How The KLF and Glenn Hughes Made What Time Is Love?

By the end of the 1980s, bassist and vocalist Glenn Hughes faced a bleak crossroads. After rising to fame in Trapeze and revitalizing Deep Purple alongside David Coverdale on landmark records like 1974’s Burn and Stormbringer, Hughes fell into a severe addiction to cocaine and crack. His lifestyle ultimately took precedence over music, culminating in a kitchen fire that nearly cost him his life.

Salvation arrived in an unexpected form via electronic mavericks Bill Drummond and Jimmy Cauty. Operating as The KLF, the duo wanted to update a trance track they had previously released under the title What Time Is Love? Rechristened as America: What Time Is Love?, the new version featured a sampled riff from Motörhead’s Ace Of Spades and a heavy techno-rock crunch. They needed a vocalist with a soaring, aggressive delivery to match the beefed-up instrumentation.

The Axl Rose No-Show That Led to Glenn Hughes

As it turned out, Hughes wasn’t the first choice for the recording session. According to Drummond, Guns N’ Roses frontman Axl Rose was originally lined up for the guest spot. “We were originally supposed to be doing the song with Axl Rose, but he didn’t turn up,” Drummond explained to Joel McIver. Drummond eventually recalled Hughes from his early days fronting Trapeze in 1971.

Hughes received a call from someone in The KLF’s camp suggesting either him or Roger Daltrey for the track. Within an hour of arriving at the studio, Hughes laid down the blistering vocal take that made the final cut, impressing Drummond with his sheer energy and professionalism despite being in active addiction. Though unaware of his struggles at the time, Hughes viewed the unexpected collaboration as a potential turning point to reevaluate his life and career.