JANES ADDICTION - HUGHES CREDITS CHILI PEPPERS STAR FOR NEW SOLO ALBUM

Rock legend GLENN HUGHES is crediting his comeback album to RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS drummer CHAD SMITH after he repeatedly challenged the former DEEP PURPLE star to work with him.

Smith, a longtime fan of Hughes, sent emails and phoned the rock great in a bid to urge him to record with him.

And when Hughes eventually returned to the studio to record new solo album SOUL MOVER, he invited Smith to join him.

He says, "Chad has been a dear friend of mine for a long time and he really pushed me to make Soul Mover. It finally gave us a chance to work together. He's a big fan of Deep Purple, and we hit it off as people."

"I have to say that Soul Mover is really the most fulfilling, cohesive album I have ever done. It's almost like I'm a new artist."

Hughes' new album also features former JANE'S ADDICTION star DAVE NAVARRO.