Black Country Communion has had a pretty active career, especially for a group that has so many musicians active in other areas.
Black Country Communion
Those activities have led to a major rift between band members Glenn Hughes and Joe Bonamassa.
When the band went into the studio to record their third album in three years, Afterglow, Bonamassa made it clear that he had other commitments. Based on comments made by Hughes, it doesn’t seem that the message came through clear as he is disappointed in the fact that Bonamassa dropped out of a recent BCC one-off show and has not made himself available to tour to promote the album.
The animosity reached a peak when the two got into a Twitter argument over the tour and a previous statement made by Hughes that he was about ready to quit the band. The night after the argument, Bonamassa tweeted his position, saying “I am very sorry about the Black Country Communion canceled gig. But principle still stands for something in 2012. I ready to move on.”
He later told Music Radar:
Going into making the record I had a lot on the table. Everybody knew that was the deal for me. There were all facts on the table. And we had a great time making the record.
I heard about this nonsense second-hand. I’d read a blog, or I’d read this or I’d read that. I was going, ‘Why all of a sudden is it my fault? I’m doing what I said I was going to do for the last three years – and now, because somebody changes his mind, that’s now my fault?’
The thing that became more than slightly annoying to me was getting email from kids in Brazil going, ‘My lifelong dream is to see Black Country Communion, and because Glenn Hughes says you don’t want to do it, now you’re the fucking blues antichrist.’
I wouldn’t have done that to anybody. No matter what the situation is internally, you never air that dirty laundry and those grievances in public. You call me on the phone, you know? And he never did.
Band drummer Jason Bonham was the next to express his disappointment in the whole situation, questioning why they went in the studio to record an album that they couldn’t properly report. The fourth member of the group, Derek Sherinian, has been silent.
Late in the week, Roy Weisman, Bonamassa’s business partner, jumped into the fray, telling Classic Rock it was his decision to pull Joe from the upcoming show and to give his perspective on the guitarist’s commitment to the group.
When BCC was created almost three years ago, everyone knew Joe had a full-time solo career. This project was ‘modern Traveling Wilburys,’ bringing four individual artists with their own careers together to make a great record.
Both Joe and I were always above board about the touring. It was always meant to be from time to time. However, especially with Glenn, this idea seemed to go in one ear and out the other. His manager always knew the deal, even though Glenn wouldn’t stop pressing on the point.
The fact is, Joe’s solo career takes precedence over BCC, and always has. Everyone has known that from day one.
