“I played with Satriani, Bonamassa, Iommi and Blackmore… but Gary Moore was the best”: Glenn Hughes has performed with some of the greatest guitarists of all time, but he reckons the late, great blues-rocker surpasses them all

Glenn Hughes has said that Gary Moore is “the best” of all the guitar players he has worked with across his 50 years in rock music. 

The bassist and vocalist has worked with an incredible list of guitarists during those five decades at the coalface, from playing with Ritchie Blackmore when he joined Deep Purple in 1973 through to a stint fronting Black Sabbath and, more recently, jamming with Joe Bonamassa in their supergroup, Black Country Communion.

“I wanna go on record now,” Hughes told Rockin’ Metal Revival [transcribed via Blabbermouth].

“I'm going to list a few for you. I played with [Joe] Satriani, [Joe] Bonamassa, [Tony] Iommi and [Ritchie] Blackmore and Pat Thrall and Brian May and Jerry Cantrell and Warren Haynes. 

“I mean, I could carry on. But my favorite… I really want you to push this one. My dearest old friend – we started working together in 1979 – Gary Moore, was the best.”

Hughes also adds Eddie Van Halen, Tommy Bolin (The James Gang, Deep Purple) and Mel Galley (Whitesnake) to his list, but insists Moore still takes the top spot for him. However, the rock legend admits he is somewhat biased in his judgement.

“Understand me now, Gary and I were very close. We made the [1985] album Run For Cover,” says Hughes. 

“But when I look back at Gary and I working together and him playing in my studio and sitting in my home on the couch, writing songs: that guy was unbelievable!

“Again, all those people I spoke about [are] iconic guitar players. I've played with them all, and I'm very proud. Bonamassa right now is… I mean, Joe's incredible. And Ritchie, Tony... But Gary Moore [was something else].”

You can hear Hughes’ full interview in the clip above. 

Last month, Hughes appeared with Joe Bonamassa and Chad Smith to run through an epic Deep Purple jam. Appropriately, Bonamassa came armed with a Deep Purple-associated electric guitar, in the shape of his Bolin ’Burst Gibson Les Paul.