June 20th 2024.
Glenn Hughes, the former bassist and vocalist for the legendary English rock band Deep Purple, recently opened up about his strained relationship with his ex-bandmates. In a candid interview, the 78-year-old musician shared his feelings about an encounter with his former bandmates that he described as "very, very hurtful." This unfortunate incident took place eight years ago, but the wounds seem to still be fresh for Hughes.
Hughes joined Deep Purple in 1973 and remained with them until 1976. During this time, the band had a tumultuous history, with multiple break-ups and a constantly changing lineup of members. In 2016, the band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and Hughes reunited with his former bandmates - vocalist Ian Gillan, bassist Roger Glover, and drummer Ian Paice, who were all in their late 70s at the time.
However, the reunion was far from a joyous occasion. In fact, Hughes revealed that his bandmates were "rude" and "very hurtful" towards him and fellow artist David Coverdale (now 72) at the ceremony. In an interview with Guitar Interactive Magazine, Hughes stated that he will never speak to them again because of their behavior. He added that Gillan was even rude to him on stage and refused to acknowledge him when he went to congratulate him.
The guitarist also revealed that he has been trying to reach out to Gillan for the past 40 years, but to no avail. He admitted that he felt bad for Gillan when his wife passed away in 2022, but their friendship seems to be beyond repair. Hughes said, "I wish him only the very best, but I have no time left for that behavior."
Hughes also spoke about his complicated relationship with Deep Purple alum Ritchie Blackmore, who he played with in the Mark III lineup. When asked about being friends with Blackmore, Hughes replied, "Difficult." He shared that when he first joined the band, Blackmore flew him to Hamburg for a "boys' night weekend" of drinking coffee and alcohol. He added that they had a great time together, but when Blackmore was around other men, he wasn't the same person.
The musician also revealed that an attempted reunion with the late Jon Lord and Coverdale failed because Blackmore didn't pick up the phone. "About 15 years ago, David and Jon and myself - before Jon passed - had a three-week conversation about, wouldn't it be great, maybe we could get Blackmore, we could do some kind of a reunion. But we couldn't get him on the phone," Hughes shared.
The interview also mentioned keyboardist Jon Lord, who passed away in 2012 after battling pancreatic cancer. The Agency reached out to Gillan and Deep Purple for comment but has not received a response yet. The 78-year-old musician ended the interview by saying, "If you've got a celebrity story, video, or pictures, get in touch with The Agency entertainment team. We'd love to hear from you."
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