For the first time in 40 years, Glenn Hughes is set to perform full concerts of classic Deep Purple material. Shows are scheduled this September and October in Australia and New Zealand.

Hughes recently called Rolling Stone Australia while on tour in Britain to talk through the concerts, his memories of writing a classic Purple tune, and the band’s Hall Of Fame induction in 2016. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow:

Rolling Stone: How are you feeling about this series of concerts in Australia?

Glenn Hughes: “I’m really excited. I don’t know if it’s the fact that the actual touring Deep Purple are coming to an end on the road, if you will, or David Coverdale has done his Purple album [re-recordings of classic Mark III and Mark IV-era Deep Purple tracks], but I’ve been getting so many requests from around the world to do the same sort of scenario, honouring the songs that I made with Deep Purple. There were two live albums and three studio albums.

“I believe in karma and aspects of karmic solutions and resolutions, and I just feel it’s the time for me to do it. Spiritually, mentally, bodily, I’m in great shape, and in a place to honour those songs. Of course we’ve lost Tommy Bolin [guitarist in the Mark IV line-up, who died in 1976], we’ve lost Jon Lord [keyboardist, who passed away in 2012 from pancreatic cancer], rest in peace, and it’s a good time for me to come back and honour the music to people that really want to hear and see these songs.”

RS: Ritchie Blackmore has said he’d be up for reuniting with Purple for one last show. If the offer came, would you join in?

Hughes: “David and I and Jon Lord, about two years before Jon was diagnosed, we tried to privately get a reunion together, but we couldn’t somehow, no one could get Ritchie on the phone. And after a while we just said, we gave it our best shot, and of course Jon was diagnosed and we had to let it go. I’m not resentful or have bad feelings towards that, the fact is these things happen in life, opportunities come, opportunities go. I’m a firm believer in karma, I’m a firm believer that everything happens the way it happens. The legacy of Deep Purple that David and I left is still intact. I’m really happy with the three albums: Burn, Stormbringer and Come Taste the Band. The current Deep Purple that is touring now is coming to what I would imagine is an end, cos they’re calling it their last; it’s their last goodbye and I only want to wish them all the very best in their final tour.”

Read the full interview at Rolling Stone Australia.

Hughes played his last concert with Deep Purple on March 15th, 1976, at Liverpool's Empire Theatre. On that night, the UK bassist and vocalist walked away from one of history's truly game-changing rock phenomena and never looked back… until now.

Witness one of rock's greatest singers front a mighty handpicked band performing some of Deep Purple's all-time greatest songs with epic rock concert production.

Says Hughes: “I’m incredibly excited to get out there and play tracks like “Burn”, “Mistreated”, “Stormbringer” and “Getting Tighter”, as well as some of those older songs that helped define the genre. With this band, I can assure you of a concert that’ll blow your mind."

Joining Hughes for the shows are Jeff Kollman (guitar), Lachy Doley (keyboards), and Pontus Engborg (drums).

With one of the heaviest repertoires known to rock, and sound and lighting production values befitting the legend, Glenn Hughes' Classic Deep Purple shows are destined to write a new page in rock history.

Tour dates:

September
20 - State Theatre - Sydney, Australia
24 - Perth Concert Hall - Perth, Australia
26 - Horncastle Arena - Christchurch, New Zealand
27 - Michael Fowler Centre - Wellington, New Zealand
29 - Hamer Hall - Melbourne, Australia

October
1 - Qpac Concert Hall - Brisbane, Australia
3 - ASB Theatre, Aotea Centre - Auckland, New Zealand

For more info and pre-sale tickets, visit classicdeeppurplelive.com/.

Footage from Glenn Hughes’ performance at Hungary’s Fezen 2017 festival can be seen below: