Glenn Hughes - Burning Japan Live

Details :

• Year of release : 1995
• Label : SPV 084-18202
• Review format : CD

I’ve listened to a fair bit of so called ‘Voice of Rock’ Glenn Hughes recently whilst writing a couple of ‘Dig This Up’ features for peacedogman. Consequently I remember and dug out this live album that I purchase from a library sell off many years ago, after borrowing it on a number of occasions. Touring to support the album “From Now On”, Hughes assembled a band featuring a twin guitar attack of Thomas Larsson and Eric Bojfeldt and hired half of Europe quite literally by employing Mic Michaeli on keyboards, Ian Haughland on drums and interestingly also John Leven on bass. This allowed Hughes to concentrate for the majority of this show on frontman duties.

Recorded across a couple of nights in Kawasaki in May 1994, the show begins with a powerful crack at the mighty Burn. Although I can’t quite get used to the absence of David Coverdale on it I have to admit that I think it’s a strong version and obviously it’s a great opener. Following this with new album track The Liar, a superb rocker, and a fine rendition of Muscle And Blood from the grossly overlooked “Hughes-Thrall” album it’s quickly apparent that this is an excellent recording with everything sounding balanced and the assembled players in fine form.

Moving into Lay My Body Down and the title track of From Now On, Hughes begins to exercise his considerable vocal range including some of his trademark screams at times, but not overdoing it to often I was pleased to hear. A superb Into The Void, which reminds me of a Roger Waters style number circa The Wall and is also taken off the “From Now On” album, proves to be a particularly impressive song early on in the disc but unfortunately a shriek infused Still In Love With You which features Hughes solo on keyboards as well as vocal is hard to take for me and proves to be the albums low point. However after this track though it’s all top quality as with the promotion of the new album out of the way he runs through a selection of tracks that are quite breathtaking and demonstrate just what quality this man has been a part of in the past. Particularly impressive and quickly righting the ship is a superb version of another “Hughes-Thrall” track Coast To Coast. A fine example if one is needed of just what a great voice Hughes possessed (and still possesses I might add) and also a number where his huge range is used to great effect: even if he does play up to the crowd on occasion!

There is then a brief but clearly emotional tribute to his ‘brother’ and former Deep Purple colleague Tommy Bolin followed by cracking stabs at This Time Around and the instrumental Owed To G from the Bolin-era Purple release “Come Taste The Band”. The Bolin-Hughes co-write Gettin’ Tighter then follows and indeed this fine song from the same Purple album as the previous two songs proves really popular with the Japanese crowd and quite rightly too as its a hard rocking performance of the funk infused classic.

Another mighty Purple number follows in the shape of You Keep On Moving and it really sounds quite outstanding on this release. The keyboards of Michaeli stand up well in comparison to Jon Lord’s original and Hughes produces a real rock frontman’s performance, even leading the crowd through a singalong section at one point. They then follow this with another Deep Purple “Stormbringer” number, the Blackmore/Coverdale song Lady Double Dealer which is played to great effect and to good audience reaction yet bizarrely doesn’t get anything like the reaction that the next song I Got Your Number received! With the crowd singing loudly back at Hughes, the band really seem to stretch out on this and the guitarists shine trading licks through this “Hughes-Thrall” highlight.

The album is well edited to ensure no delays or time lost with audience calls for an encore or anything like that so without really feeling like you’ve listened to a full disc, in no time you’re at the final track and what a track it is! A storming rendition of another rock classic from Hughes Deep Purple era, the album and concert closes with Stormbringer itself. As big a David Coverdale fan as I undoubtedly am, I have to admit that Hughes sounds magnificent on this as do his band and its a fitting climax to a fine set.

Summary : An excellent live album that showcases the From Now On album, proves once again what a fine set of songs were on the Hughes-Thrall release and one again underlines what fine songs Deep Purple produced post the Ian Gillan era. Personally I think it’s a shame there is no Trapeze song here as that would have offered a more complete representation of Hughes career to that point but I doubt many people would be dissatisfied with the set list performed here. The album sounds great, the band solid and Hughes in fine form. A superb example of just how good a rock singer Glenn Hughes is.

If You Listen To One Track Listen To : Into The Void

Score : 4/5

—–

“Burn” performed live with the same line-up on this disc….

—–

BL