BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNIONthe supergroup featuring legendary vocalist/bassist Glenn Hughes (DEEP PURPLE, BLACK SABBATH),guitarist Joe Bonamassadrummer Jason Bonham (LED ZEPPELIN) and keyboardist Derek Sherinian (DREAM THEATER, ALICE COOPER, BILLY IDOL),will release its highly anticipated fifth studio album, “V”on June 14. To celebrate, fans are treated to the immediate release of the album’s heavy funk lead single, “Stay Free”out today on all major streaming platforms.
Produced by longtime collaborator Kevin Shirley, “V” marks a monumental chapter in the band’s storied career, embodying a renewed spirit and an evolution of their unmistakable sound. Shirley captures the essence of the band’s journey, stating: “For a band that started out as a collection of the best practitioners of their instruments, they very quickly found a unique sound. This time around, it has more purpose, the riffs are tougher, and there are hooks! Yes, hooks! It’s the most cohesive record, full of soul and grit, and I think this is the one that’s going to be the benchmark for BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION” Glenn agrees: “In my opinion, we had the best time recording this record at Sunset Sound in Hollywood, tons of fun and a magical recording. “Meet you inside the music.”
“Stay Free”the lead single, is a powerhouse track that blends hard rock’s raw energy with a heavy dose of blues, channeling the spirit of legends like AC DC and LED ZEPPELIN. It sets the tone for what fans can expect from “V” — a testament to the band’s dynamic synergy and creative evolution.
Since their debut in 2010, BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION has delivered a series of critically acclaimed albums, each showing the group’s ability to fuse British blues-rock with American soul in a way that captivates audiences worldwide. Their return with “V” and the single “Stay Free” reaffirms their status as rock royalty and showcases their growth as musicians and storytellers.
Shirley‘s insight into the recording process highlights the unique chemistry and camaraderie within the band. “When we agreed in 2023 to start recording the album ‘V’it really was like picking up the day after the most recent gig,” Shirley reflects. “The camaraderie is immediately evident. Once they start playing, everyone is deadly serious, and the music sounds like this band, and nothing else sounds like it.”
“V” is a milestone that celebrates the journey, talent, and vision of BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION. As the band embarks on this new chapter, they invite fans old and new to join them in experiencing the depth and power of “V” and the electrifying energy of “Stay Free”.
The news follows the announcement of the band’s upcoming performance at the Culture Room in Fort Lauderdale, Florida on Sunday, March 17. This rare appearance will be the first live performance in America from the band in over 11 years. Presented by Joe Bonamassa‘s Keeping The Blues Alive Foundation, all profits from the concert will be donated to support music education and musicians in need. The band is also set to appear on the Keeping The Blues Alive At Sea cruise, sailing from Miami to Cozumel, Mexico from March 18-22.
“V” tracklisting:
01. Enlighten
02. Stay Free
03. Red Sun
04. Restless
05. Letting Go
06. skyway
07. You’re Not Alone
08. Love And Faith
09. Too Far Gone
10. The Open Road
During an appearance on an August 2023 episode of SiriusXM‘s “Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk”, Hughes stated about the musical direction of the new BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION material: “It sounds like BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION. There’s not too many left turns, there’s nothing happening that’s weirdly different. We followed a vibe of the first four albums, so it’s an extension, but it’s really a progression, if you can call it a progression. Everybody’s playing out of their skin. The vibe in the camp has never been so friendly and fun. It’s a really, really great vibe in the band. And we had a great time at Sunset Sound [studios] in Hollywood. And I can’t wait for you to hear it.”
As for BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION‘s touring plans, Glenn said: “If you go back 10 years when I wanted to… well, we all wanted to play more shows. And Joe you have been very busy since the get-go of your career. What I want you to know, and I want everyone to know, that, of course, we want to play with BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNITYbut Joe‘s schedule is crazy busy, and we all get it. Unfortunately, that’s the way it is. So my priority is playing my own music with my own band and doing what I need to do to have fun on my own.”
He continued: “Would I like to play some shows with Joe, Derek and Jason? Of course I would. I think everybody would like that. But what I can’t do is say we’re gonna do this, this, and that… I’ve done it before and it didn’t happen, so I won’t… I’m glad Joe you have [said in a recent interview] he wants to do something like that, because I think we there wanna set some time out to do that, and we’re hoping that we can play in North America [in 2024]”
Earlier that same month, Bonamassa told “Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk” about the new BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION album: “The thing about BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION, whether you like the way we sound or not, when we all get together, it has a very specific thing that it does. Everybody brings a very specific thing to the table, and it’s a special band.”
According to Joehe brought the BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION members back together to make the follow-up to “BCCIV”which was released in September 2017 and marked BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION‘s first studio effort since 2013’s “Afterglow”. “I was the one that kind of initiated the text, be, like, ‘Hey, is there anybody interested in doing a fifth one?'” he said. “And Derek got back to me. Jason got back to me pretty quickly. And Glenn called me and said, ‘I can’t do anything until this DEAD DAISIES situation goes one way or the next.’ And I said, ‘Fair enough.’ So when Glenn left THE DEAD DAISIES [in 2022]that was kind of the green light for us to get back together.”
Regarding the songwriting process for BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION‘s fifth album and how it compared to that on the band’s previous efforts, Joe said: “This was the same. I went over to Glenn‘s house about six times and we hashed out some ideas — pretty rough, loose ideas. Nothing in stone. And so I had a playlist on my phone, voice memos, BCC 1 through 10. And that was it. So, so day one, we just [said]’Okay, let’s start with BCC 1.’ And we sat in the courtyard at Sunset Sound — they have this really nice courtyard with a bunch of chairs — and we sat out there with an acoustic guitar and a couple of things and we just bashed out the arrangement. We were, like, ‘Okay, that’s cool.’ We went in, played it three or four times and that was it. Nobody charted anything; we just kind of memorized it and did it. And we would go into the control room, listen to a little bit, maybe tweak something, but once it fired up and after the second day, we really hit our stride, going, ‘Okay, the band’s back.’ ‘Cause we hadn’t played together in six years.’
As for the recording process for the new BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION disc, Joe said: “There’s not a lot of overdubs. I rarely double the guitars, ’cause Glenn‘s bass sound is so big and distorted, you know what I mean? It’s, like, why do I need to double the guitar? Same thing with Derek. It’s almost like playing in the band FREE. All of the sound comes from the four of us. And Jason takes up a huge amount of bandwidth; he’s such a big drummer.”
Bonamassa went on to say that he is looking forward to performing with BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION again. “I’d like to do some live shows with ’em [in 2024]”,” he said. “I think it would be really fun… Scheduling is the hardest thing, because of what everybody’s got [coming up]… [My solo band is] booked almost two years out. But next year, I really wanna at least set aside a week, maybe two weeks, where we can go out and do selected shows, do a couple here in the US, go to Europe, do a couple there. ‘Cause it es fun.”
BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION‘s most recent performance took place in February 2018 at the fourth edition of the Keeping The Blues Alive At Seawhich benefits the Keeping The Blues Alive Foundation, Bonamassa‘s non-profit organization dedicated to providing students, teachers, and musicians with the resources and tools needed to further their music education.
In a September 2022 interview with Andy Hall of the Des Moines, Iowa radio station Lazer 103.3, Bonamassa stated about what it is about a “band situation” that appeals to him, considering he has spent most of his career as a solo artist: “I like nothing more than to be a member of a band and playing guitar. I don’t have to front it; I don’t have to sing all the time. And it’s a lot less pressure than being the front person. Being the person in front is a special skillset. You have to be an entertainer. You can’t just sit up there and stare at your guitar and go, ‘Wow. Look, I can play guitar pretty good.’ That’s not gonna fill the theater. You have to put on a show. And to put on a show requires being an entertainer. So being in a band, the sum of the parts is greater than the single entity. So this thing where Glenn co-fronts BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION, I can just sit back and play rhythm guitar and watch him do his thing. He’s a legend. And then conversely, Glenn doesn’t have to sing all night; I’ll sing three or four [songs]. So we kind of spread out the whole workload a little bit.”
BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION‘s inception took place when Hughes and Bonamassa fused their styles on stage in Los Angeles for an explosive performance at Guitar Center‘s King Of The Blues event. With the help and guidance of Shirleythey further added to their rock lineage by recruiting Bonham and Sherinian.
In a 2017 interview, Hughes talked about the chemistry between the BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION members, especially since all the musicians have had successful careers prior to launching the group.
“This band was meant to be,” Glenn he said. “It was formed out of a friendship with Joe and I. We got the [other] guys to come in, and it’s always been a strong brotherhood. And we’re just very lucky and fortunate to have met. I’ve known Jason since he was [a kid]. I just think that these four guys in this band are the right guys to play in the band.”
Photo by Rob Bondurant
