Guitarist Joe Bonamassa says he’s done with Black Country Communion, the supergroup that includes bassist/vocalist Glenn Hughes (Deep Purple, Trapeze, Black Sabbath), drummer Jason Bonham (Led Zeppelin), and keyboardist Derek Sherinian (Dream Theater).
"As far as I'm concerned, my involvement is pretty much done, and I'll tell you why: Originally, I did it for the same reasons I did the stuff with Beth Hart and Rock Candy Funk Party — it was an excuse to play a different kind of music that I don't get to play normally,” Bonamassa tells Premiere Guitar.
"The first two records were a blast — the band is fantastic when the Ritalin kicks in, the ADD goes away, and everyone's focused,” he continued. “It's a devastatingly good rock band of the early-1970s type, and Glenn is a fantastic singer — just one of the best ever. So I did it and did a nine-week tour in 2011 that really, by the end of it, wasn't fun for me. It wasn't because I didn't like the cats in the band, but it was just too much — too much involved in getting people from place to place and getting the band onstage. Everybody seemed to be very tense, and it made my crew very tense, and it's not the way I like to tour. I run a family — I have 21 people who go on the road with me all the time, and if you asked them who was the cause of the least of their problems, they would say me. Unless there was no Diet Coke — then it's a huge [expletive] problem, and either I'm going to the supermarket or somebody else is. [laughs]”
Ahead of last fall’s release of their third album, “Afterglow,” Hughes dropped a bombshell about the group's future, telling ABC News Radio, "This may be the [band's] last album. I hate to break it to you, but it just may be, because I need to be in a band that tours on a regular basis."
Bonamassa has always maintained that the group were aware of his annual touring schedule as a solo artist, which would have made any touring – certainly any extensive road trips – unlikely.
"But it just wasn't fun for me anymore,” explained the guitarist. “All the stuff that Glenn says in the media, essentially pinning it on me — that I was the reason for the band's lack of touring and the band's lack of future. It became rapidly not fun at all. It would be dishonest of me to get onstage and pretend like I'm having fun to please the band. I'm just not the guitar player for that band, but, unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be any out-of-work guitar players in L.A. that they can get. There are so many guys that can fill that role and I would be the first guy to queue up and buy a ticket. So that's my story with it. I'm happily not involved anymore, but I'm happy with the legacy that I left with that band and happy with the records we made. It was a great three years for me."
Read more with Joe at Premier Guitar here.
Black Country Communion See also:
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Black Country Communion guitarist speaks out on band feud
VIDEO: Black Country Communion – Making of Afterglow part 5
VIDEO: Black Country Communion – Making of Afterglow part 4
VIDEO: Black Country Communion – Making of Afterglow part 3
Black Country Communion cancel lone 2013 concert date
VIDEO: Black Country Communion – Making of Afterglow part 2
Black Country Communion offer free song download
Black Country Communion announce UK concert date
VIDEO: Black Country Communion – Making of Afterglow part 1
Black Country Communion: Forthcoming album may be band’s last
Black Country Communion reveal new album details
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Deep Purple: Glenn Hughes’ memoir available in paperback
Black Country Communion named Best New Band
Glenn Hughes announces solo acoustic tour
Black Country Communion: Live Over Europe DVD details
VIDEO: Glenn Hughes explains the origins of Black Country Communion
Black Country Communion filming shows for DVD release
VIDEO: Black Country Communion – Man In The Middle
Deep Purple: Glenn Hughes launches autobiography in London
VIDEO: Glenn Hughes performs new Black Country Communion song
Black Country Communion: New album due in June
Black Country Communion announce US dates
