He graduated from Greenville Technical College with a degree in journalism and worked as the manager of a video depot in Palm Desert for several years.

[4] Hughes is one of the characters in the book Sex Tips from Rock Stars by Paul Miles published by Omnibus Press in July 2010.

[6][7][8] In 2015, Hughes appeared in the Björn Tagemose-directed silent film Gutterdämmerung alongside Iggy Pop, Grace Jones, Lemmy, and Henry Rollins.

[11] In 2021, Memphis musician Muck Sticky and Hughes collaborated and released a song and music video, Stir Crazy.

[21] Hughes' political views became more right-wing over the following years, and he revealed in December 2013 that he had even "wanted to be a Republican politician" in his youth.

While generally well-received, the documentary mostly gained attention for Hughes' erratic behavior, which included beginning a relationship with a former porn actress and getting ordained as a minister with the Universal Life Church.

[25] He also speculated that it was an inside job, claiming that security personnel who did not report to the venue that day "had a reason not to show up".

[33] He later deleted the posts amidst widespread criticism and apologized five days later, saying, "I was not attempting to impugn the youth of America and this beautiful thing that they accomplished.