Glenn Hughes (in conversation) - Café de Paris, London (UK) - 25 February 2017

In an exclusive event for true fans, Glenn Hughes had a no holds bar chat with Nicky Horne about his life and career before fans had a chance to see a large portion of a DVD about Deep Purple Mark III that won't be released for a year. They then had the chance to meet Hughes, receiving a very nice present of his latest CD and a photo which could be signed with the opportunity to take selfies and photos with the man himself. What an afternoon!

Horne began by acknowledging how grateful everyone was that Hughes had attended the event despite the recent loss of his mother. After hearing about Hughes' relatively normal childhood, conversation turned to the effect The Beatles had on Hughes, his years in Trapeze that stay with him, "part of me still lives in Trapeze world", how he came to be recruited into Deep Purple, his close relationship with David Coverdale with a fond account of Coverdale's audition for Purple when they formed an instant camaraderie, his emotional reconciliation with Jon Lord before he died, the pranks played on him by Ritchie Blackmore, the controversy over his eventual crediting for song-writing on 'Burn' and how the instant success led to Hughes' personal battle with drink and drugs.

Most entertaining were the stories about Hughes' friendship with David Bowie, his encounter with Stevie Wonder in the studio when Coverdale was trying to sing and also the occasion after the California Jam in a helicopter where so frightened by a mock arrest by a half-naked police woman Hughes couldn't finish the job. Most sad were the anecdotes about the lost potential of Tommy Bolin and the account of the tensions surrounding the recent induction into the Hall of Fame. Plenty of time was spent on discussion by the audience of Hughes' great talent and relationship with his fans. A sense of redemption was created by the details of Hughes' recent life where he has become completely sober, was able to be a loving son to his parents before they died and is now able to fully appreciate life and use his talent to the full.

If this account has whet your appetite, the event was filmed for TV and so there should be a chance to experience the event in full for all those at home. Much of Glenn Hughes' biography was startlingly frank and not at all complimentary to him personally. Seeing and experiencing him in the flesh shows how far he has come since the eighties into a sentient, whole human being for whom now every day counts and who, no longer taking his gifts for granted, can now produce more superb music for everyone to enjoy.

Dawn Osborne