GLENN HUGHES Says Supergroup With BONHAM, SHERINIAN, BONAMASSA Will Continue

Former DEEP PURPLE bassist/singer Glenn Hughes has denied reports that his new supergroup with LED ZEPPELIN reunion drummer Jason Bonham, DREAM THEATER's former keyboardist Derek Sherinian, and guitarist Joe Bonamassa has split up amid rumors of management disagreements.

After the CD's producer, Kevin Shirley, wrote on his Facebook page at the end of last week that "we set out as friends and lovers of music, to make something special, [before]the managers got involved... and kept changing their wants, ultimately demanding EVERYTHING!" Hughes stated via his Twitter profile, "Just spoke to Kevin. We are workin' hard to deliver the greatest new rock album of the year. We are passionate." Shirley himself then clarified via his Facebook page: "OK — I have been urged to amend this - like everything on the Internet, things get twisted! I believe there is a salvage operation to rescue survivors from the downed [BLACK COUNTRY; the project's original name] plane. I have just had a big conversation with Glenn, who is mortified about the situation, as he has really put his heart and soul into it.

"I love Glenn.

He then added, "Here's the salvage plan guys — everyone is equal. It's that easy. Cut out the cancer that is anyone greedy, and this thing will rock. Morality rules..... managers try to. I am mad, too!!!"

The band was originally known as BLACK COUNTRY but learned that name was taken and has since been forced to come up with something else.

Bonamassa recently spoke to VH1 Radio Networks' Dave Basner about what is going on with the group.

"The band has a name and I won't say it until it's trademarked and on a CD," he said. "The record is done and it'll come out in September. And after that, whatever comes of it is great.

He continued, "People are going, 'Is it gonna tour? Is it gonna tour?' I don't even want to address that because at the end of the day, nobody wants to see a band that made a bad record. So my concentration in the short term is always make the record as good as it can be because there's a lot of expectation."

Joe elaborated on what expectations he felt were out there for the band.

"They expect the sum of its parts and then some," he said. "It's gotta be 'Led Zeppelin I' and DEEP PURPLE 'Burn' and DREAM THEATER 'Pull Me Under' plus whatever bits I've put into it. So for me, I'm really proud of it. It's an unabashed rock record in the truest sense."

The supergroup featuring Bonamassa, Hughes, Sherinian and Bonham made a surprise debut appearance during the encore at Bonamassa's March 17 concert at the Riverside Municipal Auditorium in Riverside, California. The band performed two songs — "One Last Soul" and a cover of the DEEP PURPLE classic "Mistreated".

Fan-filmed video footage of the performance can be viewed below.

(Thanks: Francesco / Deep Purple Italia)