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Glenn the canine aficionado
Some time in August, Glenn Hughes spoke to the 107.1 The Boss radio station, broadcasting out from New Jersey. Nothing groundbreaking was revealed, but he touched upon the making rounds story of him allegedly nearly joining Van Halen, and upon prospects of collaborating with David Coverdale.
Thanks to Blabbermouth for the info.
Unauthorized copying, while sometimes necessary, is never as good as the real thing
One question: What would have Michael Anthony done then?
And Michael’s vocals were pivotal for the Van Halen sound and their commercial edge. Pre-Hagar, the only time someone actually ‘sang’ with VH was when Michael joined in. DLR was a walking-talking “miss the notes and/or the key”-liability live.
September 25th, 2023 at 21:05Eddie wanted to oust Michael Anthony as early as 84, so Glen joining would have fit that narrative.
September 26th, 2023 at 01:45That always baffles me, Burt, Michael’s high-pitched harmony vocals were what made VH commercially palatable. Along with EvH’s signature guitar, it defined their sound and let DLR basically talk over the music with his idiosyncratic (but not really singing) voice. And he was a much better bass player than people give him credit for as his post-VH work with Chickenfoot and The Circle has amply shown. I’ve seen the man live with the Hagar VH line-up in 1988 at Nassau Coliseum NY and his backing vocals were never anything less than neat and forceful that night. And I didn’t even go as a fan, but out of sheer curiosity what VH would now be like with Sammy Hagar. They kicked butt that night.
I’m not a Wolfgang-hater at all (I have his solo album which is good), but the last VH line-up sans Michael had an important component missing without his voice.
September 26th, 2023 at 11:38I can’t imagine Glenn in Van Halen, I think it would be a failure like Black Sabbath. I think all the best about Glenn and he deserves the best. Let’s say.. (like a football manager) I see Glenn as a replacement for one of the best rock singers who unfortunately gone …Brad Delp singer Boson gone in 2009 and had a range of his voice like Glenn. Glenn and Tom Schols together I can imagine them performing “More Than a Feeling”, “Long Time”, “Peace of Mind,” Smokin’ “,”Rock & Roll Band” Don’t look Back….That’s his level as now BCC.
September 26th, 2023 at 17:13I never heard about him and Van Halen before. Supposedly Eddie once asked Jeff Berlin to join too. He must have been so desperate to get rid of Michael Anthony that he was asking everybody!
September 26th, 2023 at 20:08I’m with you. Though I have always wondered how Glenn would have sounded replacing Martin Turner in Wishbone Ash or John Wetton in Asia, he seemed to be tailor-made for taking their roles.
Glenn in Boston? The problem with Glenn is that while he can sing AOR/melodic rock real well (+ the kitchen sink + the telephone book), he’s said that he really doesn’t like that type of music all that much. He’s dabbled with it, both Hughes Thrall and From Now On … were AOR efforts (plus all the stuff he’s done with the Phenomena Project, Gary Moore and John Norum), but it has never ever gripped him for long. I guess he wants more grit and r-r-rhythm in his music, the ole Trapeze DNA a-comin’ thru.
In a parallel universe, I always wondered whether Mother’s Finest would not have been the band to make him happy for good. He would have slotted right in.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BcdaRmGtoU
September 26th, 2023 at 21:00Interestingly, the style of music his fans hold in the highest regard (Hughes/Thrall, Phenomena etc) is the one he shies away from. Which may explain the criss crossing between bands and projects, never having the patience to stay in one long enough to build a profile.
September 28th, 2023 at 16:57Does anyone remember the rumour from the 90’s claiming Coverdale and EVH were working together. One of the rumours detailed a load of tracks they had recorded etc. All rubbish of course (or was it)?
https://www.mtv.com/news/r21ba9/van-halen-coverdale-rumor-debunked
September 30th, 2023 at 13:30@8…
Good post Jaffa…And that would have been an outrageous pairing, & what a band it would have been…
That said, DC was pretty lucky to get it together with Jimmy Page, & why not ???…
It’s a good thing when these guys pull themselves out of retirement & make a record or two, or at the least stir the shyte-pot / rumour-mill & get people working again.
Peace !
October 2nd, 2023 at 05:16#6: Uwe, Glenn in Wishbone Ash? A big portion of the Ash was based on their subtlety. Martin Turner has a distinctive, albeit not strong or dominating voice. Glenn, on the other hand is always in danger of oversinging, so I don’t see a real fit here I must admit.
October 2nd, 2023 at 15:12Wishbone Ash made one album (Raw to the Bone) with Mervyn Spence as singer / bassplayer who has some similarity with Glenn (Mervyn has also obtained somehow the rights on Phenomena, so we have a real link here ;-)) but although I like this album, it didn’t last for long. I even saw them back then and Ash was just a standard hardrock band then and not what made them special any more.
I fully agree with you that probably Glenn would have had a blast with Mother’s Finest!