Glenn Hughes: My ticket tirade killed BCC gig

The full story: Black Country Communion

Glenn Hughes has revealed his refusal to back Black Country Communion’s management on ticket prices is what caused the cancellation of their one-off show in Wolverhampton.

The band had agreed to perform for one night, possibly two, in England in January – even though Hughes and guitarist Joe Bonamassa had fallen out over the lack of plans to tour third album Afterglow. The singer said in an interview that it might be their last record because he needed to be in a band that would go on the road, while Bonamassa insisted everyone knew his schedule didn’t allow it. The feud overshadowed the album’s release, and nearly pulled the band apart.

Hughes says in Classic Rock No179, on sale now: “I was getting killed by a lot of my friends and fans in the Black Country for the ticket prices. I went on Twitter and said, ‘Don’t shoot me, I’m only the messenger, I don’t set the prices,’ and that was the thing that really started the whole debacle off.

“I said the same thing in 2010. I have a lot of fans who complain, ‘We’re from Wolverhampton, we can’t afford these tickets.’ This time it was the red rag to the bull.”

Bonamassa’s manager Roy Weisman confirms he pulled the show as a result of Hughes’ comment. He says: “The tickets might have been more expensive than an average rock band, but they’re not an average rock band. They certainly weren’t as expensive as a superstar band. I decided to price the tickets that way. When Glenn decided he wanted to make a comment, and pointed the finger to me – it was really upsetting to me. I’d had enough of it.”

Despite the conflict, Hughes, Weisman, drummer Jason Bonham, keyboardist Derek Sherinian and producer Kevin Shirley all tell Classic Rock about their passion for BCC and their affection for their bandmates.

Shirley is not the only one convinced the band has a future. He says: “You can’t be a rock star without being narcissistic. Self-indulgence was the hallmark of what made 70s music great, and we’re trying to embrace that in our music.

“You can’t take away the fact that these are the ultimate rock stars, and there must be something about that rub that makes the music amazing.”

The in-depth article is featured in the latest edition of Classic Rock, dated January 2013 and on sale now. The issue is dedicated to The Best Of 2012: the ultimate review of the past 12 months. The new edition also includes a free 2013 calendar, Best of 2012 CD and features on the Rolling Stones, Duff McKagan and Nikki Sixx, Rush, Queensryche, Alice Cooper and much more.

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