After a seven-year hiatus, Jason Bonham, Derek Sherinian, Glenn Hughes, and Joe Bonamassa have reunited to release Black Country Communion V. A symphony of impressive guitar tones, it’s a love letter to early-’70s British blues rock. Guitarist Bonamassa has never been shy about sharing his tools of the trade.
How does Black Country Communion V compare to past albums?
It’s the best one. I didn’t think it was going to be the best one because we weren’t as prepared as we were for the others. But it came out good; I was surprised (laughs)!
Did you hit the ground running or was it a slow burn?
We had sketches of songs – this bit, that bit, this bit over here. We spent a week doing two songs a day, building the tracks, then sat in the courtyard at Sunset Sound and bashed through it. We’d listen back then re-record something if we had to.
Did you make the call to get the band back together?
Yes, with a text thread (laughs). I was like, “Hey, it’s been seven years.” Everybody texted back within a day. They were like, “I’m in!”
You’ve taken specific influences and used them like watercolors for a painting. It’s familiar but not plagiaristic.
It’s not imitation when a couple of them invented it. Glenn Hughes is Glenn Hughes, so it’s going to sound like an early-’70s classic-rock band. We’re unapologetically that. This music has been played by everyone. We come at it from different points of view, but it all works.
It’s derivative, but millions of people miss that style. Is that good or bad?
I have a question for you: Who the f**k is re-inventing the wheel these days? If you have drums, organ, bass, electric guitar, and a singer, hasn’t that been around for over 75 years? Everything is derivative! There’s not much in rock and roll right now that can’t be traced back to something else. It’s been a while since the Immaculate Conception (laughs).
“Stay Free” has the Led Zeppelin “Trampled Under Foot” clavinet riff and sound. It’s so close.
We have a Bonham in the band, so there will always be that influence. We have a Hughes, so there’s always going to be that influence. The band is American and British influences coming together. In this context, I’m more of a Brit player. Keyboardist Derek Sherinian comes from a prog background. Are we for everyone? No.
We were looking at our catalog and thinking, “You know, this isn’t bad.” I’m proud of the work we put in, and I’m glad the album didn’t flatline. We didn’t just go through the motions, and we felt more honest and free. Black Country Communion would have been really big in 1972.
Which guitars did you choose?
I’ve gotten lazier in my old age, and don’t bring a lot to the studio anymore. I used to bring 20 to 25 guitars and end up only playing three. This time, I brought a ’53 J-200, a ’58 Les Paul Standard, and my ’59 Standard Custom Skinnerburst, which I used throughout the record. I also used a ’59 rosewood-fretboard Strat.
The tones are super-rich.
Glenn and Derek play pretty distorted. My job on the rhythm side is to play clean. Most of the record was done with a Marshall JTM45 and the Volume knob never went past 41/2. It’s clean, crunchy, and a good foil for the other two sounds. I also used my Ultraphonix-modded Vibrolux for some of the solos. If you listen to Deep Purple, Glenn was distorted as f**k, Jon Lord played through Marshalls, and Ritchie Blackmore was the cleanest-sounding guy onstage.
What’s the psychedelic effect on the solo to “Stay Free?”
That’s an Echoplex, the Vibrolux, and a Strat. I brought a bag full of old pedals. Usually, it’s an old-school Tube Screamer, my signature Cry Baby wah, one of the Echoplexes, a Klon, and a Boss CE-1 chorus. Most of the gain is from the amp. I’ve also been using a White Whale by Crazy Tube Circuits, which has a really good reverb.
What’s your latest tip for guitar collectors?
Don’t let emotion cloud your vision of what you want. Right now, there’s a lot of excitement in the vintage world, with buzzwords like “uncirculated,” “original owner,” etc. At some point, original owners gotta be turning 120 years old (laughs). Make sure what you’re buying makes you happy. Don’t let anybody talk you into something. If that refinished Strat is hacked up, modded, and it’s your dream guitar, let it be your dream guitar. Don’t let somebody tell you need a straight one.
This article originally appeared in VG’s July 2024 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.
