The Dead Daisies guitarist Doug Aldrich has addressed fans’ concerns about Glenn Hughes’ surprising retirement announcement, as well as the future of the band following recent lineup changes, in an interview with BraveWords.
Aldrich opened up about how Hughes has been coping since announcing his retirement, describing the emotional lead-up to what would become the band’s final gig with him.
When asked, “First off, how is Glenn doing?” Aldrich responded:
“I had dinner with him last week, and he was in really good spirits, under the circumstances. I mean, he’s bummed, there’s no doubt. Nobody wants to go through that. Basically, we had got prepared for that gig at the end of May that we did; it was going to be a one-off. He prepared really hard.”
“He did a lot of work, physical therapy and a lot of stuff to strengthen himself, cause he had been off the road for a while. He had cancelled his US tour and whatnot. But he put a lot of work in. We did the gig, and I remember I was so proud of him. We were coming back, going through LAX and there was a bunch of paparazzi there for him. He just had a pep in his step. He looked great. He had been working out, he felt great.”
Aldrich went on to clarify the misunderstanding around Hughes’ involvement with the band before explaining the medical issue that ultimately led to his decision to step back.
“A couple weeks went by and there was all this excitement about The Purple Daisies, which like I said, was just a one-off. So, we decided, let’s do one more. Let’s do one in LA. That’s one of the misunderstandings and misconceptions; Glenn wasn’t coming back to the band. Nobody asked him to be in the band. It was just a one-off. And then it was like, okay, let’s just squeeze one more. We booked it and Glenn was down for it.”
“Gilby Clarke was going to support. Gilby’s a really good friend of mine. He’s one of the greatest dudes. He is salt of the earth. And as talented as he is a musician, he’s just as talented as a motorcycle builder. He’s crazy good. Anyway, we had it all set up, and Glenn’s doctor said, ‘Come in for a random checkup.’ They did a test and it came back that he had an issue that is treatable, but it means that he needs to take it easy.”
“He just said to us, ‘Look guys, I can’t commit to this gig now because my doctor said I need to take it easy.’ Glenn deserves to do whatever he wants; he’s earned that. Just like Coverdale. If he decides that he’s retired forever, that’s up to him. If he decides, once he gets this stuff sorted out, that he wants to come back to doing his solo stuff, or whatever he wants to do… he’s good, he’s just taking it easy, following doctor’s orders right now. We’ll be with him, supporting him as family, all along the way throughout this procedure.”
Turning to the question, “Undoubtedly, fans are curious to see what’s going to happen with The Dead Daisies. But that’s going to take some time,” Aldrich shared his outlook on the band’s next steps.
“Yeah, we’ve had a couple of talks about options. Of course, anybody that’s hit me up, I definitely put their name on the list. Anybody that wants to hit me up, you’re welcome to, and we’ll see what happens. We love Glenn, we’ll support Glenn through this. I was actually going to do a gig with Glenn later in the year with Kings Of Chaos.”
“But Glenn couldn’t do that gig, so they had to get someone to replace him. At that point, since Glenn wasn’t going to be there, it didn’t really make sense for me to do it either. So, now I’m at home, just doing some sessions, and writing. I’m doing a lot of writing. If The Daisies decide tomorrow that they want to hear some songs, I’ve got some stuff. But Glenn’s going to get better. And with John, I know he and I will be friends forever. I wish that this didn’t go down the way it went down. But I’ve just got to make it clear, nobody here is a victim. We’ve all been taken care of very well, especially the singers.”
Aldrich’s comments shed light on a situation that has left many fans piecing together the full picture of what led to Hughes stepping away from live performance altogether.
Hughes officially announced in early August that he is retiring from touring and live performance for the foreseeable future, citing the need for another open-heart surgery. The 74-year-old bassist and vocalist, best known for his work with Deep Purple and Black Sabbath, revealed that a series of health issues over the past year had brought him to this point. Multiple MRI scans, CT scans, and an echocardiogram ultimately led his medical team to recommend the procedure.
Hughes explained the situation in his own words at the time of the announcement: “This past year, I’ve had some health issues. The results of numerous MRIs, CT scans, and an echocardiogram have shown that I need to undergo open-heart surgery again.”
The gig Aldrich referenced at the end of May, billed under the name The Purple Daisies, turned out to be Hughes’ last live performance before the retirement announcement. That show, initially planned as a one-off, later expanded into a brief string of engagements. Hughes’ doctor then flagged the issue during what was described as a routine checkup, which ultimately forced the cancellation of any further plans, including the LA show Aldrich detailed.
The timing of Hughes’ health news has compounded an already turbulent stretch for The Dead Daisies, coming not long after the band’s split from longtime singer John Corabi. The band’s lineup and future touring plans remain unresolved, with both Hughes stepping back and Corabi’s exit still fresh. However, Aldrich’s comments suggest the door remains open for new collaborators and fresh material once the dust settles.
