Bonamassa gets heavy?

[Philly Q]

Apparently Joe Bonamassa is recording with a supergroup called Black Country featuring Jason Bonham, Derek Sherinian and Glenn Hughes!

We all know most supergroup projects end up being less than the sum of their parts, so I'm prepared for disappointment, but I can't help being a little bit excited about this.  I like Bonamassa, and I like the fact that he's never rejected or denied his rock influences, but I still find a lot of his music too bluesy.   I wanna hear him cranking urple and Zeppelin riffs!

(Personally I like blues-rock to be blues-ROCK!)

Harmony Central conducted an interview with drummer Jason Bonham (LED ZEPPELIN) at the Ludwig booth at this year's NAMM (National Association Of Music Merchants) show, which is being held January 14-17, 2010 at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California. Watch the chat below. As previously reported, Bonham has joined forces with legendary bassist/vocalist Glenn Hughes (DEEP PURPLE, BLACK SABBATH), keyboardist Derek Sherinian (ALICE COOPER, DREAM THEATER, KISS, BILLY IDOL) and guitarist Joe Bonamassa in a brand new project tentatively dubbed BLACK COUNTRY. The group is currently recording its debut album with producer Kevin Shirley (LED ZEPPELIN, JOURNEY, IRON MAIDEN, DREAM THEATER) for a tentative late 2010 release. Commented Shirley: "So there it is folks - the cat is out the bag! This is BLACK COUNTRY. "I am producing the debut album and we already have six tracks cut. "We're going to do the next session in March when I'm through with my current project, and I hope to finish in early April. "The band is Jason Bonham on drums, Derek Sherinian on keyboards, Glenn Hughes on bass and vocals and Joe Bonamassa on guitar and vocals. The songs are all original and what a lineup! They are all the very best players in the world, for my money! "Jason Bonham is a totally unique drummer and a supreme, yet oh-so-tasty powerhouse. Derek Sherinian is super-versatile, and is playing mostly overdriven Hammond organ in this ensemble and is the color on the palette. Glenn Hughes plays bass and sings with a range VERY, VERY few can even get close to, and Joe Bonamassa, perhaps the best blues guitarist around, plays hard riffing guitar as well as adding his signature vocals alongside Glenn. "You'll just have to wait - we're planning to get this out late summer, and it's promising to be phenomenal!"

[shobet]

Yeah, he'd been hinting on his forum about something for a while. Proof will be in the pudding.

[nfe]

Someone posted this on the Damnation forum the other day. I think it's destined to be terrible.

[Philly Q]

The most likely outcome is that it'll sound great, there'll be two good songs and the rest will be OK but... meh.

Won't stop Muggins here buying it though.

[shobet]

The most likely outcome is that it'll sound great, there'll be two good songs and the rest will be OK but... meh.

Won't stop Muggins here buying it though.

Steal it off the interwebs like the rest of us ;)

[gordiji]

i'm sure it will be great esp. wiyh bonamassa but it will dissapoint because it wil be a re hash of the past. this for me is what still remains so special with purple, zeppelin  and particularly rainbow. i don't think it's really been surpassed and that's surprising because something normally starts and gets improved upon.
By the way the article mentions bonamassa as he best blueser, has anyone listened to chris duarte?     

[Philly Q]

The most likely outcome is that it'll sound great, there'll be two good songs and the rest will be OK but... meh.

Won't stop Muggins here buying it though.

Steal it off the interwebs like the rest of us ;)

I'm too old to get used to this downloading lark, legal or otherwise.  I like to own tangible things (and I'm still mildly resentful about the demise of the 12" gatefold sleeve).

I may preview it on Spotify though, I can cope with that.

[nfe]

(and I'm still mildly resentful about the demise of the 12" gatefold sleeve).

It's still there.  8)

[CaptainDesslock]

I too don't see to much great coming out of it,

Bonamassa is a pretty good guitarist but slapsticking random groups together like this tends to lead to less than desirable outcomes.

[dave_mc]

interesting

[Simon D]

I'm a big fan of Bonamassa, but I don't quite get why he's doing this - it's not as if he needs to boost his profile, is it? I really, really want it to be good, but I've a horrible feeling it may not hit the mark.

[James C]

I'm hoping that the collaboration is a suprise in a good way, currently listening to 'Fused' by Iommi and glenn hughes is in top form on that album.

[Philly Q]

I'm a big fan of Bonamassa, but I don't quite get why he's doing this - it's not as if he needs to boost his profile, is it?

Just because he wants to do something different from blues, I guess.  Purely musical reasons.

They've all been around long enough to know this project is not going to make them rich. 

I'm hoping that the collaboration is a suprise in a good way, currently listening to 'Fused' by Iommi and glenn hughes is in top form on that album.

There's some good stuff on that album, but overall I think it's a bit patchy.  Typical supergroup album really.

[Dmoney]

Jason Bonham in another super group?

what happened to the last one with Scott Ian, Sebastian Bach, Even Seinfeld and Ted Nugent?

[Simon D]

I'm a big fan of Bonamassa, but I don't quite get why he's doing this - it's not as if he needs to boost his profile, is it?

Just because he wants to do something different from blues, I guess.  Purely musical reasons.

They've all been around long enough to know this project is not going to make them rich. 

That's a fair point Philly. They could be doing it for the fun of it too I guess, novel though that might be! ;-)

Supergroup stuff can be patchy, as you say. However, I thought the Chickenfoot album was pretty decent (prepares to run for cover), so you never know - this may turn out ok. Fingers crossed anyway!