Return of Crystal Karma
Encyclopedia
Return Of Crystal Karma(often abbreviated to R.O.C.K.) is a studio album by former Deep Purple
, Black Sabbath
and Trapeze
vocalist/ bassist Glenn Hughes. The album was released in 2000 on SPV and Nippon records.
, although R.O.C.K. has a slightly more serious tone.
R.O.C.K. was performed by a set band throughout the album, unlike many of Hughes’ previous albums which had featured multiple musicians and guests. Regular guitarist JJ Marsh makes his third appearance on a Glenn Hughes album and co-wrote many of the tracks. The rest of the band is made up of keyboardist Hans Zermüehlen, Hughes’ regular drummer of the period Gary Ferguson and Lol Tolhurst (former member of The Cure
) who contributed some electronica parts.
One of the tracks featured on the album is a song called Gone which was written by Hughes and Tony Iommi
of Black Sabbath
for their abandoned 1996 album project. At the point of R.O.C.K.’s release Hughes’ considered it unlikely that those sessions would be released due to their prolific bootlegging. However Iommi decided to release them in 2004 as The 1996 DEP Sessions
, Gone also features there.
The instrumental track Owed To J is named in reference to the instrumental Owed To G, which featured on the Deep Purple
album Come Taste the Band
. The "J" is Jeff Beck, and the song is very influenced by Beck. The "G" is Gershwin.
Hughes decided to give himself the moniker ‘Funk Man’ in the writing credits for the songs. This is the only occasion where he has referred to himself as such.
The Japanese version of the album contained a bonus track entitled The World Is Broken. There is also a more common double CD version which includes ‘Live in South America’, which was recorded in São Paulo on November 25th 1999. The live disc includes two songs from The Way It Is
, two from the Hughes/Thrall
album, a Trapeze
track and No Stranger to Love, which was taken from the 1986 Black Sabbath
album Seventh Star
.
A video was shot for the song Days Of Avalon and was released on VHS on Hughes’ Pink Cloud Records label, it is no longer available.
Deep Purple
Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertford in 1968. Along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, they are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although some band members believe that their music cannot be categorised as belonging to any one genre...
, Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath are an English heavy metal band, formed in Aston, Birmingham in 1969 by Ozzy Osbourne , Tony Iommi , Geezer Butler , and Bill Ward . The band has since experienced multiple line-up changes, with Tony Iommi the only constant presence in the band through the years. A total of 22...
and Trapeze
Trapeze (band)
Trapeze were an English rock band formed in March 1969, by vocalist John Jones and guitarist/keyboardist Terry Rowley , with guitarist Mel Galley, singer/bassist Glenn Hughes, and drummer Dave Holland...
vocalist/ bassist Glenn Hughes. The album was released in 2000 on SPV and Nippon records.
History
Return Of Crystal Karma is Hughes’ seventh solo studio album, his sixth since 1992. The album has a similar bass driven funk sound to 1999’s The Way It IsThe Way It Is (Glenn Hughes album)
The Way It Is is a studio album by former Deep Purple, Black Sabbath and Trapeze vocalist/ bassist Glenn Hughes. It was released in 1999 on Nippon Crown, SPV and Shrapnel Records records and was Hughes’ sixth solo studio album.-History:...
, although R.O.C.K. has a slightly more serious tone.
R.O.C.K. was performed by a set band throughout the album, unlike many of Hughes’ previous albums which had featured multiple musicians and guests. Regular guitarist JJ Marsh makes his third appearance on a Glenn Hughes album and co-wrote many of the tracks. The rest of the band is made up of keyboardist Hans Zermüehlen, Hughes’ regular drummer of the period Gary Ferguson and Lol Tolhurst (former member of The Cure
The Cure
The Cure are an English rock band formed in Crawley, West Sussex in 1976. The band has experienced several line-up changes, with frontman, vocalist, guitarist and principal songwriter Robert Smith being the only constant member...
) who contributed some electronica parts.
One of the tracks featured on the album is a song called Gone which was written by Hughes and Tony Iommi
Tony Iommi
Anthony Frank "Tony" Iommi is an English guitarist and songwriter best known as the founding member of pioneering heavy metal band Black Sabbath, and its sole continual member through multiple personnel changes.Iommi is widely recognised as one of the most important and influential guitarists in...
of Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath are an English heavy metal band, formed in Aston, Birmingham in 1969 by Ozzy Osbourne , Tony Iommi , Geezer Butler , and Bill Ward . The band has since experienced multiple line-up changes, with Tony Iommi the only constant presence in the band through the years. A total of 22...
for their abandoned 1996 album project. At the point of R.O.C.K.’s release Hughes’ considered it unlikely that those sessions would be released due to their prolific bootlegging. However Iommi decided to release them in 2004 as The 1996 DEP Sessions
The 1996 DEP Sessions
The 1996 DEP Sessions is a Tony Iommi album released in 2004. Material for this album was originally recorded in 1996, and was circulated among fans as a bootleg recording dubbed Eighth Star...
, Gone also features there.
The instrumental track Owed To J is named in reference to the instrumental Owed To G, which featured on the Deep Purple
Deep Purple
Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertford in 1968. Along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, they are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although some band members believe that their music cannot be categorised as belonging to any one genre...
album Come Taste the Band
Come Taste the Band
Come Taste the Band is the tenth studio album by the English rock band Deep Purple originally released in October 1975. The album was co-produced and engineered by the band and longtime associate Martin Birch...
. The "J" is Jeff Beck, and the song is very influenced by Beck. The "G" is Gershwin.
Hughes decided to give himself the moniker ‘Funk Man’ in the writing credits for the songs. This is the only occasion where he has referred to himself as such.
The Japanese version of the album contained a bonus track entitled The World Is Broken. There is also a more common double CD version which includes ‘Live in South America’, which was recorded in São Paulo on November 25th 1999. The live disc includes two songs from The Way It Is
The Way It Is (Glenn Hughes album)
The Way It Is is a studio album by former Deep Purple, Black Sabbath and Trapeze vocalist/ bassist Glenn Hughes. It was released in 1999 on Nippon Crown, SPV and Shrapnel Records records and was Hughes’ sixth solo studio album.-History:...
, two from the Hughes/Thrall
Hughes/Thrall (album)
Hughes/Thrall is the self-titled, debut album by musical collaborators Glenn Hughes and Pat Thrall . It was released in 1982 on Boulevard Records and is, to date, their only album....
album, a Trapeze
Trapeze (band)
Trapeze were an English rock band formed in March 1969, by vocalist John Jones and guitarist/keyboardist Terry Rowley , with guitarist Mel Galley, singer/bassist Glenn Hughes, and drummer Dave Holland...
track and No Stranger to Love, which was taken from the 1986 Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath are an English heavy metal band, formed in Aston, Birmingham in 1969 by Ozzy Osbourne , Tony Iommi , Geezer Butler , and Bill Ward . The band has since experienced multiple line-up changes, with Tony Iommi the only constant presence in the band through the years. A total of 22...
album Seventh Star
Seventh Star
Seventh Star is the twelfth studio album by Black Sabbath, released in January 1986.It was originally written, recorded, and intended to be the first solo album by guitarist Tony Iommi, but due to label pressures and the prompting of band manager Don Arden, the record was billed as Black Sabbath...
.
A video was shot for the song Days Of Avalon and was released on VHS on Hughes’ Pink Cloud Records label, it is no longer available.
Track listing
- "The State I'm In" – 4:58 (Hughes, Marsh)
- "Midnight Meditated" – 4:27 (Hughes, Marsh)
- "It's Alright" – 4:31 (Hughes, Marsh)
- "Switch The Mojo" – 4:33 (Hughes, Marsh)
- "Gone" – 5:51 (Hughes, Iommi)
- "The Other Side Of Me" – 3:50 (Hughes, Zermüehlen)
- "Angela" – 5:57 (Hughes, Zermüehlen)
- "Owed To J" – 5:58 (Ferguson, Hughes, Marsh, Zermuehlen)
- "This Life" – 4:52 (Hughes, Zermüehlen)
- "Days Of Avalon" – 5:58 (Hughes, Marsh)
Live in South America (Bonus CD)
- "You Kill Me" – 4:38 (Hughes, Sales)
- "Neverafter" – 6:46 (Hughes, Marsh)
- "First Step Of Love" – 6:12 (Hughes, Thrall)
- "No Stranger To Love" – 8:06 (Hughes, Iommi)
- "Coast To Coast" – 10:23 (Hughes)
- "Your Love Is Alright" – 9:40 (Galley, Holland, Hughes)
Credits
- Glenn Hughes – Vocals/ BassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- JJ Marsh – GuitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
s - Gary Ferguson – DrumDrumThe drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
s on R.O.C.K. - Hans Zermüehlen – KeyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
- Lol Tolhurst – Electronica on R.O.C.K.
- Bob Harsen – DrumDrumThe drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
s on Live In South America