple mark 3 & BCC.I knew of his work with Gary Moore & John Norum,also.This is a warts an' all narrative of Glenn's life & times upto the 2nd BCC album.The way it's written,in my view would make a compelling audio-book,read by the man himself.The language used in here at times is very strong & there are graphic descriptions of persistant drug use & disrespectful language & behaviour towards friends,lovers & colleagues.Whilst the book makes you laugh/shudder & cringe,despite the man's protestations & apologies,for his abhorrent behaviour,personally,I found at the end of the book,it impossible to like Glenn Hughes the person,despite my best efforts.Selfish,arrogant,hypocritical,irresponsible,spoilt,needy,petulant.Don't get me started on his negatives..................Aside from being clean,he's clearly had therapy to help filter his guilt for what he's done.Yet,at times I found it almost 'prepared',like it was too easy to say sorry,as though he felt he had to say it,not that he really wanted to.Not that he's the only badly behaved rock-star,he isn't.He repeats that it wasn't him,it was his disease & this is his story,yet I can't get out of my head,the fact that considering how wasted he was,he seems to have remembered a huge amount,from those bad old days.He naturally blames his disease for the breakdown of many working environments,yet,alas he can't use that reason for the demise of BCC or California Breed,as he's clean.Just saying.......................In fairness Hughes lets many people from his life have their say,& Coverdale herself admits that Hughes is the better singer.Praise indeed.The one thing I didn't like,& many,many famous people do this,is manufacture a supposed culture of hate/negativity that REALLY isn't there: ie, A needy,hugely egotistical rock star, that can't take a negative or differing opinion of somebody else.Can't just shrug it off,nope,even though he's responsible of saying/doing some awful things himself.Another former DP singer from Northern England behaves in this way too........................Also,Hughes often refers to himself as a celebrity,as a star,not as a musician.A horrible trait in my view.Ultimately,however the outstanding thing ,is that he got well,& somehow,(god knows how) he can still sing & play,as well as ever,even now in his mid 60's & I'm delighted at that.To conclude;This is well worth the read in many ways & in parts is very entertaining ,but at the end you may wish to focus on the man's talent,not him.

good read and informative