Posted by Sweet Suzie B on April 21, 1999 at 22:50:41:

152.91.8.254 

REASON TO CROWE 

ROCK: A decade after being written off as copycats, the Black Crowes are critical darlings at the
top of their game. 

April 21, 1999

By BEN WENER
The Orange County Register 

If anyone in rock has earned the right to call themselves survivors, it's the Black Crowes.

The Atlanta rockers have persevered through mean critical slagging, harsh band infighting that led to
two members being replaced, and the sort of druggin' and drinkin' that would make Aerosmith blush.
They've come out of it in '99 at the top of their game, with hosanna after hosanna heaped on them by
nearly every critic in the country.

No longer considered copycats extraordinaire — and finished exploring their wobbly experimental
side — the Crowes have re-emerged as (to use the current overhyped tag) "the most rock 'n' roll rock
'n' roll band in the world." With a resume like that, it's no wonder VH1 is devoting a "Behind the
Music" special to them May 9.

Of course, no one feels the change better than the band's rail-thin, hard-livin' lead singer, Chris
Robinson, a man who has clearly taken lessons from Ozzy Osbourne in the no-holds-barred interview
department.

"I've always felt ahead of the curve," he said by phone from "somewhere in Arkansas, the land of
country-ham and pack-and-saddle commercials," where the band had just played a club gig. "I've
never felt we've done anything less than what we wanted to.

"But at the same time, I can see where we got lost for a while. The last few years have been like a
hammock. This year, it's a hot rod."

And it's revved up at the starting line, itching for a green light. The Crowes have been working hard
since the start of the year to restore their reputation, beginning with a sold-out and heralded club tour,
followed by the release of the "Sho' Nuff" box set (gathering their first four albums plus extras) and
their fifth album, the masterful classic-rock "By Your Side." It's by far the band's best effort, making
the rock 'n' soul roar of its 1990 debut, "Shake Your Money Maker," look fluffy in comparison.

But Friday at the Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre, that tricked-up hot rod the Crowes are riding back
into vogue will be truly revved as the band begins a summer trek co-headlining with its musical soul
mate, Lenny Kravitz. (Former House of Pain rapper Everlast and Kravitz's protege Cree Summer
also will perform.)

And, true to form, even the mere mention of what the tour may signify — as in, "Can two retro-fied
classic rockers save pop from being encased in bubble gum?" — gets Robinson ranting.

"You know, people wrote us and Lenny off 10 years ago for being copycats," he began. "Well, who
else is left after a decade, huh? Us and Lenny. None of those other bands that were around when we
started.

"And that's just the point: We never sold out. We never did anything else but rock — and I'm not
afraid of being a rock 'n' roll band. Others are because they can't; they're not American enough or
don't know their history. So who really gets the last laugh, right?"

FAME VS. ART 

Appropriately, Robinson is certain that rock has gone downhill since his band exploded on the scene
— partly because the Crowes weren't embraced enough, partly because "whiny grunge" took over.

"I mean, it's all still the same thing, and it's so old," he complained. "I still hear so many Eddie Vedders
and Kurt Cobains — and give those guys their due, they did their thing, but it's time to move on. You
know, we helped put the nail in the coffin of hair bands, too; our politics were totally in line with
grunge, but no one wanted to mention that.

"But it's only about being famous right now. Fame and money are what you get if you're a rock star,
but they're the least interesting part of what you do. I hate to say it, but ultimately you have to create
some kind of art, not just try to be famous."

Naturally, Robinson sees a lack of art in rock today.

"This is the most corporate, gone-in-a-second the music biz has ever been. In 1992, people would
have laughed their heads off if all these boy bands had been around. And these other bands, like
Fudgebox 20, whatever they're called, they sell 20 million records and they can't sell out 3,000-seat
halls. What does that tell you?"

That Matchbox 20 is a plastic invention. But Robinson's biggest criticism, that grunge lovers should
move on, could also be leveled at the Crowes, who have always sounded like rock ended the day Rod
Stewart left the Faces.

"But that's ridiculous," he countered. "That's other people's hang-ups, not ours. In '69, no one accused
Duane Allman or Hendrix of not taking music to a new extreme, even though what they were really
doing was blues at its core. I mean, I'm an avid reader, but I don't stop reading Fitzgerald because his
stories are from the '20s. The human condition is the human condition. It doesn't change much.

"And hey, if people decide to throw us in with the Stones and Zeppelin, well, that's better than Hole
and Soundgarden, if you ask me."

THROUGH THE PAST DARKLY

Enough ranting, then. Let's focus on the Crowes themselves.

There are others, of course, none of whom is as hilariously cantankerous as their fearless leader.
There's drummer Steve Gorman, keyboardist Eddie Harsch, new bassist Sven Pipien (who replaced
Johnny Colt a few years back), and touring guitarist Audley Freed, who Robinson says is as close to
official as anyone can get. ("We've basically told him the only way he gets out of this group is in a
body bag.")

Then there's Robinson's brother, Rich, with whom he maintains a constant love-hate relationship. For
now, Rich handles all guitars on record, after the dismissal of Orange County's Marc Ford, who many
felt was the best ax man the group ever had and who himself was none too pleased at his firing.

The reason, Robinson says? Drugs.

"It was hard to lose Marc," Robinson said, a touch of sadness in his boastful voice. "But Marc's life
was important to us, and that's why he had to leave. I hear he's doing great and has a new band, and
you know, he'll always be my best friend. I just can't run around with him anymore."

To reach that point, however, Robinson and company had to suffer through several anguished years,
which shows in their albums of the time. Past the exuberance of the debut and 1992's "The Southern
Harmony and Musical Companion," the band withdrew into the darkest recesses of its psyche to
produce 1994's moody, bruised "Amorica" and 1996's slight return, "Three Snakes and One Charm."

Robinson admits that the last two aren't exactly accessible, but he's still baffled by the bitter response
they received.

"People who hear the new album, who are raving, they say, 'Wow, all the songs clock in under five
minutes.' Well, then they never really listened to 'Three Snakes,' 'cause all those songs did, too.

"Sure, musically 'Amorica' is really out there ... and it's a very angry record because we were very
angry at the time. And 'Three Snakes' is our 'Tonight's the Night,' plain and simple. But I can't figure
why people couldn't accept them for what they are. I think some people never got past the cover of
'Amorica.' "

That cover, of an American-flag bikini bottom doing a fairly lousy job of covering a woman's pubic
hair, was pure rock 'n' roll but still left some cold. "If they couldn't get past that, how can I begin to
justify what's inside?" Robinson asked.

But why does he have to?

"I always feel I have to justify what we do, 'cause I've learned that no one is going to do it for us."

At the same time, he quickly added, "I've always thought that everything anyone needs to know about
the Black Crowes is right there on record, you know? I don't write science fiction. It's just rock 'n'
roll, and we're just a rock 'n' roll band, nothing more.

"Look, I'm 32 years old, and I would feel like such a jerk if I was trying to be in a punk band or
something that doesn't fit who I am. I don't have to wear sparkly panties and be like David Bowie to
feel creative. ... I love the music I make, and I love this life. This is what we do because the music
touches us deeply. If we sell 5 million records, great, I've done it before. If we don't, I can't be
bothered, you know?"