Glenn Hughes talks about Black Country Communion gig

Midlands rock star Glenn Hughes has talked for the first time about bringing his new supergroup Black Country Communion to Wolverhampton for its first ever full concert.

Black Country Communion will play Wolverhampton Civic Hall on Wednesday, December 29.

The band features Cannock-born Hughes, formerly of Deep Purple and Black Sabbath, Dudley-born Jason Bonham, son of Led Zeppelin drummer John, along with American guitar virtuoso Joe Bonamassa and former Dream Theater keyboard player Derek Sherinian.

"It was my idea to start the first proper show in Wolverhampton, hence the name of the band," said Hughes. "There'll be a great vibe in there. The crowd will be fantastic.

"The Black Country is where we want to start. We feel it's absolutely appropriate to play our first full show on the planet in mine and Jason's heartland.

"This is a venue I've been playing since '68 starting with The News and Finders Keepers and then of course Trapeze played there half a dozen times and I played there a couple of times with Deep Purple. So it's a venue that I'm very familiar with.

"It signals the intent of what the band is about, where we're from and the sound. I believe the band does have a Black Country sound to it, which to me is organic rock. It's big, it's ambient rock music and why not start it off in the birthplace of rock music?"

Speaking after receiving the Childline Rocks Award for charitable contribution to music at the Marshall/Classic Rock Awards in London on Wednesday night, he added: "There's such a buzz about the band. It seems the whole world wants to see the band now and these tickets are going to go really quick."

And he revealed that Black Country Communion are already booked into a Hollywood studio for 11 days in January to record their second album ahead of a proper tour and major festival appearances next summer.

"We want to have enough material so when we start touring proper next summer we'll have the beauty of selecting the cuts we want to play live," said Hughes.

The singer also spoke of his delight after receiving the award for his work with children's charity Childline Rocks. The annual musical event is held in London and Cannock-born Hughes received theaward at ceremony in the capital on Wednesday night.

Hughes said: It was tremendous, I saw a lot of my friends there and I got to accept the Childline Rocks award.

"I'm a patron of the organisation. I love this organization and to help kids in need who have troubles at home and kids who go hungry," said Hughes, who has previously played with Trapeze, Black Sabbath and Deep Purple.

"It's something I really, really believe in and my work with the charity will be ongoing. I'm asking all my rock star, artist and dude friends to help this organisation. It's a beautiful thing and pretty much every year I come to the event."

Black Country Communion play Wolverhampton Civic Hall on Wednesday, December 29. Tickets cost £45 and £40 plus fees. Planet Rock Radio will launch a four-day ticket pre-sale from Monday, November 15. Tickets are then on general sale from 9am on November 19 through the National 24-hour Box Office on 0871 2301101, or www.seetickets.com

By Ian Harvey