The sole HUGHES/THRALL album is viewed by many to be a truly landmark effort and the creative post DEEP PURPLE peak of Brit vocalist / bassist GLENN HUGHES. The Englishman had spent much of the time since leaving DEEP PURPLE fending off rumours that he had immersed himself into a degenerate lifestyle full of drink and drugs and playing sessions with R&B artists. His first attempts at a 'comeback' were originally intended to entail a 'supergroup' comprising of himself, fusion guitarist RAY GOMEZ and R&B / Soul star NARADA MICHAEL WALDEN that would sign with Atlantic Records. Gomez decided to take an offer of a solo deal with Columbia and the Atlantic deal fell through. Hughes attempted to resurrect his working relationship with Gomez in 1981, but things failed to get into gear and he wound up meeting Pat Thrall after the guitarist had just quit PAT TRAVERS' band.

Pat Thrall, a San Francisco native, had begun playing drums prior to deciding to learn the guitar at 16, admitting to having 'locked' himself in his basement for a year in order to study the instrument, having had no formal training. Once, when breaking a string, he continued to play with just five strings until he could afford a new set.

Influenced by Terry Haggerty from the eccentric Bay Area 60's Progressive outfit THE SONS OF CHAMPLIN and JIMI HENDRIX, Thrall's first break came upon joining GO, an almost spiritualistic outfit featuring Stomu Yamashta, the legendary Stevie Windwood and SANTANA drummer Michael Shrieve. Thrall, now 22, put AUTOMATIC MAN together with Shrieve whilst the pair were still active with GO, recording two albums for Island Records.

Knowing that he had the confidence and ability to split from GO to do his own thing, Thrall played around as a session guitarist, mainly doing Jazz fusion, before accepting the lead guitarist's position with Canadian artist PAT TRAVERS' band. Thrall spent almost his entire stint with the group on the road aside from recording commitments. It was with Thrall that Travers co-wrote his classic 'Snortin' Whisky And Drinkin' Cocaine'.

So, it was in 1981 that Pat Thrall met Glenn Hughes, the pair instantly forming a friendship and enthusiastically putting songs together, the results of which formed the basis of the HUGHES/THRALL debut, the pair scoring a deal with the Boulevard label, a subsidiary of Epic.

Hughes though had first to extricate himself from WHITE TIGER, an act with which he played bass alongside ex-HERO / ARMAGEDDON vocalist David Donato (later to have a fleeting appearance in BLACK SABBATH) and guitarist Mark Norton (who as Mark St. John would record with KISS).

The HUGHES/THRALL album was recorded mainly with session drummer Frankie Banali (who would join QUIET RIOT after HUGHES/THRALL parted company) with additional drums on the album credited to Gary Mallaber (the STEVE MILLER BAND) and Gary Ferguson (BLACK ROSE). Rob Fraboni is the man who was initially engaged to produce, the man previously having worked with ERIC CLAPTON and JOE COCKER, amongst others, before the record was finished with Andy Johns in the chair.

Hughes and Thrall briefly toured America opening for SANTANA, using Tommy Aldridge for a while, but the drummer opted to return to work with OZZY OSBOURNE.

Despite rave reviews for the record in the press the lack of live exposure probably contributed to the record's poor sales and the pairing of Hughes and Thrall drifted apart, although they were to briefly work together in 1987 to record 'City Of Crime' for the 'Dragnet' movie.

Thrall later worked with MEAT LOAF. Hughes was to have turbulent times with GARY MOORE and BLACK SABBATH before concentrating on his solo career. The man has also worked with the PHENOMENA project, EUROPE guitarist JOHN NORUM, BRAZEN ABBOTT, DOKKEN guitarist GEORGE LYNCH and STEVIE SALAS.

Rumours of a HUGHES/THRALL reunion continued unabated until word arrived in 2000 that the pair were once again working on new material in New York. These sessions would be maintained over the ensuing years, relocating to Las Vegas, with an announcement that a brand new studio album was being slated for early 2007 release.