SINGER GLENN HUGHES SAYS THAT DRUMMER JASON BONHAM IS NO LONGER PART OF CALIFORNIA BREED, HUGHES ISN’T SURE IF THE BAND WILL CONTINUE IN THE FUTURE
Daniel Pavlica of The Rocktologist spoke with singer Glenn Hughes. Excerpts appear below.
The Rocktologist:…is Jason Bonham returning to the band at some point in the future?
Hughes: No, Jason won’t be returning. His other commitments were getting in the way of his California Breed schedule. I have no disrespect for Jason, only tons of love. You know, I’ve known him every since he was a little boy. It’s just that he chose to work with other people when in fact he should be working with California Breed. And, you know, I’m a workaholic. When I’m working on an album or doing tours I give it all, heart and soul. For some reason Jason didn’t want to be part of that. And it’s OK, we’ve moved on.
The Rocktologist: Do you see longevity in California Breed? How do you see the bands progress in future?
Hughes: I’m not sure. You know me well enough to understand that I always keep my fingers in a lot of different things. I’m working on some other stuff which at this moment I can’t talk about. But I want to you know that I’m going to be busy. I always like to do things new and exciting.
The Rocktologist:..I always wondered how you manage to keep your voice in such astounding form, especially when so many of your peers are more or less struggling in that department nowadays.
Hughes: (laughs) You know man, it’s not foolproof but I’ll tell you what it is. You know I don’t smoke, don’t do drugs or drink alcohol. I absolutely need to get 8 hours of sleep at night. Years ago I didn’t do that, I might have been drinking or whatever. I watch what I eat and I run 4 or 5 kilometers every morning. Also breathing is the key ingredient with singing, it’s important to breathe appropriately. You know, I sing a lot of long notes and apparently I have really big lungs, which helps.
Read more at The Rocktologist.
Since Bonham is no longer part of California Breed, Hughes and guitarist Andrew Watt recently chose Joey Castillo (Queens Of The Stone Age) to play drums for the band for the band’s remaining tour dates.
source: therocktologist.com
I know Eddie has talked about this a ton but as a fan of music and hard rock and metal in particular it bugs me to no end when musicians sign up to do a project and then quit right after the first album or two cycles or quit after releasing the first album and do not tour for it. My thought is why join a band or create a band, do an album or two and then quit? Why create a band or join a band, do an album and the quit and not even tour for the album as Jason did? I mean if your not gonna make the band a priority then why bother doing it at all?
The problem with doing this this way 1. makes you seem unreliable and few people will want to work with you as a permanent member because they would be worried you will up and quit right after the first album or two. 2. If you do create a band with other people, you get the fans all excited and willing to spend their very limited hard earned money investing in the band only for the band to go away. 3. It makes you seem arrogant. Like you can do whatever you want because you are who you are and others will always be willing to work with you and come see you play and buy your records, ect. I think Jason may be a bit arrogant in the fact that he is Jason Bonham, son of John Bonham and thinks that because he is who he is, he can do whatever, even a small time cover band and people will come see him play and all. But I really don’t know the kind of person he is. He could be the nicest, most respected guy for all I know.
Honestly who are Glenn and Andrew gonna get to replace Jason Bonham? Jason is a very unique drummer like his father. Its very difficult to find a drummer that plays like that and has that same groove and style, which is why Zeppelin never replaced John Bonham. Anyone else but Jason playing the stuff on the first record just won’t sound the same. If California Breed does continue they will have to create a whole new sound with a new drummer cause they won’t be able to continue the sound of the first album without Jason. If they do that I’m just not sure that it would be right to continue as California Breed. Glenn and Andrew will just have to create yet another new band. Which in turn poses another problem. If Glenn does create another new band with Andrew, fans are gonna be very weary to wanna get invested in the band. They aren’t really gonna want to spend their money buying the new record and seeing them in concert in fear that it will be so short lived again as BCC and Cali Breed were.
I can see doing what John 5 does in that he does in that Rob Zombie is his main band and then does a solo project on the side. BUT John 5 ALWAYS makes Rob Zombie his #1 priority. The way it should be! But maybe Glenn Should not be continually starting over. If someone leaves, get a new person to fill the role unless of course its trying to fill the role of Jason Bonham. Then you really have to start over. But I am pretty sure that Glenn could have gotten someone to fill Joe Bonamassa’s shoes. But all of it is what it is and Glenn really needs to be careful what his next move is so as to keep his fans intact. Cause Glenn has this sort of following that love what he does and love his bands that he creates or is in. But with the direction everything has been going in with the last 2 bands, I just think if he isn’t careful, he will alienate his fan base.
None of these “groups” last. What happened to that hairless Geritol group that Vinny Appice and Joe Lynn Turner started?
Glenn has such a big heart to go that big voice of his and I think what he has in his mind is not what others have in mind and that’s part of the issue. What ever he dose turns into gold
They were great with Castillo on drums a few weeks ago when I saw them. Guess it was money issues. Bonham is part of his father’s estate, like a few hundred million, he does what he wants. I guess AC/DC or doin pa’s Zep stuff is better….he doesn’t need the loot, Hughes might and this thing lost money like Chickenfoot.
What the hell is going on with Glenn’s hair? That is disturbing looking.