Hughes, Vai, and Smith: Highway Star for Jon Lord and Machine Head 40th

"The session today was EPIC! Steve Vai's playing was from another planet: Chad as always, killed...the man is from another world. Hahaha!" Glenn Hughes on his Facebook fan page.

"Hey, I just finished up a dream of a life time. I was able to unite Glenn Hughes with Steve Vai and Chad Smith on a cover of Highway Star for the 40th anniversary of Machine Head. Producing and mixing these guys has been incredible and the result is MIND BLOWING..wait until you hear the CD, you won't freaking believe it. Glenn is GOD and Vai sounds like Brian May is doing crystal-meth while emulating Hendrix! Hahaha! Talk to you soon." Producer Fabrizio Grossi.

This week has been a tough one, the world of rock so visibly shaken by the death of Jon Lord. However, the community that makes up the upper echelons of rock has always been able to rise above it, and move forward. Just days after Lord's passing, the first tribute has been completed and it's a magnificent one.

Glenn Hughes got together yesterday with guitar god Steve Vai, and everyone's favorite drummer, Chili Pepper/Chickenfooter Chad Smith, and they laid down Highway Star with producer Fabrizio Grossi. As you can see from up above, the participants are rightly chuffed!

Deep Purple's Machine Head album entered the world in 1972, and there is a tribute album being made to mark its 40th anniversary. Details are still being sorted out, and recordings being made, but I don't think I'd be far off the mark to say that knowing what I do know about this project, it will be a tough tribute to beat. 

"We were asked if we'd contribute to the 40th anniversary of Machine Head, too - we can't turn that down! We're circling the Purple catalog and hopefully we'll come up with something that is worthy for these wonderful men." Metallica's Lars Ulrich, in an interview with Metal Hammer Magazine.

Glenn Hughes is carrying the torch for a great many of his fallen friends. He's seen the passing of bandmates and friends Mel Galley, Ronnie James Dio, and now the death of Jon Lord. Sometimes one gets the feeling that the Universe does actually know what its doing when it sets a man like Hughes on the back burner for twenty or so years - maybe he was being shelved like a fine wine, to be served when necessary. He's just finishing up with Black Country Communion's third album (which he proudly states is his most epic ever rock), he's just off the plane from a successful solo tour of Europe, and he's soon to be diving into the studio with another project that will make heads spin, and possibly explode. Hughes is fond of stating that there are no mistakes - that, indeed, the universe does know what it is doing, and it does it with love, compassion, and courage.


In the coming weeks, more details will be revealed for the 40th Anniversary celebration of Deep Purple's Machine Head. In the meantime, sit back and ponder. It already has Metallica, and the three headed monster of Hughes, Vai, and Smith. Dream big, stay positive, and who knows - maybe we've not even yet heard the best news that we're to hear concerning this tribute, which is already produced some smiles in a week that started on such a down note. I know in my heart that that is what Jon Lord would have wanted - for his passing to stimulate the making of great music by his courageous and loving friends. Now, that is a tribute. More soon!