Posted by Corvus on July 18, 1999 



Found this one on the web...it's from late March or early April of this year, from something called "For the Record". The interviewer is some guy named "Jere"


Jere: The songs on the new disc are pretty straight-ahead and stripped-down. Is that translating into the live shows as well?

Steve: Yeah, I think so. Definitely. For the majority of the shows right now, we're playing to our core audience, the people who know the songs already. We'll be touring with Everlast and Lenny Kravitz later, and I'm expecting the crowd to be much younger. I think that'll be a better test for this album. We're playing about seven or eight songs from the new record every night, and then about three from each of the first four records. So far, the new ones have gone over really well.

Jere: Are you still letting fans tape your shows on this tour?

Steve: Yeah. We had to post some general rules, though. People were trying to bring in all this sophisticated equipment that was blocking other people's views, so we had to put a stop to that.

Jere: You guys took quite a bit of flack when you first decided to let your shows be taped.

Steve: Yeah. We're still taking flack for it, actually. We just found out that we've been in violation of our record contract the whole time (laughs). I think we may have to put an end to the taping at some point in the future. Everything's fine with it right now, but I can kinda see us having to end it somewhere down the line. I think that's definitely lurking in the future.

Jere: Since we're on the bootleg topic, how do you feel about the whole controversy surrounding MP3 files?

Steve: I look at any great evil from computers as the way of the world. Computers are like the atom bomb--if you rely on 'em, you're gonna get hurt. It bothers me that some people put full albums on their computers. I don't feel like that at all. I mean, who wants to listen to music on their computer? I'm only 33, and to those 18-year olds, I probably seem ancient. But I still enjoy going down to the store, buying a record, opening it up, and taking it home to listen to it.
You hear people say things like "I've been to the Louvre now because I've seen it on my PC." I hope they realize that there's a BIG difference. I fully expect things to go full circle the other way in the next 15 years. Maybe people will actually start reading books again (laughs). So maybe I'm not the best guy to ask about technology.
We've toured for almost 10 years now, and the one change I've really noticed is that kids today don't know what to do at a rock concert. They don't know how to just relax and check a band out. For us, rock music always equaled freedom. But for kids today, that kind of freedom doesn't seem to be something that they're seeking. Rock music still moves us very much, though.

Jere: If you could tour with any other band, past or present, which band would you choose?

Steve: For me, knowing that I would be able to sit at the side of the stage every night and listen to their set, the first performer that comes to mind would be John Coltrane. I'd love to have toured with Willie Nelson back in the 70's, or Parliament at their peak--all those people who neve came to the small town where I grew up. If I had to name one, though, I'd probably say the Beatles.

Jere: What impact did it have on you when American Recordings went under?

Steve: We bought some champagne and some party poppers(laughs).

Jere: From day one, you guys never got along with Rick Rubin (American Recordings owner), did you?

Steve: No. Not on any level, ever. We got off on the wrong foot and it went downhill from there. Fortunately for us, our first record sold a ton, so he couldn't tell us we were doing anything wrong. He kind of kept his hands off after that. George Drakoulias is the one who signed us, and he produced our first record. After it sold a few million copies, Rick slapped his "Executive Produced by Rick Rubin" tag on there. American was such a poorly run business, and we paid for that for eight long years. Our first two records kept that company afloat, and they treated us like dirt. We were with American for a long time, and not once were we made to feel respected, wanted, or even appreciated. Columbia (the band's new label) treats us with respect. They treat us like a band that's been around for ten years. It was a shocking difference.

Jere: And maybe a bit of karma.

Steve: Yeah. I think we were due. We were also lucky to find two new members of the band who have worked out great, and we all feel like we've got a bright future. Right now, we're having the most fun that we've ever had.

Jere: The general consensus on the Black Crowes, from people I've talked to, is this: you put out two great albums followed by two difficult albums. To me, "By Your Side" is a return to the band's strengths. Does it feel that way for the band, too?

Steve: Yeah, our strengths are definitely shown on this record. It doesn't bother me when people call out last two records "inaccessible" or "difficult" because we know they were. We made 'em (laughs). Some bands blame their fans for their poor sales, but we respect our fans. At the same time, we hope our fans respect that we have to make music that's honest to ourselves first. If there is a common thread that runs throughout our music, I'd have to say that it's honesty. Every record is a true reflection of where we were at the time. "Amorica" is an angry record, and we were angry when we did it. "Three Snakes and One Charm" is a confusing record, and we were pretty out of sorts at the time. We were dealing with trials, deadlines, and other personal stuff. Those albums made sense to us when we recorded them.

Jere: A lot of the press on this album makes it sound like your big comeback album. Did it feel that way when you were recording it?

Steve: I was 23 when we did "Shake Your Moneymaker", and I'm glad I'm not that same peson. I know what I'm doing now. I've learned a lot and grown up a lot. I wouldn't want to make that same album again. But I think "By Your Side" is a bit of a return for us because that sense of fun is back. It's exciting again.

Jere: For a while there, you guys had to watch the sales figures drop album-by-album. What impact did going through those tough times have on the band members?

Steve: We've always focused on what we're doing. To us, the Black Crowes are one big extended family. Our personal lives and our lives within the band are inseparable. We're constantly aware of it. We took a big hit on the sales of "Amorica" but we sold more tickets for that tour. That really gave us the strength to follow our instincts. In the fall of 1994, everything was from Seattle, or bands who were trying to sound like they were from Seattle. But that was just a trend, and trends come and go. We're in this for the long haul. We want to be able to look back on our records and be proud of them.

Jere: Have you heard what Johnny Colt (ex-bassist) and Marc Ford (ex-guitarist) thought of the new album?

Steve: No, I haven't heard. Marc's playing music in LA now. He sits in with a bunch of people. He's got it together now. I've seen Johnny a few times, but not since the record came out.

Jere: As a band, the Black Crowes have been portrayed as being very vocal in the fight to legalize marijuana.

Steve: Yeah, but we're not. We did ONE show for NORML (the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws), and it just happened to be the show where 60,000 people showed up and CNN showed up (laughs). We had a song on the "Hempilation" album, but that was just one of our throwaway tracks. It was an old Dylan tune. So I guess we shot ourselves in the foot there.
The only thing the Black Crowes are vocal about is being vocal. We don't lie when people ask us questions. Back in 1990, Chris (Robinson, the Black Crowes' lead singer) was being interviewed, and the reporter was talking about how the old "sex, drugs, and rock and roll" bit was a thing of the past because no one did drugs anymore. So Chris said, "Well, the drugs are still out there." He was being honest. So the guy asked if Chris did drugs, and Chris admitted that he smoked pot. We also drink beer, you know? At the time, we didn't see it as any big deal. 
The members of this band are accountable for ourselves, and we're responsible for our own actions. We don't use drugs as an excuse. Drugs are drugs. I rarely smoke pot these days, but I still do smoke it. I'll admit that. I will not lie about it. But not every member of this band smokes pot. Some of the guys in this band have never touched any drugs. As a band, we've never supported legalizing marijuana, but we're not really against it, either. I don't think we'll see it legalized until Anheuser-Busch figures out a way to make money off it. If we're associated with a cause, I guess we could have done a lot worse. At least we're not lumped in with the anti-abortionists (laughs). I think this is the most I've ever talked about this issue.

Jere: And I appreciate your candor on the subject, too. Back to music now, even though your sound isn't really influenced by current musical trends, do you pay any attention to them?

Steve: Yeah, I flip channels like everybody else. I check out MTV and VH-1 when I'm bored, but it's not to see what everybody else is doing. We compete with ourselves. But you hear things. I think it's funny that hip hop has taken over the world. I really don't listen to that much, honestly. I've never owned a rap album or a heavy metal album, but I keep up with it. Rock's still out there, but you gotta look for it now.

Jere: Any final thoughts?

Steve: Just that we're really looking forward to playing in Birmingham. I'm a Milo's burger fan from way back. I've got the other guys convinced that they need to try 'em now. I'm gonna buy a big bag of burgers for the whole band. If they don't like 'em, I'll eat theirs. I can't get enough of that Vulcan, either.