Black Country Communion
| Company type | Supergroup |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2009 |
| Headquarters | Los Angeles , United States |
| Products | Music albums, live performances |
Black Country Communion is a hard rock supergroup with English and American roots, headquartered in Los Angeles. The band was established in 2009 by bassist and lead singer Glenn Hughes, guitarist and co-lead vocalist Joe Bonamassa, drummer Jason Bonham, and keyboardist Derek Sherinian.
The collaboration began in November 2009 when Hughes and Bonamassa performed together spontaneously. Producer Kevin Shirley recommended including Bonham and Sherinian to finalize the lineup. The band's name pays homage to the Black Country area in England, the hometown of Hughes and Bonham. Their musical style intentionally channels the classic rock sound of the 1970s, influenced by Hughes’ tenure with groups like Deep Purple and Bonham’s familial link to his father John Bonham’s legendary band Led Zeppelin.
Their debut album, self-titled Black Country Communion, was released in 2010, followed by Black Country Communion 2 in 2011, which was supported by their inaugural tours across the US and Europe. The third studio effort, Afterglow, came out in 2012. After Bonamassa left the group in early 2013, Black Country Communion disbanded; Hughes and Bonham went on to create California Breed. The band reunited in 2016, producing BCCIV in 2017 and later their fifth album V in 2024.
2009–10: Formation and debut album
The initial connection between Glenn Hughes and Joe Bonamassa took place at the 2006 NAMM Show in Anaheim, California. They later jammed together at Hughes' studio in Hollywood with intentions to collaborate. Prior to this, Bonamassa had worked with drummer Jason Bonham on his 2006 release You & Me, a partnership encouraged by producer Kevin Shirley. In November 2009, Hughes and Bonamassa performed at Los Angeles' House of Blues during a Guitar Center event, which inspired them to form a band. Shirley proposed adding Bonham along with keyboardist Derek Sherinian to complete the group after briefly considering a second guitarist.
The four-piece made their live debut on March 17, 2010, during an encore at a solo Bonamassa concert in Riverside, California, performing "One Last Soul" along with a rendition of Deep Purple's "Mistreated". Due to legal complications over the original name Black Country, the band adopted Black Country Communion after settling naming rights issues with another Baltimore-based act.
Recording sessions were held early 2010 at Shangri-La Studios in Los Angeles, aiming for a September release through Mascot Records (Europe) and J&R Adventures (North America). Hughes characterized their first album as "a significant British rock statement," drawing parallels with Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, and Led Zeppelin. The lead track "One Last Soul" debuted on UK’s Planet Rock radio on August 2, 2010, later offered as a complimentary download from the band's official site. Planet Rock also broadcasted a documentary featuring interviews and album previews before its launch.
The debut record was released on September 20, 2010, in Europe and September 21 in North America. On the same day, Black Country Communion performed their first official concert at London’s John Henry Rehearsal Studios before an intimate audience; this show was aired on Planet Rock. The album attained number 13 on the UK Albums Chart, topped the UK Rock Albums Chart, and reached number 54 on the US Billboard 200. It garnered favorable reviews including four-star ratings from AllMusic and Mojo. To promote the album, the band played only two UK gigs at Wolverhampton Civic Hall and Shepherd's Bush Empire in London. By the end of that year, Black Country Communion earned Planet Rock awards for Band of the Year as well as Best New Band.
2010–12: Second album and touring
Plans for a follow-up album were initiated in October 2010, shortly after the debut of Black Country Communion, with Bonham anticipating recording sessions to commence in January 2011. By December, Hughes had composed nine songs, framing the project as a direct continuation. The album was slated for a June 2011 release, accompanied by a promotional tour. In May, "The Outsider" was released as a complimentary digital download, followed by a June music video for "Man in the Middle." The album was officially released on June 13 in Europe and June 14 in North America, selling over 8,000 copies during its first week in the US—exceeding the debut’s initial sales of 7,100 units—but only reached number 71 on the Billboard 200 chart. In the UK, it peaked at number 23, which was ten spots lower than the first album.
To support Black Country Communion 2, the band embarked on a European tour from June to July, with the Michael Schenker Group as their opening act. Additionally, they performed seven concerts across six US states between June 10 and 19—marking their initial US appearances for this album cycle. Their debut live video album, Live Over Europe, captured during the summer European tour, was released in October 2011 and subsequently screened in select cinemas throughout the UK and Ireland in November. By the end of that year, Black Country Communion earned the Classic Rock award for Breakthrough Act of the Year.
2012–13: Afterglow and disbandment
Recording for the third album began in June 2012 as a successor to Black Country Communion 2. Hughes described this new release as "a progression from the first two albums" featuring "darker themes" alongside "dramatic moments." The initial track unveiled was "Confessor," made available as a free download on September 19, 2012. Afterglow was released the following month, reaching number 29 on UK charts and number 48 in the US. A single performance was scheduled at Wolverhampton Civic Hall on January 5, 2013, with intentions to produce a concert video; however, it was later cancelled due to "unexpected circumstances." Producer Kevin Shirley apologized and proposed rescheduling.
In August 2012, Hughes voiced uncertainty regarding the band's longevity, implying that Afterglow might be their final album owing to limited touring opportunities partly caused by Joe Bonamassa's solo commitments. He later clarified that his remarks were intended to encourage more extensive touring and warned he might seek other collaborations if touring remained inconsistent. Both Bonamassa and Hughes eventually indicated their readiness to move beyond Black Country Communion.
Bonamassa responded to speculation about his exit by criticizing Hughes for "bullying" him into fulfilling the cancelled 2013 show despite his unavailability and reproached Hughes for publicly airing internal disputes and claiming sole songwriting credit on Afterglow. Bonham expressed his dissatisfaction with these developments while Bonamassa's manager Roy Weisman accepted responsibility for cancelling the Wolverhampton concert based on Hughes’s conduct. On March 13, 2013, Bonamassa announced he was "happily no longer involved" with Black Country Communion. Ten days later, Hughes confirmed that the band had dissolved after Bonamassa declined permission to continue using the name. He suggested that "Jason, Derek and I will carry on under a different name when appropriate." In August 2013, Sherinian became a full-time member of Bonamassa's solo ensemble, and by February 2014, Hughes and Bonham had formed California Breed alongside guitarist Andrew Watt.
2016–present: Reunion, BCCIV and V
In April 2016, Black Country Communion revealed plans to reunite in 2017 with the intention of creating a fourth studio album. Bonham mentioned that the reunion was sparked by Bonamassa, who suggested bringing the band back together. Hughes and Bonamassa commenced writing new songs in September 2016, and recording sessions began in January 2017. The resulting album, named BCCIV, was released on September 22, 2017, and promoted through two concerts in the UK during January 2018. This release marked the band's first to break into the top ten of the UK Albums Chart.
After resuming their individual solo careers, Bonham indicated in 2018 that the group might enter the studio again by January 2019; however, Hughes later anticipated no new material before 2020. The timeline shifted further, with recording tentatively planned for January 2021. The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic caused additional postponements, with Bonamassa confirming that work was expected to start late in 2021 and that the subsequent album would not arrive prior to 2022. By October 2022, Bonamassa announced that he and Hughes intended to begin writing then, targeting a recording session for their fifth album in 2023.
In March 2023, Black Country Communion declared their first live performances in six years, including an appearance on the Keeping the Blues Alive at Sea cruise scheduled for 2024. Their fifth album, V, was released in June 2024, preceded by the lead single "Stay Free," which came out on March 1.
Style and songwriting
Black Country Communion, as a supergroup, merges diverse musical influences—most notably blending blues rock, primarily represented by Bonamassa’s style, with hard rock elements drawn from Hughes’ background with Deep Purple and Black Sabbath, along with Bonham’s connection to Led Zeppelin via his father John. Some reviewers have characterized their sound as following "the vintage Deep Purple template." Critiques of their second album frequently likened their music to Led Zeppelin; Eduardo Rivadavia of AllMusic described it as "sounding like drummer Jason Bonham’s offspring," while Paul Cole from the Sunday Mercury remarked it is "imbued with Zeppelin’s spirit." Hughes defines the band as "a genuine rock and roll outfit."
Regarding lyrics, Hughes has taken primary responsibility for songwriting, with occasional contributions from Bonamassa. Most compositions on Black Country Communion were co-written by Hughes and Bonamassa, while Sherinian’s involvement increased notably on their second release. Given Bonamassa’s demanding tour schedule, Hughes has assumed a larger share of writing duties, allowing more time per project—from six weeks during Black Country Communion, to four months for Black Country Communion 2, and six months for Afterglow. Bonham describes their creative process as spontaneous and "spur of the moment."
Band members
- Glenn Hughes – bass guitar, lead and backing vocals
- Joe Bonamassa – guitar, backing and lead vocals
- Jason Bonham – drums, percussion, backing vocals
- Derek Sherinian – keyboards
Discography
- Black Country Communion (2010)
- Black Country Communion 2 (2011)
- Afterglow (2012)
- BCCIV (2017)
- V (2024)