PEACE, LOVE AND THE BLACK CROWES by E.K. This has been a year to remember for The Black Crowes. They have toured with The Rolling Stones, Plant/Page, and even Jerry and The Dead. Now The Crowes are the headliners for this year's H.O.R.D.E. Festival. Not bad credentials for a band critics called Atlanta's version of The Rolling Stones. What some critics haven't noticed is after five years of touring, three records and dozens of bootlegs, The Crowes have forged their own sound and style of music. They have become Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame material. Surely if The Supremes made it, The Crowes are are a lock. We talked to drummer Steve Gorman after the Pittsburgh stop of the H.O.R.D.E. Festival and he filled us in on the band and more. "Welcome to Mr. Crowes Garden" RRR: Well, Steve, can you tell us about the early days and how it all began? SG: Oh yeah, I'm fairly cursed with the memory (laughs). I moved to Atlanta in '87 and was going to put together a band with a friend. But he was in a band with his roommate Chris Robinson. They were called Mr. Crowes Garden. They were looking for a drummer, so I joined figuring I'd do this until something else came along. Nothing ever did (laughs). Everyone around Atlanta called us The Crowes, so after a handful of bass players, we decided to call ourselves The Crowes. One problem, there were twelve other bands in America with that name, with different spellings. We liked the name, so after every color we could think of, we went with black. RRR: What was the first song that got you interested in the drums? SG: I can't really remember the song, but I know it was a Beatles tune. That's all I listened to until I was twelve. I'm still a big Beatles fan. I was listening to Revolver on the bus the other day. I can't help myself, they were great. No matter what anyone says about Ringo, he influenced a generation of drummers. RRR: Do you remember Pink Pop '90? SG: (Laughs) Yeah, that was our first festival in Holland. We went on at 10:30 AM. There was this huge stage on a race track with 60,000 screaming fans. What a rush! Our record was out just four months. I mean, a road trip to us was a gig in Nashville, Tennessee (laughs). "Wiser Time" RRR: How does it feel to be a part of this year's H.O.R.D.E. Festival? SG: Oh yeah, it's a blast. We have done similar festivals in Europe, but not here in the States. It's nice to be on a bill with eight bands-it's everyone's show. Not that we don't like to tour for ourselves, we've been doing it for four years. It's nice there's no pressure of any one band carrying the show. RRR: I noticed this time your set was more of a jam session than on your Southern Harmony tour. Any particular reason? SG: That's been the progression of the band. We've been on the Amorica tour since Thanksgiving, we just hadn't hit Pittsburgh and Cleveland yet. This tour has been geared to open things more. RRR: How did allowing bootlegging shows start? You don't hear of that much... SG: Last year we noticed people taping shows for personal use. We came across more people just wanting tapes than trying to bootleg CD's. You can't stop those people anyway. The CD's are out there. Hell, I even buy them. After five years and people still come out to see you... shit, it's the easiest way to say thanks. Most of these people already have our records. Most of these bands are living for the moment, not the future. It's kinda flattering to walk on stage and see all those big mics everywhere. "Thorn in My Pride" RRR: Rumors are always flying about Chris and Rich not getting along. How does this effect the band? SG: It comes and goes, it's like any other two brothers. I have five brothers and if I were in a band with any of them, I'd kill'em (laughs). But we all get along great. They keep it to themselves. They have their problems, but it is always magnified because it's a band thing. There were problems all year, but they are fine now. It's family; you can't pick'em (laughs). I do think some good music comes from it, so it isn't all bad (laughs). RRR: Did you think the cover of your Amorica CD would cause such a buzz? SG: Yeah, I did. But I didn't think it would be about pubic hairs (laughs). I thought it would be about the use of the American flag. In America people see it as some sexist thing. To me when you first see it, it's not obvious if it's a man or woman unless you sit and look at it. Everyone sees something different. I've heard ten different things it might be-that's the whole point. "A Conspiracy" RRR: The Crowes are contributing a Dylan cover- "Rainy Day Woman 12 & 35"- for the NORML compilation. What's your thoughts on this subject? SG: Well, there are different issues. We always spoke out on the freedom part. As for the legality part, I think you're talking about a pipe dream. Everything with that issue is a gray area. If you put it to a vote, I don't know if you would get a majority vote. On the other hand, I can't understand the criminal part. Why should you get busted for doing something in the privacy of your house. If it don't effect anyone else, who cares? There isn't as much freedom as you think. I mean, as a writer, you've been looked at. There's someone telling you, that isn't a good idea, you better change this or that, right? RRR: Oh yeah, his name's Vinni (laughs). What's your thoughts on MTV censorship of your videos? S.G.: It's not even a secondary concern, we don't care what MTV thinks. It's like another radio station that won't play your songs. People think it's so important to be on MTV and it's not. Records were sold long before MTV. The problem is, it brings too many bands together for just video use. For us, there's not six worse actors out there than us (laughs). It's hard enough trying to get this band to rehearse- let alone act. Now partying... we are the best. E.K.