The Way It Is (Glenn Hughes album)

Infobox Album | Name = The Way It Is
Type = Album
Artist = Glenn Hughes


US

Released = March, 1999
Genre = Hard rock, Funk
Length = 60:45
Label = SPV (Europe)
Nippon Crown (Japan)
Shrapnel Records (US)
Producer = Glenn Hughes
Michael Scott
Reviews = *"Allmusic" Rating|3|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:dpfuxqqkldae link]
Misc = Extra album cover
Upper caption = Alternate Cover


Lower caption = US Cover | Last album = "Addiction"
(1996)
This album = "The Way It Is"
(1999)
Next album = "Return of Crystal Karma"
(2000)

"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

While Hughes’ previous album, 1996’s "Addiction" had a serious, quite dramatic and heavy sound with songs that focused on the turmoil in his life, it’s follow up, "The Way It Is" has a distinctly lighter tone. The metal edge of "Addiction" was replaced with funk infused one. However, unlike 1995’s "Feel", which had definite funk, pop and soul sounds, The Way It Is keeps the hard rock Hughes is best known for.

This was Hughes’ second album to feature long-time guitarist Jocke ‘JJ’ Marsh, the two of them worked closely on the album, locking themselves away in Hughes’ Los Angeles home in November 1998. The album also features two songs co-written with funk guitarist Stevie Salas and performed by Hughes, Salas and former Guns N' Roses, now Velvet Revolver drummer Matt Sorum. The three of them had originally planned to put an album together, but this did not appear. You Kill Me and Second Son are the only tracks by the three of them to be released [http://www.melodicrock.com/interviews/glennhughes.html] .

Other musicians on the album include guitarist/ keyboardist Marc Bonilla, who worked closely with Hughes on "Addiction", but has a lesser role on this album. Keith Emerson provides organ parts on two songs and Hughes’ usual drummer of the period Gary Ferguson performs on all the non-Salas/Sorum numbers.

A cover of Jimi Hendrix’s Freedom (originally from "The Cry of Love") is featured on the album and additional remix of the song appears at the end of the record, although it is not listed on the album sleeve-notes.

Track listing

#"The Way It Is" – 5:44 "(Axelsson, Hughes, Marsh)"
#"You Kill Me" – 3:31 "(Hughes, Salas)"
#"Neverafter" – 5:13 "(Hughes, Marsh)"
#"Rain On Me" – 5:26 "(Hughes, Marsh)"
#"Curse" – 4:49 "(Axelsson, Hughes, Marsh)"
#"Freedom" – 4:18 "(Hendrix)"
#"The Truth Will Set Me Free" – 3:38 "(Hughes, Marsh)"
#"Stoned In The Temple" – 4:08 "(Bonilla, Hughes)"
#"Too Far Gone" – 4:54 "(Hughes, Marsh)"
#"Second Son" – 3:39 "(Hughes, Salas)"
#"Take You Down" – 4:35 "(Hughes, Marsh)"
#"Don't Look Away" – 5:37 "(Axelsson, Hughes, Marsh)"
#"Freedom (Shagmeister Mix)" – 5:10 "(Hendrix)"

Credits

Performers

tudio Tracks

*Glenn Hughes – Vocals/ Bass
*Joakim Marsh – Guitars on all except tracks 2,8&10
*Marc Bonilla – Guitars/ Keyboards/ Strings on tracks 1,3,4,5,8,9&12
*Gary Ferguson – Drums on all except tracks 2&10
*Stevie Salas – Guitars on tracks 2&10
*Matt Sorum – Drums on tracks 2&10
*Hans Zermüehlen – Keyboards on tracks 3,4,5&11
*Keith Emerson – Organ on tracks 8&12
*George Nastos – Street Funk Guitar on track 11

References

[http://www.glennhughes.com/twii_index.html The Way It Is entry at glennhughes.com]