• I'll try to be quick.

    I first caught the fever in the early 80's when I saw the California Jam video in an old record store in Sydney called Utopia Records. They're still around these many years later but not in the old location. I digress.

    I was a MKII fan and had no exposure to any of the other MK's as I was just starting to get into Purple. In fact, I was a naive young lad who didn't even realise there were any other MK's! Imagine my surprise when I read the video box (and it was a plastic lined box) and I saw David Coverdale (Vocals) and Glenn Hughes (Bass & Vocals). When I got home, with great trepidation I played the video. Who were these blokes? Well, it was like turning on a light. I was quite taken by DC on vocals but what of this energetic madman playing bass and singing/screaming and shaking his long hair hither and yon. Who the hell played bass like that? More to the point, who the hell could play bass like that and sing at the same time?! I was blown away - instantly hooked. So, I started the search for as much GH material as I could gather but sadly there wasn't much to be had. I went back to Utopia Records and asked about GH but, in those pre-internet days, you had to believe what you heard. The guy behind the counter told me Glenn was sitting in a house somewhere eating Mars Bar sandwiches. That is really what he said. Little did I know that it was a dark, dark period for Glenn and his musical output was severely curtailed. I gathered the odd thing here and there over the intervening years, Gary Moore's "Run for Cover" being one such acquisition and an old 12" vinyl of Trapeze's "You are the Music ..." another, but with apologies to Ozzy, nothing seemed to satisfy.

    Years passed and the fever subsided.Or so I thought.

    In late 1999, I took a transfer in my job to a suburban location west of Sydney. There was a small record shop across the road which I could see from my office window. I went in there from time to time and they had quite an offbeat and eclectic collection of albums. Not your common or garden variety store, this one.

    Then as I was walking past one day - I heard the instantly recognisable voice of Glenn Hughes issuing from the speaker strategically located just inside the door. This had to be some sort of mistake, didn't it. I stopped and listened for a moment - no mistake. So, I practically ran inside and asked the guy behind the counter what he was playing. He said, "Oh, just some guy you wouldn't have heard of." I said, "Is it Glenn Hughes?" He looked at me a little strangely and showed me the CD Jewel case. I held the case in my hand and gazed at the cover of "The Way It Is". He turned the record up, much to the discomfort of others in the store and my spine tingled.

    Of course, it was an import and quite expensive but I had to have it. So I parted company with the best $32.95 I ever spent. The rest, as they say, is history.

    It took me over 12 months after that day to sign up as a member of the old GHPG site and here, too. I don't post a lot but I read every day and, on the tenth anniversary of TWII, I decided to share my little story.

    Later this month, Glenn plays Sydney with a full band for the first time ever. Can't wait.

    One thing I know for sure, the fever never leaves you. And that's The Way It is.

    Cheers
    hughesfan

  • I usually listen/sing to this on the way to gigs so I can warm up. I played some of the tracks for a swedish guitarist I work with recently...He just went nuts when he heard Won't Let them take you down and the solo. Tonight I was keeping my pipes warm between sets and then was also getting into Stoned In the Temple and Freedom...two of the least played tracks on it. I just simply will always love this album. Soul, power, production, playing, innovation, vocals, drums, guitar, bass, keyboards, writing. Inspiration. Thank you, Glenn.

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