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11.23.04
I added a few scanned articles (1991) to the info section thanks to jane the obscure!
11.9.04
New Rich Robinson dates:
Mon 13 London Underworld
Tues 14 Bristol Fleece
Wed 15 Manchester Night & Day
Thurs 16 Glasgow King Tuts
Fri 17 Nottingham Rescue Rooms
Sat 18 Stockton Georgian Theatre
9.22.04
Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals have a new album out this week with the Blind Boys of Alabama called "There Will Be A Light"
Marc Ford is on it and contributed to one song also. Check out the Ben Harper website for more information and a behind the scenes video clip!
9.21.04
Rich Robinson Hits The Road
Former Black Crowes guitarist Rich Robinson has just kicked off a fall North American tour in support of his self-released debut solo album, "Paper." The outing finds Robinson backed by former Big Sugar leader Gordie Johnson and drummer Joe Travers, who doubles as the audio archivist for the Frank Zappa estate.
"We're getting into the groove of things," Robinson told Billboard yesterday (Sept. 20) after a performance at the magazine's New York office. "I only have one record, but we have about 10 cover tunes we can do. The shows are ranging about two hours every night, sometimes two-and-a-half. We'll do pretty much everything from 'Paper,' but we're also doing a Crosby Stills & Nash song, a Manassas song and a couple of Dylan songs."
And while Robinson played Crowes songs when he first began touring solo, the band's body of work is absent from his repertoire this time around. "I mainly did that because when I first started playing shows, we only had nine or 10 songs," he admits. "People that are coming are Crowes fans. It's like, 'What do you do?' These are songs I grew up with."
As for the possibility of a Black Crowes reunion, Robinson remains cautiously optimistic. "I'd love to do it," he said. "[Crowes vocalist] Chris and I are brothers and I love him. It would definitely be a cool, comfortable thing to do, but I'm proud of [the solo album] and I am glad I got to do it. Still, there's something familiar about [the Crowes]. I love those songs and the work we did together."
However, Robinson says rumors that Crowes dates are already being booked and that a boxed set is on the horizon are "not true. It's pretty funny though. I guess that means there are a lot of people that still care about the Crowes, so that's a good thing."
9.9.04
Rich Robinson Tourdates:
Thu 09/16/04 Poughkeepsie, NY The Chance
Fri 09/17/04 Providence, RI The Call
Sat 09/18/04 Portland, ME Big Easy
Sun 09/19/04 Hartford, CT Webster Theatre / Underground
Tue 09/21/04 Asbury Park, NJ Stone Pony
Wed 09/22/04 New York, NY Hiro Ballroom
Fri 09/24/04 Philadelphia, PA North By Northwest
Sat 09/25/04 Vienna, VA Jammin' Java
Sun 09/26/04 Baltimore, MD Funk Box
Tue 09/28/04 Ferndale, MI Magic Bag
Wed 09/29/04 Cincinnati, OH 20th Century Theatre
Thu 09/30/04 Bloomington, IN Uncle Festers
Sat 10/02/04 Rockford, IL Kryptonite
Sun 10/03/04 Chicago, IL Double Door
Mon 10/04/04 Milwaukee, WI Shank Hall
Tue 10/05/04 Minneapolis, MN Ascot Room @ Quest Club
Fri 10/08/04 Urbana, IL Canopy Club
Wed 10/13/04 Cleveland, OH Agora Theatre
Fri 10/15/04 Buffalo, NY Nietzsche's
8.31.04
Rich will be on Rockline tomorrow night, Wednesday 9/1 check your local station for times (NY will be midnight) www.rocklineradio.com Get ready to call in your questions for Rich. This will be broadcasted live nationwide.
8.30.04
Tuesday, August 31st:
--DSOTR is Back--
This morning DarkSide of the Radio is back with a new playlist, new web site, etc., and @ 1:00 pm cst (2:00 pm est) a new interview with Rich Robinson will run. This is very, very in-depth. Rich discusses New Earth Mud, his brother's two records, Black Crowes fans, the Hookah Brown split, and of course his new record "Paper". The interview lasts well over an hour and will be repeated at midnight.
Log on to: http://www.dsotr.8m.com to listen and also http://www.live365.com/stations/osbc01
Send requests and comments to: Hollywood@Kih.net
Tune in and help us celebrate the return of DarkSide of the Radio and also the launch of Rich Robinson.. the solo artist!
8.21.04
Rich Robinson will be releasing his long awaited solo debut album, PAPER this Tuesday August 24th!
Take a moment to listen to a few tracks off the album in it's entirety through this link.
Rich will be hitting the road next month throughout the country to promote PAPER. You can grab all the
latest updates, news and confirmed tour dates @ www.richrobinson.net
8.18.04
Chris Robinson Bags Fall Tour
Chris Robinson has canceled plans for a fall tour with his band New Earth Mud, amid growing speculation that he may re-team with his brother Rich under the Black Crowes moniker. As previously reported, the siblings have met recently with former manager Pete Angelus to discuss a potential reunion.
Angelus declined to comment, other than to say, "Keep your resin-covered fingers crossed."
Rich Robinson is prepping for the Aug. 24 release of his solo debut, "Paper," via his own Key Hole imprint. There's no word yet if he will tour in support of the set, in the wake of recently completed pre-release residencies in New York, Philadelphia and Boston.
Also foreshadowing a reunion is the recent reactivation of the Black Crowes' Web site, which has been largely dormant since the group announced a hiatus in 2002. The site hosts animation of two crow heads with lit joints in their mouths, as live Black Crowes audio clips play in the background.
8.15.04
Here are some new Rich Robinson dates:
09/16/04
Poughkeepsie, NY -
The Chance
09/17/04
Providence, RI -
The Call
09/18/04
Portland, ME -
Big Easy Blues
09/19/04
Hartford, CT -
Webster Theater
09/21/04
New York City -
Hiro Ballroom
09/22/04
Asbury Park -
The Stone Pony
09/24/04
Philadelphia, PA -
NXNW
09/26/04
Baltimore, MD -
The Funk Box
8.9.04
Click here to visit the Dark Side of the Radio site which has clips from the recent Chris Robinson interview for download! There is also a bonus segment that features clips that wasn't heard on the original broadcast.
8.3.04
Here are more dates confirmed for the Fall Mud Tour:
09/05 - Oakland, CA @ Art & Soul Festival (In front of One Frank Ogawa Plaza)
NEM plays the World Class Rock Presented By KFOG 104.5 FM Stage. NEM plays from 2:15-3:15 and is followed by Los Lobos
10/13 - Nashville, TN @ Uptown Mix (co-bill with Steve Earle)
10/14 - Knoxville, TN @ Autumn on the Square (FREE SHOW)
7.29.04
Chris Robinson and The New Earth Mud will be performing as a part of the Austin City Limits Festival on September 19, 2004, in the music mecca that is Austin, TX.
You can check out the other artists and pertinent information about the festival online at their official website: aclfestival.com.
Another PEACEFUL KNIEVEL show!!
featuring MIKE FARRIS (Screamin Cheetah Wheelies), AUDLEY FREED (Black Crowes, New Earth Mud, Cry of Love), ANDY HESS (Black Crowes, Gov't Mule), CHARLEY DRAYTON (Keith Richards, David Letterman), GEORGE LAKS (Lenny Kravitz, New Earth Mud)
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 3rd
ABOARD THE TEMPTRESS (the 'big boat')
BOARDING: 9 PM
DEPARTURE: 10 PM
AGES: 18+
TICKETS: $30 adv/$35 dos
7.26.04
This week the Chris Robinson Interview/Special Guest
DJ Show can be heard on the following radio stations:
CaliforniaSoul.Org - http://www.californiasoul.org/ -
Wednesday @ 1:00 p.m. est, 12:00 p.m. cst
Thursday Morning @ 3:00 a.m. est, 2:00 a.m. cst
Log on to http://www.CaliforniaSoul.org to listen!
WHAY 98.3 Home of Americana FM - Somerset, KY
Wednesday @ 8:00 p.m. est, 7:00 p.m. cst
Saturday @ 8:00 a.m. est, 7:00 a.m. cst
Log on to http://www.Hay98.com to listen!
This is a two hour show that is just about entirely focused around Chris Robinson and his new record. The
interview is lengthy for commercial radio and Chris' DJ segments are quite long too. I suggest you tune into these stations at least five minutes before the show is scheduled to start.
You can also log on to http://www.AreYouReadyForTheCountry.com for more
information as well as updates.
7.21.04
Chris Robinson will be on the Dark Side of the Radio internet station next week discussing the new album, tour and a lot of other things as well as being a guest DJ. I will post when I get the exact date. Here is the site for more info.
Check out this great concert review of New Earth Mud in San Francisco from JamBase.com by Dennis Cook.
7.13.04
The entire Chris Robinson and the New Earth Mud live performance from Bonnaroo is now available on-line at www.livebonnaroo.com.
LiveBonnaroo.com is offering digital, downloadable recordings of the highest quality of live festival performances from many of the most popular artists. The site's current catalog includes sets from several different artists. Look for more great performances to be added in the coming weeks.
All sets are being mixed by Bonnaroo's team of top notch producers to achieve the highest sound quality possible. In addition to full sets from the festival in MP3 and CD quality FLAC formats, LiveBonnaroo.com provides downloadable album artwork, CD labels, liner notes, and live photos. Check it out at www.livebonnaroo.com!
Peaceful Knievel is back! Mike Farris has re-united the super-soul-rock band consisting of Audley Freed (Cry Of Love, The Black Crowes, New Earth Mud), Andy Hess (Gov't Mule), Charyley Drayton, and George Laks. The room is going to bump and the tickets will go fast. Click here to buy tickets for August 27th at Mexicali Blues in NJ!
7.7.04
This site has a video interview with Chris Robinson.
Check out this review of This Magnificent Distance from Billboard and this one from Allmusic Guide:
For those attracted -- as well as put off -- by the sun-drenched and shambolic hippie optimism on New Earth Mud, forget it. While This Magnificent Distance is not a pessimistic record, it is a darker one (texturally at least), and its musical polestar is a step into something murkier, more spacious and varied, and better articulated, yet less defined. This is most certainly a rock record. (What else could it be?) But as a songwriter, Robinson has grown by leaps and bounds (though he claims some of these tunes were written before New Earth Mud). His collaboration with producer and multi-instrumentalist Paul Stacey has borne wonderful fruit here -- as has the addition of veteran bass ace George Reiff. The opener, "40 Days," with a balls-out guitar riff and swirling organ line, is one of the most lyrically sophisticated tracks on the set. Walking a razor between the delirious metaphors of Bob Dylan and the punchy tight lines of John Lennon, it is an exhortation to the needy side of dangerous love and flight. But the sheer sonic wallop it packs makes it the obvious first single, and Black Crowes fans will flip for this one. But it is countered immediately with the dreamy psychedelia of "Girl on the Mountain," with its layered bluesy guitars and shimmering drums. The chorus rocks, but the rest of it rolls. Top-heavy crackle returns on "Mother of Bone," which will undoubtedly turn into a jamming standard live. Blues and a slippery backbeat weave acoustic guitars into the verse as well as burning distorted lead riffs into the refrain. But it's the organic percussion that splays it all open into some kind of simmering sonic drift. The beautiful Western-themed cuts, such as "Train Robbers," "Like a Tumbleweed in Eden," and the gorgeous "When the Cold Wind Blows at the Dark Edge of Night," are genre-warping textural studies in psychedelic production and poetic song structures. The music is progressive, and wonderfully intricate; it stands completely outside the mark of anything Robinson has done before. The loose country stroll of "...If You See California" is the album's most beautiful love song, and is partnered with "Eagles on the Highway," steeped in American mythic iconography. The album comes back to tough, lean rock & roll on the set's final three selections, "Surgical Glove," "Sea of Love," and the closer, "Piece of Wind." They take the gentility and moodiness of the middle section of the record and break it all down to lean, mean basics once more with brilliant instrumental interplay between Stacey and Reiff. This Magnificent Distance is a worthy and wonderfully engaging testament to Robinson's creative evolution. -- Thom Jurek
6.29.04
NEW ALBUM ‘THIS MAGNIFICENT DISTANCE’ OUT JUNE 29
Today marks the release of the band’s new album THIS
MAGNIFICENT DISTANCE (Vector Recordings), featuring
the first radio track “40 Days,” the song they
performed on Letterman. ROBINSON describes the
fiercely rocking “40 Days” as "a
storm-a-comin'-kind-of tune.”
THIS MAGNIFICENT DISTANCE is a work that draws on the
vast panorama of American music--rock, blues, folk,
country, soul and elements of jazz--and ROBINSON
personalizes it with his compelling vocals,
free-spirited melodies and vivid lyrics in which he
looks inwards and at the world around him.
The album has already been generating praise from a
variety of outlets. It earned a four-star review in
the June/July issue of Blender, in which Clark Collis
cited “the singer’s heartfelt howling and dynamite
harmonica playing.” Harp magazine’s Jaan Uhelszki
praised CHRIS’ “rebel-hearted romanticism, tales of
ruined innocence, and the quest for personal
liberation” (August 2004), while Tracks’ Holly
George-Warren noted how “Prominent keyboards and
eloquent guitar work (by Crowes guitarist Audley
Freed, Robinson and his co-producer, Paul Stacey) make
the bucolic ‘Girl on a Mountain,’ the majestic ‘When
the Cold Wind Blows…’ and the nostalgic ‘Train
Robbers’ sound like Fillmore East jam sessions…A
grittier mood envelops the harmonica-driven ‘Piece of
Wind,’ in which Robinson's political convictions
surface” (June 2004).
CHRIS ROBINSON & THE NEW EARTH MUD are on tour right
now. Check out the tour dates for a show near you!
6.26.04
I added 2 new articles in the info section from 6.25.04 about Chris and Rich.
6.21.04
This Magnificent Distance comes out next week and I'm posting this reminder for those who didn't know that if you preorder the album, you get a bonus dvd which is only available if you preorder online.
Also, a couple of new NEM dates have been added:
07/19 - Webster Theater - Hartford, CT
07/20 - Pearl Street - Northhampton, MA
here are the rest of the dates:
06/22/2004 Mexicali Blues Teaneck, NJ
06/23/2004 Stephen Talkhouse Long Island, NY
06/25/2004 Theater Of Living Arts Philadelphia, PA
06/26/2004 Paradise Boston, MA
06/27/2004 Southpaw Brooklyn, NY
06/28/2004 Irving Plaza New York, NY
06/28/2004 David Letterman New York, NY
06/29/2004 This Magnificent Distance New York, NY
07/01/2004 High Sierra Festival Quincy, CA
07/02/2004 High Sierra Festival Quincy, CA
07/03/2004 Independent San Francisco, CA
07/04/2004 Mazzotti's Arcata, CA
07/06/2004 Sun Valley Pavillion Sun Valley, ID
07/07/2004 Snow King Amphitheater Jackson Hole, WY
07/09/2004 Red Rocks Morrison, CO
07/09/2004 Fox Theater Boulder, CO
07/10/2004 Red Rocks Morrison, CO
07/10/2004 Fox Theater Boulder, CO
07/12/2004 Uptown Theater Kansas City, MO
07/13/2004 White River State Park Indianapolis, IN
07/14/2004 Moondance Jam Walker, MN
07/16/2004 Rave Milwaukee, WI
07/17/2004 Fox Cities Stadium Appleton, WI
07/22/2004 Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom Hampton Beach, NH
07/23/2004 Borgata Atlantic City, NJ
07/24/2004 Brookhaven Amphitheater Farmingdale, NY
07/25/2004 Pier Six Baltimore, MD
07/31/2004 Fuji Festival Naeba, Japan
6.16.04
In celebration of their new record which comes out 2 days later, Chris Robinson & The New Earth Mud will be
playing a very special matinee show at the intimate Southpaw in Brooklyn, NY on Sunday June 27th.
The doors open @ 3PM. Among Natives will open the show.
A very limited amount of tickets will be available through Southpaw and Ticketweb beginning on Friday 6/18
6.8.04
A couple of more NEM dates have been added:
July 3, 2004 - San Francisco, CA @ The Independent
July 4, 2004 - Arcata, CA @ Mazzotti's
6.4.04
Robinson Starts Fresh On 'Paper'
Black Crowes guitarist Rich Robinson has wrapped his solo debut, "Paper," Billboard.com can reveal. Due Aug. 24 via Key Hole Records, the 14-track album features guest spots from former Crowes keyboardist Eddie Harsch and BR5-49 fiddle/lap steel player Donnie Herron, according to Robinson's official Web site.
For the first time in his career, Robinson handled all of the vocal duties. "I named the album 'Paper' because this is all a blank sheet of paper to me; it's fragile and new," he says. "For 15 years I wrote for [Crowes frontman] Chris [Robinson's]' voice, but this is for me."
Tracks set for inclusion are the psychedelic rocker "Places," the dulcimer-tinged "When You Will," the mid-tempo ballad "Forgiven Song" and such Crowes-inspired numbers as "Yesterday I Saw You" and "Enemy." Robinson will also create the album's cover art from one of his own oil paintings.
Robinson will unveil material from "Paper" during a three-week, three-city residency. He will play New York's Knitting Factory Tap Bar on Tuesdays beginning June 29, Philadelphia's Tin Angel on Wednesdays beginning June 30 and Cambridge, Mass.' Brother Jimmy's Barbecue on Thursdays beginning July 1.
In March, the artist reunited with his brother Chris at the Jammy Awards in New York for the first time since the Crowes' 2002 split. The latter's next solo album, "This Magnificent Distance," is due June 29 via Vector.
6.2.04
Check out 3 new songs from the NEM album This Magnificent Distance on their website!
6.1.04
Chris Robinson and The New Earth Mud will be performing on July 23, 2004 @ Borgata in Atlantic City, NJ. Also on the bill will be Big Head Todd and The Monsters and moe. Tickets are available at the local venue outlets and that other monopolistic ticketing place.
On July 30, 2004, Chris Robinson and The New Earth Mud will be performing at the Fuji Rock Festival in Japan. As of now, tickets are available in Japan.
5.31.04
Review from glide magazine:
Chris Robinson & The New Earth Mud
This Magnificent Distance
Dustin Glass
Monday, May 24, 2004
When the Black Crowes announced in early 2002 that they would be taking an extended hiatus, much of the band's fanbase that had developed over their 15 year history was left questioning whether Chris Robinson could make it on his own. Robinson quickly erased any questions of doubt with his 2002 release New Earth Mud, a rejuvenating masterpiece that showcased Robinson's softer and more passionate side.
Robinson and his band (which has adopted the New Earth Mud title) continue to evolve musically with an exciting collection of twelve new songs on This Magnificent Distance. As Robinson has noted, This Magnificent Distance is an L.A. based album, in contrast to the debut album which was written in the more romantic confines of Paris.
Always charismatic, the singer’s voice sparkles with conviction and raw emotion throughout, including the rockin' opener, "40 Days," and the dreamy "Girl on the Mountain." Robinson's brand of original and inventive lyrics dominate on songs like "When the Cold Blows at the Dark Edge of Night," with Robinson disclosing, "they say there's a light at the end of night/but it seems so far away." While most of the album's tracks are either written by Robinson himself, or co-written with guitarist Paul Stacey, the Crowe's Audley Freed lends a hand penning the Crowes-like "Mother of Stone" and the more folk-based "Like a Tumbleweed in Eden." Yet regardless of songwriter, the underlying theme of freedom is vividly apparent, most notably on "Sea of Love," which finds Robinson bellowing, "she said put your freedom where your mouth is baby/hold my hand and watch the sky explode."
From the bouncy "Eagles on the Highway" to the soulful “Train Robbers” and porch folk-meets arena rocker, "Surgical Glove," each distinct tune features crafty musicianship led by the dynamic guitar playing of Stacey and the inspired drumming of Jeremy Stacey. All evoking that sense of endless possibility, empathetically noted again on "If you See California," exposing how the state that Robinson now calls home has been such an inspiration to him, both as a physical state, as well as a state of mind.
While New Earth Mud's previous debut album was recorded with the band essentially backing Chris Robinson, this latest release benefits from the band having earned road miles together before going into the studio - resulting in a more collective, band-oriented album steered by a gifted leader. With This Magnificent Distance, Chris Robinson continues to stake his claim as one of the most imaginative and inventive singer/songwriters of our time.
5.26.04
The following are confirmed Rich Robinson residency dates for NYC, Boston and Philly. I also read that Eddie Harsch will be playing with him!
NEW YORK CITY~
Knitting Factory (Tap Bar)
www.knittingfactory.com
6/29 Tuesday
7/06 Tuesday
7/13 Tuesday
7/20 Tuesday
PHILADELPHIA~
Tin Angel
www.tinangel.com
6/30 Wednesday
7/07 Wednesday
7/14 Wednesday
BOSTON (Cambridge, MA)~
Brother Jimmy's BBQ (formerly House Of Blues)
www.brotherjimmys.com
7/01 Thursday
7/08 Thursday
7/15 Thursday
7/22 Thursday
5.25.04
Additional NEM tourdates:
12-Jul - Kansas City, MO @ Uptown Theater w/Allman Bros.
13-Jul - Indianapolis, IN @ White River State Park w/Allman Bros.
25-Jul - Baltimore, MD @ Pier Six w/moe.
Tickets for these shows are available via ticketmaster and local venue outlets.
5.14.04
More NEM Dates added:
06/20 - Orange Peel - Asheville, NC
07/16 - Rave - Milwaukee, WI
5.12.04
Chris Robinson & The New Earth Mud has added a second Late-Nite show at The Fox Theater in Boulder, CO on Saturday July 10th. Tickets are on-sale now through Chris Robinson Ticketing and at the Fox Box Office.
5.10.04
Chris Robinson and The New Earth Mud will rock the Ed Sullivan Theater, June 29th, on Late Night with David Letterman to celebrate the release of THIS MAGNIFICENT DISTANCE.
5.7.04
Here is the first batch of confirmed Northeast Chris Robinson & The New Earth Mud shows. More shows will be announced shortly.
06/22 - Teaneck, NJ @ Mexicali Blues
06/25 - Philadelphia, PA @ TLA
06/26 - Boston, MA @ Paradise
06/28 - New York, NY @ Irving Plaza
5.6.04
There is talk of Rich doing a residency in NYC for the month of June with a possibility of some weekly spots in Boston as well. Eddie Harwsch will join Rich on stage for these shows. Stay tuned for this to be confirmed.
Rich Robinson has finished recording his debut solo album with guest appearances from Eddie Harwsch on keys and Donnie Herron from BR549 on fiddle and pedal steel. Scheduled release for the album will be July/August. He will also be hitting the Riverbend festival in Chatanooga, TN, on June 11th, with more tour dates waiting to be confirmed for the summer.
Also available for sale is the live show from The Knitting Factory in NYC back in January, as well as downloads at www.dynasonic.com
4.30.04
The new CD, This Magnificent Distance, will be in
stores on June 29th, but if you Pre-Order it here via
newearthmud.net , you'll receive an exclusive limited
edition DVD, and you can receive the CD and DVD in
your mailbox on the day of release.
Basically you can only receive the DVD with This
Magnificent Distance via the Pre-Order here at
newearthmud.net.
You can Pre-Order now!
4.26.04
Rich Robinson Live Album
Download single songs now
Each song from the show has been made available for
immediate download
with the exception of two cover tunes: "Don’t Do It",
and "Memo From Turner".
For those of you that are into instant gratification,
head to the
Dynasonic store to get busy.
http://www.dynasonic.com/store
Songs are $.99US each, and there are a couple of
samples up for you check out.
Album Availability:
There are a great deal of folks that are not
interested in downloads and feel like they
would rather hold out for the CD. We will begin
accepting pre-orders for the CD on Tuesday
April 27th. This album will be a double CD set,
recorded live at
The Knitting Factory in NY.
The setlist for the CD is as follows:
Set 1
1. Know Me
2. Enemy
3. Places
4. Leave It Alone
5. Veil
6. Begin *
7. Hold You *
8. Answers *
Set 2
1. Shallow Words *
2. Forgiven Song **
3. Goodbye *
4. When You Will **
5. Green Pastures ***
6. Don't Do It
7. Memo From Turner
* With String Quartet
** With String Quartet and Joy Askew
*** With Antoine Silverman on violin and Joy Askew
4.21.04
The first pressing of "This Magnificent Distance" will contain a limited edition bonus DVD entitled
"Medicine Chest" which will contain 3 selections from "Chris Robinson & The New Earth Mud - Live At The El
Rey" and "Good Bye Sunball", a short film documenting The New Earth Mud, by Darren Ankenman. There will be a Pre-Pre-Sale through NewEarthMud.Net
Stay tuned for the specifics...
4.20.04
Rich Robinson article from Guitar One:
Down in Manhattan’s Meat Packing district, just down the cobblestone road from the Hog Pit saloon, in what looks like an abandoned school building, former Black Crowes guitarist Rich Robinson is recording old-school style – analog with a capital “A.” “One of the problems with music today is that with all this computerized recording, we see music on a screen, rather than hear it or feel it,” says the guitarist. “Everything is ‘bpm, bpm, bpm.’ The natural dynamics of tempo change, or speeding up to a chorus, are gone. The craft of writing songs has been lost. Take Neil Young – I’ll give it to him all day long. But who’s that next guy? Who’s carrying the torch?”
And as the engineer loads a 2” tape and rolls “Answers,” a 6/8 instrumental vamp (vocals to come) for which strings were recorded earlier today, it soon becomes apparent that if there’s one thing Robinson focused on for his upcoming solo release, it’s songwriting. There are currently 22 song titles, culled from about 30, on the track list taped to the studio wall. “I’m thinking about releasing either a double album or one now and then one six months later, he explains.
Though he’s not sure whether they’ll make the final cut, Robinson spins a few more selections. First, there’s the as-yet-untitled acoustic based song in open-F tuning and with an Eastern vibe, written for his son. “Remain” is a classic rocker in the style of the Black Crowes, whereas “Goodbye” is Robinson’s “interpretation of Brit-pop, with orchestrations and pop melodies” – and to say it smacks of late-era Beatles may be an understatement. The final track he plays is “Places,” which, with its plodding riff and baritone vocal track (he says it will be harmonized later), evokes images of Black Sabbath, Alice in Chains, and a gospel choir tripping on acid while drifting down a psychedelic river of sound that swells into raging rapids for the guitar solo.
As the song fades out, talk turns to his reunion with brother Chris – after three years on separate musical paths – just three nights earlier, at the Jammy Awards in New York City. “He was in town for something anyways, so we decided to get together,” says Robinson, downplaying the event but his voice betraying a glimmer of excitement. “My brother, in my opinion, is the greatest rock singer around. I look back at our career and I couldn’t be prouder of what we accomplished.”
4.15.04
Chris Robinson & The New Earth Mud will be playing in Austin, TX @ La Zona Rosa on April 29th as part of The Grand Slam Jam IV charity event.
Due to overwhelming demand, the previously sold-out Chris Robinson & The New Earth Mud and The Dirty Dozen Brass Band late-nite show on April 30th in New Orleans has been moved to a bigger room. The show , which will begin at 2AM, will remain at TwiRoPa Mills but will now take place in the much larger TwiRoPa Live Room.
For more information, go to the New Earth Mud Website!
4.12.04
This Magnificent Distance Tracklist:
01. 40 Days
02. Girl On The Mountain
03. Mother Of Stone
04. Train Robbers
05. Like A Tumbleweed In Eden
06. When The Cold Wind Blows At The Dark Edge Of Night
07. ... If You See California
08. The Never Empty Table
09. Eagles On The Highway
10. Surgical Glove
11. Sea Of Love
12. Piece Of Wind
4.10.04
Rich Robinson Flies Solo
First post-Crowes record due this summer
More than two years have passed since Rich and Chris Robinson grounded the Black Crowes after six albums and the better part of two decades. Chris was out of the gate first with a solo record in 2002, and out of the gate second too, as his next album, This Magnificent Distance, is due in June. Rich Robinson's next phase has been a bit longer coming, as his band Hookah Brown derailed in May 2003 due to financial disagreements, just months after assembling. But the younger Robinson sib has decided to go it alone and is mixing twenty-two songs at New York's Hit Factory studio, some of which will appear on his own solo debut this summer.
Robinson hasn't settled on a title or even a format yet -- the batch of songs could be whittled down to a single CD, two separate discs or a double -- but the new tunes find Robinson untethered in the realm of epic rock, with some of the Crowesy Seventies-inspired riffing, flourishes of country, a bit of honkin' on the blues and anything else the guitarist sees fit.
With several songs clocking in at over five minutes, Robinson shows no desire to hurry into the verses, letting songs like "Answers" unfold instrumentally with a guitar pattern and cascading strings, before getting to the first verse. "Everybody's in such a fucking rush these days," he says. "It's all about beats-per-minute, this race to get to the chorus. I like to take it a little bit slower."
After the demise of Hookah -- which included drummer Bill Dobrow, bassist Fionn O'Lochlainn and former Moke singer John Hogg -- Robinson opted to make a bandless record, enlisting only drummer Joe Magistro, a decision that put the guitarist in the role of lead vocalist for the first time. "It would just have been a safety net for me to hire a singer," he says. "It's always easier to let someone else take that role. So this was a different recording experience, because I've never really done it. And the more I sang, the more comfortable it became. I always tried to write songs for John's voice and Chris' voice. This time I got to try to write for my own."
Robinson doesn't flash the live-wire set of pipes that his brother did on the Crowes' early recordings, but his Jeff Tweedyish croon puts the verses over just fine, and his use of harmony and gospel-tinged choruses, help add muscle to the hooky choruses.
Robinson also used the opportunity of recording on his own to throw in some playful guitar parts to the trademark big riffs. A dash of reggae strumming peppers "Goodbye," a tempo-shifting cut he describes as "a Who-like approach to making pop music," and a wah-wah guitar that echoes George Harrison's playing colors a tune he wrote for his son. "It's a bit ambient, but still cool with me," he says. "Several of these songs are specifically orchestrated, which I enjoyed the opportunity to do. There's some Pet Sounds influence in there."
Among the bigger tunes is "Places," a Hookah holdover that runs through several changes during its seven minutes. "That's the song that goes nowhere," Robinson says. "It's meant to make people uncomfortable after about four minutes."
Robinson hopes to have the remainder of the songs mixed in the next two weeks, with plans for a June tour and a release in late July or early August. His manner is laid back, so the roundabout route his post-Crowes project has taken towards completion doesn't seem to stir any anxiety or agitation. "With Hookah Brown, we had a lot of these songs ready to go when greed came into play," he says. "For a little while, it was like, 'Well now what the fuck do I do?' But we just went in and put this music live to tape. I've always made records that way. I was used to doing it with six people, but this time I did it with two. It's a good process that works for me."
ANDREW DANSBY
(April 9, 2004)
3.31.04
CHRIS ROBINSON & THE NEW EARTH MUD
RETURN JUNE 29 WITH 'THIS MAGNIFICENT DISTANCE,'
THEIR DEBUT ALBUM ON VECTOR RECORDINGS;
FIRST TRACK FOR RADIO IS '40 DAYS';
SET FOR BONNAROO JUNE 11 AND A STRING OF JULY DATES WITH THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND
"I want to find a common ground where thought, action and soulfulness meet emotion and experience--that was kind of the motivating factor behind the whole album," says CHRIS ROBINSON about THIS MAGNIFICENT DISTANCE. Due out June 29, it's the debut album with his band THE NEW EARTH MUD for Vector Recordings and marks the follow-up to 2002's solo New Earth Mud disc.
THIS MAGNIFICENT DISTANCE is a work that draws on the vast panorama of American music--rock, blues, folk, country, soul and elements of jazz--and ROBINSON personalizes it with his compelling vocals, free-spirited melodies and vivid lyrics in which he looks inwards and at the world around him. The album moves seamlessly from the chugging immediacy of the fiercely rocking "40 Days" ("a storm-a-comin'-kind-of tune," he says), which goes to radio in mid-May; to the richly yearning "Like A Tumbleweed In Eden"; to the dreamy, expansive "Girl On The Mountain"; to the album's pointed rave-up "Piece of Wind" (about America's loss of free-thinking values).
"Like A Tumbleweed In Eden" is a song "about freedom--that's the underlying theme," says ROBINSON. "My first album sounds like a Sunday morning record--it's about being in love--and this one brings up a lot of questions about freedom. And what does freedom mean, because I don't think it's the freedom to consume. I think in America people have forgotten their imagination." ROBINSON adds: "If you can't go to artists without any political and/or corporate affiliation to get the straight answer, who are you gonna go to? To me, that's truly where this record lies. It's a crossroads between my emotion and my experiences. It's truly a place in the here and now." Other highlights of the Los Angeles-recorded album include "Train Robbers," "Surgical Glove" and "…If You See California," of which ROBINSON--a Southerner who now calls Los Angeles home--says, "I like the question posed by '…If You See California'--well, what is California? Is it a state of mind? Is it a physical place? It is a transcendental place? For me," he adds, "California has always been an inspiration. Look at all of the musicians who have moved here over the years to make music, like Lowell George, Neil Young and Stephen Stills. I also think there's still people here who believe in a lot of things that the counter-culture hit on in the '60s and '70s." For THIS MAGNIFICENT DISTANCE, ROBINSON penned five songs and co-wrote six with Paul Stacey and one with Audley Freed, formerly of The Black Crowes. The tracks were produced and mixed by ROBINSON with Paul, except for "Mother of Stone" and "Like A Tumbleweeed in Eden," both produced and mixed by Ethan Johns with ROBINSON. The album's core of players--ROBINSON (guitar, harmonica), George Laks (keyboards), George Reiff (bass), Jeremy Stacey (drums, percussion) and Paul Stacey (guitar)--are joined on various tracks by Ethan Johns (drums), Richard Causon (keyboards) and Audley Freed (guitars). "Most of this album was done with a group of musicians I had been on the road with, so we'd just set up in the studio and start cutting tracks live, and I think that always is going to create a different vibe. On the last album, I would play acoustic guitar to a rhythm track, and we would build around that."
ROBINSON will share THIS MAGNIFICENT DISTANCE on the road this year backed by the recently revised line-up of THE NEW EARTH MUD: Audley Freed (guitar), George Reiff (bass), Steve Distanislao (drums) and Rob Barraco (keyboards). They're set for a June 11 performance in Tennessee at Bonnaroo, (the largest festival in America), and a string of July dates with the Allman Brothers Band, July 9-17 (see dates below), with whom ROBINSON made a special guest appearance (vocals and harmonica on "Key To The Highway") March 18 at the Beacon Theatre in NYC. These dates follow ROBINSON's shows last year with Elvis Costello (on which ROBINSON performed acoustically) and Gov't Mule (electrified THE NEW EARTH MUD).
Here are the CHRIS ROBINSON and THE NEW EARTH MUD dates:
04/30 - New Orleans, LA @ TwiRoPa w/ Dirty Dozen Brass Band SOLD OUT
05/01 - Atlanta, GA @ Music Midtown
05/02 - Nashville, TN @ Nashville Riverstages
05/03 - Columbus, OH @ Newport Music Hall
05/04 - St. Louis, MO @ Mississippi Nights
05/07 - Minneapolis, MN @ Quest
05/08 - Lawrence, KS @ Granada Theater
05/09 - Chicago, IL @ Park West
05/10 - Detroit, MI @ St. Andrews
05/12 - Cleveland, OH @ Peabody's
05/13 - Louisville, KY @ Jillian's
05/14 - Indianapolis, IN @ Jammin' On Jersey
06/11 - Manchester, TN @ Bonnaroo
06/18 - Jackson, MS @ Jubilee Jam
06/19 - Birmingham, AL @ Birmingham City Stages
07/01 - Quincy, CA @ High Sierra Music Festival
07/02 - Quincy, CA @ High Sierra Music Festival
07/06 - Sun Valley, ID @ Sun Valley Outdoor Pavillion *
07/07 - Jackson Hole, WY @ Snow King Amphitheater *
07/09 - Denver, CO @ Red Rocks *
07/09 - Boulder, CO @ Fox Theatre (Late Night Show)
07/10 - Denver, CO @ Red Rocks *
07/15 - Walker, MN @ Moondance Ranch Jam
07/17 - Appleton, WI @ Great Fox Cities Celebration *
* Indicates dates with The Allman Brothers Band
3.25.04
Chris Robinson and The New Earth Mud will be performing at this years annual High Sierra Music Festival in Quincy, CA on July 1st and 2nd, 2004.
On July 1st, Chris Robinson and The New Earth Mud will be performing late in the evening and then lighting up the Grandstand Stage on July 2nd.
Tickets all festival information can be had via the official website @ www.hsmusic.net
Chris Robinson and The New Earth Mud will be performing at the Nashville River Stages festival on May 2, 2004.
Nashville River Stages is announcing the rest of the artist line-up today via their website: http://www.bestbuynashvilleriverstages.com
3.11.04
Chris Robinson & The New Earth Mud will be playing 2 shows @ Red Rocks , just outside of Denver, with The Allman Brothers Band and The String Cheese Incident on July 9th &10th.
Tickets will go on-sale on Saturday March 20th @ 10 AM MST through Ticketmaster.
Chris Robinson & The New Earth Mud will play Music Midtown in Atlanta, GA on May 1st at The Ford/96 Rock/UPN Atlanta Stage. NEM's stage time will be annunced shortly.
Ticket information is available here. For more information on the festival, as well as a list of confirmed bands, check out The Official Midtown site.
The Summer is shaping up and it looks to be a busy one for Chris Robinson & The New Earth Mud, as yet another date has been announced. They will be playing The Moondance Jam in Walker, MN on Wednesday, July 14th. They will be playing right before ZZ Top.
Tickets are on-sale now. Check out the Official Site for more info, including how to buy tickets.
3.3.04
Chris Robinson and The New Earth Mud will be playing with The Allman Brothers Band on July 17, 2004, in Appleton, WI @ Fox Cities Stadium.
Tickets go on-sale 03/12 @ 10A CST @ www.ticketstaronline.com.
Additional dates will be announced when they are confirmed.
3.1.04
New Earth Mud has undergone a lineup change! Read about it on their website.
2.29.04
I added some pictures from the 11.22.96 Crowes show in the info section.
2.26.04
I added a new Chris Robinson interview (Parting Shots) to the info section.
2.24.04
Chris Robinson will be playing at the Jammy's in NYC on March 16th!
2.18.04
On Friday, April 30th, Chris Robinson & The New Earth Mud along with The Dirty Dozen Brass Band will be performing the "Post Gov't Mule Show" at the Tchoupitoulas Room @ TwiRoPa during Jazzfest in New Orleans!!!
For more information on ticket presale, check out the NEM website.
2.14.04
Chris Robinson and The New Earth Mud will be performing at the 2004 Bonnaroo Music Festival!
The third annual three-day camping and music festival will be held on June 11-13, 2004, on the same 700-acre farm in Manchester, Tennessee, 60 miles south of Nashville. Tickets for the 2004 Bonnaroo Music Festival will go on sale Saturday, February 21st at 10:00 AM Eastern Time through www.bonnaroo.com.
Specific performance days and times for each artist will be announced in the coming months.
1.31.04
Steve Gorman will be touring with the Stereophonics. Here are the tour dates:
04 Feb 04 - 9:30 Club
Washington DC - all ages - co-headline with Howie Day
05 Feb 04 - The Norva
Norfolk, VA - all ages - opening for Howie Day
06 Feb 04 - Electric Factory
Philadelphia, PA - all ages - opening for Howie Day
07 Feb 04 - Water Street Music Hall
Rochester, NY - all ages - opening for Howie Day
09 Feb 04 - Kool Haus
Toronto, Ontario - with special guest Howie Day
10 Feb 04 - Le Spectrum
Montreal - all ages - with special guest Howie Day
11 Feb 04 - Orpheum Theater
Boston - all ages - opening for Howie Day
12 Feb 04 - Roseland Ballroom
New York - all ages - co-headline with Howie Day
13 Feb 04 - Webster Theater
Hartford - all ages - opening for Howie Day
14 Feb 04 - State Theater
Portland, ME - all ages - opening for Howie Day
16 Feb 04 - Agora Theater
Cleveland - all ages - opening for Howie Day
17 Feb 04 - Bogart's
Cincinati, OH - all ages - Opening for Howie Day
18 Feb 04 - Clutch Cargo's
Detroit - all ages - opening for Howie Day
19 Feb 04 - Congress Theater
Chicago - all ages - opening for Howie Day
21 Feb 04 - The Quest
Minneapolis - all ages - opening for Howie Day
22 Feb 04 - Slagle Auditorium
University Of South Dakota - Opening for Howie Day
26 Feb 04 - Crystal Ballroom
Portland, OR - all ages - opening for Howie Day
28 Feb 04 - The Warfield
San Francisco, CA - co-headline with Howie Day
1.11.04
I added a Rich interview from 4.25.03 to the info section.
1.8.04
Rich Robinson Sets Solo Tour
Following the May dissolution of his band Hookah Brown, former Black Crowes principal Rich Robinson will embark on a six-date solo tour Jan. 15 in Trenton, N.J. Robinson will be backed by former Hookah Brown drummer Bill Dobrow, bassist Tony Shanahan and keyboardist Jack Petruzelli.
The artist is expected to unveil such new tracks as "Forgiven Song," "Hold You," "On My Way" and "Know Me" at the shows, which will also mark his first as a lead vocalist. "I've always been a songwriter," he says. "But these songs show where I'm at as a musician, and as a person. They're evolving, like I am."
The Jan. 16 show at New York's Knitting Factory will feature backing by a string quartet, and will be professionally recorded and sold online. Robinson's official Web site adds that fans are encouraged to tape at all gigs.
The first three shows of the trek will be opened by Sparticle, featuring former Spacehog frontman Royston Langdon, Blind Melon guitarist Rogers Stevens and multi-instrumentalist Rene Lopez.
In related news, Rich's brother/Black Crowes vocalist Chris Robinson and his wife, actress Kate Hudson, welcomed their first child today (Jan. 7) in Los Angeles, a boy named Ryder.
Here are Rich Robinson's tour dates:
Jan. 15: Trenton, N.J. (the Conduit)
Jan. 16: New York (Knitting Factory)
Jan. 17: Allston, Mass. (Harper's Ferry)
Jan. 20: Sacramento, Calif. (Roadhouse)
Jan. 21: Santa Clara, Calif. (Avalon)
Jan. 22: Los Angeles (Viper Room)
1.2.04
I added a new Chris interview dated 11.13.03 to the info section.
1.1.04
Happy New Year Everyone!
Check out the New Earth Mud website for an update on the band and the new album!!
12.24.03
Ben Harper (with Marc Ford) will be touring Japan in March of 2004, check out the tourdates here; there should be more added soon!
12.20.03
Here are a some new Rich Robinson tourdates, he also has a new website.
1/15 Trenton, NJ Conduit
1/16 NYC, NY Knitting Factory
1/17 Boston, MA Harpers Ferry
1/21 Santa Clara, CA Avalon Night Club
1/22 Los Angeles, CA Viper Room
12.14.03
Rich will be playing this Monday night at Arlene's Grocery 12/15, a last minute show. Opening the show will be Mike Farris.
12.6.03
I added a new Chris interview to the info section, from 2.19.03.
12.2.03
Rich Robinson has 2 more shows coming up at Arlene Grocery on Dec 8 and 15th.
11.30.03
Check out this recent press release on Chris Robinson.
11.4.03
Rich Robinson is playing a show at NYC's Arlene Grocery on Nov. 17.
10.29.03
Tue Oct 28,12:13 PM ET
NEW YORK (Billboard) - Former Black Crowes front man Chris Robinson is set to
sign to Vector Recordings. His solo debut, "New Earth Mud," was issued
last year on Best Buy's Redline imprint, which shuttered its music operation
shortly thereafter. His debut for Vector, which is also home to Damien Rice,
will be produced by multi-instrumentalist Paul Stacey, who appeared on "New
Earth Mud."
10.26.03
New Chris interview has been added to the info section, 10.26.03.
10.22.03
Another NEM show has been added: 11/18/03 San Diego, CA Canes.
I added a new Chris interview to the info section.
10.16.03
PITTSBURGH SHOW DATE & VENUE CHANGE
PITTSBURGH VENUE AND DATE CHANGED Due to the recent sale of the Metropol and
the cancellation of all shows there, the Govt Mule/Chris Robinson & New
Earth Mud show previously scheduled there for Sunday October 19th has now been
moved to The Byham Theater on Tuesday October 21st. The last thing we wanted
to do was to change the date of the show, but the only other option, was a cancellation.
We are excited to play The Byham, which is a beautiful theater and, by all accounts,
a better environment to see a show than The Metropol. The Byham will be general
admission for this show only and all tickets for The Metropol will be honored.
Given the many obstacles this show has faced, dating back to February, this
show promises to be a very special one. The Byham Theater is located at:
803 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
Tickets for the Byham are available here.
10.14.03
New NEM dates have been announced!
Two more dates with the great big psychedelic electric hippo vision machine:
11/17/03 - Tempe, AZ @ Bash On Ash (8:00 pm)
- Tickets will go on-sale through Chris
Robinson Ticketing on Wednesday 10/15 @ 3PM PDT.
11/19/03 - Los Angeles, CA @ El Rey Theatre (8:00
pm)
- Tickets will go on-sale through Chris
Robinson Ticketing on Thursday 10/16 @ 3PM PDT.
10.1.03
Ben Harper is releasing a DVD/EP on Nov. 18 and it features Marc Ford playing guitar!!
9.30.03
Here is a recent interview with Andy Hess, who is now in Gov't Mule.
9.28.03
Stereophonics/Steve Gorman News:
Me and Stuart started a band when I was 12.
Emotionally to me this is heartbreaking.
I love him like a brother, but commitment wise there
have been issues since "Just Enough Education to
Perform". We've tried resolving them but things stayed
the same. Myself and Richard miss Stuart already, a
band is like a gang and a lot of time he simply wasn't
there, although it was our fault to allow this
situation to develop in the first place.
No one will be replacing Stuart as a band member,
Stuart is irreplaceable, but Steve Gorman will
continue to sit in on drums for the upcoming shows.
No one member of the band is bigger than our songs.
It's a rock and roll band and the upcoming shows will
be rocking.
Kelly Jones
Stereophonics
9.22.03
On Thursday November 13th, Chris Robinson & The New Earth Mud will be playing a very special end of tour show @ The Fox in Boulder with Govt Mule. The Fox holds only about 600 people, so this promises to be another night to remember. Tickets will go on-sale through Mule ticketing @ http://www.muleticketing.musictoday.com.
9.13.03
TICKET INFO FOR NEW EARTH MUD HEADLINE DATES:
10/07/03 - BB Kings Blues Club @ NYC
- opening band will be RANA..tix on sale now through TM
10/08/03 - State Theater @ Falls Church, VA
- Ticketing info, including Pre-Sale @ CR Ticketing, will be announced on Monday. This is a NEM headline show with the opening band TBA.
11/14/03 - Cervantes @ Denver, CO
11/15/03 - Cervantes @ Denver, CO
Chris Robinson & New Earth Mud will be playing 2 very special late-nite shows @ Cervantes in Denver, CO, following the Phil & Friends/Gov't Mule shows on November 14th & 15th. Call it the official after-show... New Earth Mud will go on sometime after 12:30AM in order to allow folks to get to Cervantes from The Fillmore.
Tickets will go on-sale through the newly created
Chris Robinson Ticketing site @ http://www.chrisrobinsonticketing.musictoday.com
on Tuesday 9/16 at 12 Noon Mtn.
9.4.03
Steve Gorman plays only on "Knockin' on
Heaven's Door" (and Tommy Shaw, John
Waite and Billy Bob Thornton are also on the track) on the latest Zevon album.
Here are the latest NEM Tourdates:
Fall '03 Tour Dates:
10/07/03 New York, NY, B.B. Kings (NEM only)
10/10/03 Philadelphia, PA Electric Factory
10/11/03 Kingston, NY UPAC
10/12/03 Portland, ME State Theater
10/15/03 Buffalo, NY SUNY Ctr for Arts
10/16/03 Syracuse, NY Landmark Theater
10/17/03 Boston, MA The Orpheum
10/18/03 Toronto, ON Danforth Music Hall
10/19/03 Pittsburgh, PA Metropol
10/22/03 Ann Arbor, MI Michigan Theater
10/24/03 Chicago, IL Vic Theater
10/25/03 Chicago, IL Vic Theater
10/26/03 Minneapolis, MN Pantages Theater
10/29/03 St. Louis, MO Mississippi Nights
10/30/03 Memphis, TN Gibson Showplace Plaza
10/31/03 New Orleans, LA Saenger Theater
11/03/03 Jacksonville, FL Florida Theater
11/04/03 Orlando, FL Hard Rock Live
11/06/03 Tampa, FL Tampa Theater
11/07/03 Atlanta, GA Tabernacle
11/08/03 Birmingham, AL Alabama Theater
11/09/03 Nashville, TN Ryman Auditorium
11/11/03 Lawrence, KS Liberty Hall
7.19.03
I added a new Chris Robinson article to the info section.
7.17.03
Tourdates for the fall NEM/Gov't Mule tour were announced today, more to come! New Earth Mud will be opening the show!
OCTOBER
Fri 10/10 Electric Factory Philadelphia, PA
Sat 10/11 Ulster Performing Arts Center Kingston, NY
Sun 10/12 State Theatre Portland, ME
Wed 10/15 State University of New York - Center for
the Arts Buffalo, NY
Thu 10/16 Landmark Theatre Syracuse, NY
Fri 10/17 Orpheum Theater Boston, MA
Sat 10/18 Danforth Music Hall Toronto, ON Canada
Sun 10/19 M Pittsburgh, PA
Fri 10/24 Vic Theatre Chicago, IL
Sat 10/25 Vic Theatre Chicago, IL
Sun 10/26 Pantages Theatre Minneapolis, MN
Fri 10/31 Saenger Theatre New Orleans, LA
NOVEMBER
Fri 11/7 Tabernacle Atlanta, GA
Sat 11/8 Alabama Theatre Birmingham, AL
Sun 11/9 Ryman Auditorium Nashville, TN
7.16.03
MARC FORD TO TOUR WITH BEN HARPER!
Marc will be Ben's new Guitarist on the tour starting July 25th. Here are all
the tourdates:
"Fuji Rock Festival"
Fri 07/25/03 Nigata, JPN Naeba Ski Resort
Sat 07/26/03 Nigata, JPN Naeba Ski Resort
Ben Harper
Fri 08/01/03 Piercy, CA Reggae On The River
Ben Harper / Jack Johnson
Sat 08/02/03 Reno, NV Reno Hilton Amphitheatre
Sun 08/03/03 Las Vegas, NV Hard Rock Hotel - The Joint
Mon 08/04/03 Los Angeles, CA Hollywood Bowl
Fri 08/08/03 Santa Barbara, CA Santa Barbara Bowl
Sat 08/09/03 Santa Barbara, CA Santa Barbara Bowl
Sun 08/10/03 La Jolla, CA RIMAC Field
Mon 08/11/03 Phoenix, AZ Dodge Theatre
Wed 08/13/03 Sacramento, CA The Cove @Cal Expo
Fri 08/15/03 Berkeley, CA Greek Theatre
Sat 08/16/03 Berkeley, CA Greek Theatre
Sun 08/17/03 Berkeley, CA Greek Theatre
Tue 08/19/03 Bend, OR Les Schwab Amphitheater
Wed 08/20/03 Saint Helens, OR Columbia Meadows
Fri 08/22/03 Vancouver, BC Thunderbird Stadium
Sat 08/23/03 George, WA The Gorge
Sun 08/24/03 Nampa, ID Idaho Center Amphitheatre
Mon 08/25/03 Deer Valley, UT Deer Valley
Amphitheatre
Wed 08/27/03 Morrison, CO Red Rocks Amphitheatre
Thu 08/28/03 Morrison, CO Red Rocks Amphitheatre
Ben Harper
Sun 09/21/03 Austin, TX Austin City Limits Music
Festival
Sun 10/12/03 Hamburg, GER Grosse Freiheit 36
Tue 10/14/03 Amsterdam, NET Paradiso
Wed 10/15/03 Cologne, GER E-Werk
Thu 10/16/03 Berlin, GER Columbiahalle
Fri 10/17/03 Munich, GER Georg Elser Halle
Sun 10/19/03 Brussels, BEL Forest National
Mon 10/20/03 Lille, FRA Zenith Arena
Fri 10/24/03 Treviso, ITA Palaverde
Sat 10/25/03 Rome, ITA Palaeur
Mon 10/27/03 Florence, ITA Palasport
Tue 10/28/03 Milan, ITA Fila Forum
Thu 10/30/03 Barcelona, SPA Razzmatazz
Fri 10/31/03 Madrid, SPA La Riviera
Sat 11/01/03 Lisbon, POR Atlantic Pavilion
Tue 11/04/03 Pau, FRA Le Zenith
Wed 11/05/03 Montpellier, FRA Zenith Montpellier
Fri 11/07/03 Amneville, FRA Galaxie
Sat 11/08/03 Strasbourg, FRA Rhenus
Sun 11/09/03 Geneva, SWI Geneva Arena
Mon 11/10/03 Zurich, SWI Hallenstadion Zurich
Wed 11/12/03 Nice, FRA Nikaia
Thu 11/13/03 Grenoble, FRA Summum Alpexpo
Fri 11/14/03 Lyon, FRA Halle Tony Garnier
Sat 11/15/03 Marseille, FRA Le Dome
Mon 11/17/03 Toulouse, FRA Zenith
Thu 11/20/03 Angers, FRA Amphitheatre
Fri 11/21/03 Brest, FRA Parc de Expositions de Penfeld
7.12.03
I added a new Chris article to the info section.
7.9.03
Steve Gorman appears on a new cd by Jack Casady, which features many other guest stars.
I also added a new Chris Robinson article to the info section.
6.28.03
CHRIS ROBINSON TO OPEN SHOWS FOR ELVIS COSTELLO
BEGINNING JULY 7 ON EAST COAST; WRAPPING
JULY 19
AT GREEK THEATER IN SAN FRANCISCO
Singer and songwriter CHRIS ROBINSON has been
invited
to open a string of U.S. shows for Elvis Costello
beginning July 7 at Wolftrap in Vienna, VA and
wrapping July 19 at the Greek Theater in San
Francisco. ROBINSON and guitarist/collaborator Paul
Stacey will perform acoustically for these shows,
drawing on a selection of songs from ROBINSON’s New
Earth Mud solo disc and new compositions written since
that album’s release, plus a few select covers.
ROBINSON has toured the U.S. both acoustically
and
with the electric “New Earth Mud” band, often
performing more than three hours a night. “For me, to
get to play with Elvis Costello—a renowned songwriter
and musician in his own right—is a real thrill,” says
ROBINSON. “I’ve never seen him live, so it will be a
treat for me as well.”
ROBINSON is looking forward to debuting new material
on these shows. “This keeps it really fresh and
energized for me.” As for the new music, the
Georgia-native who now calls Southern California home
says, “I just want to make something beautiful. And
that’s something I’ve always felt about the creative
process. The strangest thing can be beautiful and the
saddest things can be beautiful. I just want to be
able to have the freedom to put all those things
together…I’m not afraid of that becoming popular and
commercial, because truth and honesty will come
through in cycles.”
After the Black Crowes went on hiatus in 2002,
ROBINSON headed to Paris where he and Paul Stacey
recorded the New Earth Mud album. Dan Aquilante of the
New York Post described the album in a review as
“…uncharacteristically gentle and very, very
heartfelt. The melodies that Robinson plays with are
simple and wistful often relying on piano, acoustic
guitar and vocal arrangements” (10/22/02). In the
U.K.’s Mojo magazine, Sylvie Simmons praised the album
for being “…pitched musically, atmospherically and
temporally between Humble Pie’s Town And Country,
Stevie Wonder’s Talking Book and Elton John’s
Tumbleweed Connection—the late ‘60s/early ‘70s cusp in
other words…there’s nothing egotistical here; its
shimmering country-soul ballads and musically complex,
simple-sounding rock-Americana are The Southern
Harmony & Musical Companion and Amorica’s natural
successors.”
6.26.03
I added a new Chris interview to the info section.
6.11.03
Thanks to Dave Petersen, I posted some New Earth Mud Pictures, you can check them out here.
6.2.03
New Marc Ford Tourdates:
Johnny Foxx's
West LA
The following Saturdays:
June 7, 14, 28
5.29.03
from http://www.hookahbrown.com
A word from Rich Robinson
Due to some personal and business issues that
we were
unable to overcome, Hookah Brown is no more.
I thought we were becoming a really good band,
but
sometimes life gets in the way of people being able to
make music together.
I appreciate all the love and support that we
received
from you over the past year, and I hope to see you
soon.
Thanks-
Rich
5.25.03
A friend of mine recently interviewed Marc Ford for Entertainment today, click here to read the article.
The NEM show on June 16 in London has been cancelled due to scheduling conflicts.
Chris Robinson is opening for Elvis Costello on these dates:
07/07/03 - Vienna, Va.
07/09/03 - Philadelphia, PA
07/11/03 - New York, NY
07/12/03 - Boston, MA
07/13/03 - Guilford, NH
07/15/03 - Starling Heights, MI
07/16/03 - Denver, CO
07/18/03 - Las Vegas, NV
07/19/03 - Berkeley, CA
08/15/03 - Lyons, CO
5.14.03
Check out an excerpt of a Chris Robinson article from Hittin the Note; the full text is in the magazine.
New JoB Cain tourdates:
17 May Raleigh NC ARTSPOSURE Fest.
21 May Nashville TN Village Vibes Jackson's Bar & Bistro
24 May Little Rock AR Riverfest
25 May Memphis TN Memphis In May Great Southern Food Fest
C'mon out and say hey!
http://alvinyoungbloodhart.net
5.12.03
Here is a new message from the NEM site!
"Ahoy there and full speed ahead, Gravity Man!
There is a wise old wind a blowin' and there are many a song to be sung. So feed your horses and dust off your buggies; it's time to get up and go!
Thanks to everyone who is diggin' the sounds and listening to the words.
I have a lot of things happening right now:
- New Label
- New Album
- New E.P.
- New Pair Of Clarks
- Access to the live shows
and gigs galore! (some acoustic and some by the great big psychedelic electric hippo machine!)
Hope to have you all be a part. Be in touch soon - C.R.
ps: Chicken Little failed to understand that if the sky is falling, then pick some up and take a little heaven home. - Peace!"
5.10.03
News from New Earth Mud:
The previous announcement about
the DVD (Blood, Bread and Song: A
Paris Journal) being out in April was
a bit optimistic, as it is now May...
The decline of Redline Entertainment
resulted in the scheduled release
date and distribution schedule no
longer being attainable. But the DVD
is still a go - just delayed for now.
We'll have updated information as
the summer kicks off.
The Lyons, Co show on August 15th
looks like it will happen, but there
are no other confirmed NEM dates at
this time. We'll will post updated
tour information next week.
4.26.03
Chris Robinson is playing the Scala in the UK on June 16, you can buy tickets here.
I added a new Rich article in the info section.
4.21.03
Guitar World online has a spotlight on Marc Ford!
Download an interview (mp3) of Audley Freed from Dark Side of the Radio!
4.15.03
Check out this new Marc Ford interview from Hittin' the Note !
4.7.03
New Hookah Brown dates:
04/15/03 West Springfield, VA Jaxx
04/16/03 Charlottesville, VA Outback Lodge
04/17/03 Baltimore, MD Fletchers
04/18/03 Raleigh, NC The Brewery
04/19/03 Richmond, VA Alley Katz
04/21/03 Allentown, PA Crocodile Rock Cafe
04/22/03 Toronto, ON Hard Rock Cafe
04/24/03 Allston, MA Harpers Ferry
04/25/03 Farmingdale, NY Downtown
04/26/03 Winooski, VT Higher Ground
04/27/03 New Haven, CT Toad's Place
04/29/03 Hoboken, NJ Maxwells
04/30/03 Brooklyn, NY South Paw
05/01/03 Harrisburg, PA Eclipse
05/02/03 Atlantic City, NJ Trump Marina
4.1.03
Marc Ford and the Sinners + special guests
Every Wed. night in April starting 4-9-03 (4-16-03, 4-23-03, 4-30-03)
Start time is 9:00pm till it's over
Johnny Fox's
3387 Motor Ave.
West Los Angeles, CA. 90034
(310) 839-2500 Phone
(310) 559-4726 Fax
Taper friendly
$10 cover
Marc Ford will also be playing at 1650 in Hollywood on May 8th and 22nd!
3.18.03
Black Crowes' Chris Robinson Flies Solo
By Rich Nieciecki
HOLLYWOOD (Variety) - Free at last? While outspoken
former (and perhaps yet again)
Black Crowes frontman Chris Robinson hasn't gone so far as to regard the band
he once shared with his brother as baggage, it's clear that he revels in
charting the self-determined singer-songwriter course that he's
presently on, as two hearty sets on the last date of this particular tour leg
would prove.
No, he hasn't rejected the past; his -- and the
Crowes' -- sound is
fundamentally predicated on it, as detractors will readily attest.
But he's broadened his horizons a bit with his
first solo album, "New
Earth Mud" (Redline Entertainment), by allowing time and space for a few
rather romantic ballads that would have been unlikely to find their way onto
the rock group's next record.
Robinson contributed adequate guitar accompaniment
on nearly every song
live, something he never did with his previous outfit. In fact,
longtime Crowes fans should be rather shocked to see and hear the singer taking
his own wah-wah solo mid-set.
Of course, some old habits die hard, as extended
intros, outros and
just-plain jams still occur quite often within the revolving repertoire
-- ranging from country-fried boogie to spacey British psychedelia, often
merging in a sort of Dead zone.
But the mere act of holding and playing guitar
on the tunes now renders
Robinson an active and vital participant as bandleader and member,
having quickly achieved a simpatico with his backing musicians. (His first
touring foray featured just himself and sublime guitarist Paul Stacey.)
Mellowed, matured, married -- whatever the case
-- Robinson no longer
has to scream his lyrics to be heard (it happens far less, anyway), but he
still sings with conviction and soul.
Stellar covers included Clapton-Russell's "Blues
Power,"
Garcia-Hunter's "Comes A Time" and Dylan's "When I Paint My Masterpiece,"
while
highlights of his own were the contemplative "Barefoot By the Cherry Tree,"
lullaby-like "Fables" and achingly beautiful and as-yet unrecorded
"Beginners and Sinners."
Return to L.A. allowed for another brief reuniting
with outcast Crowe
guitarist Marc Ford on the encore of "High-Heeled Sneakers."
Presented by Goldenvoice/Troubadour. Band: Chris
Robinson, Paul Stacey,
Jeremy Stacey, George Laks, George Reiff; with Ben Peeler, Eric Bobo,
Marc Ford. Opened March 10, 2003; reviewed and closed March 12.
3.15.03
Check out this recent Marc Ford interview in Hittin' the Note! Part of it was transcribed from the magazine on the site.
3.13.03
Mud Slingin' at the Troubadour (3.12.03 NEM Review)
here is the set as far as i recall:
SET I:
Safe in the Arms of Love
Sunday Sound > Jam
Jam > Like a Tumbleweed in Eden
Blues Power (longer version!!)
Barefoot by the Cherry Tree (with Ben Peeler on mandolin)
Stealin' (with Ben Peeler)
Reflections On A Broken Mirror
Kids That Ain't Got None > extended ending
Mother of Stone > Jam
Comes a Time
She's on Her Way > Jam
SET II: [Eric Bobo on Congas on most of the set, Ben Peeler on some of the set]
Boney Maroney > Jam
Sin City (with Ben Peeler on mandolin)
Hi-Speed Transportation LA City Limit Blues > Jam
Ride > Jam > Drum/Percussion solos > Jam > Ride
When I Paint my Masterpiece (Ben Peeler on Lap Slide)
Kissing Magic Horses > Beginners and Sinners
Sugaree
Better than the Sun > Jam
Encore:
Crew Intros
Fables
Band Intros
High Heeled Sneakers (with Marc Fuckin' Ford!!!)
Great way to end the tour, with high spirits, lots of jams and some choice covers.
They were really into it tonight, each guy getting a chance to shine. Jeremy
once again was just pounding on the drums during the jams. Paul showed he can
play with the best of them! Ben Peeler added a lot to the show, he played great
even though he probably didn't know a lot of the songs and this time Eric Bobo
got his time in the spotlight!
Many highlights:
Smokin' version of Blues Power with a long solo at the end by Paul ( I think this is the one where he broke a bunch of strings on his SG!)
Soulful Cherry Tree with a nice touch of a mandolin solo.
Unexpected Stealin' with Chris singing the last line acappela.
Kids with a long ending which made it seem like it was a Sunday Service. Chris was really into this one!
Mother of Stone rocked the house!! it was almost like a metal song in intensity!
Comes a Time was simply beautiful and had an aching solo by Paul.
Sin City was simply amazing, a great melancholy version and Chris just nailed it! He also sang the last verse acapella. He said it was like the national anthem for LA!! Probably my favorite song of the night!
Hi Speed LA Blues was even better and more extended, got a great crowd response.
Ride was super long with lots of jamming and soloing, it got the crowd cooking!
Masterpiece sounded great, seems like it could be an original .. even though its Dylan.
Of course they ended on a high note with Marc laying down some sweet notes with Paul on High Heeled Sneakers.
Overall, they are awesome for playing together as long as they have.. looking forward to some more shows and studio songs in the future. They definitely impressed a lot of people I would say as they left the stage with the crowd clamoring for more .....
3.9.03
Here is a review from an Omaha Newspaper.
I added 2 new Chris interviews to the info section.
Check out this recent Hookah Brown Article.
3.5.03
Check out this new site, the MarcBase which archives all of the performances of Marc Ford, similar to the CrowesBase!
The George Harrison Tribute album is out, and
it features a track from Marc
Ford and the Sinners! - Songs
from the Material World
2.19.03
Here are some new Hookah Brown tourdates:
03/05/03 Atlanta, GA The Cotton Club
03/06/03 Greenville, SC The Handlebar
03/09/03 Nashville, TN Exit Inn
03/11/03 Little Rock, AR Sticky Fingers
03/14/03 Dallas, TX Galaxy Club
03/15/03 Oklahoma City, OK Classic Rock Café
03/17/03 St. Louis, MO The Galaxy
03/19/03 Indianapolis, IN Birdy's
03/20/03 Chicago, IL Double Door
03/22/03 Cleveland, OH The Odeon
Also, Peaceful Knievel is playing on
Fri. March 21st, 2003 - Tobacco Road - New York, NY
2.17.03
According to Ticketmaster,
the Chris LA shows are now the 10th
and the 12th of March.
Here is a review of the Milwaukee show and check out this new Chris interview with concertlivewire.com!
2.11.03
Chris Robinson and New Earth Mud added a few more dates:
03/09/03 San Francisco, CA Slims
03/10/03 Los Angeles, CA Troubadour
03/12/03 Los Angeles, CA Troubadour
Black Crowes Guitarist's New Band Set For SXSW Appearance
(2/11/03, 12 p.m. ET) -- Hookah Brown, the new band from Black Crowes guitarist Rich Robinson, will play at this year's South By Southwest (SXSW) Music Festival in Austin, Texas. The festival runs from March 12-16, but Hookah Brown hasn't firmed up the exact time and location of its showcase.
Although Robinson has described the group as being in its "infancy," the SXSW booking is a sign that the quartet--which also includes vocalist John Hogg, bassist Fionn O'Lochliann, and drummer Bill Dobrow--is looking for some label interest. During a recent swing through the Northeast, the group debuted original material such as "Cut The World," "Stand Up," "Black Cloud," "Rude To Me," and "When You Will," and a rendition of "Black Cloud" has been posted on the group's website, hookahbrown.com.
Robinson formed Hookah Brown last summer of 2002 after the Crowes announced they were going on an indefinite hiatus. In addition, the guitarist has also done some production work for Spacehog's Royston Langdon, has scored an off-Broadway play called The Mayor's Limo, and is working on a collaboration with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra that's expected to debut in 2004.
-- Gary Graff, Detroit
2.6.03
Job Cain is a group formed by Alvin Youngblood Hart, and Audley Freed plays with them. Here are their upcoming dates:
February 2003
Wednesday, February 26 at 8:30 PM
3 PRIX BOOKIN PRESENT:: Job Cain featuring Alvin
Youngblood Hart & Audley Freed
at Tobacco Road, New York City
Click here for tickets.
28 SOMERVILLE, MA, JOHNNY D'S
March 2003
01 WOONSOCKET, RI, CHANS
04 ROCHESTER, NY, DINOSAUR BARBEQUE
05 SYRACUSE, NY, DINOSAUR BARBEQUE
06 APALACHIN, NY, THE SMOKEHOUSE
07 PAWLING, NY, TOWN CRIER CAFE
08OXFORD, NY, NIGHT EAGLE CAFE
Also, as previously posted, Audley will be playing with Mike Farris at Tobacco Road in NYC on March 21.
2.4.03
Unfortunately, Marc Ford has cancelled all of his March shows, they couldn't get enough shows booked on the east coast, so the NYC shows have been cancelled and hopefully will be rescheduled.
I added a new Chris interview also to the info section.
Check out this article about Rich's new project.
2.3.03
The Tobacco Road website has streaming video
of Peaceful Kneivel
doing (Donny Hathaway's) "More Than You'll Ever Know" as their 'Clip
Of The
Week'
1.30.03
New Chris Robinson DVD
Chris Robinson is releasing a DVD
titled, "Blood, Bread and Song: A
Paris Journal".
The DVD will be a look at life in Paris
throughout the making of The New Earth Mud.
Blood, Bread and Song is scheduled to hit the
stores in April
and will also be available at newearthmud.com
Thanks to booah, here are some sales figures of the various albums:
If for no other reason than because the data exists, here are the total domestic US album sales for each of the Black Crowes and related releases. These are raw totals from scanned, purchased copies, and do not include the multitude of other copies that could have been purchased via untracked internet sites, conventions, etc. These are also totals of all releases of each album (the first 4 were released FOUR times each, by, depending on what they were called that week, Def American, American, Columbia/Sony).
The Black Crowes - Album Sales (1990-2003)
Shake Your Money Maker (2/13/90): 3,531,421
(8/11/98): 192,497; (12/19/00): 96,477; (6/11/02):
13,640= 3,834,035
Southern Harmony & Musical Companion (5/12/92):
1,742,385
(8/11/98): 41,260; (12/19/00): 20,720; (6/11/02):
4,154= 1,808,519
Amorica (10/11/94): 515,874
(8/11/98): 15,265; (12/19/00): 7,990; (6/11/02):
1,929= 541,058
Three Snakes & One Charm (7/23/96): 294,629
(8/11/98): 13,136; (12/19/00): 4,572; (6/11/02): 890=
313,227
Sho' Nuff (8/11/98): 27,070
(6/11/02): 808= 27,878
By Your Side (1/12/99): 273,083
(6/11/02): 1,276= 274,359
Greatest Hits - Tribute to a Work in Progress
(6/20/00): 261,324
(3/05/02): 28,133= 289,457
Live at the Greek (6/27/00): 213,387
Lions (5/08/01): 203,403
Live (8/20/02): 37,906
Burning Tree (6/19/90): 641
Brand New Immortals - Tragic Show (6/26/01): 4,722
Chris Robinson - New Earth Mud (9/12/02): 32,825
1.27.03
Former Whiskeytown vocalist/violinist Caitlin
Cary's
second solo album, "I'm Staying Out," is due April 22
from Yep Roc Records. The album, the follow-up to last
year's "While You Weren't Looking," will feature guest
appearances by the likes of Mary Chapin Carpenter,
Audley Freed, and Mitch Easter. A supporting U.S. tour
is in the works for the spring and summer.
Produced by former dBs member Chris Stamey, "I'm
Staying Out" features accompaniment by Cary's longtime
backers Jen Gunderman (piano, organ, accordion, and
vocals), Dave Bartholomew (acoustic and electric
guitars, vocals), Brian Dennis (guitar), and Jon
Wurster (drums and percussion). Producer Don Dixon
also joined the band in the studio, adding bass,
guitar, and vocal harmonies.
"I think you can hear a band on this record,"
Cary
says in a statement. "It was made by the touring group
and there's give and take that comes from us knowing
and reacting to one another, which allows each
instrument to take its proper place and really shine."
1.25.03
New date added:
Chris Robinson and New Earth Mud
Water Street Music Hall, Rochester, NY
Fri,
Feb 21, 2003. 8:00pm
1.23.03
Hookah Brown review from spiderblues:
First here's the setlist:
North Star Bar 1/22/03 Philadelphia, Pa
1. Black Cloud
2. Know Me
3. Enemy
4. Under A Mountain *
5. Rude To Me
6. Ommision
7. All Is Forgiven
8. Things behind The Sun
9. Woke Me
10. Easy To Slip
11. Stand Up
12. Cut The World
Encore
13. When You Will
14. Let It Be Gone
15. Lookout Joe
15. Wiser Time *
Last night was unbelievable!
Before I left I called the North Star to see if
Photography was allowed, but nobody from the band was
there yet to ask. So I called back and the guy went to
check and he put the manager for Hookah Brown on the
phone. He said I could take pictures as long as I
don't profit from them. I said that's cool. He said to
ask for him when I got there so I could sign a form
saying so.
So I got there around 7:00 and went in and saw where
the room was. I went in and there were a bunch of
people in there and I asked them if they knew where I
could find the manager. They didn't know. It turned
out they were the opening act, Pepper's Ghost. So I
waited in this room and a few minutes later I saw a
guy who looked like him. I went up to him and
introduced myself. I signed the form for the pictures,
then he gave me his card if I had any problems. I
can't say enough about this guy. He was super nice all
night long.
So after I signed the form I just waited in this room
while they set the stage up and set the levels on the
equipment. Meanwhile Rich and the band would be
walking up and downstairs from time to time. I didn't
bother them though.
Then came time for the band soundcheck. This was
fuckin' cool! There were about 15 people in the room.
It was myself and people with the opening band. If you
didn't relize by now the doors were locked and people
were not allowed in yet, they were just able to see
through the doors.
So they come on and started woth some songs. They
played Cut the world and bits and pieces of other
things then they played Under a mountain! I can't tell
you how good it felt to hear some Crowes live again! I
know it's not the same but it was good. The soundcheck
lasted about 20 minutes or so.
Peppers Ghost went on stage around 10:00. This band
was pretty good. I had never heard of them but they
were full of energy. The lead singer was all over the
stage. At one point in the last song he started
climbing on one of the amps and almost fell into
Rich's guitar rack. That would have been a nightmare.
They played around a half hour.
Hookah Braown took the stage around 11:00. They just
came out rocking and didn't stop all night. They
sounded a lot better than the show on 11/17/02. They
had a little feedback trouble in the beginning and
Rich didn't seem to happy about that, but it cleared
up. For me every song was a highlight. When you will,
the song with the dulcimers was absolutly great!
Sounded great.
Under a mountain and Wiser Time were pulled off very
nicley. The place went nuts for Wiser Time. That was
greatly improved from the first time.
The show ended around 12:30 and I got Rich's setlist,
plus I got a handwritten one from Baltimore, the night
before. When they were setting up the stage one of the
guys dropped it on the floor. I think it was in a bass
case. I picked it up when I got up front and put it in
my pocket. I didn't look at it thinking it was the
setlist for last night. I saw what it was on my way
home. I got John Hoggs autograph first then I got
Fionn's then Bill's. I was talking a little to the
manager again. The 1/23 show there are going to be 9
record lables there. So he hopes he will find a home
for them so they can put out a cd. He didn't have a
date or anything. As far as touring, they are going to
be touring the Southeast later and move out to the
Midwest. He said they were already set to do a gig in
Texas at the SXSW, then from there maybe some
Westcoast dates. So me and 2 other poeple were waiting
for Rich to come up and the manager took our things to
be signed and went to Rich and came back with his
signature. So I had the setlist for the 1/22 show
signed by the whole band.
As far as taping, there was one taper that I saw. He
had his mics up around 10 ft. or so. I got his email
from someone. I'll keep you posted on that.
All in all it was a pretty good night. I shot 2 rolls
of film. Depending on how they come out, I'm going to
send him copies and he might use the on the Hookah
Brown website.
And I forgot to mention that I didn't even use my
ticket. A great night and anybody who has a chance should go
to see them.
Hookah Brown Baltimore Review & Set List
from eludave:
Great googly moogly. That was one hell of a show!
The
band looked and sounded outstanding! John was ultra
cool. Bill was fun to watch. Fionn is an absolute
MONSTER player! I love Rich. They've made great
strides since the NYC debut show. We got 2 Crowes
songs, the first being Cypress Tree! Later in the set
they started playing a song and I turned to my bud Jon
and said, "sounds like All Is Forgiven." Then John
comes in..."Heal me darlin'." It WAS All Is Forgiven
by the incredible Jellyfish. I freaked! I was stunned.
The HB tunes sounded sweet. Some new songs and some
changes within songs since NY. They opened with a new
one and then went in to "Know Me." Rich was smiling a
lot and why the hell not. His band is incredible! They
closed the encore with Wiser Time which was leaps and
bounds better than NYC. After hearing the NYC version
I was like, maybe they should leave that one alone,
but now I'm totally down with it. They did a Neil
Young cover in the encore as well. Rich's tech was
real nice and gave me a set list. Saw some people from
the board. It was a good crowd, numbers-wise for a
Tuesday. I'd say 100 or so which is probably close to
capacity. For the players, Rich used a Tele, a
Broadcaster, the Bigsby 335, a LP and a couple of
others. Fionn had a REAL nice Tele bass and a Gibson
hollow body. They had shirts for sale. $15. I beleive
the opener was local. They where called The Newlyweds.
I'm so glad I went. Man, that was some show! From the
set list:
Ommission
Know Me
Enemy
Cypress Tree
Rude To Me
Black Cloud
All Is Forgiven
Things Behind The Sun
Woke
Easy To Slip
Goodbye
Stand Up
Cut The World
-------------
When You Will
Let It Be Gone
Lookout Joe
Wiser Time
1.21.03
Hookah Brown has an official
site. Check it out and download a sample of their music.
Here is the New Earth Mud Spring Itinerary. Here is the ticketmaster page for some on sale information.
02/08/03 Denver, CO The Fillmore
02/10/03 Minneapolis, MN Fine Line
02/11/03 Madison, IL Barrymore
02/12/03 Milwaukee, WI The Rave
02/13/03 Chicago, IL Park West
02/15/03 Urbana, IL Canopy Club
02/17/03 Grand Rapids, MI TBA
02/18/03 Detroit, MI Magic Bag
02/20/03 Toronto, ON Lee's Place
02/22/03 Pittsburgh, PA Metropol
02/24/03 Cleveland, OH Odeon
02/25/03 Cincinnati, OH Bogarts
02/26/03 Columbus, OH Newport Music Hall
02/27/03 Indianapolis, IN The Vogue
03/01/03 St. Louis, MO Mississippi Nights
03/02/03 Columbia, MO Blue Note
03/04/03 Kansas City, MO TBA
03/05/03 Omaha, NB Ranch Bowl
Chris Robinson & The New Earth Mud will be
playing The
Vogue Theatre in Indianapolis on Thursday February 27th.
Tickets are $20 and go on sale Wednesday January 29.
For more info go to www.thevogue.ws
Mike Farris is playing a show with Audley Freed at Tobacco Road on March 21 according to his website.
1.19.03
Check out the Hookah Brown page on mp3.com to download a track of their music.
Robinson crows about his new band
By Steve Morse, Globe Staff, 1/17/2003
The Black Crowes, who played their last show
at the
Orpheum Theatre on Halloween night, 2001, are now ''in
limbo,'' says guitarist Rich Robinson. The band is
known for feuds between Robinson and his brother,
Chris, but for nearly two decades, the group kept
reconnecting and ascended to the pantheon of truly
great live acts.
Still, endless tours finally had the Crowes yelling
''No mas!''
''It always got worse when we went out for a
long
time,'' says Rich Robinson. ''Anything past six weeks,
we wanted to kill each other.'' But popularity meant
their manager and promoters wanted more. ''We hardly
had any time off,'' he adds. ''My band of 18 years was
basically broken up. We were all fighting, and it was
horrible. ''
Robinson has now formed Hookah Brown, a group
featuring two Americans and two Brits. The lead
singer, John Hogg, played with the English band Moke.
He writes most of the new lyrics, while the
Atlanta-based Robinson writes the music. It's a
division of labor Robinson once shared with his
brother.
There's no album yet, but the group has 15 songs
and
will unveil them at Cambridge's House of Blues on Jan.
31. (Yes, they'll probably add a couple of Crowes
songs for the diehards.)
So what does Hookah Brown sound like?
''Some people say it sounds like the Crowes,
some say
it doesn't,'' Robinson says. ''But there's a lot more
space in the music. And there's quite a range. There's
one song that is all dulcimers, and then there's a big
rock song with riffs that sound like the James Gang
and Led Zeppelin. And everyone in the band sings.''
Bassist Fionn O'Lochlainn was also in Moke, which
opened for the Crowes in 1999. The fourth member is
drummer Bill Dobrow.
The adventurous Robinson is also involved in
two other
musical projects. One is what he calls a ''string
dub,'' the studio marriage of classical music and
dub-echo effects; the other is to create a symphony
out of music from Japan, China, and perhaps beyond.
But for now, if you want to see him onstage,
it will
have to be with Hookah Brown. And to hear him describe
it, that's not a bad thing.
1.18.03
Here are all the Marc Ford tourdates so far:
FEB 6 and 13th:
Platinum
11345 Ventura Blvd
Studio City, California
818-753-1771
MAR 21 and 22nd:
Tobacco Road
355 West 41 Street
NY,NY
212-244-ROAD
1.15.03
Rich Robinson Looks Ahead With Hookah Brown
With no end in sight to the Black Crowes' now
year-long hiatus, guitarist Rich Robinson has spent
the past several months working with a new band,
Hookah Brown. The group, which is rounded out by
former Moke vocalist John Hogg, bassist Fionn
O'lochlainn, and drummer Bill Dobrow, will kick off
its maiden U.S. tour Tuesday (Jan. 21) in Baltimore.
Once the members of the Crowes went their separate
ways, Robinson tells Billboard.com he "started
recording all my songs by myself. I started writing
lyrics, which I had never done, and singing, which I
had never done. I wrote all these songs, but it got
sort of tedious because I was playing all the bass,
drums, and guitar, and singing. Eventually I felt like
an idiot and I was like, 'Well, why don't I just get a
drummer in here! Let's start there.'"
After auditioning a host of prospective players
at his
friend Teese Ghol's apartment in New York, Robinson
eventually settled on O'lochlainn and Dobrow. Hogg was
brought on the strength of Moke's performances opening
up for the Crowes in 1999. Says Robinson, "I wrote
about five songs worth of lyrics but I wanted to hear
what John could do. I had all these other songs I
didn't even bother writing lyrics for, and when he
went to work on them, they came out unbelievably. I
love the way he sings. I love his phrasing and his
lyrics. It was something that really worked."
Hookah Brown played its only show to date in
mid-November at New York's tiny Arlene Grocery.
Robinson says the band has about 15 songs in its
repertoire, one of which, "Cut the World," was
previously a candidate for recording by the Black
Crowes but never made it that far. "[Crowes
vocalist/Rich's brother] Chris [Robinson] was like,
'Well, I'm not recording it.' So I thought, f*** it. I
took my part of the song and turned it into something
else!"
As for the sound of the new endeavor, Robinson
says,
"It's sort of like the Crowes in a way because it's
the way I write. But it's different because it is a
three-piece band and John. John's voice is different
than Chris'. Instead of having two guitar players on
stage at once plus a keyboard player, there is a lot
more space. It brings a lot more clarity and focus to
the music. I think it's easier to grasp what we're
doing."
The group is in the midst of negotiating for
a record
deal but isn't in a hurry to sign on the dotted line.
"I want to take my time and really suss it out,"
Robinson says. "I want someone to really be excited
about what we do."
Robinson confirms that the Crowes remain "in
a severe
state of limbo. We don't have any plans to get back
together and we don't have any plans not to get back
together. Nothing has changed in the past year."
However, Hookah Brown will offer up its takes on a few
Crowes tunes at the upcoming shows, including "Halfway
to Everywhere" and "Wiser Time." Offers Robinson,
"people coming to see us are Crowes fans, so why not?"
Here are Hookah Brown's tour dates:
Jan. 21: Baltimore (Fletcher's)
Jan. 22: Philadelphia (North Star)
Jan. 23: New York (Bowery Ballroom)
Jan. 25: Asbury Park, N.J. (Stone Pony)
Jan. 26: Uncasville, Conn. (Mohegan Sun)
Jan. 29: Ithaca, N.Y. (the Haunt)
Jan. 30: Northampton, Mass. (Iron Horse Music Hall)
Jan. 31: Cambridge, Mass. (House of Blues)
1.13.03
Marc Ford has some new dates: Club Platinum - Studio City, California, Feb. 6th and 13th.
He may start playing there weekly, stay tuned.
Marc & his Mangement (Warren Entner Mangement) are negotiating a record deal & have been for the last several months. There will be a short east coast run in March (including March 15th & 16th) at the famed Tobacco Road. These will be two afterparty Allman Brothers shows so plan on staying up late! Boston, CT, RI, NJ & Philly are also being concerned as places to play on the March run. Also, we are currently working on a date for Feb for 1650 (stay tuned for more details).
1.9.03
Robinson Crowes With Hookah
Black Crowes guitarist takes new band on road
Black Crowes guitarist Rich Robinson has dubbed his new band "Hookah Brown," and plans to break in the ensemble with an eight-date tour to launch January 21st in Baltimore.
In addition to Robinson on guitar and vocals, Hookah Brown features drummer Bill Dobrow, and a pair of British musicians, bassist Fionn O'Lochlainn and singer John Hogg. Hogg, formerly of Moke, also serves as co-writer (with Robinson) on the band's material. Robinson formed the band after the Crowes' announced their hiatus in January of 2001.
"I think towards the end it was just so fuckin' miserable," Robinson told Rolling Stone last year of the Crowes' break. "Everyone was fighting, especially me and Chris, and then Chris and Steve [drummer Gorman] . . . [Now] I can branch out and do things we might not have done, more poppy things."
The group has yet to sign with a label, but it will perform several new tracks including "Cut the World," "Stand Up," "Rude to Me" and "When You Will." "One of my goals is to keep Hookah Brown a four-piece," Robinson says. "I don't want to try and remake the Black Crowes. I want to take what I learned and try it in a different context."
Hookah Brown tour dates:
1/21: Baltimore, Fletcher's
1/22: Philadelphia, North Star
1/23: New York, Bowery Ballroom
1/25: Asbury Park, NJ, Stone Pony
1/26: Uncasville, CT, Mohegan Sun
1/29: Ithaca, NY, The Haunt
1/30: Northampton, MA, Iron Horse Music Hall
1/31: Cambridge, MA, House of Blues
1.3.02
The Hookah Brown tour is extending, here are all the dates so far:
Tue 01/21/03 Baltimore, MD Fletcher's
Wed 01/22/03 Philadelphia, PA North Star
Thu 01/23/03 New York, NY Bowery Ballroom
Sat 01/25/03 Asbury Park, NJ Stone Pony
Sun 01/26/03 Uncasville, CT Mohegan Sun Casino
Fri 01/31/03 Cambridge, MA House Of Blues
There will also be dates added for the following
cities: Northhampton, MA ; Ithaca, NY ; Boston, MA and
Long Island, NY. We'll post all the information as the
dates are confirmed.
12.29.02
I added a Page/Crowes chat transcript to the info section from march 2000.
Here is a singles chart for the Crowes; some interesting information here:
|
debut |
peak position |
weeks on chart |
song |
| 2.24.90 | 5 | 23 | Jealous Again |
| 6.30.90 | 11 | 17 | Twice as Hard |
| 10.6.90 | 1 | 21 | Hard to Handle |
| 1.19.91 | 1 | 20 |
She Talks to Angels |
| 5.11.91 | 2 | 16 | Seeing Things |
| 4.25.92 | 1 | 20 | Remedy |
| 5.30.92 | 1 | 23 | Thorn in my Pride |
| 5.30.92 | 1 | 15 | Sting Me |
| 10.10.92 | 1 | 20 | Hotel Illness |
| 1.23.93 | 7 | 10 | Sometimes Salvation |
| 5.1.93 | 40 | 2 | Bad Luck Blue Eyes Goodbye |
| 10.29.94 | 5 | 13 | A Conspiracy |
| 1.28.95 | 8 | 12 | High Head Blues |
| 5.6.95 | 7 | 16 | Wiser Time |
12.28.02
New Hookah Brown show, Northstar Bar in Philly:
Wednesday January 22
Hookah Brown
Tix: $16 / Show: 9pm
12.23.02
Chris Robinson and the New Earth Mud will be opening for Moe at the Fillmore in Denver, Colorado on February 8th. Tickets are on sale now through moe.ticketing at moe.org.
I also updated the Discography section, thanks to some additions by Mark !
12.13.02
Hookah Brown Tour Dates
Hookah Brown is the new group put together by
Rich
Robinson. The band is comprised of Rich on guitars and
vocals, John Hogg on vocals, guitar and bass; Fionn
O'Lochlainn on bass, guitar, keys and vocals and Bill
Dobrow on drums and vocals.
Hookah Brown will be hitting the road early in
2003
with a small tour on the east coast. Here are the
dates that have been confirmed so far:
01/23/03 New York, NY Bowery Ballroom
01/25/03 Asbury Park, NJ Stone Pony
01/26/03 Uncasville, CT Mohegan Sun
Check with the venues and local agencies for
ticket
information for these gigs.
12.10.02
Check out these nice New Earth Mud pictures from Atlanta from Rolling Stone
Mike Farris with Peaceful Knievel (featuring
Audley
Freed and Andy Hess for those who don't know)
Sat. January 4th, 2003 - Tobacco Road - New York,
NY
Showtime: 11:00pm - Detail TBA
12.9.02
Rich's new band Hookah Brown is playing in NYC
on Jan 23, click here
to buy tickets!
Hookah Brown is playing at The Stone Pony, NJ:
Saturday, January 25
HOOKAH BROWN
featuring RICH ROBINSON of THE BLACK CROWES
performing old and new music
Doors at 8 pm
Tickets: $13 ($15 at the door)
Haynes Sets Annual Xmas Jam
Gov't Mule guitarist Warren Haynes will stage his 14th annual Christmas Jam
Dec. 21 in Asheville, N.C. The event, which will raise money for Habitat For
Humanity, will feature performances by Gov't Mule, John Hiatt & the Goners,
moe., Robert Randolph & the Family Band, and Bob Weir.
The concert will also sport appearances by special guests, including Edwin McCain, Kevn Kinney, former Black Crowes guitarist Audley Freed, DJ Logic, Rob Barraco, Jerry Joseph, John Molo, Dave Schools, and more. Tickets are now available through Ticketmaster outlets.
Gov't Mule recently released "The Deep End Volume 2" (ATO), the second CD of a two-part tribute to former Mule bassist Allen Woody, who died of a heart attack in 2000. Both albums feature a host of guest bassists paying tribute to Woody. "Volume 2" debuted at No. 117 on The Billboard 200 in October, its predecessor having debuted at No. 128 in November 2001. Phish bassist Mike Gordon also directed a documentary, "Rising Low," documenting the recording of the two albums.
The group is also planning to ring in the new year at New York's Beacon Theatre, with a pair of shows Dec. 30 and 31.
12.5.02
George Harrison Tribute Due
They Might Be Giants, Bennett, Rundgren record
late
Beatle's songs
They Might Be Giants, Jay Bennett and Edward Burch,
Todd Rundgren, Dave Davies and will appear on Songs
From the Material World, a tribute album to George
Harrison due February 25th, which would have been
Harrison's sixtieth birthday. The Beatles guitarist
died in November 2001 of cancer.
The album includes Harrison songs penned for
the
Beatles -- including a cover of "Here Comes the Sun"
by the late Who bassist John Entwistle and "While My
Guitar Gently Weeps" by Rundgren -- and solo songs
including "Devil's Radio," covered by Masters of
Reality. Big Head Todd and the Monsters, Black Crowes'
guitarist Marc Ford and the Smithereens also
contribute songs.
The record will cap a season full of Harrison
releases
and tributes. Last month, his final recording,
Brainwashed, was released. And last week, Eric
Clapton, Tom Petty, Paul McCartney and others
performed at a concert in Harrison's honor in London.
Partial proceeds from the album will go to the
T.J.
Martell Foundation, a music industry charity that
raises money for cancer and AIDS research.
"I Want to Tell You," The Smithereens
"Devil's Radio," Masters of Reality
"While My Guitar Gently Weeps," Todd Rundgren
"Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth)," Dave Davies
"I, Me, Mine," Marc Ford
"Within You, Without You," Big Head Todd and the
Monsters
"It's All Too Much," Wayne Kramer
"Isn't It a Pity," Jay Bennett/Edward Burch
"Old Brown Shoe," Leslie West
"Here Comes the Sun," John Entwistle
"Savoy Truffle," They Might Be Giants
"Something," Bonnie Bramlett
12.4.02
Black Crowes' Uncertainty Births Chris Robinson Solo Career
By Jonathan Cohen
After the Black Crowes wrapped a North American tour in late October 2001, the
group's frontman Chris Robinson drove back to his Malibu, Calif., home facing
myriad uncertainties.
Although it wouldn't be publicly announced until several months later, he knew the Crowes would be going on a long hiatus, perhaps never to reform. He also knew he needed an outlet for the new music bubbling inside of him. Within weeks, and without the assistance of his bandmates (including his guitarist brother, Rich), he was demoing the material that would eventually comprise "New Earth Mud" -- which serves as Robinson's solo debut for Redline Entertainment.
"I was on the beach, and I realized I had no band, no manager, no record deal; nothing except these ideas and these songs that were laid out in front of me," Robinson says. "That was the most exciting thing in the world. It was solely put in my lap. I really had an opportunity to say, 'This is how I feel.'"
By the end of 2001, Robinson had aligned with manager Kelly Curtis (Pearl Jam) and written more than a dozen songs, including collaborations with Crowes keyboardist Eddie Harsch and the band's former guitarist, Marc Ford. "We hadn't spoken in a long time, but we still had so many mutual friends," Robinson says of Ford, who co-wrote "Sunday Sound." "It was nice to be able to strike up another musical dialogue with him away from the Crowes."
Robinson teamed with U.K. producer/multi-instrumentalist Paul Stacey in the spring to record the 12-track set in Paris. As opposed to the Crowes' often rough-and-tumble sessions, Robinson embraced spontaneity, citing such songs as "Could You Really Love Me" and "Safe in the Arms of Love," which were still being tweaked in the studio right before they were put to tape.
"Although Rich and I could be very spontaneous and work, it was always filled with a lot of drama," Robinson says with a laugh. "I don't think it benefits anyone to start to get precious over little things. It is about those moments when it's happening and when you're focused and everyone is trying to do the best for that piece of music."
Robinson's trademark soul-dipped vocals power "New Earth Mud" (issued Oct. 29), which largely eschews the Crowes' more hard-rock leanings in favor of slow-building ballads ("Untangle My Mind," "She's on Her Way"), unabashed love songs ("Katie Dear," written for his wife, actress Kate Hudson), and happy-go-lucky funk ("Ride"). Stacey chipped in on guitar, bass, and organ, while his brother, Jeremy, played drums. Minuteman principal Matt Jones played the bulk of the keyboards.
Both Stacey brothers are backing Robinson on his maiden electric tour, which wraps Dec. 18 in Burlington, Vt. Earlier this year, the artist opted to play his first solo shows acoustically, supported only by Paul Stacey. That pairing is chronicled on a limited-edition, vinyl-only live album Redline will issue Dec. 17.
Initial pressings of "New Earth Mud" -- which debuted at No. 2 on Billboard's Heatseekers chart -- included a DVD featuring studio footage shot by Darren Ankenman in Paris and four songs from the live vinyl release. A stand-alone DVD will be released in the first quarter of 2003.
In keeping with Crowes tradition, fans are permitted to record and trade Robinson's live shows, while online, the newearthmud.com site includes such features as streaming clips from the album, plus unreleased live songs and behind-the-scenes photos.
Robinson beams at the seemingly limitless prospects ahead of him. "If I wrote 15 new songs and wanted to go play them, we could book dates and just go play to the people who want to see it," he says. "It's great to do things because they're special to me, not because they're a commodity for someone else. I'm not interested in competing with what I've done. This is all about where I can go."
12.2.02
Chris Robinson is headed to NBC's-"Last Call with Carson Daly" this Wednesdau December 4th. The show tapes that Wednesday evening at 4:00pm at 30 Rockefeller Center in NYC. Tickets are free, but on a first come first serve basis so email now to reserve your priority seating.
Our ticket email is lastcallaudience@nbc.com.
Please put "Chris Robinson" in the subject heading, give us your full
name, phone number and number of tickets you need to reserve. We will follow
up with a confirmation email
if your request is met. You must be at least 16 years of age to be in our audience.
Thanks and we look forward to seeing you at the show!
Audley Freed and his wife Jen Gunderman sat in on this show!
December 1, 2002
Raleigh, NC @ Lincoln Theater
Set One
Safe In The Arms Of Love
Sunday Sound
Tough Mama
The Dolphins
Got Love If You Want It
Barefoot By The Cherry Tree
Kids That Aint Got None
Mother of Stone
Evening Blue
Stealing
Set Two
Going Down the Road Feeling Bad
Silver Car
LA City Limit Blues
Ride
No Expectations
Kissing Magic Horses
Mint Tea
Last Of The Old Time Train Robbers
T for Texas
Better Than the Sun
Encore:
Blues Power
11.29.02
In case you missed the Conan show, you can download
it here in windows
media format. Thanks to illusi0nz for posting it!
11.27.02
Chris Robinson and The New Earth Mud will perform for a national television audience twice over the next two weeks.
On Thursday, November 28th, they will appear on the Conan O'Brien show, and then also perform at the Carson Daily show on Wednesday, December 4th.
I added a new Chris article to the info section.
11.25.02
I added a new Chris Robinson interview to the info section.
Mike Farris from the Screamin' Cheetah Wheelies is releasing a solo album "Goodnight Sun" in December featuring many artists including Audley Freed; for more information go to his website.
11.22.02
Chris Robinson played his first show of the new tour and reports were very positive, it was a long show and there was a lot of improvisation! Here is last night's setlist:
November 21, 2002 - Dallas, TX @ Gypsy Tea Room:
Set One
Safe In The Arms Of Love
Tough Mama
Sunday Sound
Could You Really Love Me
Blues Power
Silver Car
Kids That Aint Got None
Mother of Stone
Blue
Sloth
Better Than the Sun
Set Two
Red Road->I Know You Rider
Barefoot By The Cherry Tree
Kissing Magic Horses
Mint Tea
Beginners and Sinners
T for Texas
Comes A Time
Are You Ready For The Country
11.21.02
Chris Robinson has given a great interview to the Dark Side of the Radio, you can download it here. It is about an hour long, and talks about all kinds of different things so check it out!
11.20.02
I added a new Chris article to the info section. Check out this other Chris article.
New Marc Ford Dates:
December 18th at
14 Below
1348 14th St.
Santa Monica, CA 90404 (ticket info available soon)
December 21st
1650 (Old Club Vinyl)
1650 Schraeder Blvd.
Hollywood, CA
Tickets are $10 through jambasetickets.com or $12 day of show
(available starting Monday)
11.18.02
Rich Robinson played his first show in NYC last weekend, here is an LA Times article:
"With brother Chris Robinson having launched his solo career, former Black Crowes guitarist-songwriter Rich Robinson is starting a new band, Hookah Brown. John Hogg, from the English band Moke, has signed on as lead singer, with American drummer Bill Dobrow and English bassist Fionn O'Lochlainn filling out the quartet. The band will be introduced with a "surprise" show in New York this week."
Here is the setlist:
know me
stand up
halfway to everywhere
rude to me
sometimes salvation
black cloud
things behind the sun
enemy
cut the world
encores:
hold you
dulcimer
wiser time
11.15.02
Chris Robinson lands on the DarkSide of the Radio!
Chris Robinson will chat with the DarkSide of
the Radio and the interview will air Thursday, November 21st at 12:30 pm central
time. A pre show will start at 10:30 am central time with listeners calling
in and discussion concerning the new record. You can listen through winamp or
media player by opening the following url in the player - www.live365.com/play/262690.
Visit DarkSide of the Radio at www.dsotr.8m.com
for additional information.
11.12.02
Check out these old pictures from the 12.5.90 show thanks to Vikki!
WARREN HAYNES CHRISTMAS JAM
The 14th Annual Warren Haynes Christmas Jam, to
benefit Habitat For
Humanity, will be held Saturday December 21st in
Asheville, NC. It
gives us
great pleasure to announce the line-up for this very
special event:
Gov't Mule
Bob Weir
moe.
John Hiatt Band
Robert Randolph & The Family Band
With Very Special Guests:
Dave Schools
Audley Feed
DJ Logic
John Molo
Rob Baracco
Joey Arkenstat
Kevn Kinney
Edwin McCain
Jerry Joseph
AND MANY MORE
11.7.02
A new show has been added:
An Electric Evening with Chris Robinson
& His New
Earth Band
Theater of Living Arts (TLA)
Philadelphia, PA
On Sale Friday, November 8 at 12 PM
Tuesday, December 17 at 8 PM
11.4.02
I added 2 new Chris interviews to the info section.
10.29.02
Management has confirmed the rumors
that Rich Robinson
will be playing an unannounced electric show with his
new band at Arlene's Grocery in NYC on Sunday,
November 17th, 2002. Doors will be at 8pm, showtime @
9pm. The club will not have him listed as a performer
that night, however, it's definitely happening!
10.27.02
I added a new Chris article to the info section from 10.25.02.
I also updated the Discography section with the solo albums.
10.26.02
Black Crowes' Chris Robinson Is
No 'TRL' Poseur
"Am I going to become somebody I'm not to [be on 'TRL']? Am I going to
pretend to be hip and young? I don't pose for people." — Chris Robinson
You'll soon be able to hear Chris Robinson's debut solo material live at any
of the Black Crowes frontman's upcoming tour stops. You can also check out the
lanky singer's acoustic-driven rockers on New Earth Mud, which hit stores this
week. Just don't expect to be hearing any of them in a commercial.
"These young bands, they sign their songs to commercials and everything looks all the same and everybody dresses the same and everybody says the same bullsh--," Robinson complained. "Everyone's lip-synching again.
"To the dismay of others around me," he continued, "I refuse to start associating being overtly commercial with being successful. I'm not one who's validated by fame and money ... I think you can be commercially successful, but do you have to sleep with the lions? You lay down with lions, but do you have to become them? You should always have a healthy disrespect for authority, and you know what? Corporations are authority."
Despite his obvious ire toward corporate America and the artists who license their songs to say, car manufacturers, the 12 songs on New Earth Mud sound incredibly relaxed. Having spent over a decade fronting the often tumultuous Crowes alongside his brother Rich, the elder Robinson is feeling more than satisfied with his first solo outing.
"I don't think I've ever been this comfortable in my career," said the singer, who's married to actress Kate Hudson. "I'm happy with the record, I love the way it sounds, I love the songs. I loved being in Paris [recording] and working with [producer] Paul [Stacey]. I'm really happy in my personal life. And there's no politics and drama... We live in a time where independence is almost frowned upon. That's where my comfort zone comes from. I've already succeeded. I've already made the record I wanted to make and it feels the way I want it to feel.
"I want to sell millions of records," he added. "But if that doesn't happen, I'm secure and safe in the knowledge that I know that what I'm putting out there is real. And I don't have to make up some guise or some pose and be somebody I'm not to do it... Hey, if there were a bunch of teenage kids who wanted to stop following and start thinking and my record was the catalyst and I was on 'TRL,' cool. Now, am I going to become somebody I'm not to do that? Am I going to pretend to be hip and young? Am I going to be angry when I'm not angry? I don't pose for people."
Apparently, New Earth Mud has been a long time coming. The 35-year-old Robinson said he first wrote solo material outside of the Crowes (with members of Jellyfish) as far back as 1992.
"I had a great time doing it,
but [it never came out] because of the Crowes and the commitment," he explained.
"I can't do something just to do it, like 'Oh, here's a solo record, I'll
put it out then go back to [the band].' I have to be fully committed. That's
why some people, I guess, say the Crowes are broken up or on hiatus or whatever.
I just told everyone the last time we met, 'I'll see you when I see you.' I
don't really know what's gonna happen. Inevitably, when any relationship dissolves,
it's tender and people say, 'F--- him,' and 'He said this,' and 'I quit.' I
really managed to avoid a lot of that drama by getting into this work."
10.24.02
Check out this new review of New Earth Mud!
Here are all the Marc Ford dates so far:
Thursday Nov 14th in Carrolton,
GA at Loco's
NOV 15 - The Tabernacle
opening for Gov't Mule
Saturday Nov 16th in Asheville, NC at the Music Zone
NOV 17 - Blue Sky Court
Nashville, TN
Nov 19th The Arena in Birmingham, AL
NOV 21 - Tipitinas
New Orleans, LA
NOV 22 - Chelsea's
Baton Rouge, LA
NOV 23 - Soulshine/Hal & Mal's
Jackson, MS
10.23.02
Chris Robinson Preps First Full Band Trek
Former Black Crowes frontman Chris Robinson has confirmed his first solo tour
backed by a full band, due to kick off Nov. 21 in Dallas. Robinson will be backed
by multi-instrumentalist brothers Paul and Jeremy Stacey, who both played on
his Redline solo debut, "New Earth Mud." The set was released yesterday
(Oct. 22) and bundled with a DVD chronicling the making of the album.
Robinson previously toured North America acoustically backed only by Paul Stacey. The artist tells Billboard.com he is excited about the prospect of hitting the road without the usual fanfare that accompanied Black Crowes tours. "If I wrote 15 new songs and wanted to go play them, we could book dates and just go play to the people who want to see it," he says. "It's great to do things because they're special to me, not because they're a commodity for someone else."
Robinson's trademark soul-dipped vocals power "New Earth Mud," which largely eschews the Crowes' more hard-rock leanings in favor of slow-building ballads ("Untangle My Mind," "She's on Her Way"), unabashed love songs ("Katie Dear," written for his wife, actress Kate Hudson), and happy-go-lucky funk ("Ride"). First single "Safe in the Arms of Love" is getting airplay on a host of U.S. radio outlets.
Here are Chris Robinson's tour dates:
Nov. 21: Dallas (Gypsy Tea Room)
Nov. 22: Austin, Texas (Mercury)
Nov. 23: Houston (Numbers)
Nov. 25: New Orleans (House of Blues)
Nov. 26: Atlanta (Variety Playhouse)
Nov. 28: New York ("Late Night With Conan O'Brien")
Nov. 29: Asheville, N.C. (Orange Peel)
Nov. 30: Charlotte, N.C. (Tremont Music Hall)
Dec. 1: Raleigh, N.C. (Lincoln Theater)
Dec. 2: Knoxville, Tenn. (Blue's Cat / tentative)
Dec. 4: New York (Irving Plaza / tentative)
Dec. 6-7: New York (Irving Plaza)
Dec. 9: Asbury Park, N.J. (Stone Pony)
Dec. 10: Norfolk, Va. (NorVa)
Dec. 11: Charlottesville, Va. (Starr Hill Music Hall)
Dec. 13: New Haven, Conn. (Toad's Place / tentative)
Dec. 14: Northampton, Mass. (Pearl Street)
Dec. 15: Portland, Maine (State Theatre)
Dec. 18: Burlington, Vt. (Higher Ground)
Dec. 19: Albany, N.Y. (Northern Lights)
10.22.02
Chris Robinson's New Earth Mud is released today so pick it up and enjoy!
With the Black Crowes on
hiatus, frontman Chris Robinson releases his first
solo album, New Earth Mud, this week. Robinson started
working on the album shortly after the last Crowes
tour, which ended in the fall of 2001, and recorded it
mostly in Paris with British guitarist and engineer
Paul Stacy.
Robinson tells LAUNCH that he felt
a certain sense of
liberation in working on his own after nearly 15 years
with the Crowes: "In a creative sense, I don't really
have anything to lose, and I don't have anything to
prove except to myself. I mean, my thing was I didn't
want to edit myself at all, you know? And I believe
there's an intimacy that's really lacking in music,
for me. I just wanted to lay it out as I feel it, and
not really edit myself and not really be afraid."
Also, I added a new Chris interview to the info section.
Marc Ford and the Sinners are playing on Nov 15th after the Gov't Mule show at the Tabernacle in Atlanta! Here are a couple more Marc dates:
Thu 11/21/02 New Orleans, LA Tipitina's
Uptown
Fri 11/22/02 Baton Rouge, LA Chelsea's
10.15.02
An Electric Evening with Chris Robinson and The New Earth Mud
Chris Robinson is touring in the fall, and he's hittin' the road with The New Earth Mud; a band comprised of Paul Stacey (guitar), Jeremy Stacey (drums), George Lax (keyboards) and George Reiff (bass).
Below are the dates currently scheduled for November and December. Please check with the venues for ticket info and on-sale dates.
Audio recording welcomed.
DATE CITY VENUE
11/21/02 Dallas, TX Gypsy Tea Room
11/22/02 Austin, TX The Mercury
11/23/02 Houston, TX Numbers
11/25/02 New Orleans, LA House Of Blues
11/26/02 Atlanta, GA Variety Play House
11/28/02 New York, NY Conan O'Brien Show
11/29/02 Asheville, NC Orange Peel
11/30/02 Charlotte, NC Treemont Music Hall
12/01/02 Raleigh, NC Lincoln Theater
12/06/02 New York, NY Irving Plaza
12/07/02 New York, NY Irving Plaza
12/11/02 Charlottesville, VA Star Hill Music
12/13/02 New Haven, CT Toads Place
12/18/02 Burlington, VT Higher Ground
10.14.02
Chris Robinson's New Earth Mud comes
out next week! If you order on Amazon, you can get a free bonus DVD!
Eddie Harsh is currently playing bass with the Detroit Cobras! They put on a great show, I recommend you check them out if you get a chance!
Upcoming Shows:
Saturday 10/19/02 @ Riviera Theatre, Chicago IL
Thursday 10/24/02 @ Starlight, Fort Collins CO
Friday 10/25/02 @ Lion's Lair, Denver CO
Saturday 10/26/02 @ Lion's Lair, Denver CO
Friday 12/06/02 @ T.T. The Bear's, Cambridge MA
Saturday 12/07/02 @ Bowery Ballroom, New York NY
Tuesday 12/31/02 @ Magic Stick, Detroit MI
10.13.02
According to Chris' website, he will be on Rockline on Oct 21, 23rd! Also, CR merchandise is now available online here!
Marc Ford's album "It's About Time" is now available online again, you can order it on Marc's site.
10.4.02
Check out Marc Ford's website now you can download some live music directly from there!
Check out some recent pictures of Marc Ford live!
9.21.02
Chris Robinson has cancelled the Wiltern Theater show in LA on Halloween! Stay tuned for updates, hopefully it will be rescheduled.
Download a recent Marc Ford interview
from the Dark Side of the Radio here!
Check out some other recent interviews in the info section of Rich, Chris and
Marc.
9.11.02
Chris Robinson's thoughts about the events of September 11, from Rolling Stone.com:
"It made it easier for me to stick by the things that are important to
me -- to make music that is engaging and emotional and retains its integrity.
Afterward, I kind of looked at the hype and the money and the overblown culture
that we live in -- I just see so much information not being distributed culturally
about who we are and what we feel -- and it made me dig deeper into the things
that motivate me to be an artist. It made it easier to be open and not edit
myself, not to hide behind any pretense".
Rich Robinson is one of the people who'll never forget what happened September 11, 2001.
We asked the Black Crowes guitarist where he was when he first heard the news, and he said: "We were in L.A. last year when it happened. We were supposed to play the Greek (Theatre). Emma called me, my wife, and woke me up and just said, 'Do you see what's going on?' When I turned on the TV, it was just so utterly horrific and horrible and, and everything. It's just such a horrible thing. It's just freaky, you know--it just changed everyone's life so much."
Apart from the obvious concern for those people that were injured or died at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and in Pennsylvania, Robinson told us that he had another issue to deal with--his family lives outside New York City, and he was 3,000 miles away: "The one thing I wanted to do was just get home. I was like, 'I have to get home,' 'cause they were here. I mean, luckily, they're far enough out to where it's not a...I wasn't scared from that, like, direct threat--like, if they lived in the city, I would have left that day, somehow. Even if I rented a car and drove cross-country, I would have done it."
9.10.02
Chris Robinson's official site is now up! The soundtrack for the movie Banger Sisters is also out today, which features a Chris Robinson song on it.
Marc Ford is supposed to be contributing to an upcoming George Harrison Tribute
Album!
Eddie Harsh is now playing with the Detroit Cobras, here are some tourdates:
Saturday 09/28/02 @ Magic Stick,
Detroit MI
Friday 10/04/02 @ Crocodile Café,
Seattle WA
Saturday 10/05/02 @ Berbati's Pan, Portland
OR
Tuesday 10/08/02 @ Bimbo's 365 Club, San
Fransisco CA
Thursday 10/10/02 @ Spaceland Of Dreams,
Silver Lake CA
Friday 10/11/02 @ the Knitting Factory,
Los Angeles CA
Saturday 10/12/02 @ The Casbah, San Diego
CA
8.29.02
Amazon.com has New Earth Mud for preorder with a bonus DVD which includes a documentary and 4 live performances from Paris!
Now for pertinant news...PEACEFUL KNIEVEL will be working on music in the coming months as well as doing other projects individually. Andy is touring with JOHN SCOFIELD, George is doing shows with JOAN OSBORNE, Charley is doing studio work with everybody under the sun including GOD Himself (yes, he's THAT good and the "Ole Man" plays a pretty mean squeez-box), Audley is out with Blue Floyd and a few other people (I can't keep up with him) and I'm continuing to play with Double Trouble as well as write a new record with them. At the same time I'm headin' to Memphis in September to mix my first solo record! due out October/November.
Toronto Review by Grant:
What can I say - this was a great fuckin' show. Chris and Paul came on around 9:30pm to roaring applause and proceeded to sit down and play one great song after another. I didn't write the setlist down but it was along the usual lines - opening with Silver Car and closing with I Know You Rider. Roughly, from memory:
Silver Car
Sunday Sound
Kids That Ain't Got None
I Got A Woman
No Expectations
Safe In The Arms Of Love
Untangle My Mind
Kissing Magik Horses -> Mint Tea
Mother Of Stone
Fables
Close To You
Beginners And Sinners
Encore:
You're A Big Girl Now *
Lousiana Blues *
I Know You Rider *
* with Gordie Johnson
It was really great being so close and getting in on this beautiful music. I have to echo someone else's opinion around here who said that the recordings just don't do them justice. Being able to check these guys out up close and in person was unforgettable. I'm really glad I had a chance to catch this little acoustic tour before they come back around with a full band.
Chris mentioned that they had just finished up New Earth Mud in Toronto and that over the last few months of living here he's really gotten to know the Don Valley Parkway and that we were really lucky to have a road like that ( sarcastic remark - the DVP is one of the main roads to downtown Toronto and always ends up jammed). Someone yelled back "It's not our fault!"
Of course, fairly early in the show, Chris gave the "Shut the fuck up" rap. He said something along the lines of "I can't understand why so many of you come out to a show like this supposedly to hear the music and than you stand around and act like it's a fuckin' sports bar. I've been letting it go but I gotta say somethin'. I mean, don't get me wrong - I appreciate you coming out but I would also appreciate that if you wanna stand around with your buddies and talk all night that you take your ass to some other fuckin' bar in town and leave the rest of us here to enjoy the music. I can hear everything you're sayin' up here. I mean so many people bitch that there isn't any good music being made and yet how would you know when you don't fuckin' listen?!"
I gotta say that I couldn't agree more. Right On Chris......
By the way, what a great take on No Expectations. A real treat to hear that
one and Paul's slide was fantastic.......
Also, it was my first taste of Kid's That Ain't Got None and I have to agree with others here that it's definitely one of the best songs I've heard yet.
"I was talking to some people before the show and, I mean, this new album isn't even out yet and I'm already getting requests. I know - the problems we have to deal with (laughs). This is a song called Fables". I was really hoping for this one and got it. Cool.....
"Here's another song you might know. Well, I know for a fact you'll have heard it before but you've probably never heard it done quite like this...." A great version of Close To You - who knew it would sound this good? Great vocals from Chris and some more amazing playing from Paul.
"This next one is something we call Beginners And Sinners - which describes basically everyone I know (laughs). And then there was the dentist too but I couldn't work that part into the song...." A solid version of this great tune. The crowd really dug this one....
Well, when they came back out for the encore, they brought Gordie Johnson out with them.
"Gordie Johnson, everybody. One of my favorite people and the only guy I know that can play O Canada on every instrument ever made (laughs)".
"I figure if a guy is gonna carry a Banjo around with him, he might as well use it".
"We're gonna do this Bob Dylan thing called You're A Big Girl Now".
Now, this is strange 'cause I forget what the second song of the encore was and this part of the show was the best! Ah, how the old brain works sometimes. lol
Chris asks Gordie " Wanna do one more?" With a big grin he responds with "Sure!" and they start rollin' into I Know You Rider. There was some amazing playing here, man. What a great sound - 2 Acoustics and a Banjo. Gordie and Paul providing fun and loose background vocals on this one. Smiles all around. What a cool jam. This left everyone feelin' good. What a nice way to take out the show.....
Hopefully somebody was recording last night, but I have my doubts. This was
a solid perfromance all the way and would be great to have a copy of. That encore
alone would be worth it!
To wrap things up, let's just say this was a show I'll remember for a long time. Chris' voice is absolutely stellar right now. At times he was really belting out. WOW. Dripping with soul. Paul is one beautiful guitarist. The perfect compliment. All the right touches in all the right places. What can you say about Gordie that hasn't already been said? The guy can play like a motherfucker and is right at home on stage. I'd love to hear a whole set of these guys playing together like this - only on my back porch with a few pints and some great smoke.......
Grant
8.28.02
Chris Robinson Loses His Cool With
Detroit Crowd
(8/28/02, 3 p.m. ET) -- Black Crowes frontman Chris Robinson lost his patience
with a Detroit, Michigan, crowd on Tuesday (August 27), lambasting it for making
too much noise. "F--kin' leave!" Robinson bellowed just after he and
guitarist Paul Stacey began performing the song "Beginners And Sinners."
"I don't mean to be an a--hole, but show some respect...If you don't want
to listen you should f--kin' cruise or go to the bar across the street or something."
Robinson had politely asked the audience--which included Black Crowes keyboardist Eddie Harsch, who resides in Detroit and co-wrote two songs on Robinson's forthcoming solo album, New Earth Mud--for quiet earlier in the evening, and after the concert he told LAUNCH that he had refrained from such outbreaks up to that point of the tour.
"I haven't really said anything--I figured I don't have the time" to deal with noisemakers, Robinson said. "But tonight I really got fed up with it."
The Detroit show was exacerbated by problems with Robinson and Stacey's wireless equipment, which was bringing a signal from a local radio station into their stage monitors.
Nevertheless, Robinson's 85-minute show--which featured seven songs from New Earth Mud, several new songs that won't be on the album, and covers of Ray Charles's "I Got A Woman," the Grateful Dead's "I Know You Rider," and the Carpenters' "Close To You"--was warmly received.
Robinson wrapped up his tour Wednesday (August 28) in Toronto, Ontario, and plans to return with a full band after New Earth Mud is released on October 22.
Bring the TBC to DVD Petition!!
Please take a couple minutes of
your time to sign this
petition:
http://www.ipetitions.com/campaigns/amoricadvd
Crowelottalove's Detroit Review/Setlist:
silver car
safe in the arms of love
kids that ain't got none
i got a woman
no expectations
untangle my mind
sunday sound > I know you rider
kissing magik horses > mint tea
mother of stone
fables
close to you
begginers and sinners (Chris stops song in the middle to yell at the rowdy,
rude crowd)
-encore-
evening blue
she's on her way
notes (quickly)
-Ed was there! Didn't join in though. He was with a guy who looked like sven
pipien. Chris and Ed hugged as Chris took off. Then Ed walked off into the dark
detroit night with about 30 people following him!
-sunday sound-> I know you rider was amazing
-Chris' vocals are unbelievable right now. He is on top of his game vocally
-Crowd was really bad. Chris was not happy and basically yelled at those talking about 3-4 times during the show.
-Chris was pretty cool, came out and signed a ton of autographs before the show. While this was happening, a bum walked by and started yelling "P FUNK BABAY - George Clinton" - which prompted Chris to start singing "Up for the downstroke" - classic
--They have shirts and hats now
damn good time, his sets may not be changing a lot - but he's hitting a home run in the soul category
8.27.02
Check out this Chris Robinson San Francisco Review courtesy of Dennis Cook of Jambase!
I also added a new Chris article to the info section, from Canada's Globe and Mail.
Marc Ford's site has a new
address, change your bookmarks!
8.26.02
SPECIAL GUESTS PERFORM WITH THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND
Audley Freed and members of Galactic
took the stage with the Allman Brothers Band Saturday at Alltell Pavilion in
Raliegh, NC. Freed (Blue Floyd, Black Crowes) played guitar on “You Don’t
Love Me” and “Southbound,” both of which also featured Galactic
drummer Stanton Moore. Galactic’s Ben Ellman (saxophone) emerged for “The
Same Thing” and “Southbound.”
Chicago Setlist:
Silver Car
Sunday Sound
The Kids That Ain't Got None
I Got A Woman
The Dolphins
Untangle My Mind
Safe In The Arms Of Love
Last of the Old Time Train Robbers
Kissing Magic Horses
Mint Tea
Mother of Stone
Fables
Close To You
Beginners & Sinners
~encore~
Comes A Time
She's On Her Way
Chicago Review, courtesy of soulshine:
my wife and i hit chicago early and went to the zoo nearby, went out to dinner then got in line around 6:00. we were maybe about 50 people back so i didn't think we would get great seats. as it turned out, we stood right next to the guys from steepwater...more on that later.
the doors opened and i walked in and asked about tables. anything without a reservation was open so i just walked right up to the left side of the stage and sat four chairs back from chris...incredibly close! the guys from steepwater were right across from us and some lady sitting behind my wife staring up a conversation with them & the first thing outta her mouth is "do you know what steepwater reminds me of....did you guys see almost famous?" the guys all spoke up at the same time...."don't say it!" funny shit... i took a break and checked out the shirts. they are nasty - a girl print with stary eyes, chris robinson's name across the top with new earth mud below. on every table was fliers promoting the album and stickers stating the relase date and his new website newearthmud.com.
a few moments before the gig began, an announcement was made to please turn off cell phones, pageres, etc. and please relax and enjoy the performance. chris came out a few moments later and the gig began.
silver car - great opener. the ending always throws me off guard.
sunday sound - i think chris commented that the title is the same on mondays or tuesdays but it sounds extra special on sundays. after this tune i think some cat up front asked about the new recording and chris said the question & answer sessions would be after the show. thanked him for throwingm off his train of thought and said we could blame the kid in the allmans shirt for wrecking the next tune - he was laughing when he said this - not harsh in any way.
the kids - i couldn't follow the lyrics too well, nice tune. this may have been the point with guitar problems and we all met bob the sound guy.
i got a woman - great tune. chris's legs were flying all over the place and the crowd really got into this. it seemed like he really wanted to get up & dance.
dolphins - great as usual. some cat a few rows over made a request, didn't hear it and chris responded, "that was the last decade buddy".
untangle my mind - didn't really care for this tune till i heard it live & could see the way chris sung it. he relly pours his heart into all his singing & guitar playing.
safe in the arms - i really wanted to hear it live - even better in person.
train robbers - very much like TS 6:54 with slowing down and speeding up. lyrically a little poor.
kissing magic horses > mint tea - my wife dug it, i don't.
mother of stone & fables - great tunes.
close to you - absolutely outstanding! the only complaint was some asshole yelling out right in the middle of paul's solo. great jazz solo by paul!
beginners & sinners - really dig the chorus.
she's on her way - guitar duel with paul & even broke a string near the end.
overall an outstanding gig! the park west was a great intimate venue and i never thought i'd be that close. paul & chris seem very in touch with each other musically and were laughing and smiling most of the show. during paul's solo's chris would close his eyes and enjoy the vibe.
i finally got to meet some folks from the board - nice meeting all of you! big george, acoustking & i didn't want to be a freak and go up to miss groupie person but when you were talking to big george, i was the guy in the white shirt behind you. matt & a whole bunch of others i know i'm forgetting.
after the gig, the stage guy handed me chris' heineken and my wife's been giving me shit all day about it. it's going on my desk with the ticket stub....
s~s
Minneapolis Show review/setlist, courtesy of BluesisBlood:
Wow, what an amazing night! I don't think words can do justice to how good of performance Chris and Paul put on last night. It was literally one of the more incredible nights of my life...Me and a buddy met Mr. and Mrs. Supermatt (thanks for the Coke Matt!)and originalwisertimer (Ryan) from the board at Champps for a quick bite to eat before the show. We went to the Quest around 6ish and I grabbed a seat for me and my five buddies that were coming with me. It was a "cabaret seating concert" so there were chairs out on the dance floor, which I though was really cool. Made it a lot more intimate. So anyways, Chris and Paul came out around 7 to a loud standing ovation. Chris, wearing a white cowboy hat with a denim outfit and full beard, opened the show with a fantastic version of "Silver Car", complete with a new slide intro by Paul that I thought complimented the song a lot. They played "The Kids that Ain't Got None", which I was hearing for the first time, and I thought it was a great song. Great lyrics once again by Chris. He mentioned before the song that Eddie co-wrote it, and responded to a remark in the crowd about Ed by saying "You'll probably see him before I do". Not very encouraging words for a Crowes reunion, but it didn't really bother me all that much.
Paul Stacey. Man, what a great guitarist. At times, he was even outshining Chris. The guy's slide work is just so well done, and he really is a perfect compliment to Chris, I think. His jazzy solo on "Close to You" made me yearn for the fall full-band electric tour...Chris guitar playing was very stellar, and I can't say enough about his vocals. I can honestly say that I don't think he's sounded better than he has since he started doing these shows. He was oozing soul last night! Every song he sung with every ounce of stregth he had in that thin-railed body of his...The crowd was ok too. They were really quiet for the first few songs, but then I think their ADD started kicking in and their minds wandered. And of course, there was the usual one drunk asshole who had to ruin things. And guess who ends up sitting by a half-hour into the show? ME! Now I'm usually a pretty passive guy, but I ended up just tweaking on this dickhead. Finally, after my brother smoked the rest of this dude's joint, I "tattled" on him to bartender. I don't know if that was the right thing to do, but the guy was fucking up my, and everyone with in a ten foot radious, evening...In terms of the setlist, there were no real surprises. I was really happy with the songs that I heard. Would've liked to have heard "Barefoot by the Cherrytree", but hey, beggars can't be choosers..
Silver Car
Sunday Sound
Kids that Ain't Got None
I Gotta Woman
Untangle My Mind
Safe in the Arms of Love
No Expectations
Katie Dear
Kissing Magik Horses > Mint Tea
Mother of Stone
You're a Big Girl Now
Close to You
Beginners and Sinners
.:Encore:.
Comes a Time
She's on Her Way
8.24.02
Check out this long new Rich interview (mp3) courtesy of the Dark Side of the Radio!
8.21.02
Chris Robinson – El Rey Theater, Los Angeles, CA – 8.19.02
We got to the venue in plenty of time for the show
after a long drive from Santa Cruz, and there were
already a few people in line that we knew. I was
amazed to see all of the fans and people I had met
over the years who showed up for this gig. After
catching up with many different people, I spotted Marc
Ford outside the venue and said hello. I knew it
would be a special show. Mike and Drew ended up
having to pay a fee to get into the venue to tape the
show! I think it was ridiculous but the venue owner
would not change his stance. The El Rey is an old
art-deco theater, which was converted into a live
concert venue a few years ago. It has a ballroom feel
to it and the middle is usually an open area with
seats on the sides. This time they had seats on the
floor, and since we were early, we got some great
seats in the front rows.
They entered the stage to an immediate
applause and
quickly set in to play a subdued and almost
psychedelic version of Silver Car. Paul added
embellishments which made their two guitar sound seem
very full and dynamic. Then Chris played a great
version of Sunday Sound, and he said that even though
it was Monday, that we could imagine it was a Sunday.
I Got a Woman really got the energy flowing , and it
was complete with some falsetto vocals. He introduced
the Kids That Ain’t Got None as a song cowritten by
Eddie Harsch and that last he heard, he was the lead
singer of some band. I like the way he sings this one
and some of the lyrics are pretty cool. Safe in the
Arms of Love is one of my favorites and I really like
the mythical style lyrics. Another highlight was No
Expectations! It was the best version of that song
I’ve heard outside of the Stones original and the
slide work was impeccable. Paul also pulled out a nice
little solo at the end of the song. Chris sang it
like he just lived through a dark time in his life.
Then he mentioned that people might be scared or put
off by him doing a Burt Bacarat song but then Paul got
out an orange hollow body Gretch (I think) and they
played Close to You. This had the strongest vocals of
the night and Chris sang with real fire and heart.
Paul also showed off some tasty jazz licks and some
very creative note selection. Its moments like that
which make it all worth it. She’s On Her Way ended
the set, complete with an ending jam which made them
smile.
They left us screaming for more
and then brought out a
3rd chair. Chris then introduced a “dear friend, Mr.
Marc Ford!” He came out smiling, and gave Chris a hug
and we gave him a standing ovation. They started out
with Used to be a King by Graham Nash. Used to be a
King was really cool but Paul didn't really know it so
he was kind of learning it as they went along. Chris
also changed the lyrics a little which was nice.
Going Down the Road Feelin’ Bad had some great solos
by Paul and Marc and Marc did some backup vocals. The
vibe was definitely there and we were all a part of
it. Then they said they had time for one more and
they launched into The Weight, by the Band. It didn’t
matter if the lyrics weren’t perfect, it was simply
amazing, and it took me to another place. It was so
exciting to hear since I never expected it. It was a
spectacular ending to a great weekend; I’m glad that
our friends could experience it together.
-Ravi
Los Angeles Times Review:
Robinson Looks Back as He Moves Forward
By NATALIE NICHOLS, SPECIAL TO THE TIMES
When the Black Crowes put new twists on familiar rock and soul licks in the
'90s, they gave Gen-X its own classic-rock band. So it's no surprise that lead
singer Chris Robinson's new solo material conjured up similar musical ghosts
during an acoustic performance Monday at the El Rey Theatre.
The vibe was different than a Crowes concert, as the affable Robinson and Paul Stacey, who co-produced the forthcoming solo debut "New Earth Mud," played guitars sitting down for an hour and 40 minutes. The sounds ranged from country-folk to R&B balladry to psychedelic rock as they previewed about half the CD due in October, and offered renditions of classic numbers by Ray Charles, the Band and others.
There was even a sense of continuity with the old days, as ex-Crowe Marc Ford, who co-wrote Robinson's languid "Sunday Sound," joined in for the encore. But the music was a little less Stones and Faces, a little more Van Morrison and Bob Dylan, with Stacey providing sonic drama in his tasteful, evocative slide work and delicate finger-picking.
Still, partly because Robinson evoked songwriters that few can equal, the show had that same Crowes-esque sense of preserving, rather than furthering, the music he loves. His messages about the serenity of love and the need to move on in one's life were certainly more personal, but the sentiments felt overly simplistic.
Even when he crafted compelling images, as in the reflective "Silver Car," the songs eventually meandered, as if his ambition exceeded his ability to express himself.
8.20.02
The Black Crowes Live album comes out today, so go to the store and check it out!
Here is a Video for Miracle to Me to promote the live album:
High Bandwidth Version ~ Low Bandwidth Version
Also, Marc Ford has added a few tourdates, check out his page.
I think more are going to be added soon!
Here are some setlists from the recent Chris Robinson shows, a couple of reviews to come soon:
Seattle, Showbox ~ 8.15.02: (approximate set)
Safe in the Arms of Love
Sunday Sound
Silver Car
I Got A Woman (Ray Charles)
Kids That Ain't Got None
Untangle My Mind
Fables
She's on Her Way
Last of the Great Train Robbers
Kissing Magic Horses > Mint Tea
No Expectations (Rolling Stones)
You're a Big Girl Now (Bob Dylan)
Close To You (The Carpenters)
Bimbo's 365, San Francisco ~ 8.17.02
Safe in the Arms of Love
Sunday Sound
Silver Car
I Got A Woman
The Kids That Ain't Got None
Last of the Old Time Train Robbers
No Expectations
Kissing Magik Horses > Mint Tea
Mother of Stone
Close To You
Fables
Beginners & Sinners
~Encore~
Comes A Time (Garcia/Hunter)
She's On Her Way
Catalyst, Santa Cruz ~ 8.18.02
Silver Car
Sunday Sound
I Got A Woman
The Kids That Ain't Got None
Reflections on a Broken Mirror (first time played)
Safe In The Arms of Love
Untangle My Mind
Kissing Magik Horses > Mint Tea
Mother of Stone
No Expectations
You're A Big Girl Now
Beginners & Sinners
~Encore~
Comes A Time
She's On Her Way
Los Angeles, El Rey ~ 8.19.02:
Silver Car
Sunday Sound
I Got A Woman
Kids That Ain't Got None
You're A Big Girl Now
Safe In The Arms Of Love
Untangle My Mind
Kissing Magic Horses>Mint Tea
Mother Of Stone
No Expectations
Close To You
She's On Her Way
~Encore (with Marc Ford)~
I Used To Be A King (Graham Nash)
Going Down The Road Feeling Bad (Unknown)
The Weight (The Band)
8.16.02
Check out this really great new Chris interview, courtesy of Dennis Cook !
8.13.02
Chris Robinson Treads 'New Earth' In October
Black Crowes frontman Chris Robinson's solo debut, "New Earth Mud,"
will arrive Oct. 22 via Best Buy's Redline Entertainment label. As first reported
here last month, the album features songs Robinson has been road-testing in
recent months at concerts in North American in Europe. The artist kicks off
a 10-date U.S. trek Thursday (Aug. 15) in Seattle.
Like the recent live shows, "New Earth Mud" finds Robinson primarily assisted by producer Paul Stacey, who also plays guitars, drums, and keyboards throughout the 12-track set. Big Sugar members Gordie Johnson and Kelly Hoppe guest on "Untangle My Mind," while Black Crowes keyboardist Ed Harsch lends co-writing credits to "Silver Car" and "Kids That Ain't Got None." Former Crowes guitarist Marc Ford co-wrote "Sunday Sound," while Stone Temple Pilots guitarist Dean DeLeo co-wrote "Better Than the Sun."
"Writing the songs was easy, but I really felt naked when I got into the studio and it was just me and Paul," Robinson said in a statement. "I was saying to myself, 'OK big shot, you've been saying how you wanted to make a record. Well, here it is. What are you going to do?' I love that feeling, and to be honest I hadn't felt that way in a long time. I'm very proud of everything I did in the Black Crowes, but it seems like I've been waiting a lifetime to make this record."
And while Robinson's lyrical ambiguity has often made Black Crowes songs difficult to interpret, the new tunes "Katie Dear" and "Could You Really Love Me?" address his marriage to actress Kate Hudson in simple, honest terms. "Having a true and special love in your life will turn you around," Robinson said. "My ambition was to strip away any pretension and write songs about really being in love. I'm comfortable enough in my own skin now to sing about how I really feel."
Here is the "New Earth Mud" tracklist:
"Safe in the Arms of Love"
"Silver Car"
"Kids That Ain't Got None"
"Could You Really Love Me?"
"Untangle My Mind"
"Fables"
"Sunday Sound"
"Barefoot by the Cherry Tree"
"Katie Dear"
"Ride"
"Better Than the Sun"
"She's on Her Way"
----------
Chris Robinson's "New" Start Solo acoustic tour kicks off August 15th, new album due in October
Black Crowes frontman Chris Robinson, his band still on extended hiatus, will make his solo debut on October 22nd with the release of New Earth Mud. Robinson recorded the set, his first solo effort, in Paris this spring with his friend Paul Stacey producing and playing in the backing band. "It's really soulful and rootsy," Robinson says of the new material, written mostly after the Crowes announced their break in January. "It's definitely more subdued -- either funky sounding Neil Young or folksy Steely Dan. The Black Crowes was always a collaboration, of me writing the lyrics and doing the arranging to [brother, guitarist] Rich's music. This is all my thing, the way I feel -- things I probably brought to the Black Crowes but now are able to come to the front in the lyrics, and just in the vibe." "As proud as I am of what the Black Crowes did," Robinson continues, "I can't really say that it was always fun. And this time it was -- it was just really easy to write these songs, to sing these songs. I couldn't be happier with it. Now I'm anxious for people to hear it, people who just really like music, to see if it makes them feel the same things that I feel." Robinson and Stacey will tour in advance of the release beginning August 15th in Seattle. The outing, on which the two will play acoustic sets, will wrap up August 28th in Toronto. The Black Crowes, meanwhile, do have an album to release -- a live set Rich Robinson culled from two of the band's last shows together last October, due out August 20th.
Chris Robinson tour dates: 8/15:
Seattle, Showbox 8/17: San Francisco, Bimbo's 365 Club 8/18: Santa Cruz, CA,
The Catalyst 8/19: Los Angeles, El Rey Theater 8/21: Salt Lake City, X-Scape
8/22: Boulder, CO, Boulder Theater 8/24: Minneapolis, Quest Club 8/25: Chicago,
Park West 8/27: Detroit, St. Andrews Hall 8/28: Toronto, Phoenix Concert Theater
----------
Chris Robinson Pens Song For Mother-In-Law
Goldie Hawn's New Film
Black Crowes frontman Chris Robinson has more solo music up his sleeve than
just his forthcoming album New Earth Mud. Robinson has also cut a song called
"The Red Road" that will be featured in the film The Banger Sisters,
which stars Goldie Hawn--the mother of Robinson's wife, Kate Hudson--and Susan
Sarandon as a pair of former rock 'n' roll groupies re-sowing their wild oats.
Robinson tells LAUNCH that "The Red Road" actually represents the
first track he and collaborator Paul Stacey worked on for his solo project.
"The first song we did together is this thing called 'The Red Road' that's
in my mother-in-law's new movie. And that was the first song that Paul and I,
like, really cut, and it's, like, on this record and stuff, which is really
funny. I mean, it was like...I had, like, a little idea and we went in and,
like, cut this track," he says.
New Earth Mud will be released October 22 by Redline Entertainment, while Black Crowes Live comes out August 20 on V2.
Robinson's a solo acoustic tour hits Seattle on Thursday (August 15).
-- Gary Graff, Detroit
8.12.02
I added a Chris Robinson interview, 10.25.97, to the info section.
Here is a recent Chris interview in real audio!
BLACK CROWES' CHRIS ROBINSON Speaks Out On Possibility Of Future Reunion
BLACK CROWES frontman Chris Robinson says that he's open to resuming work with the CROWES (who are currently on a "hiatus"), but only if the group is doing it for the right reasons: "I would hate to wake up and be in the BLACK CROWES just to go out and make music because we had a couple of popular records in the '90s — 'cause we have nothing else to do. I don't think that would be any good. So eventually, if it comes down to it's something that's vital to everybody, and it's...Then it would be good, but until then...."
According to Robinson, working on
his first solo album, New Earth Mud — due out this fall on Redline Entertainment
— has kept him from spending too much time worrying about the CROWES' future:
"I haven't really thought about it. I've been so busy since we got off
the road getting this together, and just getting into music. Even just getting
in a van and driving around, and doing some of these gigs, and doing the couple
little jams I did in Malibu, it was just energizing."
8.8.02
Chris Robinson Calls Hiatus A 'Nice
Word' For
Current Black Crowes Status
As he prepares for the release of his first solo album,
former Black Crowes frontman
Chris Robinson is beginning to speak about what
happened within the band that sent it into hiatus
earlier this year.
Robinson tells LAUNCH that the move
came as something
of a surprise to him, although he was already planning
a solo project at the time drummer Steve Gorman
announced he was leaving the band. "I dunno, man. You
know, I really don't know. It's just one of those
things--like, you wake up one day and...I mean, I had
told everybody that I was gonna take some time, and I
didn't know how much time. Then the next thing I know,
it was a hiatus, and then whatever. I think hiatus is
just a pretty nice word," he says with a laugh.
Robinson's solo album, New Earth
Mud, has just been
mixed and is expected out this fall on Redline
Entertainment. He kicks off a 10-date acoustic tour
August 15 in Seattle, Washington.
Meanwhile, V2 will release Black
Crowes Live, a
two-disc set recorded on the band's fall 2001 tour, on
August 20.
8.1.02
I added a new Chris interview to the info section!
I added a new chat transcript with Rich in the info section.
For those who like to keep track, the I am Sam soundtrack has sold 650,303 copies so far.
7.25.02
Rich Robinson Crowes Alone
Black Crowes guitarist talks live album, spreading his wings
Six months into the Black Crowes hiatus, guitarist Rich Robinson is rehearsing
regularly with a new group of players in his New York loft and says he no longer
sets aside new songs for the Crowes. "I'm pretty sure they're going to
sound similar, because I wrote all the songs for the band, but I also can branch
out and do things we might not have done, more poppy things," he says.
"Maybe if I have a different drummer or a different keyboard player or
something like that, it will have a different flavor. I've been singing on the
demos and writing lyrics, but I'm going back and forth as to whether I want
to get a singer or not."
Robinson is also in the formative stages of a project with the Los Angeles Philharmonic
that Disney hopes will eventually debut at the opening of a planned symphonic
hall in downtown L.A. "It just stemmed from a curiosity of something I
wanted to hear," he says. "I wanted to hear what a western symphony
proper from Mozart, Beethoven, Bach -- something recognizable to the lay person
-- sounded like established by the L.A. Philharmonic. And then fade into a world
music orchestra playing instruments that weren't created for this thing -- like
a chorus of digeridoos -- and try to match them as closely as you can to a tone.
And have this underlying digeridoo with a sitar playing the melody."
New songs, digeridoos and the hiatus aside, Crowes news still abounds. The two-CD The Black Crows Live, which Robinson says captures one of the band's best tours in its volatile career, will be released on August 27th. "For the first time, our whole headlining tour last fall was really us working together as a band," he says. "I think it takes time. The new guys come in and the other four of us have played 2,000 shows together, so it's not fair to them. They have to hear all the nuances. We're horrible communicators, no one ever talks in our band, but we do musically and so it's hard to come in and pick up. That's only something you get by playing live."
Despite Robinson's projects and his brother,
singer Chris' solo debut New Earth Mud scheduled for release in September, the
Black Crowes break is still open-ended. "I think towards the end it was
just so fuckin' miserable," he says. "Everyone was fighting, especially
me and Chris and then Chris and Steve [drummer Gorman]. It's just not fun anymore
and that's why we said, 'Look we're not going to do anything, we're not going
to break up. We're going to see what we're going to do and see where it takes
us and we'll always leave the door open and maybe get back and maybe we never
will.' That's where we left it. I really want everyone to get along and everyone
to be cool and do their thing. I just want it to be a lot easier."
7.24.02
Chris Robinson Signs With Redline
Black Crowes frontman Chris Robinson has signed
with
Best Buy-affiliated Redline Entertainment
and is
working on his solo debut album, "New Earth Mud." The
set is tentatively due later this year, but Robinson
has been road-testing more than a dozen new songs,
including "Katie Dear," "Mint Tea," "Untangle My
Mind," and "Safe in the Arms of Love," at concerts in
North America and Europe.
Robinson will head back on tour for another 10-date
North American jaunt beginning Aug. 15 in Seattle and
wrapping Aug. 28 in Toronto. In addition to the new
songs, Robinson has also been performing such covers
as Bob Dylan's "You're a Big Girl Now," the Grateful
Dead's "Comes a Time," Fred Neil's "The Dolphins," and
Traffic's "Evening Blue."
As previously reported, the Black Crowes will
release
a two-disc live set Aug. 27 via V2. The album will
feature 19 songs drawn from last year's Oct. 30-31
stand at Boston's Orpheum Theatre, including such
favorites as "She Talks to Angels" and "Wiser Time"
alongside the previously unreleased "Title Song."
Here are Chris Robinson's tour dates:
Aug. 15: Seattle (Showbox)
Aug. 17: San Francisco (Bimbo's 365)
Aug. 18: Santa Cruz, Calif. (Catalyst)
Aug. 19: Los Angeles (El Rey Theatre)
Aug. 21: Salt Lake City (Xscape)
Aug. 22: Boulder, Colo. (Boulder Theater)
Aug. 24: Minneapolis (Quest)
Aug. 25: Chicago (Park West)
Aug. 27: Detroit (St. Andrews Hall)
Aug. 28: Toronto (Phoenix Concert Hall)
7.22.02
I just got these dates in, some sales pages are linked:
XScape, Salt Lake City, UT - Aug 21
Boulder
Theater, Boulder, CO - Aug 22
The
Quest, Minneapolis, MN - Aug 24
Park
West, Chicago, IL - Aug 25
St. Andrews,
Detroit, MI - Aug 27
Phoenix
Concert Hall, Toronto, Canada - Aug 28
Chris Robinson is playing a solo show in Seattle on August 15, you can buy tickets here !
He is also playing a show in LA on the 19th, here is the link for tickets !
Two more CA shows have been added, Bimbo's (8.17) and Catalyst (8.18) !
I also added a new Rich interview to the info section.
7.17.02
Audley Freed, Matt Abts, Johnny Neel Play Impromptu Bar Gig
Audley Freed, Matt Abts and Johnny Neel headed
to New York’s Tobacco Road to grab a beer Saturday night with the hope
that maybe they’d be able to jam (the musicians had played a few “Beatle
Jam” shows as Blue Floyd earlier in the week and were looking for something
to do when their Philadelphia show was canceled). Raisinhill was performing,
but during set break the club agreed to let the musicians jump on stage for
an impromptu set that last nearly 90 minutes. The line-up included Freed (guitar,
Black Crowes), Abts (drums, Gov’t Mule), Neel (keyboards, Allman Brothers)
and Mike Farris (vocals, Screamin' Cheetah Wheelies). The group needed a bassist,
so bartender Bradley Wegner (a member of Jimsonweed, a New York-based band)
took the stage as well. The set included mostly blues standards and long jams.
Raisinhill returned for another set later in the night.
7.14.02
Here are some pictures from the Nighttown Chris Robinson show. (courtesy of www.theblackcrowes.nl )
Some older pictures of the Crowes on the Furthur Festival: Charlotte and Tinley Park.
2nd New York show review:
After meeting up with many folks at Puck Fair, we headed down to the venue which was very cool, there was a balcony area and a big floor and was a lot bigger than the Paradise. Chris made some comments about this being a much mellower crowd which proved true. He had a much better time and people were much better behaved. The show was similar to the other one, with subtle nuaunces that changed and I thought the vocals were slightly better too. Comes a Time was once again beautiful and Sunday Sound also sounded really great. This time he talked a bit about Tim Buckley and did a very nice rendition of Dolphins and made it sound as if he had written the song himself. Once again it ended too soon and we left feeling energized and spiritual. As he said in Boston, I hope he comes back to do a proper tour in the fall!
7.1.02
Here are some pictures from the PA show:
6.30.02
Here is my review from the Boston Show:
After we got into the venue, I got up close to
the front of the stage. It was very intimate, it holds maybe 300 people or so.
The stage was simple with just 2 stools and a couple of guitars and a table
in the middle. Candles of many colors were strewn all about which gave a sort
of eerie vibe. I also liked the red oriental type lanterns hung on the outskirts.
After an announcement that it was an acoustic show and to show respect by being
quiet during the songs, they came out.
Unfortunately some drunk people in the crowd kept yelling out requests and saying
things like "Chris, take a shot with me!" He was visibly upset at
a few different points in the evening.
The moment they started with Silver Car, I knew that it would be a really great set. Chris' voice was full of warmth and soul and it was complemented nicely by the sometimes psychedelic slide guitar of Paul Stacey. I really liked Safe in the Arms of Love, it has a really nice bridge. I Got a Woman was a nice rendition of a Ray Charles song I had never heard before, very bluesy and soulful. This one got the crowd moving and shakin'. Untangle my Mind was very emotional for Chris as I could tell by his facial expressions, he was really into it. Its a great mellow tune!
Last of the Old Time Train Robbers was a new song that he wrote when he got back from Europe and it has a great story, about a criminal and what he goes through. It also had a great long solo by Paul which was great accompaniment. Magic Horses and Mint Tea were written in Malibu and they were the most psychedelic sounding songs that they did, reminding me of Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon album. I really didn't expect to hear something like that actually. Comes a Time was simply beautiful, with his best vocals of the night I would say. I had never heard Day after Day before but it was also very good. Fables sounds like it might be about Chris' celebrity status or image that he portrays. Sunday Sound is probably my favorite of the new songs, the chorus just begs you to sing along! Chris said it was influenced by his father's musical experiences that he took the kids to. Before the Dylan song, he had another good story about seeing him in Paris. Beginners and Sinners is also very nice, and it reminds me a bit of another song in a way, perhaps Salt of the Earth.
Much too soon after it started, they leave the stage and then return shortly after for an encore. Two really excellent songs follow, She's on Her Way and Katie Dear, which is simply beautiful. A great tribute to his wife, which I think everyone will love. It was all worth it making the trip to see him and it was great meeting everyone.
Afterwards we waited outside and Chris came out to the small van to leave for the city, and among the throng of autograph seekers, I handed him a copy of a Jayhawks show from the recent acoustic tour. I hope he enjoys it!
6.29.02
I have put up a couple of videos (zipped) from 5.29.02 for download: Mother of Stone and Safe in the Arms of Love!!
Here are some other recent setlists, reviews to come soon!
5.29.02 ~ La Boule Boire, Paris
Silver Car
Sunday Sound
Untangle My Mind
The Dolphins (Fred Neil)
We All Need Love
Mint Tea
Mother of Stone
Barefoot By The Cherry Tree
Evening Blue
Safe in the Arms of Love
You’re a Big Girl Now (Bob Dylan)
Fables
Beginners and Sinners
~encore~
Dark End of the Street (Dan Penn)
She’s On Her Way
6.19.02 ~ Bowery Ballroom, NYC
Silver Car
Sunday Sound
Better Than the Sun
I've Got A Woman (Ray Charles)
Untangle My Mind
Mint Tea
Mother of Stone
Evening Blue (Traffic)
Day After Day (Badfinger)
Barefoot By the Cherry Tree
Safe in the Arms of Love
You're a Big Girl Now (Bob Dylan)
Beginners & Sinners
~encore~
Comes A Time
She's on Her Way
6.20.02 ~ Theater of Living Arts, Philadelphia,
PA
Silver Car
Safe In The Arms Of Love
The Dolphins (Fred Neil)
We All Want Love
Untangle My Mind
I've Got a Woman (Ray Charles)
Kissing Magik Horses
Mother of Stone
Evening Blue (Traffic)
Day After Day
Fables
Sunday Sound
You're A Big Girl Now (Bob Dylan)
Beginners And Sinners
~encore~
Comes A Time
She's On Her Way
6.22.02 ~ 9.30 Club, Washington D.C.
Silver Car
Safe in the Arms of Love
The Dolphins (Fred Neil)
Untangle my Mind
Last of the Old Time Train Robbers
I Got a Woman (Ray Charles)
Mint Tea
Mother of Stone
Comes a Time
Day After Day (Badfinger)
Fables
Sunday Sound
Your a Big Girl Now (Bob Dylan)
Beginners and Sinners
~encore~
Katie Dear
She's On Her Way
6.23.02 ~ The Paradise, Boston, MA
Silver Car
Safe in the Arms of Love
I Got A Woman (Ray Charles)
Untangle My Mind
Last of the Old Time Train Robbers
Kissing Magik Horses>Mint Tea
Mother of Stone
Comes a Time
Day After Day (Badfinger)
Fables
Sunday Sound
You're a Big Girl Now (Bob Dylan)
Beginners & Sinners
~encore~
Katie Dear
She's on Her Way
6.24.02 ~ Bowery Ballroom, NYC
Silver Car
Safe in the Arms of Love
I Got A Woman (Ray Charles)
Untangle my Mind
Last of the Old Time Train Robbers
Kissing Magik Horses > Mint Tea
Mother of Stone
Comes a Time
The Dolphins (Fred Neil)
Fables
Sunday Sound
You're a Big Girl Now (Bob Dylan)
Beginners and Sinners
~encore~
Katie Dear
She's on Her Way
6.20.02
Check out some great pictures from Peaceful Knievel from the 14th!
I added an interview from 6.01, Guitar magazine to the info section.
6.8.02
Here is the site where you can buy tickets for the Washington D.C. show.
Black Crowes Fly Again On Live Album
The Black Crowes may be on indefinite hiatus, but fans
will be able to savor the group's final shows as part
of an as-yet-untitled double-disc live set due Aug. 27
from V2. The album, compiled by guitarist Rich
Robinson, will feature 19 songs drawn from last year's
Oct. 30-31 stand at Boston's Orpheum Theatre.
Interestingly, for a band so renowned for its
widely
varied live performances, this is the Crowes' first
proper U.S. live album. The group's 1999 tour with Led
Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page was documented on the
TVT set "Live at the Greek," but did not include any
Black Crowes songs due to contractual issues. The band
has previously issued two live EPs, 1998's "Sho Nuff"
(Columbia) and the 1999-import only "Souled Out Live."
The upcoming album spans the Crowes' repertoire,
with
such favorites as "Remedy," "Hard To Handle," and "She
Talks to Angels" present alongside album cuts like
"Wiser Time," "Girl From a Pawnshop," "High Head
Blues," and "Sting Me." Six songs from the group's
2001 V2 debut "Lions" are featured, including the
singles "Lickin'" and "Soul Singing."
The one rarity to be found here is "Title
Song," which
has been an infrequent part of the band's live sets
since 1993, although a studio version of the cut has
never been officially released. It was first recorded
during sessions for the lost album "Tall," which also
yielded songs eventually placed on the studio albums
"Amorica" and "Three Snakes & One Charm." Prior to its
live airing at the Oct. 30 show, "Title Song" had not
been played live since December 1996.
As previously reported, Crowes frontman Chris
Robinson
is working on his solo debut album and will be
road-testing new songs during a short tour later this
month.
Here is the tracklist for the Black Crowes' live
album:
Disc 1:
"Midnight From the Inside Out"
"Sting Me"
"Thick & Thin"
"Greasy Grass River"
"Sometimes Salvation"
"Cursed Diamond"
"Miracle to Me"
"Wiser Time"
"Girl From a Pawnshop"
"Cosmic Friend"
Disc 2:
"Black Moon Creeping"
"High Head Blues"
"Title Song"
"She Talks to Angels"
"Twice As Hard"
"Lickin'"
"Soul Singing"
"Hard To Handle"
"Remedy"
6.1.02
Black Crowes Live Album Due
Robinson brothers busy on other projects
The Black Crowes will release their first proper live album on August 27th.
The tracks were taken from the band's two-night tour finale at Boston's Orpheum,
October 30th and 31st of last year. After the tour, the Crowes went on indefinite
hiatus after drummer Steve Gorman quit.
"The shows were going so well, I just thought it would be great to record
a live album," says guitarist Rich Robinson. "We were all playing
well together with great set lists spanning all of our albums. We had almost
five hours of music to sift through."
Whereas the Black Crowes' first live album, Live at the Greek -- a double-disc collaborative effort with former Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page -- focused on Led Zeppelin covers and blues standards, the upcoming album puts the emphasis squarely on the band's own material.
"I love our shows," Robinson continues. "Each night is so different because of the songs we play and the order they're in. It's always cool to hear the shows because of all the nuances that change from day to day. Basically, this album is us doing what we do best, playing live."
Robinson is using his time away from the band
to write movie scores, while brother Chris is readying the debut album from
his new project New Earth Mud for the fall. The singer plans to debut some of
the material on a short acoustic tour set to begin June 19th at New York City's
Bowery Ballroom.
5.30.02
Peaceful Knievel tickets for the 28th and 29th of June are on sale now!
Here is a review from Ray from Belgium:
All 4 shows had 4 completely different venues.
Rotterdam: a very old kind of theatre like "Greek theatre" all in
wood, but not comfortable at all. The sound for the audience was coming from
1 box! Since they were miked in the PA they had no amps or something.
First show, so Chris was nervous. He said it after the first song "I'm
nervous as hell". That's why he stopped "You're a big girl now"
when he heard a phone cell ringing. Chris also had to look at almost everyone
who was going out for a drink in the bar. Chris talking as Bob Dylan before
You're a big girl Now was great.
Hellendoorn: I was the only one there when Chris
& co arrived for soundchecking, so I got to talk to Paul while Chris was
on his cell phone. I first asked Paul about his playing on the Oasis albums
before I asked "so you met Chris through Noel?" He said he met Chris
after the July 25, 1999 - Shepherd's Bush Empire - show. (He went with Noel).
Chris also tells a funny little story of it (Noel passing out that evening in
the toilets of the venue) on the 5-25-02 Amsterdam show that was taped by a
few tapers.
When Chris was in London jan/feb 2001 (as Kate was filming there), Chris met
Paul at his studio and they recorded "Mother of Stone".
The album New Earth Mud is produced by Paul and Chris. Chris has written the
songs with help of Paul here and there (Marc Ford and Chris have written the
bridge of "Sunday Sound"). Paul plays lead, slide and bass guitars
on the record. Chris rhythm guitar. Paul's brother plays the drums. At this
point they only have to mix the album. Paul said they recorded 19 songs in 24
days. I said "so like in the old days?" Paul said "no, even faster".
Some tracks have overdubs while others are more naked. "We all want love"
probably won't make the album. (In my opinion "Barefoot..." is the
weakest track). Paul Stacey is a really sweet guy. He graciously took the time
to talk to me and after that he excused himself because they had to go soundchecking
since they were already late. When Chris finally had finished his cellphone
conversation he signed my GP/Grievous Angel cd booklet. He said "but it's
not my record!" We chatted a bit about the songs they played in Rotterdam.
The venue is like a country music bunker like hall.
Just before the show I asked Darren (the video taper of these shows) why Chris
didn't play harp on You're a big girl Now. He said "that's a good question,
I'll ask Chris". So just before Chris sang it he said "someone asked
why I don't play harp on this song, but the master himself (Bob) doesn't play
harp on it himself! Me being in front row replied to Chris: But it's on the
studio version I have! (Blood on the tracks). Chris jokingly replied: "so
we learned it from the wrong album!" and started the song. There where
a lot of people talking during the show and Chris made a few remarks of it.
I stood in front row just before the very low stage. We could actually touch
them if we wanted. So it was great to hear every detail in Chris' voice we could
hear unamplified there (PA sound was not very loud). They didn't play Dark End
of the street although it was on the setlist. The setlist was already one song
shorter than in Rotterdam.
Amsterdam:
Kate flew in from Paris and you could see her and Paul's wife watching the show
from the side of the stage. The Melkweg is a modern venue with great sound.
This will help to make the sound better without any doubt (at least 2 people
recorded it). A few songs Chris sang with more fire (Mother of Stone and a few
others). In this show Chris is in a good mood again and makes a few jokes. There
were a lot of fans there who have internet, so you can ask them if you want
a more detailed review.
Groningen:
96-97 Chris in every way! For most songs the best show. Chris was a little tired,
but the soul and little screams made this a delicous show to hear Chris sing.
Maybe I shouldn't have made the joke to Chris of a capo being differently pronounced,
but after that Chris felt the need to make a joke himself by talking like a
conservative radio presenter who explains the delta blues to listeners. His
joke was hilarious, but Chris sang the following songs (Barefoot until Comes
a time) with less soul. Only the last song had the soul back. The crowd was
the quietest of 4 shows and was responsive to his songs (and jokes). Show was
taped by at least 1 taper. I also someone with walkman like equipment, but that
doesn't count.
5.29.02
Crowes' Chris Robinson Heads Out Solo
Black Crowes frontman Chris Robinson has lined up five dates for his maiden
North American solo tour, beginning June 19 in New York. The artist wraps a
brief European trek tonight (May 29) in Paris. Robinson will be playing acoustic
guitar at the gigs, accompanied only by another musician on slide guitar.
Expect to hear new tunes such as "Silver Car," "Untangle My Mind," and "Mint Tea," which are likely to appear on Robinson's solo debut. A label and release date for the as-yet-untitled set have not been finalized. Billboard.com understands that Robinson will not be featuring any Black Crowes material, but has been trotting out such covers as Bob Dylan's "You're a Big Girl Now" and Traffic's "Evening Blue."
As previously reported, the Black Crowes began a hiatus of undetermined length in January and its members are working on various unrelated projects. The band's most recent recording, a cover of the Beatles' "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds," appeared on V2's soundtrack to the film "I am Sam."
Here are Chris Robinson's tour dates:
May 29: Paris (La Boule Noire)
June 19: New York (Bowery Ballroom)
June 20: Philadelphia (Theatre of Living Arts)
June 22: Washington, D.C. (9:30 Club)
June 23: Boston (Paradise)
June 24: New York (Bowery Ballroom)
Here is the link to buy tickets for the 2nd NY show! Here is the link for the Boston show!
Check out some pictures from the show on the 24th here, courtesy of de-lantaarn.nl:
5.28.02
Entertainment Weekly is reporting a live Crowes album to come out June 18, but that is not confirmed yet.
Brussels setlist:
Silver Car
Sunday Sound
Untangle My Mind
The Dolphins (Fred Neil) (Capo 1)
We All Want Love
Mint Tea
Mother of Stone
Barefoot By The Cherry Tree (Capo 4)
Evening Blue (Traffic) only Paul on guitar
Safe In The Arms Of Love (Capo 2)
You're A Big Girl Now (Bob Dylan)
Fables
Beginners And Sinners (lowest string dropped one tone)
---encore---
Comes A Time (only Paul on guitar)
She's On Her Way (Chris keeps the dropped tuning)
Dutch leg setlist:
Silver Car
Sunday Sound
Untangle My Mind
The Dolphins (Fred Neil) (Capo 1)
We All Want Love
Mint Tea
Mother of Stone
Evening Blue (Traffic) only Paul on guitar + a few notes by Chris
Barefoot By The Cherry Tree (Capo 4)
Safe In The Arms Of Love (Capo 2)
You're A Big Girl Now (Bob Dylan)
Fables
Beginners And Sinners (lowest string dropped one tone)
---encore---
Dark End Of The Street (only Paul on guitar)
She's On Her Way (Chris keeps the dropped tuning)
Hellendoorn: minus Barefoot and Dark End.
Amsterdam: Evening blue and Barefoot switched?
Groningen: Comes a Time in stead of Dark end.
Comes a Time (Lyrics: Robert Hunter; Music: Jerry Garcia) only Paul on guitar.
5.23.02
Chris is also playing on 6.19.02 in NY, and you can buy tickets here. Check back because additional dates will probably be announced.
Here is some info on what Eddie Harsch has been doing lately:
The Detroit Cobras and their form of rockabilly-meets-blues-meets-country sound was well received — except for one heckler who was berated twice by lead singer Rachel Nagy for flipping her the bird. Mostly hidden beneath a wall of guitars, Nagy's smoky vocals and stellar back-up band — which included Black Crowes' keyboardist Eddie Harsch on bass and talented Detroit singer/songwriter Kenny Tudrick on drums — made up for her lack of professionalism. The former exotic dancer shimmied behind her microphone between swigs of beer and water, and drags of her ever-present cigarette.
Thanks to Nobody's Hero, here is the setlist from Rotterdam, Chris Robinson's solo show (5.23.02). He played with Paul Stacey.
Silver Car
Sunday Sound
Untangle My Mind
The Dolphins (Fred Neil)
We All Want Love
Mint Tea (announced by Chris as "a little halucination brought to you from
Malibu")
Mother of Stone
Evening Blue (Traffic)
Barefoot By The Cherry Tree
Safe In The Arms Of Love
You're A Big Girl Now (Bob Dylan)
Fables
Beginners And Sinners
~encore~
Dark End Of The Street (Dan Penn)
She's On Her Way
5.21.02
Chris is playing the Theater of Living Arts in PA on June 22! More dates should be announced soon.
Also, Audley's Peaceful Knievel is tentatively
playing on 6.28.02 and 6.29.02 at Tobacco
Road in NY!
I have added an interview with George Drakoulias to the info section.
5.8.02
It appears that they have cancelled the show on the 18th in Paris and the show on the 12th also!
Here are some pictures of Audley and Andy with the Mule!
Another date for Chris:
5.26.02 - Groningen (Oosterpoort)
5.2.02
Audley's new band Peaceful Knievel have added some new dates:
June 13th, 2002 (Th) - Juanita's - Little Rock,
AR
June 14th, 2002 (Fri) - Sammy T's - Huntsville, AL
June 15th, 2002 (Sat) - The Mercy Lounge - Nashville, TN
5.1.02
More shows coming up for Chris:
5.23.02 - Nighttown in Rotterdam, Netherlands
5.24.02 - Hellendoorn, Holland
5.25.02 - Melkweg, Amsterdam
5.28.02 - Ancienne Belgique, Belgium
5.29.02 - La Boule Noire in Paris, France
4.24.02
I have been told that that Chris Robinson is scheduled to play a show on 5.28.02 in Belgium!!
Chris Robinson solo on May 28th in Ancienne Belgique Brussels. Go here for tickets.
Check out this review of the Memphis Marc Ford show with pictures!
Rolling Stone reviews the NY Mule show with many special guests!
4.13.02
FEATURE - A Crowe Takes Flight
04/08/2002
The guitar man returneth. Okay, maybe Marc Ford's solo offering It's About Time isn't as mythical as all that, yet the former Black Crowes slinger's debut is a stunning 15-song collection of. Fifteen songs on a debut? "Yeah, I wanted to put more on, but I got the leash put on," Ford says jokingly. "It's been a long, long time since I put anything out, and I've got so many songs I just wanted to get rid of them and start again."
Ford is no stranger to the idea of starting again. After moving to Hollywood at the ripe age of 17, he formed the short-lived Burning Tree before joining the Black Crowes in 1991. Six years later, he left the Crowes, started another band that was a victim of the major label consolidation boondoggle, and then opted to go out on his own.
From his vantage point, the musical goal on It's About Time wasn't about fitting into a neat genre description. "To me it's just an honest American record," he says. "I'm just doing what I've always done--I'm not trying to do anything that I don't know about."
Yet in doing what he knows while working on this
album, Ford's view on songwriting changed. "It wasn't until recently that
I really paid that much attention to lyrics," he admits. "Being a
guitar player first, most of my life, I paid attention to the music side of
things, and obviously the guitar side of things, to learn my craft. It was after
I felt I had that pretty much...you never have it figured out I guess, but I
felt comfortable with it. Then I thought, 'Wow, these people are really saying
some things.' That changed my whole outlook on the musicality side of things."
Now, he adds, singing comes first, and guitar is second. "On this record,
it's not really a guitar record. The guitar is in there just to fill in the
spots that it should, rather than it being just a guitar-wank record."
"Being in the Crowes and spending so much time on the road was a particular
lifestyle. It's a period of my lifethat I'm walking away from, in a way."
A stellar lineup of guest stars joined Ford in the studio during the recording
process, including Ben Harper, Chris Stills, and the Gov't Mule guys. "They're
friends, so I just called 'em up and asked if they would help. It's really kind
of a selfish thing on my part to ask them to play with me," Ford says with
a laugh.
The songs "When You Go" and "Giving" are a pair of Ford favorites. "I'm really proud of [them] from the writing aspect of it," he states. "I think they're real songs in a way. When I wrote 'em, I didn't feel like I was a part of it--I was given them. 'Just Let Go' is like a journey kind of a tune that I really dig."
At times, especially during the song "Two Mules And A Rainbow," it sounds as if Ford's saying goodbye to the Crowes. "I wouldn't say necessarily the Crowes so much as to a period of my life," he explains. "Obviously the Crowes are the easiest thing to point at, because that's the public side of my life and that's what I was doing that everyone else could see. But being in that band and spending so much time on the road and everything that came along with being in that band was a particular lifestyle. It's really more of a period of my life [that I'm] walking away from, in a way."
By David John Farinella from launch
4.9.02
I added a recent Audley interview.
I added a recent Marc Ford interview to the Info section!
Here is another short Marc Ford interview:
So what was it like being in The Black Crowes
in their heyday?
"The perks of being in a big rock band are great. The greatest thing for
me was it was a fantastic band at the peak of its musicality," said Marc
Ford. He was lead guitarist for the band during what many consider to be its
best work: "Southern Harmony and Musical Companion" from 1992, "Amorica"
from 1994 and "Three Snakes and One Charm" from 1996.
"I can honestly say that you could compare us to any rock-'n'-roll band
ever, and we could stand up to them. It was a great band. It was a lot of fun
to be part of," he said in a phone interview.
Of course, everything wasn't completely rosy. Ford got fired from the band.
He said that being voted off the island - and the tour bus - was OK by him.
"The first three or four years were great. I just sort of had a hunger
to go write and do other things. I got disinterested in the role that I had
in the band. Six men on a bus together. You're practically married. It's a lot
of hard work. It was just one thing after another. People tend to need a scapegoat
when things are going wrong. I really just wanted to move on," he said.
These days, Ford has moved on to his own band and a new album, which he's hoping
will draw interest from a major label. The disc, "It's About Time,"
has contributions from Ben Harper, Warren Haynes and Matt Abts. He's still buddies
with Chris Robinson from The Black Crowes.
Ford said he enjoyed making "It's About Time" because he did it on
his own terms. But he said he needs major label backing for promotion and distribution.
Marc Ford and the Sinners with opener Dirty South will be at the Music Farm
Monday. It's an all-ages show that starts at 10 p.m. Tickets are $12.
4.2.02
Marc Ford has announced some additional tourdates on his website!
On April 13th at Tobacco Road in New York City: THE PEACEFUL KNIEVELS featuring George Lax on keys, Andy Hess on bass, Charlie Drayton on drums, Audley Freed on guitar and Michael Eldon Farris (Screamin Cheetah Wheelies) on vocals.
3.7.02
Andy Hess will be the bassist for most of the next leg of Gov't Mule's spring tour with Audley on some of the shows too!
4/18 Michigan Theater Ann Arbor, MI*
4/19 Riviera Theatre Chicago, IL*
4/20 State Theatre Minneapolis, MN*
4/21 Barrymore Theatre Madison, WI*
5/2 New Orleans Fairgrounds New Orleans, LA
5/3 State Palace Theatre New Orleans, LA
5/4 Municipal Auditorium New Orleans, LA
5/9 Journal Pavilion Albuquerque, NM**
5/10 Pepsi Center Arena Denver, CO**
5/12 Cricket Pavilion Phoenix, AZ**
5/13 Coors Amphitheatre Chula Vista, CA**
5/15 STAPLES Center Los Angeles, CA**
5/16 Verizon Wireless Amphitheater Irvine, CA**
*w/Audley Freed on guest guitar
**opening for Dave Matthews Band
V2 Soundtrack 'I Am Sam' Officially Goes Gold
I Am Sam' is a Collection of 17 Beatles Classics
Covered by
Contemporary Artists, Including Rufus Wainright, Sarah McLachlan,
Eddie Vedder, The Black Crowes, Ben Harper, Ben Folds, Grandaddy, Chocolate
Genius, the
Wallflowers, Aimee Mann and Michael Penn
Catch Ben Harper Performing 'Strawberry Fields
Forever' on Leno March
8, This
Will be the 3rd Artist from the Soundtrack to Appear on the Show
NEW YORK, March 4 /PRNewswire/ -- V2 Records
are pleases to announce
the official Gold certification of "I Am Sam." Through continual
efforts at radio, retail and press, V2's hard work has paid off. The
soundtrack which was put together in just four weeks, features amazing
performances by Aimee Mann and Michael Penn, Rufus Wainright, The
Stereophonics, Sarah McLachlan, Ben Harper and Eddie Vedder.
Andy Gershon, V2 President stated, "We are
really thrilled with the
success of the record and that it is connecting with a wide variety of
people. The fact that the soundtrack is selling to kids as well as
their parents is a nice tribute to both the strength of the Beatles
songs and the way in which the artists on the record have been
interpreted by them. "
Jim Kelly -- V2 Records Head of Sales recognized
the importance of
people connecting to the soundtrack especially at the retail level. He
states of "I Am Sam's" success, "This gold milestone for the
'I Am
Sam' soundtrack is an especially strong testament to the power of all
the people at retail who have embraced this project and helped us pass
it along to consumers everywhere!"
Matt Pollack -- V2 Records Head of Radio states
of "I Am Sam's"
success, "Watching this project unfold has been one of the most
fulfilling CDs I have had the honor of working in quite some time. It
is just further proof that the Beatles legacy not only stands the test
of time, but also continues to influence generations to come. Radio
has not lost sight of that and continues to be the medium in spreading
that message."
Ben Harper will be the third artist to perform
from a song from the "I
Am Sam" soundtrack on "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno." Aimee
Mann and
Michael Penn lead the way with "The Two of Us" followed by Rufus
Wainright who performed "Across the Universe." The video for "Across
the Universe" can be seen on VH1 and features an appearance by Dakota
Fanning who plays Sean Penn's daughter in the movie "I Am Sam."
3.2.02
Audley has been playing with the Mule lately and you can listen to some of the show here.
here are some recent setlists:
from 3.1.02
1st Set: Rocking Horse, Thorazine Shuffle, World
Gone Wild, Beautifully Broken, Banks Of The Deep End *, Fool's Moon *, Effigy
*, Mississippi Queen *
2nd Set: Bad Little Doggie, Lay Your Burden Down, Left Coast Groovies > World
Of Difference, Mule > What Is Hip? > Mule > Drums > Third Stone
From The Sun jam *> Life On The Outside *, Sometimes Salvation *, Soulshine
*
Encore: Is It My Body? *, Dreams *
Setlist Notes: * w/Audley Freed on guitar
from 2.27.02
1st Set: Grinnin' In Your Face > Thorazine
Shuffle, Rocking Horse > Fool's Moon, Beautifully Broken, Don't Step On The
Grass, Sam, Wandering Child, Banks Of The Deep End, Sco-Mule *, Life On The
Outside *+, 30 Days In The Hole *
2nd Set: Lay Your Burden Down, Blind Man In The Dark, Bad Little Doggie, How
Many More Years > Drums > Drums/Keys > Les Brers In A Minor tease >
Almost Cut My Hair **, Sad And Deep As You **, Turn On Your Lovelight **+
Encore: Mule > Who Do You Love? > Mule, Soulshine, Rockin' In The Free
World *> Get Up Stand Up *+> All Along The Watchtower *^> Rockin' In
The Free World *
Setlist Notes: * w/Audley Freed on guitar; ** w/Audley on guitar & Robert
Randolph on pedal steel; + 1st time played; ^ one verse
2.16.02
Make sure you check out the Marc Ford website , his new album is now finally available to order along with shirts!!
2.13.02
Here is the set info from the last Marc Ford show:
Marc Ford
- guitar/backing vocals
Chris Robinson - vocals/harmonica/guitar on *
Ben Peeler - mandolin/banjo/lap steel
guitar/backing vocals
Dave Scher (Beachwood
Sparks) - pedal steel/keys
Dean DeLeo (STP) - guitar
Berry Oakley Jr. - bass/backing vocals
Aaron Sperske (Beachwood
Sparks) - drums
Hard Time Killin' Floor (Skip James) - acoustic
Are You Ready For The Country?* (Neil Young)
Wheels (Gram Parsons)
Ballad of Easy Rider (The Byrds)
Evening Blue (Traffic)
Southbound Train (Graham Nash)
It's Not Easy (Jagger/Richards)
Drugstore Truck Drivin' Man (The Byrds)
What's Happening?! (David Crosby)
I Know You Rider (Grateful Dead)
encore:
King Bee* (James Moore aka Slim Harpo)
Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Sun* (Pink Floyd)
2.12.02
The official message board has now been replaced by this Black Crowes Forum. Please go there and join the discussion and spread the word about the new board! Everyone from the board on this site should migrate over because it will be closing soon.
2.11.02
Here is a statement from the official site:
THE BLACK CROWES are taking a hiatus.
For the time
being, CHRIS ROBINSON is pursuing a solo career and is
gearing up for his new project, NEW EARTH MUD. Chris
has recently been playing with MARC FORD, and he
should have a new website online in the near future.
RICH ROBINSON has been writing movie scores, as well
as working with artists such as Spacehog and has
recently jammed on stage with Govt Mule. STEVE GORMAN
has left the band for personal reasons and has
recently been working with George Drakoulias and as
well as doing session work. EDDIE HARSCH is travelling
the universe and bringing unreal groove to all those
who cross his path. AUDLEY FREED is working on various
projects and has put up a new website,
audleyfreed.com, and ANDY HESS is playing around NYC
and enjoying every minute of it.
WEBSITE NEWS: With The Black Crowes taking time
off
for 2002, the website will be put on autopilot as the
webmaster is also going to take a hiatus.
Unfortunately, the message board will be going down,
and updates to the news section will be slow until the
bands hiatus ends. I hope all TBC fans have a great
year and I look forward to getting together when The
Black Crowes hit the road again.
2.9.02
You can check out the new Stereophonics video for Don't Let me Down from I Am Sam on this site.
The "I Am Sam" soundtrack,
which features the likes of
Rufus Wainwright, Sheryl Crow, Ben Harper, The Black
Crowes and Sarah McLachlan covering Beatles classics
such as "Across the Universe," "Mother Nature's Son,"
"Strawberry Fields Forever," "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds"
and "Blackbird," has managed to sell more than 158,000 copies
during the past month and is firmly entrenched at #21 on the Billboard 200.
2.4.02
I added a Rich interview from 96, The Pied Pipers of Rock
1.31.02
Matt sent in some pictures from the Malibu Inn show on the 27th and here are the best ones:
1.28.02
Last Night, Chris Robinson and Friends jammed with Marc Ford!
Lineup:
Chris on vocals, guitar and harp, Audley and Marc on guitars, Berry Oakley Jr. on bass, Jen Gunderman on keys, and Aaron Sperske, on drums from Beachwood Sparks.
SET LIST:
Red Balloon
Friend Of Mine
I Used To Be a King
Stealin'
Dark End Of The Street
The Man In Me
Sing Me Back Home
Old Blue
Long Black Veil
What's Happening?!
Dolphins
Got Love?
Goin' Down the Road Feeling Bad
It is hard to describe what it was like, but I must say there was a lot of soul in that room!
1.25.02
Check out Audley Freed's new website!
I also added a new Audley interview in the info section.
1.16.02
Mike Farris, Damon Hohnson &
Audley Freed are
playing at Tobacco Road, NYC, Tuesday, February 5.
This is a small, wild venue, and prices are quite
reasonable.
Go to www.tobaccord.com for more info!
Here are some Soundscan sales figures (US)
Shake Your Money Maker ~ 3,530,000
Southern Harmony and Musical Companion ~ 1,742,000
Amorica ~ 515,500
3 Snakes and One Charm ~ 294,000
By Your Side ~ 220,000 (estimate)
Lions ~ 193,000
Check out this acoustic bluegrass tribute album to TBC called Pickin' on the Crowes!
1.15.02
Crowes Will Fly Again
January 11, 8 p.m. ET, RollingStone.com
Plagued by well-publicized bouts between singer Chris
Robinson and his brother, guitarist Rich Robinson, as
well as a heap of creative differences, excesses,
legal troubles and lineup changes, the Black Crowes
have been among rock & roll's most volatile bands.
Until his resignation this week, drummer Steve Gorman
-- who joined in 1986, four years before the Crowes'
smash debut album, Shake Your Money Maker -- had the
longest tenure of anybody not named Robinson.
"I realized my heart wasn't in it as much as it had
been in the past," Gorman says. The drummer plans to
move from New York to Los Angeles, where he hopes to
pick up session work.
After Gorman broke the news of his departure
to the
rest of the band, the Crowes announced that they would
be taking an indefinite hiatus. Chris Robinson will
pursue a solo project called the New Earth Mud, and a
band statement hinted that Rich Robinson has a new
project of his own.
Despite speculation that the hiatus might be
a
permanent split, a source close to the band insists
they will eventually get back together, saying,
"They're brothers. They'll be back together again.
There's undeniable chemistry there." The source adds
that Chris and Rich spent the holidays together in
Aspen, Colorado.
1.11.02
Black Crowes: These Birds Have Flown
It appears that the Black Crowes have musically
"winged it" for the last time.
The Black Crowes are going on hiatus for the
time
being, according to a statement issued by the band's
publicists earlier this week. The move follows the
recent departure of Crowes drummer Steve Gorman, the
last remaining original member of the band aside from
brothers Chris and Rich Robinson.
The announcement brings a turbulent two years
to a
close for the Atlanta-based Crowes, who first stormed
onto the national music scene in 1990 with their debut
LP, Shake Your Money Maker. The album produced two of
the band's biggest singles, the acoustic ballad "She
Talks to Angels" and a cover of Otis Redding's "Hard
to Handle," and has sold some 3.79 million copies to
date.
The Crowes' second effort, 1992's The Southern
Harmony
and Musical Companion, also reached a platinum nest by
tallying some 1.79 million in sales. Despite the
drop-off between their first two LPs, it was with the
band's third album, 1994's Amorica, in which the group
seems to have musically yin-ed as its audience
yang-ed. The batch of "experimental" songs and
road-weary ditties sold only 536,000 copies and was
the start of the Crowes' sales plummet, followed by
1996's Three Snakes and One Charm (311,000 copies
sold), and 1999's By Your Side (271,000).
The Black Crowes appeared to be gaining lift
in 1999
after a joint tour with Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy
Page spawned the double concert album Live at the
Greek. After Page's back injury forced them to abandon
plans for a fall 2000 trek in support of the album,
momentum (and sales) for Live at the Greek stalled,
with the record's sales eventually settling around
202,000 copies sold.
A Black Crowes best-of compilation, titled Greatest
Hits 1990-1999: A Tribute to a Work in Progress and
released in June 2000, also underwhelmed music buyers.
The now-seemingly complete Tribute to a Work in
Progress has sold less than 240,000 copies to date — a
fraction of what one of the Crowes' contemporaries,
Lenny Kravitz, has sold of his own Greatest Hits LP
(3.35 million).
New things appeared to be afoot for the Black
Crowes
the following year, thanks to a new label deal (with
V2 Records) and the media attention surrounding Chris
Robinson's wedding to actress Kate Hudson. However,
the resulting album, Lions, failed to register much of
a roar upon its release in May 2001 and has sold just
192,000 copies so far.
Considering the Black Crowes' current "hiatus,"
it
leads us to ponder the fate of another sibling band,
and a group with whom the Crowes mounted one of their
final tours: Oasis.
Fronted by brothers Noel and Liam Gallagher,
the
Brit-rock outfit has also endured a rather precipitous
drop-off in sales with its two most recent releases,
Standing on the Shoulder of Giants (189,000 copies
sold to date) and the double-live disc Familiar to
Millions (64,000), both of which were issued in 2000.
Those numbers indicate that Oasis' sales have "dried
up" significantly as compared to the figures posted by
the group's first three albums, 1994's Definitely
Maybe (713,000 copies sold), 1995's (What's the Story)
Morning Glory? (3.49 million) and 1997's Be Here Now
(963,000). As the late George Harrison once sang, "All
things must pass," y'know?
1.9.02
I'm sad and disheartened to report this news...I only hope that they will regroup at some point.
Black Crowes On Hiatus, Chris Robinson To Go Solo 01/08/2002 (1/8/02, 8 p.m. ET) --
In the wake of drummer Steve Gorman's departure (LAUNCH, 1/8), the Black Crowes have announced that after 15 years and eight albums, the band is "taking a hiatus," with no time frame put on the break. In a statement today (January 8) from the group's spokesman, it was also revealed that frontman Chris Robinson is pursuing a solo career and that fans should "stay tuned for (guitarist) Rich Robinson's plans." Gorman confirmed to LAUNCH today that he left the Crowes in December, saying, "It was just time to look into other projects and opportunities. I felt it was time to move on and focus on my own projects. I'm very proud of the music we've made, and now I look forward to going off in my own direction." Gorman, who joined with brothers Chris and Rich Robinson in 1987 in Atlanta, plans to move from New York City to Los Angeles with his wife and young son in order to pursue those opportunities. Signed to Rick Rubin's American Recordings label in 1989, the Crowes hit quickly with their debut album, Shake Your Money Maker, a top-five success that sold more than four million copies and launched hits such as "Jealous Again" and a cover of Otis Redding's "Hard To Handle." The Crowes' second album, The Southern Harmony And Musical Companion, topped the Billboard 200 chart in 1992. Subsequent albums did not sell as well, but the Crowes remained one of the most active rock bands throughout the '90s, co-headlining both the H.O.R.D.E. and Furthur Festival summer tours, and touring with Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page in 1999 and 2000--a union that resulted in the Live At The Greek concert album. The group has seen several members come and go over the years, including guitarists Jeff Cease and Marc Ford, and bassists Johnny Colt and Sven Pipien. The Crowes' most recent album is 2001's Lions, which the band supported with an appearance at the South By Southwest music festival and their Tour Of Brotherly Love, an outing with fellow familial bands Oasis and Spacehog. -- Gary Graff, Detroit
1.8.02
The I Am Sam Soundtrack comes out today, check it out!
1. Two of Us - Aimee Mann & Michael Penn 2. Blackbird - Sarah McLachlan 3. Across the Universe - Rufus Wainright 4. I'm Looking Through You - The Wallflowers 5. You've Got to Hide Your Love Away - Eddie Vedder 6. Strawberry Fields - Ben Harper 7. Mother Nature's Son - Sheryl Crow 8. Golden SlUmbers - Ben Folds 9. I'm Only Sleeping - The Vines 10. Don't Let Me Down - Stereophonics 11. Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds - The Black Crowes 12. Julia - Chocolate Genius 13. We Can Work It Out - Heather Nova 14. Help - Howie Day 15. Nowhere Man - Paul Westerberg 16. Revolution - Grandaddy 17. Let It Be - Nick Cave
12.23.01
Warren Haynes Christmas Jam
12/21/01 - Civic Center, Asheville, NC
Drivin' & Cryin':
Other Side of Heaven
Broken Hearts and Auto Parts
Fly Me Courageous (w/Smoke on the Water tease) (w/Audley Freed on gtr)
Straight To Hell (w/Audley and Edwin McCain on gtr and voc)
Blues Traveler:
about 8 or 9 songs (don't really know their music that well)
including:
The Mountains Win Again (w/Warren on gtr)
Alvin Youngblood Hart solo acoustic:
All Night Long
Robert Johnson tune (w/John Popper)
Jimmy Herring on acoustic gtr, Edwin McCain on
ac gtr and voc, John
Popper
on hca and voc, Oteil on bass, and Danny Barnes on banjo:
Sign on the Door
I'm Alone
Phil & Friends:
Jam ->
Golden Road ->
Jam ->
Soulshine
Loose Lucy ->
Jam (w/Wharf Rat and Terrapin teases) ->
Tennessee Jed
GDTRFB ->
Angel Band
Night of 1000 Stars
Lovelight (w/Robert Randolph on pedal steel and Col. Bruce on gtr and
voc)
Gov't Mule (w/Rob Barraco and Oteil):
Rockin' Horse ->
Thorazine
Mule (w/inaudible Popper on hca) ->
Popper Jam (now audible) ->
Mule
Sco-Mule
(Mike Gordon replaces Oteil):
Banks of the Deep End ->
Time To Confess
(Dave Schools replaces Mike Gordon):
Bad Little Doggie ->
BMITD
Almost Cut My Hair (w/Robert Randolph)
Encore:
Masters of War (acapella one verse) ->
Rockin' in the Free World (w/Audley and Kevn Kinney on gtr and voc)
Pictures from the Mule site !
12.18.01
More articles!! If you have any
others that aren't on here, please send them,thanks!
3 snakes, guilty, gwa 9.96, 8.92, rich 12.96, rich 97, RS 11.17.94, RS 8.25.94,
san jose 8.1.97, scene 10.96, select 8.96, select 95, soma 9.96, star 8.92,
upi 8.92, vox 7.93, wilma 12.96
12.17.01
More articles: 2.15.97, 10.96, 12.7.96, 8.03.96, 11.23.98, 2.22.97, 11.30.94, 9.96, 7.92, 5.30.91
12.16.01
I added several articles: AP 97, bam 91, 3S '96, garage 97, greek 00, 1.9.99, 1.15.95, 2.7.96, rolling stone 1.91, 5.29.98, colt 11.96, colt 95, guitar 2.97, furthur 6.26.97, 6.97, 2.96, 8.24.92, 5.22.97, creem 92, eddie 10.96.
12.14.01
The Supersuckers have wrangled in the services of Black Crowes' Audley Freed and Amy Nelson, daughter of Willie Nelson, for the forthcoming Must've Been Live, the band's live ode to its sometimes country tendencies, which is due March 12 on Mid-Fi Recordings. The title is a play on the group's 1997 country album, Must've Been High. "At first we hated country music," explains singer-bassist Eddie Spaghetti. "But it's a part of us, like it or not. After doing the Suckers for quite a few years, we decided to do a full-fledge country record. When it came out, we thought for sure we were going to lose every fan we had. But over the course of time, it has become one of our most popular records." Nelson sings on "Hungover Together," while Freed is on a cover of Conway Twitty's "Image of Me."
12.10.01
I added a chat transcript from 96 to the info section and updated the discography.
12.7.01
Live at the Greek has sold 199,000 copies (no including the internet album sales) and Lions has sold 186,000 copies.
I added an interview with Steve from 6/01 to the info section.
12.2.01
The Black Crowes now have a page on the Rockwalk site, with some pictures you can check out.
Also, I added a transcript from an AOL chat from 94 to the info section and updated the discography.
11.28.01
You can watch a trailer of I am Sam here, and it will be released on Jan 11, 2002.
Here is a review of one of the recent Beacon Shows.
11.25.01
I added a new Discography section!! A link to it is under the info section. I also added a transcript of an AOL Chat session from 95.
11.23.01
I added the 3 Snakes Press kit article to the info section.
11.19.01
I added 30 assorted old reviews from the archives to the info section.
11.14.01
Some of the Crowes performance at the Voodoo Fest in New Orleans from the recent tour will be televised on Much Music USA on Nov 19, for more information go to this site.
11.11.01
Here is a very interesting Marc Ford interview in which he talks about life, his time with the Crowes and his new upcoming record !
“Listen Massive” Tour 2001 Statistics (courtesy of NaiveCrowe)
|
SYMM Twice As Hard 31 |
TSHAMC Sting Me 36 |
Amorica Gone 5 |
TSAOC Under a Mountain |
BYS Go Faster 20 |
Lions Midnight From The Inside Out 26 |
|
B-Sides Tied Up and Swallowed 2 |
Covers Oh Well 14 |
Openers Stare It Cold |
Encores- She Talks To Angels 9 |
SYMM 8/10 TSHAMC 10/10 Amorica 9/12 TSAOC 11/12
|
BYS 5/12 Lions 10/13 B-Sides 44 4.8% |
11.8.01
According to mtv, the Crowes greatest hits cd has sold 221,000 copies so far.
The Black Crowes to cover Beatles on movie soundtrack!
Vedder, McLachlan, Crowes Cover Beatles For 'Sam'
Ben Folds, Wallflowers also appear on January-due soundtrack.
Eddie Vedder, Sarah McLachlan, the Black Crowes and 14 other artists will deliver their takes on Beatles classics for the soundtrack to the Sean Penn drama "I Am Sam."
The album, due January 8, also features Ben Folds, the Wallflowers, Paul Westerberg,
Nick Cave and Ben Harper, among others, according to a V2 Records spokesperson.All
of the covers were recorded for the soundtrack album and eight are featured
in the movie, which stars Penn as Sam, a mentally handicapped father fighting
to keep custody of his seven-year-old daughter, Lucy.
"I Am Sam," due in theaters December 28, has several other references
to the Beatles, including a courtroom scene where Sam compares himself and his
daughter to the songwriting team of John Lennon and Paul McCartney. Vedder,
a friend of Penn's who contributed two tracks to his film "Dead Man Walking"
in 1996, was one of the first artists to sign on for the soundtrack, recording
"You've Got to Hide Your Love Away," the spokesperson said.The Wallflowers
recorded "I'm Looking Through You" at a Santa Monica studio owned
by Jackson Browne, who also sang on the track. The first single from the album
is still under consideration, the spokesperson said.
The "I Am Sam" track list, according to V2:
Sarah McLachlan - "Blackbird"
Aimee Mann and Michael Penn - "Two of Us"
The Wallflowers - "I'm Looking Through You"
Rufus Wainwright - "Across the Universe"
Ben Harper - "Strawberry Fields Forever"
Eddie Vedder - "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away"
The Black Crowes - "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds"
Ben Folds - "Golden Slumbers"
Paul Westerberg - "Nowhere Man"
Nick Cave - "Let It Be"
Stereophonics - "Don't Let Me Down"
Heather Nova - "We Can Work It Out"
The Vines - "I'm Only Sleeping"
Howie Day - "Help!"
Grandaddy - "Revolution"
Chocolate Genius - "Julia"
LA Times in depth article and another Billboard article on the movie.
11.4.01
I added 2 new articles to the info section, the 1 on 1 interview and Guitarist interview.
Be sure to check out Audley and Eddie on the new Gov't Mule album The Deep End Vol. I. They appear on "Life on the Outside," a rockin' track co-written by Audley!
Also you can check out Marc Ford on tour with Blue Floyd, and also on his own at his site!
10.31.01
Well, the Listen Massive tour is over and now the band will probably take a break before doing anything else. I hope that it isn't too long because they need to get back while they are still fired up from this tour and do another record!! Hopefully you caught a show or 3 on the tour and you can check out reviews and setlists on the Crowesbase on the official site. If you haven't already, send in your pictures, reviews and ticket scans to the Crowesbase.
Here are some pictures from the O&A Interview.
Audley Freed is going to be at the Xmas Jam with Warren Haynes and many others on Dec. 21.
10.25.01
Chris is scheduled to be the special
guest on Opie and
Anthony's show on WBCN Boston next Tuesday at 5:00 P.M.
Check out VH1's one on one interview with the Crowes here !
10.22.01
Make sure to check out the Conan
O'Brien show on
Tuesday, October 23rd, as The Black Crowes will again
be featured as the musical guest. This is a repeat of
the show originally aired on 09/20/01.
10.19.01
I added a new Rich interview in Info.
10.12.01
I added a new interview of Rich to the info section.
You can check out the live video clip of Cypress Tree from the Greek Theater on this site!
10.09.01
I added a new interview to the info section.
10.05.01
Lions Studio Pictures ~ some pictures from the studio while recording Lions.
If you are looking for rare singles, bsides and imports, here is a good site to order them.
I added a new Lions article to the info section.
Black Crowes closes Big E in style
Tuesday, October 2, 2001
By DONNIE MOORHOUSE
REVIEW
WEST SPRINGFIELD — While the Big E's music
stage has
always attracted the best in novelty acts, heroic
oldies, and classic reunions, the "here and now" came
to the great state fair on Sunday night in the persons
of Chris Robinson, his brother Rich, and their little
rock band called The Black Crowes.
The Crowes are arguably the best touring band in
America these days, and certainly would get votes as
one of the hardest working, criss-crossing the country
on countless occasions in the last year alone in
support of their latest CD "Lions."
The Black Crowes, led by lead singer Chris Robinson,
performed a 20-song, two-hour set of Southern rock to
close out the 2001 edition of the Big E on Sunday
night before another crowd of thousands.
The Crowes toured last year with Jimmy Page,
and
seemed to have rediscovered the sound and soul that
made them instantly famous a decade ago when they
released "Shake Your Money Maker." It was that same
dirty, gritty rock sound they brought to the Big E
stage.
"We feel very much like Jimi Hendrix must
have felt
when he played the Monterey Pop Festival," joked
Robinson, about the band's appearance at the
agricultural fair. "Of course, they didn't have as
much fried dough at the Monterey Pop Festival."
The Crowes set a course for spiritual redemption and
healing with "Remedy," and "Sting Me," to start off
the night, stirring up a musical elixir sure to cure
the collective ills of the gathering. This pre-eminent
rock and soul band continued to mine the gospel vibe
throughout the evening.
Known in rock circles as a vibrant jam band,
The Black
Crowes instead kept the improv to a minimum during
their stay at the fairgrounds, choosing more economic
versions of their songs, although they did stretch out
slightly on "Greasy Grass River."
The revival continued, in both theme and practice,
with a draining "Sometimes Salvation," followed by the
semi-acoustic "Miracle To Me," from their latest CD.
The band followed up one of their only jams of the
evening with a fervent "Soul Singing," as the two
female backup singers provided the gospel harmonies.
Two hours into the performance, the Crowes started
to
wrap things up, with hits "Twice As Hard," and
"Jealous Again," inciting bedlam in the crowd. They
opened their encore with "She Talks To Angels."
09.27.01
Black Crowes coming to Tupelo
By M. Scott Morris
Daily Journal
It's not listed on the band's official Web site
yet,
but the Black Crowes are coming to Tupelo, MS.
The rock 'n' roll band known for such songs as
"Remedy" and "She Talks to Angels" will play at 8 p.m.
Oct. 26, at the BancorpSouth Center with special guest
Beachwood Sparks.
Rob Henson, assistant director of the center, said he
got a call from a guy in Nashville who was looking for
open dates for the Black Crowes.
"I checked the dates and polled the (Tupelo
Coliseum)
Commission," he said. "We decided to take the
opportunity."
Stage in the middle. The center will be set up
in a
"half-house" configuration. The stage will be in the
middle of the arena with the band playing toward the
south end. That will accommodate roughly 4,000 fans.
"That's what the band requested," said
Joe Shoemaker,
director of the center. "They wanted an intimate
arrangement so that's where we're going with it."
This is the "Listen Massive Tour" in
support of the
Black Crowes' recently released "Lions" CD. The band
burst onto the music scene in 1990 with the release of
"Shake Your Money Maker," which featured hit songs
like "Jealous Again," "Hard to Handle," "Twice as
Hard, "She Talks to Angels" and "Seeing Things (for
the First Time)."
Tickets to the show are $25 plus service charge.
They'll go on sale Oct. 5, at 10 a.m.
Tickets may be purchased at the Box Office, Ticket
Alley in Tupelo, Bebop Records in Starkville, Bryan's
Records and Pets in Columbus, Kerr Videoplex in
Corinth or charge by phone at (662) 841-6528.
09.27.01
Billboard has posted a review of one of the recent performances at the Beacon.
09.19.01
Crowes principals Chris and Rich
Robinson will also
make a special appearance tomorrow on "Late Night with
Conan O'Brien," performing the track "By Your Side"
with two backing vocalists.
The Black Crowes Donate To World
Trade Center Relief
Efforts
(9/18/01, 6 p.m. ET) -- The Black Crowes are
pitching
in financially to help the relief effort at New York's
World Trade Center, which was destroyed in last week's
terror attacks. The band has earmarked a portion of
the proceeds from its three-night stand this week at
the Beacon Theatre, as well as 100 percent of all
merchandising revenue, to two specific charities: the
New York State World Trade Center Relief Fund and the
New York City Public/Private Initiative. All monies
collected will go directly to survivors and the
families of victims of the tragedy. The Crowes have
also asked that representatives from the two
organizations be on hand when they play tomorrow,
Friday, and Saturday (September 20-22).
The attacks on the World Trade Center hit close to
home for several Crowes bandmembers, including lead
singer Chris Robinson, guitarist Rich Robinson, and
drummer Steve Gorman, all of whom live in the greater
New York area.
If you'd like to make a contribution to these
groups,
the addresses are:
NYS WTC Relief Fund
P.O. Box 5028
Albany, NY 12205
NYCPPI
c/o The City Of New York
100 Church Street
20th Floor
New York, NY 10007
09.13.01 - Terrorist attack in New York!
In light of the recent tragedies in NY, DC, and PA, I hope that everyone does all they can to try to help. Donating Blood, giving to the Red Cross, or volunteering somewhere, and hopefully something this big will never happen again.
09.12.01
The Black Crowes will be on the HBO program "Reverb" tonight at 8pm ET.
Today The Black Crowes announced
a fourth show at The
Beacon Theater in NYC for the "Listen Massive" tour.
The new date is 10/29/01 and tickets go on sale
09/14/01.
Also, I added 2 articles to the Info section!
09.05.01
New Tourdates:
10/21/01
Raleigh, NC The Ritz
10/24/01
Sarasota, FL Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall
10/30/01
Boston, MA The Orpheum
10/31/01
Boston, MA The Orpheum
Behind the Music reruns:
Wednesday, September 12 2001
5:00PM
BTM: Black Crowes
Saturday, September 22 2001
6:00PM
BTM: Black Crowes
08.24.01
Do you want to get free tickets for the Crowes? Well you can join the Black Crowes street team! I was told that you need to email Sara from it's a gas management and she can tell you the details if you qualify.
08.23.01
I added a new article to the info section, Kings of the Jungle.
BLACK CROWES TOUR/CHAT
They’ve toured the world over
and have returned better
than before. on the heels of their triumphant tour with
oasis and a brand new hit single entitled >soul singing<
from their v2 debut, >lions<, the band have returned for
more. if you want to hear what this whirlwind few months
have been like, you’re in luck: the band will be chatting
on AOL on september 19 at 9pm est immediately after their
performance on hbo’s reverb. (this is not confirmed yet by official site)
Also, you can enter this contest on Rolling Stone, to see the Crowes at the Voodoo Festival in New Orleans!
According to the Billboard website, Lions has sold 165,000 copies so far, which is pretty sad I think for a band of this caliber. Everyone needs to spread the word and get more people listening to the Crowes!
08.22.01
THE BLACK CROWES
TO KICK OFF "LISTEN MASSIVE" TOUR AUGUST 25;
SHOWS TO FEATURE OVER TWO HOURS OF BLACK CROWES MUSIC
AND OPENING ACT BEACHWOOD SPARKS
"The band's live show remains one of the
most passionate in rock"
--Isaac Guzman New York Daily News (6/9/01)
As THE BLACK CROWES close in on the Top 10 of the rock chart with "Soul Singing" from their LIONS album (V2 Music) the track is at #14 this week, with the video in Large Rotation on VH1 the band have announced a two-month headlining trek across America on the heels of their triumphant European/Japanese tour.
Featuring over two hours of BLACK CROWES music at every show, the "Listen Massive" tour launches August 25 in Green Bay, WI and will wrap up in late October. "Listen Massive" will include a stop at Los Angeles' Greek Theatre (9/11) and three sold-out shows at New York City's Beacon Theatre (9/20-22). The group-guitarist RICH ROBINSON, singer CHRIS ROBINSON, drummer STEVE GORMAN, keyboardist EDDIE HARSCH, guitarist AUDLEY FREED and bassist ANDY HESS-have invited the critically acclaimed Los Angeles-based Beachwood Sparks to open all the shows.
In a recent interview with Guitar World magazine, the outspoken RICH ROBINSON said, "I know there are kids out there who still care about music. But as far as how the music is sold to people, it's just become a service industry. People write music for the masses, and you can't really do that. Music is a very personal thing. The minute you try to second guess what two or three million people are gonna like, you're fucked. And you put out crap music."
With LIONS, THE BLACK CROWES, in the words of A.D. Amorosi in his 5/25/01 Philadelphia Inquirer review, "shake loose their money maker sound, opening doors to Technicolor sonic underpinnings that turn their greasy black rock into a rainbow of expressionist colors. The psychedelic-gospel ambience that surrounds "Midnight From The Inside Out" and "Ozone Mama" help make LIONS the band's most satisfying and cohesive full length."
For his part, RICH ROBINSON says, "People ask us what kind of music we play. Now we say we play Black Crowes music. To get even more general than that, it's soul musicwhich doesn¹t necessarily mean it's R&B, it's just music from and for the soul."
As is customary for THE BLACK CROWES, they will vary set lists nightly, keeping things fresh and unpredictable, performing their classics, fan-favorite selections and rarities.
08.21.01
I saw a new tourdate on ticketmaster:
Venue Info: SUNRISE MUSICAL THEATRE
Location: FT LAUDERDALE, FL
Date and Time: Tuesday, October 23, 2001 7:30PM
Black Crowes Behind the Music will
be re-airing on
September 2 on VH1.
08.19.01
The Black Crowes’ lead guitarist, Rich Robinson, is telephoning from Fukuoka, Japan, but in on respect he’s right at home. “It’s, like, 100 degrees out now, really steamy – it’s like a Georgia summer,” he says, referring to his home state. “This is why I have a house in Connecticut.”
It will likely be cooler on August 25th in Green Bay, Wisconsin, when the Crowes kick off their two-month-long Listen Massive Tour. “It’s been over two years since we’ve done our own headlining tour of the U.S,” says drummer Steve Gorman. “It’ll be great to stretch it out a little more, go too far and pull it back in, which is what we always do.”
Robinson says the skeleton of the set will be material from the band’s current release, Lions, but the rest of the two-hour-plus show will be different every night. “One new song can totally change the tone of the show and send it in a new direction,” says Robinson. “We still love playing songs like Jealous Again, because we don’t beat them into the ground for ourselves by doing them every night.” Concertgoers might hear tracks from all of the Crowes previous five records, a smattering of covers, rarities such as Feathers, as well as reworked tracks from Lions such as Cosmic Friend, which has been given a new ending with a little more wallop. “All of our records have been made when the songs are at their inception – every track on Lions was a 1st or 2nd take,” says Robinson. “Then we take them on tour and that’s where they grow. That’s a lot of fun.”
“We’re not really interested in entertaining people,” adds frontman Chris Robinson. “We’re interested in celebrating. And you never know how you feel every day, so we approach our set like that.”
The Crowes felt generally good on their joint tour with Oasis this past spring, says Rich. “The Oasis tour was the coolest thing we’ve done with another band,” he says. “We tell that to people and they get bummed out because they were expecting a bunch of gory details.”
According to the guitarist, there was plenty of post-show bonding between bands. But the group saved their best night out together for after the tour, when they ran into each other in Japan. “We played Tokyo, and the Stereophonics guys were at the show, so we all went out to this club called Abbey Road for this band called the parts, who are a Japanese Beatles tribute band,” recalls Gorman. “After we were there for about half an hour, the Oasis guys showed up. Everyone was singing along at full volume while trying to see how much Heineken we could put down. It was a blast.”
Somebody must have hopped onstage to join in, right? “Liam did, but only to hug the band,” says Gorman. “He’s a very friendly man.”
Article written by Matt Hendrickson, Rolling
Stone Magazine
08.16.01
Another confirmed tourdate:
09/25/01 - Poughkeepsie, NY @ Mid-Hudson Civic Center
I added an article about the Tall and Amorica sessions to the info section.
The Crowes will be on David Letterman on August 17th (rerun)
08.13.01
I added an interview with Eddie Harsch to the info section.
08.11.01
Additional Tourdates have been confirmed!
10/02/01 - Asbury Park, NJ @ Convention
Hall
10/09/01 - Madison, WI @ Madison Civic Centre
10/14/01 - Davenport, IA @ Adler Theater
10/16/01 - Kansas City, MO @ Uptown Theater
10/17/01 - St. Louis, MO @ The Pageant
10/19/01 - Athens, GA @ Stegeman Coliseum
10/20/01 - Atlanta, GA @ Civic Center Theater
Also, for the Farmington, NM show, several people have been having difficulty getting tickets, and I was told that you can buy them by calling someone named Merlin at Performance Motors in Farmington @ 505-327-4851
It looks like the band Beachwood Sparks is going to be opening for the Crowes in Fall, check them out!
08.07.01
Here is a video clip from their performance on Top of the Pops.
The BLACK CROWES, TOOL, SNOOP DOGG, MISSY ELLIOTT, G. LOVE AND SPECIAL SAUCE, BETTER THAN EZRA and GOV'T MULE are among the acts who will perform at the third annual Voodoo Music Experience in New Orleans' City Park on October 27th. In addition to the music, Sony Playstation II will create a Voodoo Village for fans to explore. The day-long event will also be Webcast via RollingStone.com and the festival's official Web site, www.voodoomusicfest.com. Last year more than 60,000 fans attended the event which featured Stone Temple Pilots, Eminem and others.
08.06.01
Check out the August issue of Onstage magazine, there is a good article and pictures of the band and they are on the cover. Steve and Chris are interviewed and also there is a section on the guitar tech and the equipment that the band uses. (I found it at Tower Records)
Contest:
The Black Crowes Flyaway To NYC Fly to NYC and see the Black Crowes take the Beacon Theatre by storm. (thanks to Jessica for the info) http://www.rollingstone.com/contests/blackcrowes/default.asp?afl=fans
08.01.01
Two more dates have been added:
09/26/01 - Bryce Jordan Center - University Park, PA - ON SALE: 08/25
10/03/01 - Glen Falls Civic Center - Glen Falls, NY - ON SALE: 08/25
07.31.01
The Black Crowes will be on HBO's "Reverb" on August 8, 2001, at 8pm!
I added an article on Marc Ford in the info section.
07.27.01
They have added a 3rd night to the Beacon Theater, you can see the listing here!
07.26.01
Several more tourdates have been announced on the official site:
09/12/01 - Tucson, AZ @ Centennial
Hall
09/20/01 - New York, NY @ Beacon Theater
09/21/01 - New York, NY @ Beacon Theater
10/05/01 - Chicago, IL @ Aragon Ballroom
10/06/01 - Rockford, IL @ Rockford Metro Centre
10/07/01 - Mineapolis, MN @ Orpheum Theatre
BLACK CROWES frontman CHRIS ROBINSON has contributed sleevenotes to 'SACRED HEARTS', a new compilation from the late GRAM PARSONS due to appear in late April. The album, which also features a selection of tracks which Parsons' recorded with long-time collaborator and friend Emmylou Harris, will be released through Rhino Records on April 17 in the US, reports www.billboard.com. At press time there has been no confirmation of a UK release. 'Sacred Hearts' traces a line through Parsons' entire career, drawing tracks from his brief time with The Byrds, as well as four songs from his Flying Burrito Brothers band - including their cover of The Rolling Stones ' Wild Horses' - and his solo albums 'G.P' and 'Grevious Angel'. Aside from Chris Robinson, journalists Holly George-Warren and Bud Scoppa contributed liner notes. Parsons died of heart failure on September 19, 1973. He was 26-years-old.
07.23.01
Check the official site, several more fall tourdates have been confirmed!
Do you want to interview the Black Crowes? Well here is your chance to submit questions to them for VH1's one on one with the Crowes!
Also, look for the Sept. issue of Guitar Player magazine, with Dean from STP on the cover for an article on Audley and Rich.
07.20.01
They have just listed a couple of shows at the Beacon Theater in NY on ticketmaster for 9.20.01 and 9.21.01!
07.19.01
The Black Crowes will be on Pop-Up Video on VH1 - 7/24 @ 1:30pm eastern/12:30pm central.
07.17.01
Check out the new Classic Rock magazine with the Crowes on the cover, its a psychedelic cover with Chris and Rich on it, and its the July ,2001 issue. It has a long and in depth article.. well worth getting!
Also, I added an interview from Seconds magazine to the info section.
07.14.01
Onsale dates for the upcoming tours are now posted on the official site! The tickets for Bumbershoot are onsale from their website, for only $12! and the Portland show is on sale from ticketswest. Keep checking ticketmaster and the official site for more updated information.
The Soul Singing Single is now available on amazon.com! Tracklist: 1 - SOUL SINGING 2 - LOVE IS NOW 3 - SLEEPYHEADS 4 - COSMIC FRIEND 5 - SOUL SINGING
07.11.01
Another show has been added very recently! Milwaukee, WI on 10.9.01, tickets are onsale now at ticketmaster.
Check out this streaming video of the Crowes show from Montreaux right here!
07.10.01
In the wake of their successful Tour Of Brotherly Love with Oasis and Spacehog, the Black Crowes have announced a new run of headlining dates in North America in support of their latest album, Lions. Currently on tour in Europe, where they're sharing some bills with acts including Neil Young & Crazy Horse, AC/DC, and Stereophonics, the Crowes return to these shores starting August 25 at the Oneida Pavillion in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The tour is currently slated to end in New Orleans on October 27, but more dates might be added.
Frontman Chris Robinson knows the Crowes haven't been the "cool" group in a long time, but that's not his motivation when he makes music. He told LAUNCH that his goal is to make a connection with his fans every time he takes the stage. "You know the way you feel when you connect with a band? When you go to something that you know is going to be more important than being seen there, or who else is going 'cause it's the cool thing--you're going because, you know what? It's not cool. It's something that is important to you," he said. "That's the motivation for everything."
The Black Crowes recently debuted their new single and video, "Soul Singing," from their album Lions. The video was shot in Simi Valley, California, on May 13 between dates at the Santa Barbara Bowl and Los Angeles' Greek Theatre, where the Crowes recorded Live at the Greek with Jimmy Page last year.
----------
Black Crowes Return To North America Next Month
The Black Crowes will begin a fresh round of North American touring Aug. 25 in Green Bay, Wisc. Although the full itinerary is not yet finalized, confirmed dates run through an Oct. 27 performance in New Orleans. The Crowes are currently on tour in Europe and will perform tonight (July 10) at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Montreux, Switzerland. They will also hit Japan before returning to the States. The new dates come in support of the Crowes' recent "Lions" album (V2), which debuted at No. 20 on The Billboard 200 and has sold 132,000 copies in the U.S. to date, according to SoundScan. The album's second single, "Soul Singin'," is No. 23 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock Tracks chart this week. A video for the track can be sampled on the group's official Web site and is in regular rotation on VH1.
Here are the Black Crowes' upcoming tour dates:
July 10: Montreux, Switzerland (Montreux
Jazz Festival)
July 11: Paris (Olympia)
July 13: Weert, Holland (Bospop Festival)
July 14: Donington, England (Donington Race Track)
July 16: Wolverhampton, England (Civic Hall)
July 17: Glasgow (Barrowlands)
July 19: Southampton, England (Guild Hall)
July 20: Brixton, England (Brixton Academy)
July 21: Cardiff, Wales (Millennium Stadium)
July 25-27: Tokyo (Shibuya Kokaido)
July 29: Nagoya, Japan (Kinro Hall)
July 30: Fukouka, Japan (Zepp)
July 31: Osaka, Japan (Konsei Henkin Hall)
Aug. 25: Green Bay, Wisc. (Oneida Casino Pavilion)
Aug. 26: Fargo, N.D. (Civic Memorial Auditorium)
Aug. 28: Nampa, Idaho (Idaho Center)
Aug. 29: Spokane, Wash. (Fox Theatre)
Aug. 31: Vancouver (Orpheum Theatre)
Sept. 1: Seattle (Bumbershoot Festival)
Sept. 2: Portland, Ore. (Roseland)
Sept. 4-5: San Francisco (Maritime Hall)
Sept. 8: La Jolla, Calif. (San Diego Street Scene)
Sept. 9: Tempe, Ariz. (Sundome)
Sept. 11: Los Angeles (Greek Theatre)
Sept. 14: Farmington, N.M. (McGee Park Convention Center)
Sept. 16: Austin, Texas (Auditorium Shores)
Sept. 28: Atlantic City, N.J. (Trump Marina)
Sept. 30: West Springfield, Mass. (Eastern States Exposition)
Oct. 13: Bradford, Tenn. (Skullbone Music Park)
Oct. 27: New Orleans (Voodoo Island)
07.06.01
The Lions Vinyl can now be ordered online from amazon.co.uk.
Also, I added a link to the Tab Archive under the info section.
07.05.01
SOUTHAMPTON CANCELS BLACK CELEBRATION
THE BLACK CROWES have cancelled part of their UK tour due to "unforeseen circumstances", NME.COM can reveal. The band were due to play four dates in the UK later this month as part of a wider tour across Europe, in support of their recent album 'Lions'. However, the show at Southampton Guildhall, which was due to take place on July 19, has been pulled. A spokesperson for the band told NME.COM that the show had been cancelled because of "unforeseen circumstances", but was unable to elaborate on the exact reason for the cancellation. Tickets are refundable from the point of purchase. However, the band will still play three headline dates in the UK, which are at: Wolverhampton Civic Hall (July 16) Glasgow Barrowlands (17) London Brixton Academy (20) The group release a new single, 'Soul Singing' on July 23 via V2.
Here is a good review of the album that I found:
As the Crowes Fly Okay, so the Black Crowes are derivative. So what? By Scott Galupo, a writer living in Alexandria, Va. May 26-28, 2001 ock critics have panned the Black Crowes ever since the band fell out of the "retro" package it never belonged to in the first place. See for yourself how many times critics mention the fact that the Crowes's record sales "dipped" after their debut album, Shake Your Money Maker; then witness how their subject quickly wanders to the Robinson brothers' legendary brawls. Like political journalists, pop-music hacks have a knack for lazily missing the point. What, after all, is "retro" music? Or, better yet, what isn't retro? When I think of Marilyn Manson, Nine Inch Nails, and Prodigy, etc., I don't think they're retro — I just think they suck. Musicians and songwriters don't operate on a tabula rasa; inevitably they have to be influenced by somebody. Wes Montgomery wouldn't have been the player he was had it not been for Charlie Christian. But for some reason, the Crowes have never been able to shake the notion that they are blatantly derivative. Critics endlessly compare the Crowes and their material to bands — the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Humble Pie, et al. — that doubtless influenced them. Okay, so the Crowes are derivative: as the Stones were of Muddy Waters and Chuck Berry; as Prince was of James Brown; as Aerosmith was of Led Zeppelin and the Stones. So what? Each Crowes album, in its own way, marked the band's evolution.
With every effort, they came closer to finding their own voice. There were detours, to be sure, but there was always progress. (As for record sales, the Crowes themselves admirably insist that they don't care. And given what is selling well lately, they shouldn't indeed.) Critics always missed songs like 1996's "Girl from a Pawnshop," which was more Gram Parsons than Jagger/Richards; or "Halfway to Everywhere," the Funkadelic-style romp from the same year. With the ambitious Lions (released Tuesday, May 8), the Crowes have produced their most sonically interesting, diverse, and inventive album yet. This collection has the Crowes exploring mellower territory, which had been lacking on their last release, By Your Side. Of particular note is "Miracle to Me," a sentimental ballad that features a poignant vocal performance by Chris Robinson and a majestic little intro by guitarist Rich Robinson and keyboardist Eddie Harsch. Another song, "Soul Singing," features Rich playing a highly creative progression in one of his trademark open guitar tunings (open-F, if you're so inclined).
And of course, Lions features the raucous Crowes boogie we've grown to love over the past decade: the infectious "Come On" (with a killer bass groove by the great Don Was, who produced the record), the slinky, swampy funk of "Greasy Grass River" and "Young Man, Old Man," and "Cypress Tree," whose chorus evokes the heavy "No Speak No Slave" riff from 1992's The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion. Apparently, Rich Robinson has dropped his longstanding practice of not using guitar effects. On "Lickin'," the album's infectious first single, and "No Use Lying," Robinson employs such effects to give his riffs a richer texture. I have no objections if he doesn't. A refreshing surprise was "Ozone Mama," a catchy, bass-driven reggae-funk number with a slightly hip-hop vocal delivery. The Crowes have always performed reggae well on tour — songs like Bob Marley's "Pimpers Paradise" — and now they've finally recorded a song of their own that captures that style.
One disappointment: the album's opener, "Midnight from the Inside Out." This song, with which the Crowes are currently opening shows, is sloppy and strident — even more so when played live. But after an uneven start, Lions is uniformly solid, with lots of quirks and hooks that make each listen worthwhile. This one's a keeper; so, to silence the SoundScan/Billboard-obsessed critics once and for all — buy it!
07.04.01
There have been several new tourdates added to the official page, including Europe, Japan and the first few for the fall US tour which you can check from the link above. Also you can see the Soul Singing Video on the official site! Just a reminder: Tomorrow, July 5th, VH-1 will be broadcasting the "Soul Singing" video in the 7am, 8am, 9am and 10am hours of their programming. Be sure to check it out!!!
Here is another tourdate which is
not up there yet:
09/02/01 Portland, OR Roseland Theater
THE BLACK CROWES ANNOUNCE EUROPEAN TOUR DATES WITH RETURN TO U.S. SET FOR LATE AUGUST; NEWLY RELEASED RADIO TRACK IS 'SOUL SINGING,' WITH VIDEO ON THE WAY THE BLACK CROWES, fresh from a triumphant co-headlining U.S. tour with Oasis, are set to head off to Europe and Japan for an array of festival shows and headlining gigs. Kicking off Friday (6/22) in Switzerland, the 28 concerts in 12 countries include eight shows with Neil Young, two with AC/DC and another pair with Stereophonics. The multi-act shows will include such artists as Wyclef Jean, Deftones, Beck and Ben Harper, among others. After the European festivals, THE BLACK CROWES will perform six headlining gigs in Japan (7/25 through 7/31), after which they'll return to the U.S. for an extensive headlining trek that will run from late August through the end of October. THE BLACK CROWES--singer CHRIS ROBINSON, guitarist RICH ROBINSON, drummer STEVE GORMAN, keyboardist EDDIE HARSCH, guitarist AUDLEY FREED and new bassist ANDY HESS--are touring in support of their new Don Was-produced album LIONS (V2 Records), which features the Top 10 rock radio track "Lickin'" and the newly released "Soul Singing." The video for this joyous, redemptive song is now in the editing stages. THE BLACK CROWES' LIONS album is their first since the release of their on-stage collaboration with Jimmy Page LIVE AT THE GREEK and their first on V2. "People ask us what kind of music we play…Now we say we play Black Crowes music," says RICH. "To get even more general than that, it's soul music-which doesn't necessarily mean it's R&B, it's just music from and for the soul." CHRIS recently told Guitar World, "I think this new album really sums up the last 10 years of where we've been, musically. And it really gives us a starting point for where we wanna go." Check out http://www.theblackcrowes.com for all The Black Crowes tour information.
06.17.01
I will be on vacation for a couple of weeks so check back then to see more updates, meanwhile look at the official site for important news!
06.16.01
I added 3 new interviews to the info section, one with Rich from Guitar World, one recent one with Steve and one with Rich.
Also, check out this article/video interviews about the Crowes/Oasis tour!
06.14.01
Black Crowes File Suit Over Jimmy Page Tour Insurance
The Black Crowes have filed suit in California's Superior Court over the insurance from the band's tour last year with Jimmy Page. The suit, filed in Los Angeles on Wednesday (June 13), names as defendants Robertson Taylor Insurance Brokers, Ltd.; Robertson Taylor (California), Inc.; Robertson Taylor California Insurance Brokers; and principals Bob Taylor, Willie Robertson, and Paul Twomey. In the filing, the Black Crowes claim to have hired the defendants to insure the tour with Page after being told they had "long been regarded internationally as the leading insurance specialist in the music and live event industries," and that they "virtually invented specialty event insurance for the music industry." The defendants acquired insurance for the tour from Lloyd's Of London on March 15, 2000, but refused to give the band a copy of the policy until August. The Crowes also requested additional insurance as shows were added to the tour, including four October dates with the Who at Madison Square Garden in New York that "were projected to be the most profitable of the tour." The defendants claimed the insurance was in effect as of August 13.
When Page's back problems forced
the cancellation of many of the tour dates, the Crowes made the appropriate
claims with the defendants and Lloyd's, which issued the policies. When the
insurance giant balked at paying the claims for the second policy (including
the Madison Square Garden shows), the band filed suit to recover damages. It
was during that legal battle earlier this year the Black Crowes learned that
the defendants didn't get the extra insurance from Lloyd's until August 16,
two days after the Page-Crowes tour was canceled. The Black Crowes are suing
the defendants for negligence (for failing to advise the band on the proper
amount of insurance needed to completely cover them in the event of cancellation
and for failing to procure the coverage in a timely manner). The band is asking
for damages according to proof, general and compensatory damages, prejudgment
interest, attorney's fees and cost, and whatever other relief the court deems
appropriate.
-- Bruce Simon, New York from launch
06.12.01
The Brotherly Love tour with Oasis finished last night in Boston, you can see the setlists on the official site!
Here are some pictures from Rolling Stone from the Chicago show, and they are excellent quality!
I also added 2 new articles to the info section, one from Guitar World and one from the Beat.
06.11.01
Crowes Returning To North America In Late Summer
The Black Crowes/Oasis Tour of Brotherly Love wraps tonight (June 11) in Mansfield, Mass., but after a host of European festival and headlining appearances throughout July, the Crowes will return for a North American theater tour, beginning in late August or early September. Upcoming international dates, including several with Neil Young and Stereophonics, begin June 22 in Wohlen, Switzerland, and run through late July. The Crowes are touring in support of their V2 debut, "Lions," which entered The Billboard 200 at No. 20 last month. A two-part commercial single for the track "Soul Singin'," featuring the previously unreleased B-sides "Sleepyheads," "Love is Now," and "Last Time Again," is set for a July 16 release in the U.K. First single "Lickin'" is No. 17 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock Tracks chart this week. Over the course of three shows last weekend at New York's Radio City Music Hall, the Crowes went heavy on cuts from "Lions," but sprinkled in a handful of more obscure tracks from earlier albums. Among the surprises were "Evil Eye" from 1996's "Three Snakes & One Charm" as well as "Descending" and "Gone," both from 1994's "Amorica."
Here are the Black Crowes' upcoming
tour dates: June 11: Mansfield, Mass. (Tweeter Center / with Oasis) June 22:
Wohlen, Switzerland (Open Air) June 23: Oberhausen, Germany (Oberhausen Arena
/ with Neil Young) June 24: Amsterdam (Paradiso) June 26: Berlin (Waldbuhne
/ with Neil Young) June 27: Munich, Germany (Olympiahalle / with Neil Young)
June 30: Werchter, Belgium (Werchter Festival) July 9: Brescia, Italy (Town
Square / with Neil Young) July 10: Montreux, Switzerland (Montreux Jazz Festival)
July 11: Paris (Olympia) July 14: Castle Donington, England (Donington Park
Racetrack / with Stereophonics) July 16: Wolverhampton, England (Civic Hall)
July 17: Glasgow (Barrowlands) July 19: Southampton, England (Guildhall) July
20: London (Brixton Academy) July 21: Cardiff, England (Millennium Stadium /
with Stereophonics)
--from billboard news
06.09.01
Check out this audio interview with Chris Robinson on this site, he talks about the upcoming fall tour, and some older stuff too.
The Soul Singing single will be released in Europe on June 25, and here is the tracklisting:
1 - SOUL SINGING 2 - LOVE IS NOW 3 - SLEEPYHEADS 4 - COSMIC FRIEND 5 - SOUL SINGING
06.05.01
The Lickin' single (with bside) is now available on the Black Crowes Direct site!
Also, I added a new Q&A with Chris to the info section.
6.01.01
According to the official site, the Crowes have filmed a video for Soul Singing, so watch for that soon and also don't forget to catch the Crowes on June 6th on the Late Show.
Here is also some news on Marc Ford! His site has finally been updated with some tourdates and a song available for download!
LOS ANGELES--The Black Crowes changed record companies before releasing their latest album, "Lions," and according to singer Chris Robinson, with the change in labels came a shift in attitude as well. "I think the difference between this and the other record maybe has to do with our headspace, as far as being away from our old record contract and being in a place where we really feel like music is this limitless place," Robinson said. "For a nice soundbite: that dream, the same thing that drove me absolutely out of my mind as a kid, still feels the same way to me." Teaming with producer Don Was (Rolling Stones, Paul Westerberg), the Black Crowes recorded their 13-song platter in a Yiddish theatre in New York. Was said he considers the Black Crowes to be a rarity in rock these days--a full-fledged rock band that writes its own songs. And in Robinson, Was discovered a man in transition.
"It was really a treat," Was said. "When I got into the lyrics that Chris was writing, I realized he was taking on something that was significant. He was writing about becoming a man. ... There's a lot of old man/young man symbolism that's a self-conversation, Chris talking to himself. I don't know that anyone has actually chronicled being 33 [years old] as well as this album." Touring with former Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page put the Black Crowes back in touch with the classic rock sound that influenced their early recordings. Robinson said the title of the new album reflects the pride that he and his brother, Crowes guitarist Rich Robinson, take in leading a rock band in an era destined to be remembered for teen pop.
"'Lions' is a symbol that stands for the fierce feeling and freedom that music allows you, the soul involved in that," he explained. "I think we're in an era when those things are really looked over too much. And to be honest, I don't think there's a lot of great young musicians and great bands. We've eked out a career in a music business that doesn't have time for you if you don't play by their rules. And I think this record is a testament to what we've gone through and where we're going." - from livedaily
5.29.01
Check out this new Chris Robinson interview from Rolling Stone. (thanks to Jessica)
5.24.01
I added a new Chris Robinson interview to the info section.
Crowes/Oasis Tour Cancels Two Shows
Oasis and the Black Crowes' Tour of Brotherly Love has so far been free of bickering among each band's famously feuding siblings, but the trek has now run into a different kind of snag. A show scheduled for tonight (May 24) in Cincinnati has been canceled because a portion of the venue, situated alongside the Ohio River, was flooded over the weekend. A concert set for Tuesday (May 29) in Pittsburgh has also been scrapped, reportedly due to poor ticket sales. The Cincinnati venue, Riverbend Music Center, has long been prone to weather-related cancellations due to its proximity to the river. The recent rash of flooding also forced the cancellation of a Cincinnati stop by the Volunteer Jam tour last Sunday, and a spokesperson tells Billboard.com she is unsure when the venue will re-open. Rain and thunderstorms are in the forecast for the area through early June. Although a Black Crowes spokesperson says the band is looking into the possibility of rescheduling the Cincinnati show, the Crowes' official Web site is directing ticket-holders to points of purchase for refund information. The tour continues on tomorrow night (May 25) in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. The Crowes are touring behind their V2 debut album, "Lions," which drops 20-54 in its second week on The Billboard 200. First single "Lickin'" is No. 11 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock Tracks chart this week. - from billboard.com
5.22.01
According to ticketmaster, the Pittsburgh show has been cancelled!! I don't know why, but call the venue to find out more information. I know how it feels, because last year I didn't see any shows since they were all cancelled the day before!
Also, according to this site for Bumbershoot in Seattle, the Crowes are slated to play this festival which is from August 31-Sept 3!
5.21.01
I added an interview with Steve Gorman to the info section.
5.20.01
I found some new headlining tourdates for the UK:
7/16 Civic Centre, Wolverhampton
7/17 Barrowlands, Glasgow
7/19 Guild Hall, Southampton
7/20 Brixton Academy, London
I also added my review of Lions to the info section.
They have also posted the entire Bank Webcast plus interviews here on this site.
5.19.01
I added my reviews for the first 4 shows of the Brotherly Love Tour to the info section.
Also, check out the new Guitar World with Black Sabbath on the cover (july) and there is an article on the Black Crowes meet Oasis and also a making of Lions article!
5.18.01
If you are seeing the Black Crowes this tour or have seen them in the past, you should write a review of your show and send it in to the CrowesBase!
Here is a review of the Greek Show from knac.com, and you can find some other show reviews on the Oasis site.
5.17.01
According to this article at rollingstone, Lions debuts at #20 on the Billboard Charts and sold 53,000 copies.
On amazon.co.uk, you can preorder the single for Soul Singing.
From melodicrock.com - The Black Crowes will release a Japan only EP/Maxi-Single titled Soul Singing June 20. The track listing is: Soul Singing . Soul Singing-remix . Lickin' . Lickin'-dance mix . Last Time Again . Cosmic Friend - dub mix.
Oasis' Noel Gallagher, Slash, Bruce Kulick of Kiss fame, guitarist Jennifer Batten, actor-musician Jared Leto, producer Don Was, and KLOS DJ Jim Ladd came out to the Guitar Center's Sunset Boulevard sidewalk for the induction of the Black Crowes into the famous RockWalk on the Sunset Strip in Los Angeles Monday (May 14). On tour in support of their latest release Lions, the Crowes made use of their time during a two-date stint in Los Angeles to immortalize their handprints on the famous walkway. Showing his Brotherly Love Tour support was Gallagher, who coyly came out and posed for photos with the band while gazing at the freshly imprinted block of cement. For the past 15 years, the Guitar Center's RockWalk has inducted more than 100 rock and rollers, including Aerosmith, Cheap Trick, Carlos Santana, AC/DC, and B.B. King. (Kastle)
The Crowes have confirmed another headlining gig in London on July 20, here is the website for it.
Also, some Oasis fans have created a minisite for the Brotherly Love Tour, check it out!
I posted a new article on the Crowes from wallofsound in the info section and also the 2nd part of the nudeasthenews Q&A.
5.8.01
Lions is released today, so if you haven't got it yet and you are reading this, go to the store ASAP and pick up a copy, and several more for good measure (for gifts, etc!) I think that it is a return to form and its a great album!!
The vinyl version comes out on
June 5. For each copy you buy you will be able to download one full show from
the internet, and you will also be able to listen to all of the shows in streaming
audio.
If you are looking for the import version of Lions with bonus track and Lickin'
single with bonus track, you can order them from amazon.com.
Also, if you write a review, submit it to amazon so that other people can get
an idea of what the album is like.
According to this site, they added a date at the Paradiso in Amsterdam, June 24th http://www.paradiso.nl/index.php3
Black Crowes/Jimmy Page tour sparks new Beginning
By JANE STEVENSON -- Toronto Sun
Criticism that they were nothing more than '70s rock revivalists didn't stop the Black Crowes from touring with legendary Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page last summer. Although the tour was ill-fated -- the plug was pulled on the second leg after Page hurt his back, and the Crowes are suing Lloyd's Of London for not compensating them for lost profits -- frontman Chris Robinson said the experience was inspirational and educational. "It was awesome," said Robinson down the line from New York City recently just before the release today of the Crowes' latest collection, Lions. "After a good long decade of going out on the road and learning about our music and deconstructing it to a certain point and putting it back together again, to be able to do that with somebody else's music -- especially Jimmy's -- was great. We learned a lot more about our band by playing somebody else's music. The dynamic really was Jimmy joining our band for a summer, but we played his music." The performances eventually ended up on last year's double CD, Jimmy Page And The Black Crowes, Live At The Greek. Robinson said the high profile collaboration affected the new music on Lions, produced by veteran Don Was and recorded at an old Yiddish musical theatre in New York. "Atmosphere is everything; it's like accessories are everything," said Robinson, who's been known to sport his fair share. "I don't think we could have made this kind of music in a conventional studio with hallways of other people's gold records on the wall. This was an 'other-people's-accolades-free' work zone. This was about Lions."
The new album marks the Black Crowes' debut on their new label, V2 Records, after their split from Columbia, where they had been since their 1990 debut, Shake Your Money Maker. "It just wasn't our place," says Robinson, whose band has sold 15 million albums worldwide. "It's a very big label, and a corporate label, and we're not a corporate band. We got into a band because it represented freedom, creative freedom. Music has no limitations for us. Then you get into a business and it's all bottom line, dollars and cents, and test marketing and real corporate attitudes. "Everyone wants to be successful," he says. "God knows we do, but we're not prepared to be people that we're uncomfortable being just to make money and just to make other people money. Music has always been a little sacred to us and it's the most important commitment in our lives." In Robinson's case, hopefully the second most important commitment: He married actress Kate Hudson (Almost Famous) last New Year's Eve. When asked if any of the new songs on Lions are about her, Robinson says: "Well, it all comes from that place, even the stuff that was written before her. I mean she's a constant influence in my life, so it's all in there somewhere."
The Black Crowes launch their Tour Of Brotherly Love with Oasis and Spacehog in Las Vegas on Friday and arrive at the Molson Amphitheatre on May 22. Robinson says the seed to tour together was planted after he met Oasis brothers Noel and Liam Gallagher over the last couple of years. "Our conversations started to go to 'We're these last two kind of rock and roll bands in the world,'" he said. "You know proper rock and roll -- lead singers, guitarists. You write songs with your brother. And we've had our run-ins and different troubles and stuff -- the rock drama that people love to hear. But at the end of the day, they're the kind of band we want to tour with, and we're the kind of band they want to tour with and be associated with. There aren't a lot of other bands that I can say that about."
5.7.01
I added 2 more new articles under info, one interview with Steve and one long interview with Rich which is very informative!
5.6.01
I added 2 new articles in the info section.
5.5.01
In the new issue of Maxim Blender, a new music magazine, on the last page there is a full page of Q&A with Chris Robinson complete with a great Simpsons quote!
Crowes continue to lionize '70s
May 4, 2001 By BEN WENER The Orange County Register
The Black Crowes "Lions," V2
As time wears on, it's easier to appreciate the simple genius behind the Black Crowes. We all know how to verbalize their primordial talent - "just rock, stupid," that sounds about right. But for a long while - pretty much from the moment they arrived until the bloom of grunge burned off and we could see that these true-blue soldiers-of-Stones were still standing - it wasn't a disservice to dismiss them as derivative and move on to whatever was being labeled the Next Big Thing. Now revisionism creeps in: Of course they're derivative - proud of it, in fact - and, please, were you really expecting fads to last when kids are still discovering Led Zeppelin albums like they just came out? Classic rock as defined by Arrow 93's playlist won't go away for a reason - it's dyed in the fabric of American music - and the Crowes know its secrets better than they know their favorite pot variations. You want them around for the same reason you want Brian Setzer around: Almost single-handedly, they keep an entire genre young and alive. (Surely you don't think Ozzy and Skynyrd can do the same. Or Aerosmith, which recently sold its soul to the machine more than is socially acceptable. Lenny Kravitz could pull it off, yeah, but he'd have to stop acting like he walks on water first. Buckcherry? Too busy partying.)
Only recently, however, have the Crowes become conscious of their own might, their knack for exhuming even the briefest eras in rock and refining them for modern consumption. With 1999's "By Your Side," for instance, they completed their Faces album - adding spit-polished chrome and overdriving riffage where Rod and the lads had deliberately left things ragged. Now, with the robust, groove-heavy "Lions" (in stores Tuesday), they tackle Zep circa '73 - naturally tailoring that swaggering, almost-funky rock to their slightly poppier sensibility. You hear it all over the place - the mystical melody at the heart of the churning "Midnight From the Inside Out," the filthy stutter of "Lickin'," the swirling inferno engulfing "Greasy Grass River," the jittery stomp stolen from "The Ocean" for "Cosmic Friend," the furious strings and pummeling chorus of "Cypress Tree," or how "Miracle to Me" reminds in spots of "The Rain Song," not to mention how Chris Robinson's vocals mimic Robert Plant's phrasing and style. And it only makes sense that the influence of Jimmy Page would be so prevalent, since the band's summit meeting last year with the guitar god seemed to reinvigorate them even more than (kinda) cleaning up their act did. What the live set culled from that tour proved, more than "elders know best," is that the Crowes were eager to let go of the slick production their records had taken on.
Finally you could hear true grit, some dirt in those guitars, genuine nastiness (not just preening) pumping out of the amps. That the Crowes have crafted an often seamless extension of that collaboration - and with typically smooth Don Was behind the boards, no less - is close to astonishing. Not that everything is Zep-ish. "Soul Singing" is more the Crowes as die-hards love them - Southern-fried and with a gospel backup to boot - while the enormous closer, "Lay It All on Me," would have been at home on "By Your Side" were its glassy approach souped up. Though there is one virtually unredeemable cut: "Losing My Mind," which switches from an America-like verse to a dissonant-just-because chorus that tries vainly to hide the Journey anthem at its core. Maybe if you were heavily medicated it might make more sense. But I doubt it. Still, one blunder can't mar a great album. This is often wicked rock like your crazy uncle - you know, the one who still insists he roadied for Grand Funk Railroad - swore they used to make, complete with cheesy cover and, if I read CDNow.com correctly, a pull-out poster. Nice to see someone's guarding the blueprint.
Grade: A- By BEN WENER The Register
5.4.01
I added a new article on the Crowes in the info section, and also you can order the Lickin' single and Lions as imports on amazon.com.
Oasis' Noel Gallagher Promises Jam With Black Crowes
Bands hit road together May 11 in Las Vegas. If the Black Crowes start sounding suspiciously British this month, blame Oasis' Noel Gallagher. The Crowes and Oasis don't plan on merging into a bluesy Brit-pop supergroup anytime soon, but the two bands will definitely jam onstage together on their joint Tour of Brotherly Love, Gallagher promises. "It'd be rude not to, wouldn't it," Gallagher said Wednesday from his manager's office in London. "I have no doubts in my mind that there's gonna be various people on stage at various points — as for what we're gonna do, I don't know."
The songwriter/guitarist/vocalist said that his top three choices of cover songs to play with the Crowes would be Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven," the Beatles' "Yer Blues" and the Rolling Stones' "You Can't Always Get What You Want." "The first week, everybody will get to know each other [and] as the tour progresses, it'll be more of a communal thing," Gallagher said. A spokesperson for the Black Crowes didn't respond to requests for comment on the bands' plans to jam. Oasis are rehearsing some of their biggest hits and more obscure album tracks for the tour, which is slated to kick off May 11 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Given that Gallagher's famously fractious relationship with Oasis' singer — his brother Liam Gallagher — led him to walk off a European tour last summer (see "Noel Gallagher Walks Out On Oasis"), the guitarist said that the opening city is appropriate. "I'm not a gambling man [but] the first gig is in Las Vegas, so if anybody is taking odds on the tour finishing, I'll place a few bets." Despite his uncertainty about how the outing will end up, Gallagher said that he and his bandmates are excited about the tour, which he described as the first time they've gone on the road in the U.S. without an album to promote. "We're completely relaxed — we're free," he said. "I don't think anybody's got preconceived notions." The two bands will be joined on the tour by neo-glam rockers Spacehog.
5.3.01
Amazon.com now has the imports for the Lickin' single and Lions available on their site; you should get it there since I don't think it will be released in the US.
Oasis' Noel Gallagher Promises Jam With Black Crowes
Bands hit road together May 11 in Las Vegas. If the Black Crowes start sounding suspiciously British this month, blame Oasis' Noel Gallagher. The Crowes and Oasis don't plan on merging into a bluesy Brit-pop supergroup anytime soon, but the two bands will definitely jam onstage together on their joint Tour of Brotherly Love, Gallagher promises. "It'd be rude not to, wouldn't it," Gallagher said Wednesday from his manager's office in London. "I have no doubts in my mind that there's gonna be various people on stage at various points — as for what we're gonna do, I don't know."
The songwriter/guitarist/vocalist said that his top three choices of cover songs to play with the Crowes would be Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven," the Beatles' "Yer Blues" and the Rolling Stones' "You Can't Always Get What You Want." "The first week, everybody will get to know each other [and] as the tour progresses, it'll be more of a communal thing," Gallagher said. A spokesperson for the Black Crowes didn't respond to requests for comment on the bands' plans to jam. Oasis are rehearsing some of their biggest hits and more obscure album tracks for the tour, which is slated to kick off May 11 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Given that Gallagher's famously fractious relationship with Oasis' singer — his brother Liam Gallagher — led him to walk off a European tour last summer (see "Noel Gallagher Walks Out On Oasis"), the guitarist said that the opening city is appropriate. "I'm not a gambling man [but] the first gig is in Las Vegas, so if anybody is taking odds on the tour finishing, I'll place a few bets." Despite his uncertainty about how the outing will end up, Gallagher said that he and his bandmates are excited about the tour, which he described as the first time they've gone on the road in the U.S. without an album to promote. "We're completely relaxed — we're free," he said. "I don't think anybody's got preconceived notions." The two bands will be joined on the tour by neo-glam rockers Spacehog.
5.2.01
There has been another confirmed show added in Paris, July 11th at the famous Olympia Theatre. (1,800 capacity) - thanks to Doctor Stones for this email.
5.1.01
I added an article from Guitar World 1996 to the info section thanks to Jaz.
I also got some additional Japanese Tourdates:
7/25 Shibuya Public Hall,Tokyo
7/26 Shibuya Public Hall,Tokyo
7/27 Shibuya Public Hall,Tokyo
7/29 Aichi Pref.Labour Hall,Nagoya
7/30 Zepp Fukuoka,Fukuoka
7/31 Koseinenkin Hall,Osaka
These venues hold approximately 1500-2000 people.
4.29.01
I added a small article from Guitar Magazine to the Info section and I also added a poster for the upcoming 2001 Black Crowes Japan tour.
4.27.01
The Black Crowes Spread The Love (knac)
The Black Crowes To Be Inducted Into Hollywood Rockwalk; Leno, Letterman And Jon Stewart Appearances Confirmed; 90-Minute Black Crowes Radio Special Set To Air
A week after the May 8th release of their LIONS album on V2, will be inducted into Hollywood's RockWalk, which recognizes those artists who have made a contribution to the evolution of rock 'n roll. The ceremony is set to take place Monday The Black Crowes , May 14th, the same day their Tour of Brotherly Love with Oasis comes to Los Angeles for a two-night stand at the Greek Theatre. The Black Crowes’ handprints will take up a permanent residence on the Sunset Boulevard sidewalk gallery alongside some of rock's greatest, including Jimmy Page, B.B. King, James Brown, Jeff Beck, Brian Wilson, John Lee Hooker, Johnny Cash and Aerosmith. In addition, The Black Crowes -- vocalist Chris Robinson, guitarist Rich Robinson, drummer Steve Gorman, keyboardist Ed Harsch, guitarist Audley Freed and new bassist Andy Hess-will keep a high profile on TV with performances confirmed for Thursday, May 10th on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno and Wednesday, June 6th on the Late Show with David Letterman. In addition, Chris will make a return visit Monday, May 7th to the Jon Stewart-hosted Daily Show on Comedy Central. Elsewhere, Chris and Rich will appear Tuesday, May 8th on the "Howard Stern Show." At the same time, the band recently performed and held a question and answer session for fans at New York City's intimate S.I.R. Studios. The MJI Radio Networks' World Premiere Broadcast will air nationwide as a 90-minute special May 2nd through 6th. (Details forthcoming re the accompanying webcast.)
The Don Was-produced Lions, rocks, shakes, and has a lot of deep soul. Not to mention a redemptive spirit that is joyous and uplifting. In a recent Album Network feature, Chris said: "We're trying to make the most soulful, interesting rock & roll music that we can with the tools we feel comfortable expressing ourselves [with] and that's what you get. This record is an accumulation of experience, the things that happen in your career, which are things that happen in your life. Within that, I think Lions is easily the best record that we've ever made, but we approached every record the same way. It's just that the time, different situations, producers and places in our lives are all a little different." In that same feature, RICH stated: "People ask us what kind of music we play...Now we say we play Black Crowes music. To get even more general than that, it's soul music-which doesn't necessarily mean it's R&B, it's just music from and for the soul." Meanwhile, the greatest all-out rock 'n roll show of the summer, The Tour Of Brotherly Love, featuring co-headliners The Black Crowes and Oasis, will be steam-rolling though 17 North American cities beginning May 11th in Las Vegas. The much-anticipated trek pairing the best of American and British live rock includes three sold-out shows at Radio City Music Hall in New York City June 7th through 9th.
4.26.01
I added 2 Japanese tour dates to the calendar above and I also added a new picture in the info section.
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The Black Crowes are happy as larks on new label
April 22, 2001 By Wayne Bledsoe, News-Sentinel entertainment writer
The Black Crowes Rich Robinson, co-leader of the Black Crowes, says there's still a wealth of worldwide ignorance about the American South. He says the Atlanta band did an interview with a British reporter who expressed surprise that the group members were articulate and educated. "She said, 'I expected you to be a bunch of yobs,' " remembers Robinson in a telephone call from New York. "Then we have had people who said 'You're from the South. You must hate black people!' And we're like, 'WHAT?'" In fact, the Black Crowes' first hit was a cover of "Hard To Handle" -- a song by soul legend Otis Redding, and the group's debut album, "Shake Your Money Maker," took its name from a song by blues great Elmore James. On that first disc, says Robinson, the Crowes wore their influences on their sleeves. Thus, the band was compared to the "Exile on Main Street"-era Rolling Stones and the Faces. Robinson bristles at the fact that after six albums of very different material, the group still gets compared to the boozy British 1970s boogie greats fronted by Rod Stewart. "For 12 years that's all we've heard is that we sound like the Faces," says Robinson. "Not too long ago a reporter said, 'Well, I can hear some Faces in this new record,' and I said, 'I'm sorry to be rude, but do you own a Faces record?'" The reporter admitted that he didn't. Robinson suggested the interview stop and start anew. The Black Crowes, which was founded by guitarist-composer Rich and his older brother and vocalist Chris Robinson have always been intense, independent and outspoken. The group was booted from an opening gig for ZZ Top early in its career for making curt comments about ZZ Top being sponsored by a beer company. The Crowes performed a highly publicized concert in support of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, giving the group a reputation (unfairly, says Robinson) as drug libertines. And the band has never been afraid to go head to head with its record company: The Crowes had an extremely acrimonious split with Rick Rubin's American Recordings before landing on V2 Records for the upcoming album "Lions," set for release on May 8.
Robinson says that the group can now make the records it wants without the pressure to always outsell its last effort. Having the group's first album be such a big seller probably didn't help. "If the first record sells 7 million and then the second one only sells 4 million, (to the record company) that's a failure," says Robinson. "It's 'Where's the single? Where's another 'Hard To Handle'?' You know, it's not about nurturing artists or music; they're selling us the same way as they're selling tape recorders or Pop Tarts." He says the label executives call something "an album track" as if they've tasted something bad. "We don't ever set out to make singles," says Robinson. "We set out to make albums." But Robinson has no kind words for music currently on pop radio, anyway. "There's nothing of beauty there -- beauty in the sense that it's supposed to spark something -- make you think or look at things in a different way," says Robinson. For the release of the group's "Live at the Greek," an album documenting the Black Crowes' shows with Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page, the band circumvented the record-company convention by first releasing the album only over the Internet. "We put it out in two months, start to finish," says Robinson. "We gave people a choice of which songs they wanted to download. If we'd gone with a traditional label we would've had to go on a promotional tour, have a marketing campaign ..." Instead, says Robinson, the group used the Internet to make the album a newsworthy story and a success before it ever got into traditional record stores. "That way we could go to a label and say, 'OK, put it out exactly the way it is.'"
Robinson feels that "Lions" brings together everything good about the band. The group chose producer Don Was because he was most interested in helping the band members get what they wanted. "We've always made the records we wanted to make," says Robinson. "But this was the first time we didn't have to fight about it." While most of the Crowes 2001 tour will be sharing a bill with Oasis (which also has a pair of volatile brothers at its core), Robinson is excited at the prospect of opening a show for Bob Dylan. The group last shared a bill with Dylan and the Rolling Stones in Europe in 1995. Does Robinson expect to stick around to watch Dylan's set? "Of course!" says Robinson. "That's why you do these things in the first place!" WHO: Bob Dylan with the Black Crowes and the Mississippi Blues All-Stars WHEN: 7 p.m. Friday, April 27 WHERE: Chilhowee Park TICKETS: $35, plus service charge. Call 656-4444.
4.24.01
The Black Crowes are on the cover of the new
Guitar World Acoustic, so check that out!
Also, I heard that they should be going to Japan in end of July/early August.
4.23.01
The Lickin' single is now available as an import on amazon.co.uk, so if you want to get it order it online.
4.21.01
I added an article from Details to the info section; the magazine has some cool pics in it so check that out!
4.20.01
from the official site:
The Black Crowes have added an additional date to the Brotherly Love Tour on
May 29th, TBC and Oasis will perform at the AJ Palumbo Center in Pittsburgh,
PA. Tickets for this event go on sale Friday, April 20th at 10:00.
4.19.01
Foot-And-Mouth Moves Stereophonics Gig
Welsh rock outfit Stereophonics have moved a major July 21 performance at the U.K.'s Chepstow Racecourse to the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff due to health concerns stemming from the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease. A similar show scheduled for July 14 at Donnington Park will go on as planned. The Black Crowes and Ash will be on the bill for both performances, with other acts to be announced. "We are naturally very disappointed that we have had to move the event but with the continuing progress of foot-and-mouth it became clear that bringing 60,000 people to a rural area was not in the best interests of the farming communities," the band said in a statement. Information on ticket exchange can be found on the band's official Web site. The Stereophonics' new V2 album "Just Enough Education to Perform" debuted at No. 1 on the U.K. album chart last weekend. The single "Mr. Writer" is No. 28 on the U.K. singles chart this week. In other U.K. festival news, Coldplay, David Gray, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Foo Fighters are among the top acts confirmed for the V2001 festival, set for Aug. 18 at Chelmsford's Hyland Park and Aug. 19 at Staffordshire's Weston Park. Last year's event was highlighted by performances by Travis, Underworld, Barenaked Ladies, and Richard Ashcroft.
4.18.01
I just got an email with a list of clubs that are having listening parties for Lions in the UK:
'Here is the full skinny - please take the info relevant to your contacts and spread the word... 11 club launch nights/playback events will take place at the following venues:
Fri 4th May
Bristol, Bierkeller (9pm)
Plymouth, JFKs (10.30pm)
Sat 5th May
London, Gossip's 'Decadence' (10pm)
Newcastle, Cuba Buca (10pm)
Nottingham, Rock City (The Rig) (10.30pm)
Liverpool, Krazyhouse (9pm)
Sheffield, Corporation (10.15pm)
Birmingham, XLs (10pm)
Glasgow, Cathouse (11pm)
Bradford, Rios (11pm)
Manchester, Rockworld (9.30pm)
The first 10 people through the door will receive a Jack Daniels miniature to get the night off to a rockin' start along with some Black Crowes goodies. There will also be the chance to win a signed Crowes guitar...all you have to do is fill in your details on the cards given out at the door and leave them with the club dj...'
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Reciprocal to Power Black Crowes Web Promotion
By Christopher Saunders
V2 Records aims to promote the new release of The Black Crowes online by giving away live music -- and protecting it using technology from digital rights management firm Reciprocal. To promote "Lions," which is due in U.S. stores on May 8, V2 is making live Black Crowes performances available for listening online -- but only if fans have the "Lions" CD in their computer's CD-ROM drive when they access the tracks. The label will post one new live track each week. Additionally, the effort will allow fans to create their own live Black Crowes CDs if they've purchased "Lions." Consumers who register their CD purchase at the site will receive digital permits allowing repeat listens and downloads. When they register, fans also get the right to burn one full concert to a CD. New York-based Reciprocal will provide the technology behind the effort, by securely packaging and distributing music streams based on Microsoft's Windows Media digital rights management platform. Terms were not disclosed of the work.
For V2 Records, the promotion is a way to provide
an additional service to fans of the band while promoting sales, said label
president Richard Sanders. "The partnership between Reciprocal and The Black
Crowes on the upcoming promotion in support of their new CD "Lions" will redefine
the meaning of 'added value,'" Sanders said. "In a time of consumer backlash
when fans are questioning the value of music, the Crowes are offering their
fans the ultimate musical experience. The opportunity to have access to a library
of live recordings is unprecedented and only enhances the Crowes reputation."
Meanwhile, while digital rights management platforms like Reciprocal's are generally
thought of as a way to limit the use of copyrighted digital works to a purchaser,
Reciprocal's agreement with V2 Records also attests to DRM's usefulness in online
marketing. Since digital music is duplicated and traded so easily, label promoters
can use digital rights management providers' tools to control the spread of
their music clips online -- for instance, by making clips expire after a certain
amount of time. "Reciprocal is thrilled to be working with V2 and The Black
Crowes and to play such a significant role in this highly anticipated album
launch," said Larry Miller, president of Reciprocal's Entertainment unit. "This
promotion is a wonderful example of companies actually 'doing' secure digital
music distribution, as opposed to simply 'talking' about it. We are confident
that our industry-leading services will go a long way toward making secure streaming
and digital distribution an enjoyable, simple and valuable experience for our
customers and in turn, consumers." The effort is the latest by Reciprocal in
the area. Earlier this year, the firm provided secure streams from Jennifer's
Lopez' new album "J.Lo" in an online "listening party," before the CD came out
in stores. It's also done similar work for Run-DMC, De La Soul and Pearl Jam.
from internetnews
4.16.01
Lickin' debuts at #23 on the mainstream rock tracks chart , so call your radio stations a lot to boost airplay!!
4.15.01
I added an article from RIP magazine to the info section.
4.13.01
Black Crowes front man Chris Robinson says the Atlanta-based rock veterans feel revitalized by their forthcoming "Lions," their sixth album and first fruit of a new deal with V2. Due May 8, the set follows a brief stint on Columbia that yielded only 1999's "By Your Side." That album hit No. 26 on The Billboard 200 but posted the lowest sales figures of the Crowes' career. Without abandoning the sound of past efforts, "Lions" re-emphasizes the Crowes' signature rock power, with shades of such stylistic forefathers as the Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin. (The band spent parts of 1999 and 2000 on the road with Zeppelin's Jimmy Page, a pairing that yielded the acclaimed Musicmaker.com/TVT live album "Live at the Greek".) The hooks are stronger than ever, especially on the steamy "Greasy Grass River," roof-raising "Come On," and first single "Lickin'," powered by Rich Robinson's effect-drenched guitar lead. Other tracks like "Soul Singin' " and "Miracle to Me" find the Crowes delving deeper into the soul and R&B-tinged styles previously indulged in on 1990's "Shake Your Money Maker" and 1992's "The Southern Harmony & Musical Companion," which have sold a combined total of 5.5 million copies in the U.S., according to SoundScan.
"We got to really explore all the different terrain we cover musically and really commit to it," Chris Robinson says. "We've always played it a little safer, and kept an eye on the sound of our older records. But on this record, that wasn't really interesting to us." Robinson and company attribute the album's air of rebirth to producer Don Was, who recorded "Lions" at New York's Theater 99 Recording, a cavernous converted Yiddish theater. Necessitated in part by the Crowes' revolving-door lineup-three bassists and a lead guitarist have come and gone since 1996-Chris Robinson, drummer Steve Gorman, keyboardist Ed Harsch, and Chris' brother/guitarist Rich recorded most of the songs live. Rich also played bass on 11 of the album's 13 tracks (bassist Andy Hess has since joined the group; guitarist Audley Freed also appears on the album). "Don told us it takes a band 10 years to really find themselves, and he felt like we really found ourselves on this record," Rich Robinson says. "I hate to use these types of words, but this is like a new phase for us." It all began last summer, when the Crowes chose V2 over dozens of other labels. "We're able to offer them the support and commitment of an independent but are also able to work their records extensively as a major would," V2 president Richard Sanders says. "For me, the goal is to bring them back to gold and potentially platinum status." To further that endeavor, band and label devised a truly unique promotion.
As Billboard.com first reported March 13, the Crowes (who have long permitted fans to tape their shows) will make every performance from their upcoming summer tour available for streaming via a secure online site. Passwords will be encoded on CD copies of "Lions." One live track will be available for download each week, and fans will also be allowed to burn to CD one concert in its entirety before the tour ends in August. "Each show will be uploaded a week after it's performed," Sanders says. "This is the ultimate enhancement for a great record and for their fans." The first concert tapped for the promotion is a March 16 performance in Austin, Texas, which will be available online the day Lions hits stores. Hailed as one of rock's more exciting live acts, the Crowes will share stages with such heavyweights as Oasis, Neil Young, and Bob Dylan in spring and summer. Taking its name from the oft-reported antics of each group's sibling leaders, the monthlong Tour of Brotherly Love with Oasis kicks off May 11 in Las Vegas. The Crowes will perform last each night, but both bands are expected to play for the same amount of time. "People don't even go out and enjoy music and stop everything for a couple of hours and let it hit them," Chris Robinson says, downplaying any inferred rivalry over top billing. "I think rock'n'roll is the best music to do that to-with lots of people around, outside, on a nice night. I hope we'll do some songs together." Earlier this week, the Crowes hit London's 700-capacity Scala club for a private gig similar to a February showcase in New York. The band has a number of its own shows planned prior to the Oasis trek, including an April 27 date with Dylan in Knoxville, Tenn. Beginning in late June, the Crowes will share bills with Neil Young & Crazy Horse as well as the Stereophonics, before heading out on their own headlining tours of Japan and Europe (where Lions will be issued April 24 and April 31, respectively). Sanders expects the band to be on the road for upward of 18 months.
V2 director of promotion Matt Pollock says the radio campaign for "Lions" will begin with a huge push at modern rock (although "By Your Side" featured two top-10 hits on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks tally, neither dented the modern rock chart). "Lickin'," which was sent to all rock radio formats, is the ideal track to bridge the already blurry line between modern and mainstream rock playlists, according to Pollock. "It's important for us to give back to their base of rock supporters something they can really sink their teeth into," he says. The uplifting "Soul Singin' " will be the second single released later this summer, as part of what Pollock calls an "all-format assault." The Crowes will make on-air appearances at key stations, including Howard Stern's nationally syndicated morning show (which originates out of WXRK New York). The band will also appear on The Tonight Show With Jay Leno (May 10) and on Late Show With David Letterman (June 6). To further increase visibility, V2 commissioned filmmaker Darren Ankenman to document the making of "Lions." Four documentary-type videos were created and will be made available on the Crowes' official Web site and other fan sites. Ankenman's footage was also used to create a video for "Lickin'," which will hit music TV outlets shortly before street date.
Chris Robinson, who married actress Kate Hudson
last December, is truly excited for the future. "For the first time since we
started this whole thing, there are people looking ahead, as opposed to looking
at what we've done," he says. "Where our music is, is where our music is taking
us. That's a very simple thing for us, but I don't think that has translated
sometimes with the people we've worked with. Being in a place where we can express
that is really liberating."
from billboard
4.12.01
According to cdnow, there will be a vinyl version of Lions available when the album comes out on may 8 for all you collectors out there.
Also there is a short article on the Crowes in the new details magazine.
4.10.01
Check out the official site, blackcrowes.com for a video from the studio!!
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Crowes Get A Little Help At London Gig
Oasis' Noel Gallagher was a surprise guest at Black Crowes' London gig last night (April 9), in a potential preview of the two groups' upcoming co-headlining tour of North America. Gallagher appeared toward the end of the Crowes' showcase set to play lead guitar on a cover of Fleetwood Mac's "Oh Well." The event took place at the Scala, a former cinema in King's Cross, North London, where some 700 contest winners and media representatives packed the room for a rare chance to see the Crowes in a small venue. The band's sixth studio album "Lions," their first for V2, is due for U.K. release on May 7, and a day later in the U.S., after which the Tour of Brotherly Love with Oasis starts on May 11 in Las Vegas. Much in the vein of a similar gig in New York in February, the Crowes took the stage at 11.30 p.m., after a promo film was played featuring clips from previous live shows and U.S. television appearances. The video also announced that the band has sold 17 million records worldwide and played 3,300 gigs.
This one, however, had the aura of an album promotion
event rather than a regular rowdy and elongated Crowes gig, as the band concentrated
on new songs from "Lions," opening with a triple-header of "Midnight From the
Inside Out," "Lickin'," and "Greasy Grass River." Later, new album tracks "Cosmic
Friend" and "Soul Singin'" received their live debuts. Older fare, such as "Wiser
Time" and show closer "Virtue and Vice" was also played. In other Crowes news,
additional details have come to light about the group's live show promotion,
exclusively revealed by Billboard.com last month. Each performance from the
Crowes' summer tour will be streamed on a secure Web site, accessible only using
a password encoded on CD copies of "Lions." One live track will be available
for download each week, and fans will also be allowed to burn to CD one concert
in its entirety before the tour ends in August. Meanwhile, the Crowes have been
confirmed as special guests of V2 labelmates Stereophonics at their Day At The
Races shows at England's Donnington Park on July 14 and Chepstow Racecourse
on July 21, with other U.K. dates to be announced.
from billboard
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CROWE LET IT OUT!
THE BLACK CROWES were joined onstage by OASIS' NOEL GALLAGHER, as they unveiled songs from their forthcoming new album 'LIONS' at a star-studded industry gig in LONDON last night (April 9). Noel took to the stage towards the end of the set to play guitar on a cover of the old Fleetwood Mac song 'Oh Well, Pt 1'. His brother Liam was also at the show, wearing a white fur coat and accompanied by his All Saints girlfriend Nicole Appleton. Other celebrities in attendance included the Prodigy's Keith Flint, movie star Kyle MacLachlan, TV presenter Cat Deeley, model Jodie Kidd and, it was rumoured, Rod Stewart. The Black Crowes' set was a relatively tame affair, peppered with drawn-out guitar duelling, but at one point frontman Chris Robinson berated a member of the crowd who complained that he couldn't hear Rich Robinson's backing vocals - the singer told the fan that he should be grateful that he got into the concert for free.
The set list was: 'Midnight From The Inside Out' 'Lickin'' 'Greasy Grass River' 'Ballad In Urgency' 'Wiser Time' 'Soul Singing' 'Cosmic Friend' 'Virtue And Vice' 'Oh Well Pt1' (with Noel Gallagher) 'Young Man Old Man' The Black Crowes' new album 'Lions' will be released on May 7, shortly before the group begin their 'Brotherly Love' tour with Oasis on May 11 in Las Vegas. The band are expected to announce a UK tour shortly.
4.9.01
Check out some Black Crowes and Jimmy Page videos online at this site.
Getmusic is showing some preview videos from the Lions performance at the Bank in Feb on their website, check it out!
4.8.01
The Black Crowes to be inducted into the Hollywood Rock Walk on May 14th!!
Here are a couple of sites where you can preorder the japanese version of Lions and the single!
Also, the Crowes will be on VH1's All Access on April 12, so go to that website and vote for them!
4.5.01
Here's full tracklisting for Japanese edition of Lions (to be released on 4.25.01):
1. Midnight From The Inside Out
2. Lickin
3. Come On
4. No Use Lying
5. Losing My Mind
6. Ozone Mama
7. Greasy Grass River
8. Soul Singing
9. Miracle To Me
10. Young Man, Old Man
11. Cosmic Friend
12. Cypress Tree
13. Lay It All On Me
14. Love Is Now*
*bonus track for japan only
It'll be formatted to "CD EXTRA". It can stream and download all upcoming summer shows at special web-site till 3rd,September. It also contains a special booklet, but I don't know what that will be. I got this information from a friend in Japan.
Also here are some of the upcoming tourdates for the UK:
June
23rd Oberhausen Arena: Oberhausen, Germany, supporting
Neil Young
26th Waldbuhne: Berlin, Germany, supporting Neil Young
27th Olympiahalle: Munich, Germany, supporting Neil Young
30th Werchter Festival: Belgium
July
3rd Stockholm Globe Arena: Stockholm, Sweden
supporting Neil Young
4th Oslo Spektrum: Oslo, Norway supporting Neil Young
5th Midfyn Festival: Denmark
6th Stadtpark: Hamburg, Germany supporting Neil Young
7th Messehalle: Erfurt, Germany supporting Neil Young
9th Town Square: Brescia, Italy supporting Neil Young
10th Montreaux Jazz Festival: Montreaux, Switzerland
13th Bospop Festival: Holland
14th Day At The Races: Donnington, UK with Stereophonics
21st Day At The Races: Chepstow, UK with Stereophonics
Now booking headlining dates in France and the UK - further details will follow
Also I added some new band pictures to the info section.
4.3.01
Here is a new interview of the Crowes about the new album and several other aspects of their journey to this point. The Album Network magazine where this article came from has the Black Crowes on the cover!
Black Crowes, Baha Men, Parliament-Funkadelic To Play SunFest
The Black Crowes, the Baha Men, the Wallflowers and George Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic are among the performers slated for the five-day SunFest next month in West Palm Beach, Florida. The 19th annual music, arts and waterfront festival runs May 2-6 and features musicians performing on several stages. Last year's event drew 320,000 people, according to organizers. Live, Melissa Etheridge, Evan & Jaron, Squirrel Nut Zippers, Mya, Nine Days, Chuck Berry and Stabbing Westward are also on the bill. The Wallflowers, who released their third album, Breach, in October, will headline opening night on the Bank of America Stage, while play on the Real Yellow Pages Stage. Funk veterans the Ohio Players, whose '70s hits included "Fire" and "Love Rollercoaster," are scheduled to play on May 3. Berry, the seminal rock and roller behind such songs as "Johnny B. Goode" and "Sweet Little Sixteen," has a headlining slot on May 5. Etheridge closes out the festival on May 6. One-day tickets for SunFest are $10 in advance and $15 at the gate. Five-day tickets are $29 in advance and $35 at the gate.
SunFest lineup, according to organizers: 5/2 - Wallflowers, Squirrel Nut Zippers, Evan & Jaron, George Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic 5/3 - Black Crowes, Ohio Players, Gabe Dixon Band 5/4 - Rick Braun and Boney James, Eric Johnson, Derek Trucks Band, Mya, Hot Brass Monkey 5/5 - Chuck Berry, Live, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Steve Cole, Stabbing Westward, Luciano with Junior Kelly, Mikey General, Dean Fraser 5/6 - Melissa Etheridge, Tower of Power, Nine Days, Mahotella Queens, Deep Banana Blackout, Baha Men
4.1.01
I added a new date, the 27th in the list above.
3.30.01
Here is another review of the SXSW show:
SOUTHERN HARMONY 2001
Last Friday in Austin, TX, The Black Crowes proved to me that they are our generation's defining rock and roll band. There were some questions going in, as they haven't released an album of their own since 1998's By Your Side, and lately they've been more in the news for lawsuits than for rocking, but frankly, lawsuits are just part of rock and roll, right up there with the sex and the drugs. Oh, and the music too. The Crowes were one of the few bands at South By Southwest that got more than a 45 minute slot to perform, and I had no doubt that they would match the intensity of Jurassic 5 and Black Eyed Peas, who brought much energy to the Stubb's BBQ stage the previous night.
TBC came onstage fashionable late (only half an hour) and fashionably dressed, with Chris Robinson slipping more and more into Mick Jagger mold, confidently aging like a true rock and roller. "Midnight from the Inside Out" and "Greasy Grass River" were the two opening songs, presumably from their upcoming album, Lions both new numbers for most of the crowd, myself included. Then the crowd erupted as Chris announced they would play both the new and the old, as they dropped into "Sting Me." Southern Harmony and Musical Companion was the theme of the weekend for me, and we got to hear all of my favorite songs from my favorite Black Crowes album, one of my top ten albums of all time (I really mean it this time!) In addition to "Sting Me," we got a ripping "No Speak, No Slave", which kept the intensity up. Another song that I had never heard, "Lickin'" was next, and it had a solid groove and a catchy chorus. I found it hard not to shed a tear when "Seeing Things" was the next number. Just magical, they way Chris Robinson works the microphone and captivates the audience, especially during a slower number. The peak of the set was next, with a beautiful "Thorn in My Pride" into the slow rolling intro of "My Morning Song." I was literally in tears of joy, that song means so much to me. It defines my sophomore year, a nineteen year old stoner writing the lyrics If Music Got to Free Your Mind, Just Let It Go, Cause You Never Know on my bedroom door at 3817 Walnut. A blistering guitar solo had many heads banging just like it was 1992 all over again. I must say the band all looked pretty healthy, but the tour hasn't started yet, mind you. I did try to check out the new guitarist Audley Freed, but he was obscured by the speaker stack I was standing right in front of, but sounded great.
The highlight of the set for me was the "Wiser Time." Another extended intro, keeping you waiting for the drop into it, then raining Rhodes piano in a gorgeous keyboard solo by my man Eddie Harsch, really a fabulous groove the whole way. Chris seemed to sing "another song, another mile" and smile with the thought of another long tour coming. Kicking it back to the Shake Your Moneymaker era, they ripped Twice as Hard right into Jealous Again. The guitar lick at the end still gets you every time, and swirling guitars had the Texans revved up! The image of the Stubb's flashing neon B-B-Q sign behind Chris and Rich crooning into the same microphone during "Jealous Again" made me want to own a camera. The energy stayed high the whole set, as Chris ran around, strutting his stuff. They tried to leave the stage after "Jealous Again", but the crowd was not having it, and egged them on for a "Remedy' closer. In what might be the most odd pairing of acts I could have ever imagined, The Black Crowes will hit the road with Oasis on a "Tour of Brotherly Love," as the two bands and their respective scrapping sibs hit the road on May 11th in Las Vegas for a sixteen-date run that wraps on July 7th in New York City's Radio City Music Hall. Rock and roll is also about the attitude, and there will be no shortage of attitude on that upcoming tour.
3.29.01
Black Crowes make nice with Oasis
You'd think that a southern-fried rock 'n' roll band would associate themselves with the tried and true Americana rawk acts like Aerosmith and Buckcherry. But the Black Crowes have decided to better affiliate themselves with some of the biggest U.K. bands like the Stereophonics, who they'll open for in July at the A Day At The Races festival in England. However, it's The Brotherly Love Tour that really tweaks our interest on this side of the pond. It hits Canadian shores on May 22 for the sole Canadian date in Toronto. The Crowes, whose Lions album, drops on May 8, have teamed up with the battling Gallagher brothers in Oasis and special guests Space Hog for a whirlwind North American tour. But how did a red-blooded American rock band hook up with England's most notorious squabbling brothers Gallagher. "We were in England in '99 and one of the shows we did with the Stereophonics Noel turned up for," explains Crowes drummer Steve Gorman. "We'd heard through the grapevine for years that he was always a fan and he really liked our records, but in England it's kinda like getting an audience with The Pope so we never paid attention..." Lo and behold, Noel and the band hit it off. Gorman and his band were always fans of the Gallagher brothers' clever and dry humor, and meeting them was no different than what they'd imagined. "They amuse me greatly," says Gorman. "Right when we met we instantly started talking about records. There's none of the preliminary bullshit of 'what are you doing now?' You just immediately fall into conversation as if you've known each other forever. Sometimes it happens and sometimes it doesn't, but it was the same kinda thing with Kelly and the Stereophonics. By the end of the day we're all just record geeks, just pouring over albums, still love talking about music." With a solid relationship forming, both bands anxiously anticipated a tour together and Gorman sees this upcoming Brotherly Love Tour (clever title seeing as the Crowes and Oasis have brothers in the forefront) as offering something different and being just a hell of a good time between friends. "I'm not gonna be disappointed if Liam goes up and throws a couple of sucker-punches here and there," Gorman giggles. "It's kinda what he's good at. It's totally cool."
3.28.01
Crowes, Stereophonics For U.K.'s 'Later'
The Black Crowes and their V2 labelmates Stereophonics, along with recent U.K. breakthrough act Spooks, are among the artists booked to appear on the first episode in the 17th series of BBC2's "Later With Jools Holland" show, to air in the U.K. on April 13. The performance series, hosted by the former Squeeze pianist, will now have a regular Friday night slot plus a Sunday night repeat. Also appearing on the first edition of the new series will be Calexico and Rokia Traore. The latter won last year's critics' poll in fRoots (formerly Folk Roots) magazine and will perform the title song from her new album, "Wanita." The Crowes will play tracks from their upcoming V2 debut "Lions," due on May 8. Stereophonics are set to showcase their third V2 album "Just Enough Education To Perform," out in the U.K. on April 9, from which "Mr. Writer" is at No. 5 in this week's U.K. singles chart.
3.27.01
The new single, Lickin' is now available to listen to on the official crowes site!
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Black Crowes Say It's All About Music, Not Spectacle
On first glance, it might seem like the Black Crowes are lining themselves up as the band that does a high-profile tour every summer. After playing with Jimmy Page last year, the Crowes will co-headline this year with Oasis, and there are also shows on the horizon with Bob Dylan and Neil Young & Crazy Horse. However, frontman Chris Robinson disputes that perception. Robinson told LAUNCH that the big-name gigs are just a by-product of what the Black Crowes are all about: "All we do is go and play. I mean, if that's high profile, then that's what it is. Jimmy called us, and that turned out to be a great experience, and--you know what I mean?--we've always toured with other bands and with friends and stuff. That's what being in a band is about." The Black Crowes and Bob Dylan are set for an outdoor street festival in Knoxville, Tennessee on April 27. The Tour of Brotherly Love, with Oasis and Spacehog, kicks off in Las Vegas on May 11. The Black Crowes will reportedly open for Neil Young & Crazy Horse for a few shows in Europe, although those dates have yet to be announced.
3.21.01
The Crowes to tour with Neil Young
By JANE STEVENSON -- Toronto Sun
The Black Crowes will be heading over to Europe to open for Neil Young and Crazy
Horse, following the upcoming Brotherly Love tour. "I guess Neil's starting
his tour there and asked us to come along, which of course -- travel through
Europe and play with Neil Young every night -- we'll do that," said Crowes singer
Chris Robinson from New York yesterday. The Black Crowes-Oasis-Spacehog summer
tour -- which pulls into Toronto on May 22 -- kicks off May 11 in Las Vegas,
three days after the release of the Crowes' new album, Lions. The band had hoped
for another city. "We wanted to start the tour in Philadelphia, which is the
City of Brotherly Love, but we couldn't hook it up in time," Robinson said.
- from jam music
3.20.01
Black Crowes Unleash Their 'Lions' At SXSW
Lions had wings on Friday night (March 16) at South By Southwest, as the Black Crowes played its first live date in support of its forthcoming album of that title at the outdoor concert venue behind Stubbs' Barbeque restaurant in Austin, Texas. Charging out of the box with two new tracks - "Midnight From the Inside Out" and "Greasy Grass River" - the Crowes turned in a loose, energetic, 90-minute set that helped the packed house of more than 2,200 temporarily ignore the 40-something degree temperature and go into a fist-waving, rocking frenzy. The Crowes offered up five songs from Lions, which is set for release May 8. The rest of the show was filled with older favorites, including extended versions of "Seeing Things," "Thorn in My Pride" and "Morning Song," which were highlighted by long solos from guitarists Rich Robinson and Audley Freed. After the show, frontman Chris Robinson - whose wife, Oscar-nominated actress Kate Hudson, chose to stay home for the trip - said the Crowes "can't wait to play the new songs live" and said he expected the group to play most, if not all, of Lions' 13 songs during its joint tour with Oasis this summer.
The full Black Crowes set list at SXSW included: "Midnight From the Inside Out"; "Greasy Grass River"; "Sting Me"; "No Speak No Slave"; "Lickin' "; "Seeing Things"; "Thorn in My Pride"; "Morning Song"; "Young Man Old Man"; "Horsehead"; "No Use Lyin' "; "Wiser Time"; "Twice As Hard"; "Jealous Again"; and "Remedy." - from launch
The first 4 Crowes albums are on sale at amazon.com for 7.99, in anticipation of the new album so if you don't have them go get them now, and also get some for gifts !
3.19.01
They just announced a second LA show on the 15th! Plus I added four articles to the info section, a great one on Johnny Colt!
Black Crowes to play with Stereophonics in July according to this nme article, more to come soon!
3.18.01
Added new articles in the info section at the top and added a new tourdate for may 26.
3.17.01
I added a couple of new articles in the info section, they are at the top.
3.16.01
Check out this site to win tickets for the London show on April 9th!
According to this site, the single will be released on April 2, Lickin' !
3.15.01
Another date has been added to NYC, June 9!
Black Crowes-Oasis 'Brotherly Love' Tour A Natural, Says Chris Robinson
(3/15/01, 1 p.m. ET) - The Black Crowes are gearing up for two big events in the coming weeks--the release of the new album Lions on May 8, and the start of the Tour Of Brotherly Love with Oasis and Spacehog. There are major stylistic and sonic differences between the three bands, and some people have wondered why this bill has been put together. Besides being a fan of the other acts, Black Crowes frontman Chris Robinson told LAUNCH that the Gallagher brothers in Oasis and Langdon boys in Spacehog are among the few rockers that can appreciate what he and his brother, guitarist Rich Robinson, have been through. "It is a weird thing to go through some of the things that we've gone through with your family--from, you know, all the pressures and all the things that come with being successful, to just the creative aspect," he said. The Tour Of Brotherly Love kicks off May 11 at the Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.
3.14.01
The Black Crowes presale has begun, check out this site to get tickets before the general public!
Also, they have added a 2nd date to Radio City, June 8.
3.13.01
Exclusive: Black Crowes To Release Live Shows Online
In the spirit of Pearl Jam's release of authorized "bootlegs" from its 2000 tour, the Black Crowes will make every show from its upcoming summer trek available via a secure online site, Billboard.com has learned. Passwords will be encoded on the Crowes' new album "Lions," due May 8 on V2, and fans will be able to copy an as-yet-undetermined number of full shows throughout the tour. "You will be able to sample everything, pick the shows you like the best, and download them and have your own live CDs," V2 president Richard Sanders says. "There is no fee involved at all." "We've always allowed people to tape our shows, but this is a way to bring the shows to people every day,"
Crowes guitarist Rich Robinson tells Billboard.com
"They won't be touched up. We play what we play is what we play, and we're pretty
confident in it. I think it will be really cool." Last year, the Crowes participated
in a like-minded promotion via Musicmaker.com, which allowed fans to customize
an album's worth of tracks recorded during the group's fall 1999 tour with Led
Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page. A double-disc set was later issued to traditional
retail on TVT. "Each show will be uploaded a week after it is performed," Sanders
says of the new campaign. "Every night the band will send us a package with
a CD burn, which will be a left/right channel mix, similar to a board tape.
If we can get them up sooner, we will." The first concert tapped for the promotion
will take place Friday (March 16) at the South By Southwest music festival in
Austin, Texas. The Crowes are gearing up for a North American tour with Oasis,
which kicks off May 11 in Las Vegas. The band has also scheduled a series of
headlining dates beforehand, including May 6 at Memphis' Beale Street Music
Festival. Billboard.com can exclusively reveal that the Crowes will play a special
showcase gig April 9 at a London club, much in the vein of a New York showcase
last month.
from billboard
3.12.01
Two solo dates have been added:
04/26/01 - North Myrtle Beach, SC @ House Of Blues
05/01/01 - Orlando, FL @ House Of Blues
3.11.01
Information on the onsale dates for the tour can be found on the official site!
3.6.01
Spacehog To Open Brotherly Love Tour With Oasis, Black Crowes
In keeping with the "brotherly love" tradition, Spacehog has been confirmed as the opening act on the Black Crowes/Oasis tour. Like the Black Crowes and Oasis, Spacehog also features two brothers in the group: vocalist-bassist Royston Langdon and rhythm guitarist-vocalist Antony Langdon. According to the band's new label, Artemis Records, Spacehog is scheduled for all but the first two dates (May 11 in Las Vegas and May 12 in Santa Barbara, Calif.) Spacehog is touring in support of its third album, Hogyssey, due April 17. The band initially came to the public's attention around 1995 with the minor hit single "In the Meantime," which resulted in a platinum-selling debut album, Resident Alien. Spacehog's second full-length, 1998's The Chinese Album, fell on deaf years. On a related note, Royston Langdon is engaged to be married to longtime girlfriend, actress, and the daughter of Aerosmith's Steven Tyler, Liv Tyler. As of press time, a wedding date had not been set.
3.5.01
There has been a change in The Black Crowes and Oasis tour schedule - the show that originally was scheduled for May 27th in Boston, MA has been moved to June 11th. Also, Toronto, Cleveland and Cincinnati were switched around.
3.1.01
The tracklist for the Black Crowes' upcoming V2 label debut "Lions," due May 8, has also been finalized. The 13-track set has more of an acoustic feel than past efforts, from the harmonica-tinged, countrified "Ozone Mama" to the slow-burning "Miracle To Me." However, there is no shortage of familiar, Led Zeppelin-leaning rockers like "Young Man, Old Man" and "Come On." The "Lions" setlist is as follows:
"Midnight From The Inside Out" "Lickin'" "Come
On" "No Use Lyin'" "Losin' My Mind" "Ozone Mama" "Greasy Grass River" "Soul
Singin'" "Miracle To Me" "Young Man, Old Man" "Cosmic Friend" "Cypress Tree"
"Lay It All On Me"
from billboard
Black Crowes Sue Over Canceled Tour
The Black Crowes are still looking for a remedy
— a legal one, this time. On Wednesday (February 28), the band sued Lloyd's
of London, claiming that the insurance firm failed to honor its agreement with
the band after Jimmy Page's back injury forced the cancellation of nearly a
month's worth of tour dates last fall. The Crowes and Page took out an insurance
policy from Lloyd's to cover any losses that might come from canceled gigs,
according to a statement issued from the Atlanta rockers. After a successful
run of shows in June and July, Page injured his back, forcing an end to the
tour, which featured a mix of Black Crowes tunes and classics from Page's Led
Zeppelin catalog. The suit, filed in Los Angeles, alleges that Lloyd's failed
to compensate the band for scrapped September and October dates in the U.S.
and Europe, including a planned co-headlining run with the Who at Madison Square
Garden. The suit alleges the band suffered "great financial loss" from missed
income and wasted preparation expenses. A spokesperson for Lloyd's of London
had no comment.
from mtv
Jimmy Page/Black Crowes Live Album Goes Gold (2/27/01, 7 a.m. ET)
from yahoo-- The Jimmy Page & the Black Crowes concert document Live At The Greek has been certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America. The award is in recognition of 500,000 copies of the album being shipped to retail locations by TVT Records, following the successful Internet sales and download campaign Musicmaker.com conducted when Live At The Greek was first released a year ago. The retail version of Live At The Greek added previously unavailable bonus material not found on the original, Internet-only version of the album, including rare video footage, exclusive photos, more extensive packaging, and new cover art. Live At The Greek was recorded during the group's final two shows at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles in October 1999. Black Crowes lead singer Chris Robinson told LAUNCH that the success of Live At The Greek stems from the fact that there were no plans to make a live album with Page, which meant the musicians were looser on stage than they otherwise might have been: "When you consciously record something live, it's hard. When you're free to not really think about things, that's when that really clicks on all cylinders. We only had the six shows to really show our stuff, so by the time, like, we got there, we were riding such a high of the vibe and the music, that we didn't even really realize they were taping it. We weren't really even thinking about it." The new Black Crowes album, Lions, will be released in May on V2 Records. -- Darren Davis, Bruce Simon, New York
2.27.01
Check out the official Crowes site for a tour press release!
Black Crowes Finalize Lions Track Listing
The Black Crowes have chosen the 13 tracks for their V2 Records debut, Lions, scheduled for release on May 8. The first single from the album hasn't been decided yet. But, if what the band chose to preview at a New York gig earlier this month is any indication, it could be among these songs: "Greasy Grass River," "Midnight from the Inside Out," and "Lickin'." Meanwhile, the full itinerary for the Black Crowes/Oasis Tour of Brotherly Love has been released (see related story). The 16-date jaunt will kick off May 11 in Las Vegas and wind up in New York City on June 7, though more dates could be added. Here is the track listing for Lions:
1. "Midnight from the Inside Out"
2. "Lickin'"
3. "Come On"
4. "No Use Lyin'"
5. "Losin' My Mind"
6. "Ozone Mama"
7. "Greasy Grass River"
8. "Soul Singin'"
9. "Miracle to Me"
10. "Young Man, Old Man"
11. "Cosmic Friend"
12. "Cypress Tree"
13. "Lay it All on Me"
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Oasis, Black Crowes Hook Up For Tour Of Brotherly Love - from sonicnet
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Oasis, Black Crowes Announce Full Tour Itinerary
Black Crowes, Oasis With a moniker way more innocent-sounding that what is sure to transpire, Oasis and Black Crowes have finally announced the bulk of the itinerary for their Tour of Brotherly Love. The co-headlining tour, which will see both bands play full sets, will kick off on May 11 in Sin City and has 16 dates firmed up at the moment, though additional dates may be added, according to a publicist for the outing. An opening band for the tour will be announced shortly as well. Meanwhile, as previously reported, the Black Crowes new album, Lions, is due May 8 on V2. And, Oasis' DVD/VHS, Familiar To Millions, is due in the U.S. on March 27 on Epic Records. The DVD includes a documentary by Grant Gee (Radiohead's Meeting People is Easy). The track listing for the DVD/VHS release is: "Fuckin' in the Bushes," "Go Let It Out," "Who Feels Love?," "Supersonic," "Shakermaker," "Acquiesce," "Step Out," "Gas Panic!," "Roll With It," "Stand By Me," "Wonderwall," "Cigarettes & Alcohol," "Don't Look Back In Anger," "Live Forever," "Hey Hey, My My," "Champagne Supernova," and "Rock 'n' Roll Star."
Tour of Brotherly Love dates:
May 11, Las Vegas, The Joint
May 12, Santa Barbara, Calif., Santa Barbara Bowl
May 14, Los Angeles, Greek Theatre
May 17, Denver, Fiddler's Green
May 19, St. Paul, Xcel Energy Center
May 20, Chicago, New World Music Theatre
May 22, Cincinnati, Riverbend Music Center
May 23, Cleveland, Blossom Music Center
May 25, Toronto, Molson Amphitheater
May 27, Boston, Tweeter Center
May 30, Philadelphia, Blockbuster
June 1, Indianapolis, Verizon Wireless Music
June 2, Detroit, Pine Knob Music Theatre
June 3, Darien Center, N.Y., Darien Lake Performing Art Center
June 5, Baltimore, Merriweather Post Pavilion
June 7, New York, Radio City Music Hall
CROWES AND OASIS GO GREEK
The first dates on the co-headlining tour between THE BLACK CROWES and OASIS have been announced this weekend. The bands will play the open-air Greek Theater in Los Angeles' Hollywood Hills on May 15 and 16.
Look for more details to be announced soon!
from NME
2.23.01
First Oasis/Black Crowes Dates Revealed; Crowes Add More Solo Shows Feb 23, 2001, 12:10 pm PT
Black Crowes, Oasis Details for what may be this
summer's strangest major concert coupling, the Oasis-Black Crowes road show,
have yet to be announced, but allstar has learned that two spring dates have
been reserved at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles. According to a source close
to the tour, the bands will play the scenic outdoor venue on May 15 and 16.
No other dates or venues can be confirmed, however Noel Gallagher has been quoted
as saying the co-headlining tour will include 16 dates, all presumably to be
held in North America. The Black Crowes have also lined up a half-dozen springtime
concerts in the Southeast, starting April 28 in Charlotte, N.C. The band's next
album, Lions, is due on V2 Records in May. Here are the six upcoming Black Crowes
shows: April 28, Charlotte, N.C., Center City Fest 2001 April 29, Zephyr Hills,
Fla., Festival Park May 3, West Palm Beach, Fla., Sunfest 2001 May 4, Atlanta,
Music Midtown May 5, Nashville, River Stages May, 6, Memphis, Tenn. Beale Street
Music Festival
from cdnow
THE MANE ATTRACTION
THE BLACK CROWES will release their new studio
album on May 14, NME.com can reveal. The album, 'Lions' is their sixth studio
record and will appear through V2 to whom Black Crowes recently signed. 'Lions'
was recorded in a converted Yiddish musical theatre in New York with producer
Don Was, formerly of Was Not Was but more recently renowned as a producer for
major leagues acts like Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones and Willie Nelson. Additionally
the Black Crowes have lined up a handful of US live shows in the run-up to the
release. They will also play a number of shows with Oasis, though dates have
yet to be confirmed. The Black Crowes dates are as follows: Charlotte, North
Carolina Center City Fest 2001 (April 28) Zephyr Hills, Florida Festival Park
(29) West Palm Beach, Florida Sunfest 2001 (May 3) Atlanta, Georgia Music Town
(4) Nashville, Tennessee River Stages (5) Memphis, Tennessee Beale Stree Music
Festival (6) The band will also play a gig in Austin, Texas for the South by
Southwest music festival on March 16.
from NME
2.22.01
More Tour dates!! watch for more to come soon!
04/28/01 - Charlotte, NC - Center City Fest 2001
04/29/01 - Zephyr Hills, FL - Festival Park
05/03/01 - West Palm Beach, FL - Sunfest 2001
05/04/01 - Atlanta, GA - Music Midtown
05/05/01 - Nashville, TN - River Stages
05/06/01 - Memphis, TN - Beale Street Music Festival
2.20.01
The Black Crowes are added to the lineup for the Sunfest 2001 from May 2-6, 2001 !
2.19.01
The Black Crowes are scheduled to play at the South by Southwest Conferences/Festival in Austin, TX on March 16th.
2.17.01
There are several new things planned for the
official Black Crowes site for this year, and one of these is a free email address
from the blackcrowes.com, and you can sign up for that from here:
http://mail.theblackcrowes.com
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TBC fans and webmasters LLP and Frayed have put up a site to help organize some of the fans planning "Tall Days" across the land. If you would like to see the cities that fans are planning on hosting a Tall Day event, head on over to http://talldays.tripod.com and check it out.
2.11.01
I added a picture of Audley with the Jayhawks in Jan. to the info section on the bottom.
2.8.01
Black Crowes Keyboardist Headlines Benefit For Blues Legend
Black Crowes keyboardist Eddie Harsch will be back in his hometown of Detroit this weekend to help lead a tribute to the late bluesman Willie D. Warren. Warren, who died December 30 at the age of 76, was one of the Mississippi Delta's most innovative musicians, and he taught Guitar Slim how to play. After moving to Chicago in the '50s, he worked with legends such as Jimmy Reed, Otis Rush, and Freddie King. Warren is also credited with being a pioneer of the electric bass guitar when he began tuning the lowest three strings of his guitar down an octave. He moved to Detroit in the mid-'70s to work with Baby Boy Warren and remained in the city until his death.
The tribute show takes place on Sunday (February 11) at the Magic Bag in the Detroit suburb of Ferndale, Michigan. Harsch will make his public debut as a lead singer and bandleader at the tribute, which features mostly Detroit blues artists, including guitarist Jimmy McCarty, a member of Mitch Ryder's Detroit Wheels as well as a founding member of the bands Cactus, Detroit, and the Rockets. Harsch told LAUNCH that ever since moving from Toronto to Detroit, he's always been fond of Warren: "He just meant a lot to me. Where I come from (musically), guys like Willie D. Warren were the s--t. That's what inspired me to play in the first place, him and a bunch of other guys...not just on a musical level, but on a personal level, everything he represented, that whole package." Harsh continued his praise of Warren by saying, "He did it right. He represented the consummate blues guy, in my mind, not the B.B. King, Vegas kind of blues guy that we've all grown accustomed to. When you find a combination of all the elements that makes up a good musician all in one person, it's nothing but inspiring. It fuels you to keep going."
Proceeds from Sunday's concert will go towards Warren's medical and funeral expenses, and organizers say that any surplus will be applied towards the purchase of a headstone for Warren's grave. Harsch and the other Crowes are preparing for the May release of the band's new album Lions, its first for V2 records. The Crowes are planning to tour this summer on a double-bill with British rockers Oasis.
2.6.01
JONES GETS THE BIRD THE BLACK CROWES were joined onstage by STEREOPHONICS' frontman KELLY JONES at an album launch party in NEW YORK on Saturday night (February 3).
Crowes singer Chris Robinson shared vocals with Jones on a climactic version of 'Twice As Hard', from the Crowes' 1990 record 'Shake Your Money Maker'. The performance took place in front of a stellar crowd, including Richard Branson, Mick Jagger, Goldie Hawn, Liv Tyler, Bryan Adams, Don Was and Moby. All were squeezed into a disused bank in downtown Manhattan to witness the Southern rockers preview material from the new album 'Lions'. An energised Chris Robinson led the band through a set of mostly new material, including the Led Zeppelin-esque 'Greasy Grass River', revealing a leaner, hard rocking direction. As well as new songs and old favourites like 'Jealous Again', the band included a cover of Fleetwood Mac's 'Green Manalishi'. UK label boss Richard Branson from V2 flew in especially for the party. He said he was personally excited by the new Crowes material. Branson also took care to draw local reporters attention to Stereophonics, who he described as "one of the best bands in Europe". Following his raucous duet with Robinson, Jones told NME.COM: "I didn't know I was supposed to sing tonight until I bumped into their drummer's wife just before the show. To be honest I was dying for a piss throughout all their set so I couldn't wait to get on. It was good though. I like people who've got voices (with) a bit of edge to them. Chris (Robinson) comes from people like Paul Rogers from Free and Otis Redding, that school of singers, so yeah he's a good singer. There's not many singers in the world anymore but Chris is one of them."
Stereophonics are currently playing stripped
down shows in the US, minus drummer Stuart Cable, who has stayed in Wales while
his wife has a baby.
from nme news
2.5.01
The Black Crowes play their first show in 2001 celebrating the completion of their new album Lions! You can check out the setlist and info over here in the Crowesbase.
Here are several articles about the event:
Black Crowes Unleash 'Lions' In NYC
The Black Crowes Feb. 3, 2001 New York (Bank)
Playing their first live show since last April, the Black Crowes crowded onto the tiny stage at New York's Bank nightclub on Saturday (Feb. 3) to unveil songs from their highly anticipated new album, "Lions," due May 15 on V2. In front of an audience of celebrities and select media members, the six-piece veteran rock outfit premiered four new cuts before storming through five vintage originals and a cover over the course of an hour-long set.
Dressed for the occasion, shaggy frontman Chris Robinson sported a knee-length white shirt with a multi-colored lion in the center. He and his bandmates -- guitarist/brother Rich Robinson, guitarist Audley Freed, new bassist Andy Hess, drummer Steve Gorman, and keyboardist Ed Harsch -- got heads nodding from note one of "Midnight From The Inside Out," a thick, midtempo number marked by a stellar guitar solo from Rich Robinson. Next was "Lickin'," highlighted by the guitarist's super funky, rhythmically off-kilter riffing. Robinson favored a heavy wah-wah tone while Freed handled the solo on "Greasy Grass River," which bore the influence of his band's stint backing Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page for a North American tour last year. A similar Zeppelin-ish stomp was audible on the final new tune, the stellar "Young Man, Old Man," which rocked the room with authority. The band remained tight throughout a four-song spurt of older favorites, including the anthemic "Seeing Things," the powerful rock assault "Horsehead," a steamy turn on the slide guitar-laden "Wiser Time," and "Thorn In My Pride," which was bookended by an astounding jam. Gordie Johnson, of Toronto blues rockers Big Sugar, joined the group for a cover of Fleetwood Mac's searing "Oh Well," popularized during the Page/Crowes concerts. In a more surprising appearance, Kelly Jones, diminutive frontman of U.K. rock combo Stereophonics, handled the first few verses of the sing-a-long "Twice As Hard." Jones is in town to perform an acoustic show with his bandmates Wednesday (Feb. 7) at Irving Plaza.
"Lions" is the Crowes' V2 debut, following five albums on Rick Rubin's American imprint. The band's tour with Page was documented on the two-CD set "Live At The Greek," issued last year via Musicmaker for online purchase and by TVT at traditional retail. As previously reported, a summer North American tour with Oasis is in the planning stages.
from billboard
The Black Crowes Unveil New Bassist& New Songs From Upcoming Album, Lions, At All-Star Private Party
Bluesy hard rockers The Black Crowes unveiled
new material from their upcoming V2 debut album, Lions, at a star-studded private
party in lower Manhattan last Saturday, February 2nd. With an audience packed
with the likes of Mick Jagger, Goldie Hawn, Moby, Peter Frampton, Liv Tyler
and Howard Stern, the band ripped through songs from the Don Was-produced album,
their first for their new label, V2. Out in May, the album includes classic-sounding
Crowes fare such as "Lickin'," "Greasy Grass River," "Young Man, Old Man," and
"Midnight From The Inside Out." Complete with a 20-minute video retrospective
of the band's career, the band's set included both new tunes and old, and some
select covers, such as Fleetwood Mac's "Oh Well." The set also featured guest
spots from Kelly Jones of England's Stereophonics (on "Twice As Hard"), Big
Sugar guitarist Gordie Johnson (on "Oh Well"). The Crowes also introduced the
crowd to their brand new bassist, Andy Hess.
from knac news
Black Crowes Nest In N.Y. Club For Lions Party
The Black Crowes celebrated the completion of their new album, Lions, by taking roost at a Manhattan nightclub Saturday and performing a 10-song set in front of a celebrity-studded crowd that included 3 Doors Down, Mick Jagger and Moby. Taking the stage of The Bank shortly after midnight, frontman Chris Robinson and sibling guitarist Rich Robinson led the Crowes through four new songs to kick off the concert, an invitation-only bash hosted by V2 Records owner Richard Branson. After premiering Lions tracks "Midnight From the Inside Out," "Lickin'," "Greasy Grass River" and "Young Man, Old Man," the Black Crowes then rolled out several familiar cuts, including "Seeing Things," "HorseHead," "Wiser Time" and "Thorn in My Pride." With new bassist Andy Hess in tow, the Black Crowes finished up the evening by enlisting foreign aid on a pair of numbers. Gordie Johnson, lead singer and guitarist for Canada's Big Sugar, laid down some slide guitar on a cover of Fleetwood Mac's "Oh Well." Stereophonics frontman Kelly Jones, a V2 Records labelmate and past UK touring partner of the Black Crowes, helped close out the evening by singing lead vocals on "Twice as Hard," the first track off the Crowes' 1990 debut, Shake Your Money Maker.
According to the Crowes' publicists, producer Don Was, guitarist Peter Frampton, singer Nona Hendryx, glam rock band Spacehog and actors Liv Tyler, Liev Schreiber and Chris Robinson's mother-in-law, Goldie Hawn, were among the guests who turned out for the record completion party. Produced by Was and recorded at a studio converted from an old Yiddish theatre on Manhattan's Lower East Side, the Black Crowes' Lions is due in mid-May.
from mtv
Big Sugar, Crowes collaborate
A mutual admiration society between Big Sugar guitarist Gordie Johnson and Black Crowes frontman Chris Robinson resulted in an onstage jam session Saturday between the two at the Crowes' high-profile New York launch of their forthcoming album. As the Black Crowes previewed material from "Lions" at the Bank nightclub in New York, Johnson was hauled onstage to play guitar on the early Fleetwood Mac blues nugget "Oh Well" -- the same track the Crowes performed during their tour with Jimmy Page last year. "We've been chumming around for a couple of years now," Johnson told JAM! Music via telephone from Alberta, Monday. "Chris was buying our records back in 1994, 1995. He bought a copy of (Big Sugar's) '500 lbs.,' unbeknownst to me. And when they toured for their last record, he gave me a call. He sort of sought us out." The two bonded over a mutual love of reggae music, "and we've been real chummy since then," he said, adding that on Sept. 21, when the Crowes were between bassists,they drafted Johnson to perform at a benefit in New York.
As the Crowes worked on "Lions" and Johnson continued work at his home-studio in Toronto on an as-yet-untitled new Big Sugar album, he and Robinson spoke every couple of days via telephone. The singer even sent Johnson one of the new Black Crowes' songs "Cosmic Friend," so he could prepare a reggae remix, under the name Alkaline, Big Sugar's reggae off-shoot project. "I have no idea what is going to come of (the remix). I am doing it for the fun of it. One minute, it was 'wouldn't it be crazy if...,' and the next thing I know, I got a FedEx of the track in the mail." Standing in for Jimmy Page during the Crowes' version of "Oh Well" could have been intimidating, but Johnson took it in stride. "I don't find it all that daunting because ... the friendship there is first and foremost, over career aspirations," Johnson said. "I didn't look at it to get exposure and schmooze. It was their party, and I hung out with Chris all day and listened to music. It was a real natural musical event".
from jam music
2.1.01
BMG status update/singles recap/BLACK CROWES new album!!!!
The Black Crowes "Lions" Release Date 5/15
You've never heard THE BLACK CROWES like this before. With its stunning musicianship and gutsy emotional peaks, LIONS is the sound of a band redefining themselves, uncompromisingly staking out new territory. There are no easy phrases to encapsulate all the music on LIONS, THE BLACK CROWES' sixth album, their V2 debut and their first produced by Don Was. It is heavy and raucous at times. It's also expansive and tender in other spots. There are chunky riffs and ferocious grooves. It also possesses an acoustic grandeur. The production is captivatingly stripped down on some songs, and vividly textured on others. LIONS rocks, shakes, and has a lot of deep soul. Not to mention a redemptive spirit that is joyous and uplifting. The songs on LIONS--by RICH and CHRIS ROBINSON-- are about need, desire and soul survival. Some of them have a tortured beauty and grace, like "Losing My Mind," where CHRIS sings,"Every time I fall/I bring you along/Cuz I need you there," and the epic album closer "Lay It All On Me," a poignant mix of raw truths and self-realization. Other songs like-- "Ozone Mama," "Miracle To Me" and "Soul Singin"-- were born from the sheer joy of being alive.
There's a lot to revel in on LIONS. RICH has crafted songs that are solid in their architecture and seamless in feel. He and the band--rounded out by drummer STEVE GORMAN, keyboardist EDDIE HARSCH and guitarist AUDLEY FREED--charge into "Lickin," with its inventively stuttering riff, and they jump into the tricky time signature of the sprawling "Greasy Grass River." There's also the heavily percussive blues romp "Young Man,Old Man" and the funky guitar grooves of "Cosmic Friend" and "Midnight From The Inside Out." LIONS was recorded in an unlikely location: an old Yiddish musical theatre on New York's Lower East Side that's been converted to a recording studio with remarkable acoustics. It's an environment that suited the now-New York-based band well.The sessions took place on the theatre's stage where the remarkable acoustics brought a live immediacy and warmth to the songs.
THE BLACK CROWES, revered as The Most Rock'N Roll Band In The World, have achieved worldwide sales exceeding 15 million albums and vast critical acclaim. Most recently, THE BLACK CROWES performed with Jimmy Page, playing together onstage the songs of Led Zeppelin and The Black Crowes plus vintage blues numbers. The tour-hailed as a historic collaboration-is captured on 2000's gold-certified album Jimmy Page and The Black Crowes, Live At The Greek. On LIONS. THE BLACK CROWES don't back down from their original mission: to create rock and roll that is fierce and genuine. By further challenging themselves--sonically and emotionally-- they've come up with their most distinguished album yet.
1.16.01
MOJO (English Music Magazine) have got a little feature on the new Crowes album, in the 'In The Works' section:
The Black Crowes
Title: Lions
Due: May
Production: Recorded in a jewish theatre in Downtown New York, with Don Was manning the faders.
Songs: Titles so far confirmed include Midnight From The Inside Out, Greasy Grass River, Ozone Mam and Losing My Mind
Buzz:"We have made the best record of our career to date and we couldn't be happier" crowes the Atlant-bred rockers' fiery frontman Chris Robinson.
1.5.01
Black Crowe Marries Kate Hudson
http://www.vh1.com/thewire/news/article.jhtml?ID=1245
12.24.00
Happy Holidays everyone, and be safe. Looking forward to the new album soon!!
I added a new Interview with Rich in the info section.
12.10.00
Here is the setlist for Marc Ford's show at the Belly Up Tavern.
This Ride, Wake up and Walk Away, Hell or High Water, Giving, When You Go, Feel Like Doing Time, Cry Moan and Wail, Change your Mind, CA, Two Mules, Just Let it Go.
It was a really fun show. Chris Joiner (soul asylum) played keys, and Berry Oakley, Jr. played bass, im not sure of the drummer. Marc played guitar and sang for the whole show. The show was a lot of fun, great soloing and slide work. He played a telecaster, dark red epiphone, black Gibson les paul custom and a strat. It was interesting to hear the new stuff for the first time, some of it sounds like the Jayhawks, some is just rock, a bluesy song, one sounded reminiscent of Neil Young. It is always hard to tell when first hearing something but i liked a lot of the songs, some good lyrics and it should be a great album!
12.6.00
Popper, Allman Join Haynes' Christmas Jam
Warren Haynes' Twelfth Annual Christmas Jam boasts all-star lineup What do you get the Southern rock fan on your list who's already got everything? A ticket for Warren Haynes' Twelfth Annual Christmas Jam should do the trick. Scheduled for Dec. 21 at the Thomas Wolfe Auditorium in Asheville, N.C., the charity concert (which benefits Habitat for Humanity) features what may well be the biggest round-up of jam band rockers since the epic six-hour tribute to Haynes' late Gov't Mule sidekick Allen Woody that took place Sept. 21 in New York. As with the previous Christmas Jams, this year's model will feature guitarist Haynes and the rest of the invited performers sharing the stage in various combinations throughout the night. A highlight of the show will be the reunion of Col. Bruce Hampton's Aquarium Rescue Unit, marking the group's first performance together in six years. (Last year's show featured a reunion of Cry of Love, the Bad Company-inspired Southern rock group of "Peace Pipe" fame.)
In addition to Haynes and the Aquarium Rescue Unit, other performers set to play are Blues Traveler frontman John Popper, Gregg Allman, Edwin McCain, Kevn Kinney of Drivin' N' Cryin', the Bottle Rockets, Little Milton, the Chris Duarte Band, Larry McCray, Dr. Dan Matrazzo, Paul Riddle of the Marshall Tucker Band, Audley Freed of the Black Crowes, Dave Schools of Widespread Panic, Matt Abts of Gov't Mule and Jen Gunderman of the Jayhawks. Tuesday saw the release of Wintertime Blues -- The Benefit Concert, a twenty-two-song, double-disc set chronicling last year's Christmas Jam. This year's show will also be recorded for a live album. Like the concerts themselves, all proceeds from the CDs go to Habitat for Humanity. Tickets for the Twelfth Annual Christmas Jam are $29.50 (or $35 day of show) and available through TicketMaster.
12.4.00
Crowes Honor Chuck Berry - washington post article. It will be televised on Dec. 27th. more later..
12.3.00
I added a couple of new interviews to the info section.
12.2.00
Live at the Greek goes gold! It was just posted on Billboard's site.
11.23.00
BLACK 2001 FACING OASIS
OASIS mainman NOEL GALLAGHER has indicated that his band's proposed tour with THE BLACK CROWES will take up the majority of 2001, and has delayed the release of band's new album by "six months". Speaking in an interview on the Radio 1 show 'Lamacq Live' (November 20), Gallagher said his band will tour from "May To November" 2001 with the Crowes. He said: "We're going out to South America in January to do Rock In Rio and a couple of festivals because we didn't make it there on the last tour. Then we are going to come back to England and revamp the set, do some new songs, and go out with the Black Crowes May to November, so that's the best part of the year taken up." He continued: "That's put our album back by six months. So, it's a bit of a bummer really - (but) you don't turn down chances to go on a tour like that every day."
Gallagher claims to have been a Black Crowes fan "since the first album". He added: "I've seen them loads of times, at the Shepherd's Bush Empire, Wembley Stadium and that. They went on before us at Glastonbury the first time we headlined it. And I know Chris and Rich - they're about as close to me and Liam as you can get. We've got a lot in common, and the guys in the band are really cool. It's music we like and they like our music." As previously revealed on NME.COM, Oasis have commenced writing the follow-up to 'Standing On The Shoulder Of Giants', with all the members contributing to the sessions. Guitarist Gem Archer has written a new track entitled 'The Roller', which sounds like "T-Rex doing 'Instant Karma'", while Noel's brother Liam has also contributed material to the sessions. Gallagher added that it "doesn't matter" when the album is released "as long as we keep doing it once in a while".
source: nme.com
11.19.00
Ed reports that the new album is finished and will be out next Spring!!
Also check out Dr Z Amps, Audley uses them now.
11.2.00
Oasis/Black Crowes Discussing Summer Tour
Representatives for Oasis and the Black Crowes are in discussions to mount a co-headlining tour of North America next summer. According to the Crowes' publicist, cities and venues are already being firmed up for a jaunt that would "conceivably" get underway in June. "If we can work out the details, the tour will mark the pairing of America and England's greatest rock'n'roll bands. God help us all," Crowes manager Peter Angelus said in a statement. "The idea of these two great bands touring together has excited everyone we speak to," Oasis manager Marcus Russell said in a statement. "It's the ideal combination for those who take their rock charged with passion, soul, and energy." Although both Oasis and the Crowes have seen their album sales tail off in recent years, the acts continue to thrive in a live setting. On Nov. 13 internationally and a day later in North America via Epic, Oasis will release "Familiar To Millions," a DVD/VHS/double-disc live album of a July concert at London's Wembley Stadium. The Crowes spent the summer on road with Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page, a pairing which had earlier yielded the double-disc "Live At The Greek" (Musicmaker/TVT). As previously reported, the Crowes are recording their V2 debut album in a converted theater on New York's lower east side. The album is due in the spring of next year.
source: billboard
10.30.00
Black Crowes Track Album In NY With Don Was
Blues rock heroes The Black Crowes are busy recording their V2 debut album in an unlikely location: an old Yiddish musical theatre on New York's Lower East Side that's been converted to a recording studio. It's an environment that suits the now-New York-based band well. The acoustics there are remarkable, and the recording sessions are taking place on the theatre's stage, bringing an organic live feel to the mood. In true Black Crowes fashion, they've made the theatre their own, placing candles, Christmas lights, a mirror ball, posters and big couches throughout the space. The band has already recorded some 18 songs with producer Don Was (Was Not Was, Iggy Pop, Rolling Stones, etc), and fans can expect an expansive, melodically full sound that accents the songs of Chris and Rich Robinson. Look for the as-yet-untitled album (the band's sixth overall) to be released in the spring of 2001.
9.26.00
Rockers Come Out For Woody Tribute
Judging from the line-up and guest appearances made at "One For Woody," Thursday (Sept. 21) night's tribute concert to Allen Woody , the late Allman Brothers Band and Gov't Mule bassist touched a lot of souls in his 44 years. Less than a month after Woody's death, the Allman Brothers Band, the Black Crowes, and the Grateful Dead's Phil Lesh joined his Gov't Mule bandmates Warren Haynes and Matt Abts at New York's Roseland for a five-hour concert that included many guest appearances. Among those who joined in were blues great Little Milton Cambell, singer/songwriter Kevn Kinney, Mountain's Leslie West, Hootie & the Blowfish's Darius Rucker, Hot Tuna/Jefferson Airplane guitarist Jorma Kaukonen, keyboardist Merl Saunders, Edwin McCain, Widespread Panic bassist David Schools, former Lynyrd Skynyrd drummer Artimus Pyle, Berry Oakley Jr., and former Allman Brothers keyboardist Johnny Neel. As master of ceremonies, guitarist Haynes jammed with each artist throughout the show, a benefit for Woody's wife, Jenny, and the couple's 3-year-old daughter, Savanna.
Before ending the night with a string of special guest performances, he joined Abts and Schools for a brief Gov't Mule set that included covers of Neil Young's "Cortez The Killer," Traffic's "Low Spark Of High-Heeled Boys," and Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here." Flanked by Haynes and new Allman Brothers guitarist Jimmy Herring, Lesh opened the sold-out concert with bulletproof versions of Dead faves "Dark Star," "Unbroken Chain," and "I Know You Rider," before he and Haynes traded vocals on Cream's "Sunshine Of Your Love." <<...>> Next, Haynes, who with Woody helped return the Allman Brothers Band to form in the late '80s and early '90s before the pair left to concentrate on Gov't Mule, reprised his Allmans role, dueling with Herring on "Jessica." The band burned its way through "Trouble No More," "Dreams," and "Stand Back" before bringing Little Milton out for "Sunshine" and Lesh to lead the Dead staple "Franklin's Tower." Adding to the mounting list of covers, the Black Crowes followed, delivering a blistering version of Fleetwood Mac's "Oh Well," and their famous take on "Shake Your Money Maker," with singer Chris Robinson pausing between songs to thank the audience for creating the "good vibes."
As the show neared the five-hour mark, Haynes brought back Little Milton, Lesh, and Robinson, who swapped vocals on "Going Down The Road Feelin' Bad." Milton, Saunders, Neel, and Haynes then delivered "Blues Come Knockin'" and "Lovelight." Pyle, with whom Woody played with during the 1980s in the Artimus Pyle Band, powered an electrified version of Skynyrd's "Simple Man," during which Haynes played guitar, Oakley Jr. -- the son of late Allman Brothers bassist Berry Oakley -- handled bass duties, and the Crowes' Audley Freed played rhythm guitar. As the singer for one of Woody's favorite bands, Mountain's West dedicated the ear-numbing "Mississippi Queen" to the late Tennessee musician. Reedy-voiced Drivin' N' Cryin' singer Kinney slowed things with the swinging acoustic number "Straight To Hell," one of several tunes Haynes and Woody recorded on Kinney's latest solo record, "The Flower & The Knife." Backing Kinney up on vocals were Rucker and McCain. Before explaining that he was nearly out of time, Haynes concluded by leading the group through Bob Dylan's "I Shall Be Released," which Haynes, Woody, and McCain also performed on "The Flower & The Knife." Kaukonen joined in on guitar, while Kinney and Neel helped out on vocals. Ticket, t-shirt and poster sales from the show are expected to total about $100,000, according to the band's management. Woody was found dead in a Queens, N.Y., hotel room on Aug. 26 of an unknown cause. An autopsy proved inconclusive. Before Woody's death, Gov't Mule scheduled a string of dates opening for Ben Harper. Haynes and Abts plan to perform those shows as an unplugged duo.
9.22.00
The Crowes played a great set at the tribute show, and to read more reviews about it check out the official site. Here is their set:
9.15.00
Allen Woody Benefit Booked; Gov't Mule Mates Carry On
Gov't Mule Friends of the late Gov't Mule bassist Allen Woody, including the Allman Brothers Band, the Black Crowes, and Phil Lesh & Friends will be gathering at the Roseland Ballroom in New York City September 21 for a concert dubbed "One For Woody." Tickets for the sold-out show were priced at $75 and $100 apiece, with proceeds going to the late bassist's family. The musician died suddenly of still unknown causes on August 26 (see "Gov't Mule's Allen Woody Dies"). An autopsy was inconclusive, and other test results are still pending. Woody was once a member of the Allman Brothers Band and a close associate of the other artists on the bill. Also performing will be the surviving Gov't Mule members, Warren Haynes and Matt Abts. Meanwhile, the band's agent, Kevin Daly, has confirmed to MTV News that Haynes and Abts will still perform in the opening slot on the pending Ben Harper tour as a duo, but they will be billed under their own names and not as Gov't Mule. "If anybody saw Warren and Matt's performance at Woody's memorial service," Daly told MTV News, "they wouldn't doubt they could do it alone. It was absolutely electrifying." The tour dates with Harper are scheduled for November 9 to 19 (see "Ben Harper Preps Live Double-Album Set"). According to Gov't Mule manager Stefani Scamardo, a final decision on the future of the band will be made very soon, and she does not rule out that the group might continue under the Gov't Mule moniker. Scamardo also added that contrary to Internet rumors, a concert in New York state canceled shortly before Woody's death was not related to the bassist's health, but rather to unspecified music industry politics.
source: mtv.com
9.14.00
Check out the new fan run Crowes fanclub here!
9.11.00
According to the official Black Crowes site, the whole tour has been cancelled. I was very disappointed and disheartened so I didn't feel like updating this site. Hopefully they can manage to do at least a few shows before they part ways. Please send your good vibes and prayers to Jimmy Page for his fast recovery.
The Black Crowes have taken some time now to enter the studio and work on the record, so hopefully we will have some good news to report soon (finally!!)
9.5.00
I added an interview with Rich Robinson to the interviews section.
8.25.00
Page And The Crowes Add Makeup Dates To Fall Tour
Jimmy Page and the Black Crowes have announced makeup dates for three of the shows they postponed earlier this month after the Led Zeppelin guitarist injured his back following an August 12 concert in Albuquerque, New Mexico. But scheduling conflicts have forced Page and the Crowes to cancel four of the other shows set for the leg, the second in their tour in support of the double-live album, "Live At The Greek." Page and the Crowes will play the three missed dates immediately prior to the start of the third leg of the outing, originally slated to kick off on September 23 in Miami. "Live At The Greek" has already sold more than 100,000 copies since being released via TVT Records following an Internet-only deal with Musicmaker (see "Page And The Crowes Get Retail Release Of 'Live' LP"). The concert record has spawned a pair of radio singles, "What Is And What Should Never Be" and the current track, "Ten Years Gone," both of which are Led Zeppelin covers.
source: mtv
8.24.00
Jimmy Page And The Black Crowes Reschedule Three Shows
Aug 24, 2000, 1:35 pm PT Page and the Black Crowes Jimmy Page and the Black Crowes have rescheduled three of the seven dates from the second leg of their tour that were called off due to Jimmy Page's back injury (allstar, Aug. 15). The three make-up shows (Mountain View, Calif.; Irvine, Calif.; and Houston) will precede the third leg of their tour, set to begin Sept. 23 in Miami. Due to routing issues, the other four dates (Seattle; Sacramento, Calif.; Denver; and Dallas) will not be made up.
Rescheduled Jimmy Page/Black Crowes dates: Sept. 15, Mountain View, Calif., Shoreline Amphitheater Sept. 17, Irvine, Calif., Verizon Wireless Amphitheater Sept. 20, Houston, Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
source: cdnow news
8.23.00
The Black Crowes official video , Who Killed that Bird out on your Window Sill, is now available at the Virgin records website, and that is the only place it is available as far as I know.
8.20.00
Still no word about the rescheduled dates, I hope they will come soon, check back soon!
I added some new tour dates in Japan above.
8.15.00
Unfortunately due to an injury suffered by Jimmy Page, the second leg of the tour has been postponed, and hopefully they will announce the new tour dates soon. I will post them as soon as I find out. I was disappointed because I was supposed to see the show, but I am optimistic that things will work out. Stay tuned for more info as it comes in.
8.10.00
European tour dates added above!
8.8.00
I added the launch interview in the info section.
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The Who And Jimmy Page & The Black Crowes Add Third Night At The Garden
As expected, the two New York City shows with the Who and Jimmy Page & the Black Crowes sold out in short order -- even though American Express cardholders were the only people allowed to buy tickets -- and so a third night has been added. Fans who got shut out of the October 3 and 4 concerts at Madison Square Garden now have the chance to get into an October 6 date at the venue. Tickets go on sale Monday (August 14) at 9 a.m. ET and, unlike the American Express-exclusive for the first two shows, the October 6 gig will be available to all purchasers at all the usual outlets. Tickets are priced at $54, $78, $103, and $253. These shows mark the first time that Jimmy Page & the Black Crowes will share the stage with the Who. Although the bands were on the road together earlier this summer, they never played together -- instead, the groups played on alternating nights, which allowed them to share a road and stage crew, cutting down on expenses. As with the first two New York shows, no one will be admitted to Madison Square Garden after the 7:30 p.m. ET start time of the show since both acts are viewing these once-in-a-lifetime shows as "a complete musical experience from beginning to end." Discussions about onstage collaborations are still ongoing.
8.3.00
Page/Crowes Headed To Europe, Japan
Jimmy Page and the Black Crowes are having so much fun touring North America this summer that they've decided to continue on to other parts of the world. Crowes guitarist Rich Robinson tells Billboard.com that the supergroup will head to Europe and Japan this fall, following the Oct. 3-4 double-bill blowout with the Who at New York's Madison Square Garden. "I think we'll be in Europe for about two-and-a-half weeks, and Japan about 10 days," Robinson says of the trek, the exact details of which are still being hammered out. "I think we'll play a show at [fabled Japanese concert venue] Budokan or two."
For now though, Robinson is focusing on the remaining two legs of the tour with Page, which resumes Aug. 12 in Albuquerque, N.M., before pausing for almost a month after an Aug. 30 gig in Austin, Texas. As on the first leg, which saw the introduction of vintage Led Zeppelin material such as "Misty Mountain Hop" and "Wanton Song" into the set, Robinson says the group has some new tunes up its sleeve.
"There will definitely be some new things this time. I think we might do [Led Zeppelin's] 'Rain Song,' and we're going to learn a couple more of our songs," he says. "We've cut about five songs from the fall tour to add these new ones, so I don't know how many more new songs we're going to learn." Robinson says he and his brother, Crowes lead singer Chris, have written more than 20 songs for their next album, which he expects to be released sometime next spring. The set will be the band's first under a newly-signed deal with former Virgin Records president Richard Branson's V2 label. Asked to characterize the material, Robinson says, "I can't really tell. The [songs] sort of run the gamut. There's some that remind me of [the band's 1994 album] 'Amorica,' sort of beautiful and heavy. But there's also songs that are things we've never done before."
source: billboard
7.28.00
The new article with the Crowes and Jimmy is
in the info section, at the top
7.27.00
The Who, Jimmy Page & The Black Crowes Set Co-Headlining Dates
The long-rumored co-headlining event with the Who and Jimmy Page & the Black Crowes is now a reality. Both acts are set to perform at Madison Square Garden in New York City on October 3 and 4, with tickets going on sale August 7. In what may to be a first for a rock concert, it's been announced that no one will be admitted to the venue after the start time of 7:30 p.m. ET, since "these special concerts are conceived by both acts as a complete musical experience from beginning to end." In addition, the bands are talking about some sort of on-stage collaboration, though nothing is set in stone at this point. Neither show will have an opening act, and it's unclear whether the groups will alternate who goes on first. Ticket prices haven't been announced yet. Jimmy Page & the Black Crowes and the Who spent the early part of the summer touring in tandem, sharing a stage and crew to cut down on expenses, although they never actually played together on any of the dates. Both acts are currently off the road, but they're getting ready to get out there again. The next date for Page & the Crowes is August 12 at the Mesa Del Sol Amphitheatre in Albuquerque, New Mexico, while the Who will play the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles on August 14.
In other Black Crowes news, drummer Steve Gorman became a new father earlier this week. Gorman and his wife welcomed a son, Conall James Gorman, into the family on Monday (July 24). Conall weighed in at eight pounds, four ounces, and mother and baby are doing fine.
source: launch
7.25.00
Check out this interview with Rich Robinson at checkout site
7.20.00
SPECIAL VIDEO INTERVIEW: The Black Crowes & Jimmy Page
The Black Crowes/Jimmy Page collaboration is one of the hottest rock albums and tours of the summer. VH1.com obtained the following concert footage and backstage video interviews with Jimmy Page and the brothers Robinson when they played New York's Jones Beach. To see for yourself what was so incredible about the collaboration, click the link below to see Jimmy Page and the Black Crowes rocking Jones Beach with the Zeppelin classic "Sick Again.", and many other video clips including Chris Robinson's take on why the current tour has been so doggone hard to handle. http://www.vh1.com/thewire/news/pagecrowes
7.17.00
Page/Crowes are scheduled to play on the Jay Leno show on Aug. 14th.
I added a picture from the show on 6.28.00 to the Info section
7.12.00
Since the Phoenix show was cancelled, they added a new one in Albuquerque on August 12
Also, the Jimmy Page and Black Crowes album debuts at 64 on the Billboard Charts.
7.3.00
Check out this recent interview with Jimmy Page on this radio station site.
7.2.00
According to RockOnTV:
Show: Late Night with Conan O' Brien
Episode: 07/11/2000
Network: (NBC) National Broadcasting Company
Date: Wednesday - July 12, 2000
Time: 12:35 am - 01:35 am ET
Featured Artists - The Black Crowes, Jimmy Page
6.28.00
Check out this new download of Mellow Down Easy from the Page/Crowes live album coming to stores on July 4th!
6.27.00
Greatest Hits Package Marks A New Beginning For Black Crowes
Guitarist Rich Robinson talks of album, tour and personnel changes. For some bands, releasing a greatest-hits record is their parting shot, a final salvo before stepping into the murky underworld of county fairs and "Where Are They Now?" documentary segments. For the Black Crowes, last week's release of "The Black Crowes: A Tribute To a Work in Progress...Greatest Hits 1990-1999" is merely one facet of a career that's still roaring along at full throttle. "It was a contractual thing," guitarist Rich Robinson said of the greatest-hits release. "When you leave a record label, they have a right to a greatest-hits record, so they did it. We wanted to pick songs that touched on all of our records up to this point. We picked songs that were actually singles. We wanted to do it in chronological order and have it be representative of that time." Including "She Talks to Angels," "Remedy," "Jealous Again" and "By Your Side," the greatest-hits collection is the Black Crowes' final album for Columbia and serves as a reminder of what went before for current fans and as a crash course for newcomers. The Black Crowes recently inked a deal with the label V2. "We really took a long time to decide what we wanted to do," Robinson said. "We met with 30 or 40 labels and sat down with them to feel them out. This is the first time we switched labels since we started. No one wanted us to be who we are; they wanted us to be 'Shake Your Moneymaker.' They always tried to make us go in that direction, but we would never do it. They want to make money and that's all they give a s*** about. "So we'd ask the labels, 'Who do you think we are, and how do you feel that we're sort of proud about the fact every one of our records is different?' V2 was the most positive and most willing to let us be who we are at the time and work with it."
Robinson said he's written 22 songs towards a new album that he described as "like Amorica... beautiful and heavy." But before the Black Crowes make the latest a matter of record, there's the summer tour with former Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page still ahead. Last year's outing with Page yielded an album of the Black Crowes and Page playing Led Zeppelin songs. Even though the Crowes have played a slew of dates with Page in the last year, Robinson said the band is still thrilled to have him onboard. "He's like one of us, but yeah, it's Jimmy. We always watch him and we get so excited when he plays. He's sounding better than ever....It's sad that no one out there is that signature anymore."
The Black Crowes recently shuffled their lineup, replacing bassist Sven Pipien with Greg Rzab, who has played with Buddy Guy, among others. Pipien got his packing papers for failing to show up on time, said Robinson. "Sven pulled a lot of s*** he didn't need to pull. He started messing with gigs and showing up late. He showed up late, 30 minutes after when we were supposed to start playing. We were f*****d. We've never missed a gig, never been late in over 1,000 shows. His ego got out of control. He really came close to losing his mind. He was saying he knew John Lennon. Maybe he needs to take a break."
Robinson recently scored "Trip," formerly known as "Leonard Cohen Afterworld," a film about a pair of Nirvana fans who travel to Seattle to attend the vigil for Kurt Cobain. "I scored the whole movie. I did all the atmosphere music.... I'd look at a scene and try to figure out how it made me feel and then write around it. I looked at it like I took the whole movie and made it into a 40 minute song."
source: livedaily
6.25.00
Black Crowes Discuss Touring, Led Zeppelin, & More
Black Crowes As unabashedly as they brandish their classic rock influences, it makes perfect sense that the Black Crowes have joined forces with former Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page for a summer tour (kicking off Saturday [June 24] in Tinley Park, Ill.), and live album, Live at the Greek (in stores July 4). From the moment the Crowes burst onto the scene with 1990's Shake Your Money Maker, you never heard the band mentioned without names like the Faces, the Rolling Stones, or Humble Pie trailing close behind. But despite backbeat-heavy songs like "Remedy" and "A Conspiracy" and a lemon-squeezing live attack, many critics missed the Crowes-Zep connection. "It's so funny, for 10 years I don't think I've ever seen a single person say that we have a Zeppelin thing going on," the Black Crowes' drummer Steve Gorman explains with a hearty laugh. "Rich [Robinson, guitarist] and I have always ripped off every Zeppelin thing we could, that's just all there is to it. I've always been a big [John] Bonham fan. That's what drums sound like in my head, Zeppelin drums. If we took cues from any band, over all the others it was Zeppelin."
The instant Page and the Crowes started ripping through Zeppelin chestnuts and old blues standards in preparation for a one-off charity gig in London last summer, all involved knew it was a perfect fit. That 45-minute gig led to a handful of U.S. dates last fall, which spawned Live at the Greek. Gorman confesses that the band was a bit overwhelmed to be in Page's presence during the initial rehearsals, but once they hit the stage for real it was just another gig. Albeit one with a Rock and Roll Hall of Famer joining in on guitar. "When it comes time for the gig, you just know what you have to do," Gorman relates. "And it's tough to do that when you're slobbering on yourself like an idiot. I guess when we played 'Ten Years Gone' every night, that would be the one time where I'd go 'This is great!' because that's always been one of my favorite Zeppelin songs. It was so nice in that solo section. I'd catch myself drifting and think, 'I better play the song now.'"
This summer jaunt will find Page and the Crowes adding songs from their respective catalogues not performed during last fall's brief outing. A rumored show in October at Madison Square Garden with the Who (with whom the Page/Crowes tour is sharing production and road crew) is still up in the air at this point. "There's a lot of logistics when you try to put people like that in a room together," says Gorman, referring to rock legends like Page and the Who. "It's not as easy as you would think." As for the Crowes' future, the recently released A Tribute to a Work in Progress, Greatest Hits 1990-1999 marks the end of the band's association with Columbia/American Records. This past week, the band announced a new record deal with V2 Records, home of Moby, Stereophonics, Underworld, and others (allstar, June 16). A new album is due no earlier than spring 2001. "The By Your Side tour will go down as the most important tour we ever did," Gorman explains. "It really made us ask, 'Are we all here?' 'Are we gonna do this?' Our 10-year lease was up and it was like, 'Are we gonna sign this again?' We came through it with a lot of momentum. We really feel like we are just rolling right now, again."
source: allstar news
6.22.00
Flying with the Crowes Chicago's Greg Rzab is the bassman for the stars
By Greg Kot
Greg Rzab of Park Forest tried out for the Rolling Stones in 1994, hoping to fill the bass-playing job vacated by Bill Wyman. Rzab lost out to another Chicago-area talent, Darryl Jones, but the Stones didn't forget him. When the Black Crowes were looking to fill their recently vacated bass position, the band called the Stones for some recommendations. "Rzab's your man," the Stones said. A few weeks later, Rzab auditioned and was later invited to join the Crowes as a full-time member by guitarist Rich Robinson. "Being called by the Stones the first time was a thrill," says Rzab. "It was a highlight of my career just to have the opportunity. And now it's come full-circle. Spending some time with the Stones, getting to know them even though I didn't make the band, paid off." Rzab is one of the more highly regarded bass players in the rock and blues scenes, thanks to a dozen years in Buddy Guy's band and a recent stint with John Mayall. "John was a bit bummed when I had to leave," Rzab says. "He said I was the best bass player he'd ever had. But you have to move on." Rzab is stepping into a major opportunity, joining the Crowes just as they begin an amphitheater tour with former Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page, which opens Saturday at the New World Music Theatre. Before Rzab joined, the Crowes and Page released the live double-CD "Live at the Greek," available over the Internet via Musicmaker.com. "I grew up listening to Zeppelin," Rzab says. "Now I'll be playing Jimmy Page's music next to him on stage." The Crowes and Page have been rehearsing this week in Chicago. A particular thrill for the new kid in the band has been the opening to Zeppelin's "Ten Years Gone," from the "Physical Graffiti" album, which features a guitar-and-bass introduction. Between treks on the Page tour this summer, the Crows will begin recording a new studio album, to be released next year.
source: metromix.com
6.19.00
Black Crowes Ink Deal With V2
The Black Crowes have signed a worldwide deal with V2 Records, a subsidiary of Virgin Records. The band -- led by brothers Chris and Rich Robinson -- has been associated with American Recordings since its 1990 debut, "Shake Your Money Maker"; the Rick Rubin-led label aligned with Columbia in 1998 and issued the Crowes' most recent studio set, "By Your Side." A new Crowes album is expected in spring 2001. After selling more than 5 million copies of its first two albums, the Crowes have experienced gradually lessening album sales ever since, with "By Your Side" moving just under 260,000 copies, according to SoundScan. The band's final album under the American imprint, "Three Snakes And One Charm," was released in 1996 and has sold 293,000 copies to date. The band's summer tour with former Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page kicks off Saturday (June 24) in Tinley Park, Ill., and runs through an Oct. 1 date in Cleveland. As previously reported, the supergroup's recent live album "Live At The Greek," which was initially available only through online retailer Musicmaker.com, will be released to retail via TVT Records on July 4. The retail release will sport an extra song, a cover of Willie Dixon's "Mellow Down Easy," and new artwork. It will also be enhanced with footage from the Greek Theater performances, including rehearsal and backstage clips, as well as exclusive photos. A single from the album, a cover of the Led Zeppelin classic "What Is And What Should Never Be," peaked at No. 13 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock Tracks chart in April.
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New Las Vegas date added above.
6.16.00
Black Crowes Sign To V2; Album Expected Spring 2001
June 16, 2000, 1:00 pm PT
The Black Crowes have inked a new recording contract with V2 Records -- home of Moby, Stereophonics, Underworld, and others. The group's debut album for the label is expected no earlier than spring 2001, with recording likely beginning after the band's tandem tour with the Who and Jimmy Page, according to a spokesperson for the band. Meanwhile, the Crowes' best-of album, The Black Crowes: A Tribute to a Work in Progress ... Greatest Hits 1990-1999, on Columbia Records, drops next Tuesday (June 20) (allstar, May 16). The band's tour with Page kicks off June 24 in Chicago, in tandem with the Who tour, which kicks off June 25 in Chicago (allstar, April 10).
source: allstar
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I think that everyone should read this very interesting article on Record Companies!
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Jimmy Page will be on Rockline on Monday, June 19th, so check it out! He will probably talk about the upcoming tour and other related stuff. More info on this website.
6.15.00
Some info on the new Bassist, Greg Rzab:
The newest member of The Bluesbreakers, bassist Greg Rzab was born in Harvey, Illinois on October 23, 1959, near Chicago. Played blues clubs in Chicago, working with many artists including: Eddie Clearwater, Hubert Sumlin, Junior Wells, Otis Clay. Greg worked with Otis Rush for three years. Greg joined the Buddy Guy-Junior Wells Blues Band, and then continued working with Buddy Guy for 12 years, doing concerts, tours, recording, and television appearances world wide. During the time with Buddy Guy, Greg performed with Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Carlos Santana, Jeff Beck, Lou Rawls, Bonnie Raitt, and many others including an appearance on "The Tonight Show" with Paul Rogers. In 1987, Greg participated in the filed television documentary "A Man And His Music", with Eric Clapton. In 1993, he was invited to audition for the Rolling Stones. In 1997, Greg performed for President and Mrs. Clinton. Most recently, Greg performed with Carlos Santana and John Lee Hooker during a concert celebrating 30 years of the music of Santana, filmed for home video. Greg resides in the Chicago area with his family.
A SELECTED DISCOGRAPHY: Buddy Guy: "Damn Right I've Got The Blues" (Grammy winner) Buddy Guy: "Feels Like Rain"(Grammy winner) Buddy Guy: "Slippin In" (Grammy winner) Buddy Guy: "Buddy Is The Baddest" Otis Rush: "Ain't Enough Comin In" (Grammy nominee) Otis Rush: "Red Blooded Blues" Robert Jr. Lockwood: "Whole Lotta Blues" Tab Benoit: "Standing On The Bank" Bernard Allison: "Keepin The Blues Alive" HOME VIDEO: Eric Clapton: "The Cream Of Eric Clapton" Buddy Guy: "Live At The Montreux Jazz Festival" Carlos Santana and John Lee Hooker: "30 Years of Santana" (Not yet released)
6.7.00
Page/Crowes Album To Get Retail Release By TVT
The Jimmy Page and Black Crowes live album that caused controversy because of its exclusive availability through the Internet is coming to traditional retail on July 4, according to sources. The new version of the double CD, "Live At The Greek: Excess All Areas," will be issued by TVT Records and list for $24.99. The retail release will sport an extra song, a cover of Willie Dixon's "Mellow Down Easy," and new artwork. It will also be enhanced with footage from the Greek Theater performances, including rehearsal and backstage clips, as well as exclusive photos. Musicmaker.com and its online affiliates, which have been selling the set since Feb. 29, charge $17.99 plus $4.95 for shipping. The company has declined to reveal how many copies the set has sold, but sources put the total in the 30,000-50,000 units range. Initially, Musicmaker was supposed to carry the album exclusively through October, but in order to achieve the reported $1 million advance sought by the Crowes and Page, they apparently had to rethink their strategy. When the album first came out, a number of large chains complained, with some saying that they would not carry the album if it was released to traditional retail. Executives of those chains were unavailable for comment or said they were still considering their position on the album. Page and the Crowes kick off a summer tour of North America on June 24 in Tinley Park, Ill. The single issued from the group's album, a cover of the Led Zeppelin classic "What Is And What Should Never Be," peaked at No. 13 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock Tracks chart in April.
source: billboard
6.1.00
Tickets for the 2nd leg of the tour go on sale this weekend, for more info check out the official website.
5.30.00
Launch has a new interview with Page/Crowes on their site.
5.23.00
Check out the new July issue of Guitar World with Page/Crowes on the cover and a nice article on them! (thanks to Marc for the info)
5.22.00
Black Crowes Best-Of Coming In June
While the Black Crowes are in the midst of recording a new album, their old label plans to cash in on the band's upcoming tour with Jimmy Page. American/Columbia/Angelus will release A Tribute To A Work In Progress. . .Greatest Hits 1990-1999, which is slated for release on June 20, four days before the Page/Crowes tour kicks off in Chicago. The album will feature 16 tracks culled from the Crowes' five albums. The full track list features: "Jealous Again," "Twice As Hard," "Hard To Handle," "She Talks To Angels," "Remedy," "Sting Me," "Thorn In My Pride," "Bad Luck Blue Eyes Goodbye," "A Conspiracy," "Wiser Time," "Good Friday," "Blackberry," "Kickin' My Heart Around," "Go Faster," "Only A Fool," and "By Your Side." The Crowes were initially signed to Rick Rubin's American Recordings label and then became part of the Columbia family when it absorbed American in the late '90s. Disenchanted by what it felt was the label's lack of promotion, the Crowes decided to leave and are currently negotiating with other labels to release its next album, which the group will continue to work on while touring with Page. Frontman Chris Robinson described the new music for LAUNCH. "We have a bunch of good songs," he said. "We have a lot. . . I'm really excited. We have this really dark, edgy, hard sort of stuff, and then we have like five or six kind of -- dare I say -- Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young-esque big melodies, so I'm excited."
source: launch
5.16.00
So Far So Good? Black Crowes Honor A Work In Progress
The Black Crowes have put 10 solid years into their working man's Southern rock and roll and Columbia/American/Angelus Entertainment believes it's high time for a collection of said music to hit stores. So that's what will happen on June 20 when The Black Crowes: A Tribute to a Work in Progress ... Greatest Hits 1990-1999 is released, highlighting the best tracks from each of the band's five albums. All the gems from the band's classic 1990 debut, Shake Your Money Maker, are represented ("Twice As Hard," "Hard To Handle," "She Talks to Angels," and "Jealous Again") as are all the group's notable works since ("Remedy," "Thorn in My Pride," "Kickin' My Heart Around," "Only a Fool," "By Your Side," "A Conspiracy," etc.). Meanwhile, the Black Crowes will kick off their summer tour with Jimmy Page on June 24 in Chicago (allstar, April 13) and continue on the road through Oct. 1 in Cleveland. Here is the track listing for The Black Crowes: A Tribute to a Work in Progress ... Greatest Hits 1990-1999: 1. "Jealous Again" 2. "Twice As Hard" 3. "Hard To Handle" 4. "She Talks to Angels" 5. "Remedy" 6. "Sting Me" 7. "Thorn in My Pride" 8. "Bad Luck Blue Eyes Goodbye" 9. "A Conspiracy" 10. "Wiser Time" 11. "Good Friday" 12. "Blackberry" 13. "Kickin' My Heart Around" 14. "Go Faster" 15. "Only a Fool" 16. "By Your Side"
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Marah Takes On Black Crowes/Jimmy Page Dates
Philly-based rock outfit Marah has been chosen as the opening act on a large portion of the upcoming Black Crowes/Jimmy Page summer tour, set to kick off June 24 in Chicago (allstar, April 13). Marah will kick off things with Page and the Crowes and continue with the tour through the end of the second leg, which winds up in Spring, Texas, just outside Houston, on Aug. 30. Marah will be touring in support of Kids in Philly, which surfaced in March 21 on Artemis Records.
source: allstar news
5.14.00
Kenny Wayne Shepherd will has joined the first leg of the upcoming summer tour and will be opening the show on all of the dates except the June 29h gig at The Milwaukee Summerfest. You can check out more about Kenny Wayne Shepherd at his official website www.kwsband.com .
5.10.00
Black Crowes Get New Bassist For Page Tour
Fresh off the success of its collaborative "What Is And What Should Never Be" single with Jimmy Page, Southern rockers The Black Crowes are now gearing up for a full summer tour with the Led Zeppelin guitarist -- but will likely spend the next few weeks breaking in a new bassist. The Crowes have officially parted ways with Sven Pipien, who replaced previous bassist Johnny Colt in late 1997 and played on the group's "By Your Side" album, as well as its "Live At The Greek" concert record with Page. No reason was given for the Crowes' decision to part ways with Pipien, whom the band had known from his work in the Atlanta-based outfit Mary My Hope, and the Black Crowes have already selected Greg Rzab as its new bassist. Rzab has played with such blues greats as Buddy Guy, Otis Rush, Jimmy Powers, and Otis Clay, and is also familiar with some of the Led Zeppelin tunes the Crowes might be playing this summer, as Rzab appeared on last year's "Whole Lotta Blues: Songs Of Led Zeppelin" tribute album. The Black Crowes and Jimmy Page will kick off the first leg of its summer outing on June 24 in Tinley Park, Illinois
source: mtv.com
5.9.00
According to the Official Site, it appears Sven is out of the band and has been replaced by Greg Rzab. Not much more is known than that, check back soon because when I get the full story I will post it.
Also, the Bob Marley Tribute concert DVD is coming out on May 30th. Check out this site for more info (it features Chris Robinson)
Check out the new issue of Classic Rock magazine, with Jimmy Page on the cover for a great interview with him about the album, tour and more!
4.26.00
The Black Crowes and Jimmy Page will be playing at Milwaukee Summerfest 2000 on June 29th. Tickets go on sale Saturday, April 29th at 11:00 AM. Reserved seat ticket prices are $32.00 and $26.00. Tickets will be available at the Marcus Amphitheater Box Office, and at all Ticketmaster outlets.
4.25.00
The 96 Wave site has posted pictures of the Crowes show on 4.1.00, check them out!
4.24.00
The official site has gone through an overhaul, lots of new stuff to check out! Make sure you visit, because it has some ticketing information which I'm sure that everyone will love! Thanks to Boa for all his great work on the site!
4.21.00
The Page/Crowes Union 'Not A Marketing Strategy' -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (4/21/00, 3 p.m. ET) - The Black Crowes are very busy these days. Currently in pre-production for the recording of their next album, which begins May 9, the group is also making plans for its summer tour with Jimmy Page, with rehearsals set to begin May 21. Many fans and observers assumed Page and the Crowes would continue the association they began during a handful of shows in 1999, which resulted in the Internet album Live At The Greek. However, Crowes lead singer Chris Robinson tells LAUNCH that the artists themselves weren't as certain. "We didn't really plan on that," he said of the album. "These things have kind of just fallen into place. You know, it's funny -- I did an interview with somebody the other day, and I got really frustrated with him. 'Are you not listening to me, kid? Jimmy Page is a musician who happened to be in a band called Led Zeppelin that we all love. We're musicians who have a band called the Black Crowes, and we got together 'cause we wanted to play music together.' You know, it's not really that difficult a concept. There's no marketing strategy." Jimmy Page and the Black Crowes -- who will be sharing a road crew and production with the The Who this summer -- are slated to kick off their tour on June 24 in Chicago.
from launch.com
4.20.00
Check out video from the Page/Crowes press conference for the live album at guitar.com
Here is another Page/Crowes article
4.19.00
I added a new Audley interview and a Kerrang Challenge to the info section.
4.16.00
I made some corrections to the tour dates above.
Also, I added a Chris interview from Kerrang in the info section.
4.14.00
According to blackcrowes.com , the onsale date for the tickets is April 29th. Check ticketmaster for more details.
There is a new article on the tour on mtv site, with audio clips!
4.13.00
I added 3 new shows to the calendar, 9.29, 7.4, and 8.20. I don't know any onsale dates yet, but check with ticketmaster for them and price info.
4.11.00
As I mentioned before, the tour dates have been announced! I posted them in the calendar above.
4.10.00
The Who have announced their tour dates at Billboard, soon to follow are the Black Crowes, so check back soon for more details!
4.5.00
Tall as Can Be Project
The definitive collection of unreleased original material from The Black Crowes is here. You won't find these tracks on ANY domestic or import release. 2 CDs worth of music, encompassing 25 songs. "Tall As Can Be" contains music that, most likely, would have been part of the Black Crowes 3rd album, "Tall"; Plus a whole lot more. Learn more about how you can get your own copy of this incredible 2 CD set of unreleased Crowes material. Visit the site site TACB website, and sign up for the tree. Please pas the word on to anyone you think might be interested.
Thanks, James TALL AS CAN BE - A Black Crowes Compilation Project & Tree http://www.geocities.com/lctricity/tall.html
4.2.00
I added a picture of Jimmy Page in the info section promoting the cd.
Also, if you want to see the how the show yesterday went, check out the official site.
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Musicmaker.com Custom CD Shipments Exceed 900,000 in First Quarter 2000 NEW YORK, March 30 /PRNewswire/ -- Musicmaker.com (Nasdaq: HITS) today announced that for the first quarter 2000 they produced and shipped more than 900,000 custom CDs -- soaring more than 3000% from fourth quarter 1999. This increase in volume is a jump of over 2000% compared with the full year 1999. "The numbers obviously speak for themselves," said Larry Lieberman, musicmaker.com's President of Global Marketing. "Exclusive custom CD promotions with Jimmy Page and The Black Crowes, Beastie Boys, as well as business-to-business events have fueled our growth."
3.29.00
First Dot Com to Break a Song on Radio With 'What Is And What Should Never Be' From Jimmy Page and the Black Crowes
RESTON, Va., March 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Musicmaker.com (Nasdaq: HITS) today announced that the single "What Is and What Should Never Be" from their Internet-only release of Jimmy Page and The Black Crowes Live at the Greek, has entered the top 10 in Radio & Records rock chart, an industry monitor for radio success, in just four weeks. In addition, FMQB's Mainstream Rock Chart listed the powerful single at #6 with a bullet and it rose from #21 to #15 on Billboard's Rock Track Chart with the "Airpower" distinction, as well as rising from #18 to #14 with a bullet in Album Network. This makes musicmaker.com not only a leader in the e-commerce music revolution but also the first online music e-tailer to generate a hit single at radio. "What Is And What Should Never Be" is the first single off the customizable collection of titles from Jimmy Page and The Black Crowes' new CD Live at the Greek, recorded during their critically acclaimed, sold-out shows at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles on October 18 and 19, 1999. Currently, there are more than 100 radio stations signed up to participate in this precedent-setting web promotion, where radio stations' websites can sell the CD and there are over 150 stations playing the single. "Musicmaker.com is proud to be the first online music e-tailer to generate a hit single at radio," said Larry Lieberman, president of global marketing for musicmaker.com. "We aim to be at the forefront of the changing music industry with exclusive music and innovative new products." "This is a particularly exciting project for McGathy Promotions because of our long standing relationship with Jimmy Page and The Black Crowes," said Bill McGathy of McGathy Promotions. "Along with musicmaker.com's Don Maggi, we have put together a fantastic team that has achieved a high level of success to date." Musicmaker.com has been making waves in the music industry in the past few weeks due not only to the overwhelming success of the single, but also because of the unique way the CD has been marketed and sold. Jimmy Page and The Black Crowes Live at the Greek was released on February 29 exclusively at musicmaker.com and was only made available to radio stations with an online presence. Notably, the album was not available at traditional retail outlets. The success of the single and the album has given online e-tailers a winning business model in the evolving music industry.
3.27.00
The Black Crowes are guests on Conan O'Brien on Tuesday March 28th.
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Black Crowes Find Kinship, Hit Single In Pairing With Jimmy Page
Project reinvigorates their roots-rock approach.
NEW YORK — Last year's pairing of former Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page with the Black Crowes resulted in a sold-out tour, an Internet live album and a hit single. But more important, Crowes singer Chris Robinson said, it saved him from weariness and despair over his roots-rock band's place in a pop-dominated world. "In a world obsessed with things that are only popular for the sake of being popular, trying to do something that has more meaning and more dimension ... can bum you out," Robinson said earlier this month, sitting next to Page on a plush couch in the Trump Plaza hotel. "You do wonder, why am I doing this sometimes? Why do I put myself through this bullsh-- industry that can give a flyin' rat's ass? "
"Then we do something like this, and it's like, that's why," he said, turning to Page, who nodded sagely. Robinson wore aviator sunglasses and a shirt bearing the logo of the anti-drug program D.A.R.E., which seemed to amuse Page. Page — dressed inconspicuously for a rock god in a short-sleeved black button-down — said he, too, was energized by his tour with the Crowes. The outing has been immortalized on the album Live at the Greek. "I knew it was going to be good, but I didn't know quite how good it was going to be," Page said. "The first night ... it was electrifying, and it kept getting better and better. ... It was so intense."
Groundbreaking Online Album
The live album, available exclusively through online music company musicmaker.com, is on the verge of making music history. It appears to be fulfilling the company's hope of becoming "the first dot-com company to break music on the radio," in the words of Larry Lieberman, musicmaker.com's president of worldwide marketing. The Page/Crowes version of Led Zeppelin's "What Is and What Should Never Be" (RealAudio excerpt) was the most-added track at rock radio stations across the country in its first week of release, according to musicmaker.com. Last week, "What Is and What Should Never Be" was #17 on trade magazine Radio & Records' rock airplay chart. Live at the Greek is available as a two-CD set, but fans also have the option of picking tracks for a custom disc, or downloading tracks one at a time. Though it would not release sales figures, musicmaker.com said enough Page/Crowes live songs have been downloaded to make the album the best-selling paid music download ever.
Shared Roots
Even though their music is being distributed via modern technology, the bond that formed between Page and the Crowes was sealed by their shared roots in the music of the past, according to Page. "Because I'm older, I accessed them earlier," Page said. "But we've got the same roots — certain numbers like [the blues standard] 'You Shook Me.' I know they originally accessed the original Muddy Waters version, I'm sure of that." Robinson and his brother, Crowes guitarist Rich Robinson, seemed at ease with Page. The guitar hero and his new bandmates interrupted each other's sentences and laughed together at inside jokes, even as they acknowledged the strangeness of the partnership. "It's really rare to have the mix of something like Jimmy and us — someone as established as him, and our band, sort of put together," Rich Robinson said. "[It's] really sort of an odd pairing. A lot of people don't really ever pick up on the link between Zeppelin and us. They're too busy comparing us to the Faces and the Stones, which is annoying for f---ing 10 years." Comparisons to those '60s bands have dogged the Crowes since they issued their debut album, Shake Your Money Maker, in 1990 and scored a hit with their cover of Otis Redding's "Hard to Handle" (RealAudio excerpt). Some critics have accused the band of being excessively derivative.
Mutually Beneficial Pairing
Page, though, had nothing but praise for the Crowes. He said playing with the band allowed him to craft arrangements of Led Zeppelin songs that were closer to the album versions than any live performances — even those of Zeppelin itself — had been. "With 'Ten Years Gone,' it was a classic example — I never heard it like that on a stage," Page said. "It gave me the vehicle to be able to play very well, confidently, because of the backup, the infrastructure that was going on behind me, which was a dream." On that song, Page's wah-wah-ed lead riffs meld with rhythm parts played by Rich Robinson and Crowes lead guitarist Audley Freed to create a thick wall of guitars. "We definitely wanted to impress Jimmy," Chris Robinson said. "We've gone about music very seriously since we started — I think we definitely wanted to prove to Jimmy we're not just a bunch of yokels." The experience, which may continue in a tour this summer and a possible studio album, has already affected the Crowes. "Wait till you hear our next album," Robinson said to Page, laughing. Last year the Black Crowes released By Your Side, an album that marked a return to driving blues-rock after two discs of experimentation with psychedelic rock and other styles. Before his association with the Crowes, Page released two albums — No Quarter (1994) and Walking Into Clarksdale (1998) — with former Zeppelin singer Robert Plant. Led Zeppelin, whose hard-hitting riffs and painstakingly crafted arrangements influenced countless rock and metal bands, broke up in 1980, following the death of drummer John Bonham.
source: music news of the world
3.26.00
Nora is looking for submissions for her Black Crowes video project which is sort of like a behind the music program with the fans' perspectives.
"its kind of a BTM, from SYMM to the Page/Crowes thing. only with a fan perspective instead of a band perspective. basicly what i'm looking for is first impressions of the band, albums, looks, live preformances. also opinions of the band and an entity, what kind of role they played in the '90's, what they thought when Jeff, Marc and Johnny left and what they currently think of Sven, Audley and Jimmy. I'm not asking them to do all of that, just what they want to, you know?"
Please email her if you want to contribute
3.23.00
I got an email from gigmania, that the show on 5.5.00 was incorrect and they are not playing that day in Atlanta. I will let you know when new dates are announced, please keep checking back.
Also, the official Black Crowes site has been updated, check it out!
Also, watch for the Behind the Music special on VH1 on 03/28/00 10:30 pm ET
3.17.00
Black Crowes Talk About Free Agency
The Black Crowes are currently enjoying a radio hit with "What Is And What Should Never Be," a track taken from the "Live At The Greek" concert album with Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page. Now the Crowes are turning their attention back to some lingering business matters. In October 1999, the Atlanta rockers split from Columbia Records and American Recordings, who jointly released the Crowes' last record, "By Your Side," after the labels unwittingly failed to exercise their options to keep the Crowes signed to a contract. During a recent interview with The Black Crowes and Jimmy Page, Crowes frontman Chris Robinson and guitarist-brother Rich Robinson talked about how securing their freedom was what actually enabled them to put out the "Live At The Greek" album on Musicmaker.com (see "Jimmy Page, Black Crowes Discuss 'The Greek'"). "We are free agents," Rich Robinson said. "We're off of Columbia, because with Rick Rubin switching distribution all the time, there's bound to be some things [contractually] which fell through the cracks. And it was just a matter of how. And all lawyers are like this, and all law is like this."
"You say 'lawyer' as if it's a bad word," Chris Robinson said. "It is," Rich replied. "So someone's interpretation of [our contract] was different, and fortunately for us, Columbia's interpretation was wrong." "In a very real and legally binding way," Chris interjected. "We were in an option period which [Columbia/American] had to pick up," Rich resumed, "but they thought our next record would be the option period. So we're free and clear completely. If we weren't free, we wouldn't be allowed to put this record out with Jimmy."
Even though The Black Crowes and Jimmy Page were able to release "Live At The Greek," the Crowes found out that they were contractually prohibited from including their own songs on the recording. Unfortunately, a certain provision in the contract means the live versions of The Black Crowes' "No Speak, No Slave," "Hard To Handle," and "Remedy," featuring Page on lead guitar, will likely never be issued in any format. "On all major label contracts," explained Rich Robinson, "or 99 percent of them, which I just found out was standard for any artist, we're not allowed to re-release any song that has been released on a label until two years after our contract has [expired]." In the meantime, The Black Crowes say they are continuing to work on a new studio album and that they've already compiled more than 15 songs, some of which reflect the time the band has spent with Page.
"We're just writing right now," Rich Robinson said. "I have personal tapes of stuff that I've made, and Chris has notebooks of lyrics that he wrote, so we're sort of getting together right now and recording." "We have about 17 things," Chris Robinson added. "That are finished," Rich said, "and a bunch of others." "I just can't wait to hear what you've got," Jimmy Page said, "because I think, as far as their writing throughout the albums, [their writing] has really matured all the way through. The real [testament] of that is the last album." "This new record, you can definitely hear Jimmy's influence on us," concluded Chris Robinson, "[especially] after doing those shows." The Black Crowes' next show will see them play Joe Riley Stadium in Charleston, South Carolina on April 1, along with Filter, Matthew Sweet, and Apollo Four Forty.
source: mtv (with real audio interview clips)
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The Black Crowes Ex-Byrd, Black Crowe Join Jayhawks At SXSW (3/17/00, 6 p.m. ET) -
The annual South By Southwest Music Festival (SXSW), which wraps up Sunday in Austin, Texas, has been so packed with musicians that there were bound to be some on-the-spot-collaborations. One such meeting of musical minds occurred last night when the Jayhawks brought on not one but two special guests during their performance at La Zona Rosa. First, former Byrds frontman Roger McGuinn joined the band for a spirited version of McGuinn's "Lost My Driving Wheel." Later in the set, the 'Hawks brought out Black Crowes guitarist Audley Freed, who played on the Jayhawks' own "Sister Cry." The Jayhawks headlined the Columbia Records showcase to drum up some promotion for Smile The album, due May 9, was produced by Bob Ezrin, known for his work with such classic rockers as Pink Floyd, Alice Cooper, and Kiss. The SXSW Columbia showcase also featured Latin hip-hop act Cypress Hill as well as up-and-comers Crazy Town and Flybanger. -- Craig Rosen, Austin
source: launch.com
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"The Black Crowes' Audley Freed The hardest-working man at SXSW was undoubtedly Black Crowes guitarist Audley Freed. Still stoked about the Crowes' recent collaboration with former Led Zeppelin guitar maestro Jimmy Page, Freed came to SXSW with the Bottle Rockets, whose current bassist Robert Kearns was in Cry of Love with Freed. Besides playing with that group, however, Freed also stepped onstage Thursday with Robert Bradley's Blackwater Surprise and afterward with the Jayhawks. Caught backstage after the latter performance at Austin's La Zona Rosa, Freed said he was also anticipating sitting in with Gov't Mule, with whom the Bottle Rockets share a bill Friday. Freed wasn't Robert Bradley's only guest at the band's Thursday showcase. The group was also joined by teenage blues singer Shannon Curfman and her guitarist, Marlon Young, who, like RBBS, hails from Detroit. After RBBS's set, ZZ Top bassist Dusty Hill approached the band to tell the musicians how much he enjoyed their performance and their upcoming CD, Time to Discover, which hits stores Tuesday. "
source: wall of sound
3.13.00
New Tour Dates!!
Black Crowes....4/1/2000....Charleston, SC , more info at http://www.96wave.com/
5/5/00 Music Midtown Festival Atlanta GA , info from Gigmania (please note that they are not 100% confirmed yet)
3.11.00
I added a new interview with the crowes and an article from silicon alley in the info section
3.10.00
Jimmy Page, Crowes Discuss Possible Set Lists
Even though their new concert album, "Live At The Greek," is only available via the Internet, former Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page and The Black Crowes are wearing and tearing the radio charts with the first single from the record, a cover of "What Is And What Should Never Be." The song, which was recorded during one of the joint Page-Crowes shows last year (see "Jimmy Page, Black Crowes Discuss 'The Greek'"), was the most added track at Rock radio stations last week and debuts on the "R&R" Rock chart at number 29. "What Is And What Should Never Be" was one of 14 Led Zeppelin classics featured on the double disc set, although there was at least one other Zeppelin track that Page and the Crowes hoped to do at the shows.
"We picked some songs that we thought would be really cool," Crowes guitarist Rich Robinson told MTV News, "so we didn't have time to try and make 'Houses Of The Holy' work." "Actually, to be honest with you, you had sent a cassette of ['Houses Of The Holy']," added Jimmy Page, "and it sounded really great, actually. It sounded really good as you guys doing it, but within the context of that, to the other numbers that we were trying -- 'Let's try this and let's try that' -- all of a sudden it got left behind. "And I know their version was good from what I heard, and probably our collective version was good, but the other numbers were just getting more [attention]." Because of the success of "Live At The Greek" and "What Is And What Should Never Be," there continues to be talk about Page and the Crowes possibly heading back out on the road together for an extended tour this summer.
Even though such an outing has yet to be confirmed, Page and the Crowes are already talking about some of the songs they'd like to add to the tour's potential set list. "I wouldn't mind trying something off of, well, I don't know what," Page began, "and I'm not even gonna say --" "'Presence,'" interjected Rich Robinson. "But something off of 'Presence,'" Page agreed. "I won't even say what." "'Hots On For Nowhere,'" Rich Robinson chimed in. "That's what we wanna do." "There's lots of goodies on there," Page said, "which we'd do great with all the guitars." "We wanted to do 'Hots On For Nowhere' on the last [date]," Rich began, "but when I sat down and tried to pick it out, I went, 'Ugh, we need a month [to learn] this.' It was hard enough to learn 'Nobody's Fault [But Mine]' and 'Ten Years Gone,' so we were like, 'Man, I think this is a little too ambitious to learn right now.'
"But that was another one we really wanted to learn off of ['Presence']," he continued. "'Presence' is one of our favorite records. It's unbelievable. So there were lots of songs. 'In The Light' off of 'Physical Graffiti' is something I'd love to do. Something off of 'Led Zeppelin III,' which is an amazing record as well. It all depends." "And I want to do more of your stuff, too," Page said of playing Black Crowes material. "That'd be great," Rich said. "Yeah, 'HorseHead,'" suggested Crowes singer Chris Robinson. "It's essential," [RealAudio] Page concluded. Look for a decision regarding another Page-Crowes tour to be made and announced within the next couple of months. In the meantime, Jimmy Page and The Black Crowes' "Live At The Greek" album is currently available for digital download or on a custom-made CD at Musicmaker.com.
Audio clips at the MTV article
3.2.00
Posted a new pic of Page and the Crowes from the conference in the info section.
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Page/Crowes Live at the Greek World Broadcast Premiere: http://www.955klos.com/viewentry.asp?ID=26410
You can listen live from their website if you have realplayer.. check it out!
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Here is a link to the Chat Transcript at Electric Magic!
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Page Says More Black Crowes Work May Be Coming
(3/2/00, 10 a.m. ET) - Jimmy Page told LAUNCH that he's certainly up for continuing his alliance with the The Black Crowes during an interview in New York City on Wednesday (March 1) to promote the new album Jimmy Page And The Black Crowes Live At The Greek.
"We've discussed the possibility of maybe having a collaboration in the studio," Page said. "We've also discussed possibilities of maybe doing some more touring around everything, you know? It's all being discussed. There's so many different avenues that you can go down at the moment, and, you know, they're all very positive and good, and we'll see what comes out of it all."
Jimmy Page And The Black Crowes Live At The Greek is only available on the Internet. The music is featured at www.musicmaker.com in three ways: the full 19-song, two-CD set, which costs $17.90; songs that are picked and sequenced by the buyers themselves, which costs $4.95 for the first five songs and $1 more for each additional song on a CD; or, single-song downloads to your computer, with each track going for $1. For more information or to make an order, go to www.musicmaker.com.
Page was wondering what the demand would be for an Internet-only album. The former Led Zeppelin guitarist half-jokingly told LAUNCH that he was a little worried about how many people would actually go online to order the album. He needn't have been concerned -- so many people tried to get the music that the company was swamped. The servers at Musicmaker.com crashed last night, due to the overwhelming number of orders coming in to the site. While a final tally was unavailable at press time, Jimmy Page And The Black Crowes Live At The Greek is being hailed as the best-selling custom CD and paid download in the history of Internet music, according to a spokesman for the project. -- Bruce Simon and Darren Davis, New York
Rolling Stone Article:
Jimmy Page, Black Crowes Release Internet-Only Live Album Page and the Robinson Brothers unveil "Live at the Greek" Birds of a feather They didn't mean to make an album. Honest. That's the song Black Crowes frontman Chris Robinson sang to RollingStone.com in October when he discussed his band's string of live dates with Led Zeppelin last fall. "It's just about getting together and playing," he said at the time. "It's not like we have a live album coming and a VH1 special."
The song, as it turns out, did not remain the same. While there's no word yet on a VH1 special, Robinson joined his brother Chris and Page in New York Tuesday to announce the release of Live at the Greek, a double live album available exclusively through MusicMaker.com. Fans can purchase the entire, nineteen-track double album on the site, or assemble their own custom disc by selecting only the songs they want, in the order of their choosing. According to Page, who looked as much like a proud parent as a co-band member when he wrapped his arms around the Robinsons' shoulders for photos, the decision to record their collaboration came around the time of their three-night stand in New York. "We played at the Roseland, and the place was electrified," said the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer. "We decided, we have to record this, because otherwise it would just be lost." All of the songs on the album were captured on their second night playing at the Greek Theater in Los Angeles, the last night of the tour.
"We didn't really expect to make a record," admitted Chris Robinson. "We didn't know what to expect. But it is there, and the new technology is just another tool. We made a very human record." Page described the evolution of the album as "a very organic process." So organic, according to Crowes manager Pete Angelus, that the project would have been inconceivable had they gone with a traditional record label rather than MusicMaker. "It only started a couple of months ago," he said. "This moved so quickly [that] had we been doing this on a major label and gone down the road of major-label distribution, we wouldn't be sitting here today talking about this record at this point in time, because we would have been talking about it for five or six months just trying to set up the production. The Internet and MusicMaker have afforded us the immediacy to get this music to the fans the way the artists would like to get it to them." In conjunction with the release of the album, "Oh Well," a cover of the vintage Peter Green-era Fleetwood Mac song, is currently available as a free download on Myplay.com, while "What Is and What Should Never Be" has been released to radio as a single.
Although the six shows Page played with the Black Crowes last year all featured a few of the Atlanta band's own songs in the mix, the resulting live album contains only classic Led Zeppelin material and handful of blues covers: "Heartbreaker," "In My Time of Dying," "What Is and What Should Never Be," "Custard Pie," "Celebration Day," "Out on the Tiles," "Whole Lotta Love," "Nobody's Fault But Mine," "You Shook Me," "Lemon Song," "Your Time Is Gonna Come," "Ten Years Gone," "Sick Again," "Hey Hey What Can I Do," "Shake Your Money Maker," "Woke Up This Morning," "Shape of Things to Come," "Sloppy Drunk" and "Oh Well."
According to Angelus, the lack of Crowes originals stems from a standard contract clause that prevents artists from re-cutting songs for a new label within two years of recording them (the band remains signed to Columbia Records). Angelus said that the partnership with MusicMaker may only be just beginning, hinting at a possible Page/Crowes tour this summer, from which additional music would be made available on the Internet. But Page's manager Bill Curbishley was quick to stress that the recent reports of Page and the Crowes touring with the Who (whom he also represents) were premature.
2.29.00
Note: this tour is not confirmed yet, but it is possible they will officially announce the tour sometime soon.
Page/Crowes To Tour U.S. With The Who
Billboard Online has exclusive details on what is shaping up to be one of the summer's hottest concert tickets. According to a source, SFX Entertainment will produce a "rock'n'roll caravan"-style show featuring the supergroup of Jimmy Page and the Black Crowes and, on some or all dates, the Who. Details are still being finalized, but the tour is expected to play 25-35 dates beginning in July, at mostly outdoor venues.
Although the acts will rotate from city to city, a handful of double bills featuring both acts are in the works, several of which are planned for the conclusion of the tour. Both acts recently inked deals with online retailer Musicmaker.com to offer downloadable live albums. "Jimmy Page And The Black Crowes Live At The Greek" -- drawn from the final two shows of the group's brief fall 1999 U.S. tour -- will be sold exclusively online beginning today (Feb. 29). A live Who album recorded last winter at shows in Chicago and London will be made available later this spring exclusively through Musicmaker.
The tour will be the Who's first since 1997, when the act's surviving members -- guitarist Pete Townshend, vocalist Roger Daltrey, and bassist John Entwistle -- regrouped to perform the Who's 1973 rock opera, "Quadrophenia." Last fall, the band reformed again for a handful of charity concerts in the U.S. and U.K. At these shows, the core group was backed by drummer Zak Starkey (the son of Ringo Starr) and longtime Townshend keyboardist John "Rabbit" Bundrick.
source: billboard.com
The Page/Crowes live album is now available from musicmaker.com
Here is an article from USA Today:
Black Crowes CD lands only on the Web
By Mike Snider, USA TODAY
Former Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page and the Black Crowes are taking the Web-only path in releasing a live album. Rather than make the CD available in retail stores, Jimmy Page and the Black Crowes Live at the Greek will be available only at custom CD and download site Musicmaker.com. Fans can pick and choose tracks (about $1 a song) or order an 18-track, two-CD set (about $18) with a booklet and liner notes. Fans also can download samples and buy downloadable songs individually via PC. "I like the idea of putting out this album like this. It's not conventional," Black Crowes front man Chris Robinson says. Adds Page: "Giving the fans the ability to select songs makes them part of the creative process."
Albums released on the Net are not entirely new. David Bowie and Pete Townshend have previewed recent releases online, and the Beastie Boys let customers choose from the songs on their latest collection, Sounds of Science. But soon after the online release, those albums were available in brick-and-mortar stores. The Page-Crowes album will be available exclusively through Musicmaker. "This continues on the path of emphasizing consumers," says the site's Larry Lieberman. "It's giving consumers more choices. They do get to make a recording mixing the songs they want." The album features more than two hours of music from the Oct. 18-19 performances at L.A.'s Greek Theater. Songs include classic Zeppelin tunes, such as Heartbreaker and Whole Lotta Love, as well as vintage blues numbers. "I don't think anyone expected there to be a record," Robinson says. "But in listening to the tape, there was energy. We said, 'Wow, this is kind of happening.'" The musicians' managers turned to the Net because of its immediacy for artists and fans alike. "For people who are creative and spontaneous, you can get your music in the marketplace faster," Lieberman says.
Lieberman says the Page-Crowes release breaks ground in that radio stations can get involved by playing songs, then referring listeners to Musicmaker. Stations will get a cut of the revenues. "Radio has sort of been cut out of online music," he says. "We're cutting them in." Despite the part their music may play in setting online music trends, the Crowes' Robinson acknowledges not being on the cutting edge. "I am from the old country, man. We can talk about e.e. cummings, but I don't know much about computers." His more-wired brother Rich, the band's lead guitarist, thinks that Net distribution can help musicians get their work directly to their fans. "The major labels today are dinosaurs. They only know how to work with one kind of band now, and others are getting shafted." Still, downloadable music has pros and cons, he says. "You can get more music to more people, and we can put out whatever music we want. The only bad thing is some jerk can rip it off. That's disrespectful."
2.28.00
News from Led-Zeppelin.com:
Jimmy Page and Chris Robinson of the Black Crowes will take part in an AOL live chat, March 1st at 8pm (for AOL subscribers)
if you can get into it, ask him if he will released more live material of Led Zeppelin, when he's going to work with Robert again, and for Chris, when the next album and tour will be.
2.25.00
Thanks to Shaker for telling me, you can find a poster of Page/Crowes in the April Issue of Guitar World with smashing pumpkins on the cover.
Musicmaker Gets Exclusive Page/Crowes, Who Sets
As tipped here last month, Musicmaker.com has struck exclusive deals for two high-profile albums. The digital music compilation "Jimmy Page And The Black Crowes Live At The Greek" will be sold exclusively online beginning Tuesday. A live Who album recorded last winter at shows in Chicago and London will be made available exclusively through Musicmaker "in the next few months," according to Bill Curbishley, worldwide manager for Page and the Who. The Page/Crowes set will be available as a preselected, 18-track double album. But, more visitors are expected to custom-compile one or two discs from the 19 available songs, a mix of classic Led Zeppelin tracks such as "Heartbreaker" and "What Is And What Shall Never Be," and vintage blues numbers such as Fleetwood Mac's "Oh Well," that were recorded at shows on Oct. 18-19, 1999. Tracks may also be bought as individual downloads.
The Who are not currently under contract to a record label; Page is contracted to Atlantic only as a member of Led Zeppelin or as the duo Page & Plant, Curbishley says. Custom-CD specialist Musicmaker, a publicly traded company whose shareholders include EMI Recorded Music, is acting as a traditional record label for the project. The company is working a single to radio stations and planning promotional and marketing vehicles, including print ad campaigns, to spread the word on the release
The Who's live release comes amid a flurry of activity for the band and its guitarist, Pete Townshend. On April 18, Atlantic will release a remastered version of Townshend's 1982 solo album "All The Best Cowboys Have Chinese Eyes." After its initial release, "Cowboys" peaked at No. 26 on The Billboard 200. Townshend's six-CD "Lifehouse Chronicles" box set is now available via his website at www.eelpie.com. In May, the artist will release "Lifehouse Elements," a 16-track sampler of that material, on the Red Line label. Townshend's first-ever "Lifehouse" concerts will be held tonight (Feb. 25) and Saturday (Feb. 26) at London's Sadler Wells Theatre. "Lifehouse" centers on music's power to help inhabitants of a post-apocalyptic world transcend their dire existences. Townshend originally conceived it in 1971 as a multi-media music experience, but the stress of completing the project drove him to shelve it for many years. Songs intended to appear in "Lifehouse," such as "Won't Get Fooled Again," "Baba O'Riley," and "Behind Blue Eyes," were later included on the Who's "Who's Next" album. Other tracks, such as "Let's See Action" and "Pure And Easy," surfaced on Townshend solo albums and Who rarities collections. The Who's new "BBC Sessions" compilation, which collects 25 tracks recorded for the U.K. station between 1965 and 1973, debuted at No. 101 on The Billboard 200 this week.
source: billboard
2.24.00
Chris Robinson will be speaking , along with Jimmy Page and many other stars at Silicon Alley, to promote the Page/Crowes live album !
2.23.00
Download the new Page/Crowes song from Musicmaker today, I think its only up for a limited time.
Here are details from the upcoming live album !! :)
| JIMMY PAGE & THE BLACK CROWES |
| LIVE AT THE GREEK |
|
Coming February 29th for custom cd and download: Heartbreaker 6:01 In My Time Of Dying 9:43 What Is And What Should Never Be 5:29 Custard Pie 5:23 Celebration Day 3:35 Out On the Tiles 4:00 Whole Lotta Love 5:34 Nobody's Fault But Mine 6:49 You Shook Me 8:29 Lemon Song 8:59 Your Time Is Gonna Come 5:59 Ten Years Gone 6:35 Sick Again 4:37 Hey Hey What Can I Do 3:37 Shake Your Money Maker 4:28 Woke Up This Morning 4:17 Shape Of Things To Come 3:15 Sloppy Drunk 6:04 Oh Well 4:24 |
2.22.00
I got this from the FBO list:
Exclusive Windows Media Download of Live Jimmy Page and the Black Crowes Track Available Feb. 23 REDMOND, Wash., Feb. 22 /PRNewswire/ --
On Wednesday, Feb. 23, Microsoft Corp.'s WindowsMedia.com and Musicmaker.com will offer a free digital download of Jimmy Page and the Black Crowes performing the classic Led Zeppelin song "What Is and What Should Never Be." The track will be available exclusively online for 24 hours, after which it will also be released to radio. The download will be available at WindowsMedia.com (http://windowsmedia.com/) beginning at 12 a.m. on Feb. 23 in Windows Media(TM) Format, which provides built-in digital rights management and CD- quality sound at half the bit rate and file size of MP3. WindowsMedia.com is the MSN(TM) guide to audio and video content on the Internet.
The Windows Media Player can be downloaded for free* at http://www.microsoft.com/windows/mediaplayer/download/. What: Exclusive download of Jimmy Page and the Black Crowes single "What Is and What Should Never Be" When: Begins Wednesday, Feb. 23, 12 a.m. PST Where: WindowsMedia.com (http://windowsmedia.com/)
2.17.00
I added a link to Frayed.org, which has a new list of all the songs the Black Crowes have played live with lyrics!
2.7.00
I recently got this email from the official BC site:
There are lots of exciting happenings at the official Black Crowes on-line store. While the guys have been together working on new music, Chris Rich and Steve signed some copies of 'By Your Side' and we are giving our on-line fans the exclusive chance to own this collectible CD from http://news.blackcrowesdirect.com/cgi-bin/gx.cgi/mcp?p=634aq034au43Fd901200mGw8LGwFd.
You can also get the very limited edition Japanese photo book with tons of awesome shots of the band and a foreword by Chris. Of course there are shirts, a long sleeve henley to keep you warm this winter, and some rolling papers for when you want to light it up. Look for the new release 'Live at The Greek' featuring Jimmy Page available late February at http://www.musicmaker.com and check back to the official store for upcoming auctions and more exclusive merchandise from the most Rock N Roll band in Rock N Roll.... The Black Crowes. http://news.blackcrowesdirect.com/cgi-bin/gx.cgi/mcp?p=634aq034au43Fd901200mGw8LGwFd
2.5.00
Page, Black Crowes Songs Going Online
Former Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page will release online a set of live tracks recorded in October with the Black Crowes, Page spokesperson Anne Weldon said. The tracks will be sold by download and in CD format starting in late February through musicmaker.com, but not in stores. Among the 18 songs available will be renditions of Zeppelin favorites such as "Whole Lotta Love," "Hey Hey What Can I Do," "In My Time of Dying" and "Custard Pie."
from: sonicnet
1.29.00
Online Albums From The Who, Page/Crowes?
Online Albums From The Who, Page/Crowes? Online live album releases from the Who and the supergroup of Jimmy Page and the Black Crowes could surface within the next couple of months. Billboard Online hears that the albums will likely be available as song-by-song digital downloads or custom compilations through e-tailer Musicmaker.com. Additionally, Billboard Online has learned that the Who may follow the release with a reunion tour beginning in August. No further details were available at deadline.
Tracks for the Who's online album will reportedly be drawn from four shows last winter at the House Of Blues in Chicago and Shepherd's Bush Empire in London. Those gigs featured original Who members guitarist Pete Townshend, vocalist Roger Daltrey, and bassist John Entwistle along with Zak Starkey (the son of Ringo Starr) on drums and John "Rabbit" Bundrick on keyboards. Musicmaker's Larry Lieberman would not confirm the plans for the full albums. However, a cover of Fleetwood Mac's "Oh Well," drawn from a Page/Crowes gig in Los Angeles last fall, has been available for download from Musicmaker.com since early January. Lieberman confirms that the track is the first of a series from the recent Page/Crowes tour that will be made available for download in the coming weeks. The Who's connection with Musicmaker.com dates back to last fall, when Townshend released his entire Platinum Entertainment album "Pete Townshend Live: A Benefit For Maryville Academy" in digital format on the site. Lieberman reports that "the Townshend project was great. Certainly the success of it led to more discussions." Bill Curbishley, who manages Jimmy Page, also manages the Who. In November, Townshend said on his official website that he hoped the Who's recent performances would see the light of day quickly. "The shows at Chicago House Of Blues were very carefully recorded," he wrote, "and we are hoping for a major [though limited] release as fast as we can turn it around." As for the possibility of a full-scale Who tour this summer, Townshend remarked at the time, "I don't rule anything out at this stage. But I am going to resist setting dates. I can see no point in touring, unless for charity, or out of dire financial necessity, without some tight new creative focus for the three original Who members. So before anything else happens, we need new songs."
If the Who and Page/Crowes albums are released digitally, it is likely that both would see a subsequent release on CD. Page told Billboard's Timothy White in October that because his tour with the Black Crowes was so limited, he worried that die-hard fans were not able to attend the shows. "You want people to go away going, 'What a great night I had.' " he said. "That's the reason we recorded the last two nights at the Greek Theatre in L.A." Musicmaker.com has enjoyed success with its custom compilations, particularly an ongoing promotion that allows fans to make their own 2-disc Beastie Boys album from more than 150 of the band's tracks.
source : billboard
1.26.00
I posted a couple of Blue Floyd reviews in the info section
1.22.00
Check out the Jan 2000 issue of Classic Rock magazine for a review of one of the Page/Crowes gigs in NY as well as a picture of Rich and Chris that I haven't seen before.
1.11.00
The Page/Crowes Live album has been confirmed! check out this link to Led Zeppelin: Tight but Loose
1.8.00
Check out this link to download one of the Page/Crowes songs , at Boa's site.
12.24.99
Check out Blue Floyd at their website ! 2 members of the Black Crowes are in it, Ed and Marc and they are a Pink Floyd cover band. It should be a good show, if youre into that check out their site.
12.21.99
I added some new pictures from the page/crowes shows, thanks to Ron and a couple of new links
12.20.99
Chris Robinson is interviewed on the One Love site, its around the 27:00 mark.. I liked the interview, nice to see something recent on the BC's!
12.19.99
I added some new pictures.
12.5.99
The Bob Marley Tribute will air on channel TNT on Sunday, December 19th, at 8pm
Encores: Dec 19th @ 10pm, Dec 22nd @ 11pm
One Love: The Bob Marley Tribute
Chris Robinson is scheduled to perform with other artists on Saturday, December 4th at 8:30pm EST in" One Love" The Bob Marley Tribute" . You can go backstage with the guests and participate in a live chat session with the artists PLUS listen to the broadcast online! It is on channel TNT
10.19.99
I added a new article, thanks to Chrissie!
11.10.99
Announcement: The Black Crowes have finished touring for 1999 and will not be on the road any more until sometime next year. Meanwhile they will be taking time off and working on their new album. More details will come in the future about that and their label status. Stay tuned for updates...
11.6.99
Check out the new Black Crowes internet radio feed at Virtue and Vice !
10.30.99
I added 2 new articles to the info section
10.28.99
Black Crowes Flying Coop?
The Black Crowes, who recently teamed up with former Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page for a series of live shows, may be leaving their record label behind. According to a statement issued by the band's publicity firm, Columbia Records recently missed a "timely option exercise" in regard to the Crowes' contract. This isn't the first time this has happened, either. Back in 1992, following the release of Shake Your Money Maker, American Recordings didn't exercise its option on the band, though at the time, the band renegotiated.
According to the band's manager, Pete Angelus, the Crowes have entered into conversations with Columbia, but, according to the statement, "it is unknown whether discussions have ensued with other labels." So while the Black Crowes future on Columbia seems murky, it looks as though their future is still decidedly bright. The band is in negotiations regarding a live album with Jimmy Page, as well as a Crowes-Page summer tour.
10.25.99
Crowes Fly Free from Columbia!
Interesting news, check it out at boa's site.
10.24.99
I added a few articles, on from a uk mag, one from an la times review of the page show, and one of a soundcheck story at the NY show, and also a link to VC's page.
10.20.99
The Page/Crowes shows were amazing! check out my review in the Info section!
10.14.99
Check out the new BC online store, Black Crowes Direct !
10.12.99
New pictures from Netaid, etc in the info section
10.9.99 - Netaid Schedule plus articles
the NETAID SCHEDULE is here! Check it out!
Rolling Stone article:
CHRIS ROBINSON HAS A WHOLE LOTTA LOVE FOR ZEPPELIN
Chris and Rich Robinson were introduced to Led Zeppelin when their babysitter left a copy of "Led Zeppelin II" at their house, circa 1972. "I used to put on "Whole Lotta Love" and get so freaked out," Chris explains, and then impersonates the song's dissonant guitar squawks. "I loved it, but it scared me to death." Close to thirty years later, the Brothers Robinson (Chris on vocals, Rich on guitar) will share the stage with the man behind those guitar sounds. On Oct. 12, 13, 14 in New York; Oct. 16 in Worcester, Mass.; and Oct. 18-19 in Los Angeles, the Black Crowes - rounded out by Eddie Harsch, keyboards; Steve Gorman, drums; Sven Pipien, bass; Audley Freed, guitar - will perform with Jimmy Page for no purpose other than the love of rock & roll. "It's just about getting together and playing," Chris says. "It's not like we have a live album coming and a VH1 special.
The Crowes first met Page while opening for his Zeppelin mate Robert Plant - or "Uncle Bob" as they call him - in 1990. Page then sat in with the band during a 1992 show in Paris, and he and Plant later asked the band to join their first Page & Plant tour. This past June, Page needed a band to back him for a London benefit, and he called his new friends. "We were like, 'Yeah, as a matter of fact, I think we could probably squeeze that in,'" says Chris, laughing. "It was a real honor for Jimmy to call us out of all the people in the world he could call." Robinson says his band was not intimidated going into the rehearsal. "We've got to sit in with a lot of cool people over the years, and we're confident in what we can do musically - that's been our whole driving force since we were, well, horrible," he says, laughing. However, things changed once Page picked up his guitar. "We had been doing the breakdown to "Whole Lotta Love" in one of our songs, so we said, "Oh, we know "Whole Lotta Love." So Jimmy goes (impersonating Page's guitar) 'Ga gonk ga gonk gonk ga gonk...' and we were just total geeks. We just looked at each other like [in a panicked voice], 'What are we supposed to do'? Then Jimmy was like [in an English accent] 'Can I have my Theremin?' And we were like [panicked voice again] 'The Theremin?' I thought Steve, our drummer, was gonna have a f---in' heart attack."
But when they took the stage of London's Cafe du Paris with Page to run through some Zeppelin numbers, some Crowes numbers and some old blues covers, the boys were at ease. "It was literally one of those things where everyone just had big smiles on their faces; it was just awesome," Chris says. "On the heels of that, we were like, 'Wow, let's go home and do this.'" When the first two New York shows sold out in mere minutes, they were inspired to add another one, and then the Worcester show. "It's exciting to me that people want to see something for the sake of the music," Chris says. "I think that's something that's lacking now." So, will there be even more shows added? "We'll do anything," Chris says. "Were like [in a goofy voice] 'Yep, Jimmy, yep, yep, yep.' Whatever Jimmy wants to do- that's sort of the motto of the tour."
Besides "Whole Lotta Love," Chris says the band is working up Zeppelin classics like "In My Time of Dying," and "Hey Hey What Can I Do," as well as covers, like Otis Redding's "Ole Man Trouble" and Peter Green-era Fleetwood Mac's "Oh Well." And, of course, Page is learning some Crowes songs. "We are changing some of the arrangements around so that he has bigger spaces to do what he does," Chris says. "We're like, 'Jimmy, play as long as you want. Just knock yourself out, man.'" For the Zeppelin songs, Chris will stick to his own style and won't try to impersonate Uncle Bob. "It's like if Led Zeppelin was fronted by Tina Turner now," he explains. "It's a little more of my thing than Robert's, but I stick to the melodies and lyrics. But this is a non-pressure gig for me. I'll just sing the songs and let the guitar players do all the work; I'm just an accouterment to this whole buffet. There's three very good guitar players at one show; between Jimmy, Rich and Audley, it's like 'Wow!'" So the Black Crowes are ready, Jimmy Page is ready, and the fans are ready - but what about that babysitter who planted the seeds for this rendezvous all those years ago? "We never used her again," Chris explains, with a hint of regret in his voice. "She had boys over, and I totally narked her out to my mom."
an article from cdnow:
October 7, 1999 Crowes Singer Talks Jimmy Page Chris Robinson of the Black Crowes says there's still a "pinch me" quality to his band's team-up with former Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page, which will yield a handful of performances during October in New York, Boston, and Los Angeles — as well as at the Oct. 9 Net Aid show in New Jersey, where Robinson and his brother, guitarist Rich Robinson, will sit in with Page. "I'm just excited to literally be in a band with Jimmy — that's how we see it," says Robinson. "It's like, we'll all travel to L.A. together, stay in the same hotel, stuff like that. It's really cool, man. For us, it's nice to have the recognition from Jimmy, someone we respect so much and someone who's such an influence on our music. It doesn't legitimize all the work, but it makes a lot of it come home for us, like, "See, motherf---ers — that's why we've been doing this the way we do it, because we want to be that caliber musician." The Crowes and Page — who first met several years ago, and did a London benefit together this summer — began rehearsals on Monday (Oct. 4).
Robinson says they've come up with a list of Zeppelin and Crowes favorites, as well as old blues songs they both like. He expects the atmosphere to be charged but relaxed, which he feels is important to the success of the performances. "It's not like the pressure of the Black Crowes. It's not the pressure of Page and Plant," he says. "It's very casual and very just about the music. And I think that's maybe what attracts him to it, and I know that's what attracts me to it." — Gary Graff
an article thanks to Opus!
"Their time is gonna come - Black Crowes happily skip a vacation to jam with Jimmy Page" by Ed Condran Steve Gorman never practices when his band is on hiatus. The Black Crowes drummer doesn’t pick up a stick unless he casually sits in with friends. "I just get too burned out from touring," Gorman said while calling from his Atlanta home. "So I just don’t want to work on things while I’m on a break." However, there is an exception to every rule. The Black Crowes have been off its lengthy tour for nearly two months. But Gorman has been behind his kit every day since the band received a phone call from legendary guitarist Jimmy Page in late August. "He said he would love to do a few shows with us and do we definitely want to go out with him?" Gorman said. "There’s certain questions that are very easy to answer, and that’s one of them. That’s why I’ve been playing nonstop since then. I’ve been listening to and playing a bunch of (Led) Zeppelin songs."
The Black Crowes and Page will be rendering a number of their own songs plus a number of blues classics Tuesday through Thursday at Roseland in New York City. "It’s going to be a great mixed bag," Gorman said. "We’re going to be doing some Chuck Berry, Otis Redding, and Jimmy Reed. We’ll be doing a number of our songs, and it’s going to be very cool playing the Zeppelin songs, since it’s so obvious that Jimmy still loves playing them and we love playing with him. We’re just so glad he called us in the first place." Page initially contacted the Black Crowes in June and asked if they would back him at an all-star benefit concert in London. "He called us and said that he was the headliner and he needed a band," Gorman recalled. "He told us that we’re the only band he could think of who could do the job. I know Jimmy likes us because we’re a real band, and there’s not a lot of that around these days.
So we came in with swelled heads, rehearsed a bit, and had the greatest time playing Zeppelin songs." "After that show we said that we ought to do this again and he said sure. We didn’t want it to be just one of those things you say and forget about. We called Jimmy the following month and he got back to us and we’re pumped to do a few shows with him and play his songs, our songs, and whatever else comes up." Tracks from each Zeppelin album, with the exception of the British band’s swan song "In Through the Out Door," are on the set list. "We’re excited about running the gamut with Jimmy," Gorman said, "I’m especially excited that we’re going to do a lot of ‘Physical Graffiti.’ We’re going to do ‘Custard Pie’ and ‘Sick Again.’ We told Jimmy we wanted to do ‘In My Time of Dying,’ and he said, ‘but that’s a hard one.’
We told him we have more than a month to work on it. He was obviously pleased we picked something so intricate to do." Gorman stressed that he and Black Crowes’ bassist Sven Pipien are the lone members who have reason to sweat over the situation. "There’s no doubt about that," Gorman said with a laugh. "You know that nobody is going to confuse (vocalist) Chris (Robinson) with (Led Zeppelin vocalist) Robert Plant. (Guitarist) Rich (Robinson) and (guitarist) Audley (Freed) don’t have to worry about much since Jimmy is going to do the solos. So Sven and I are freaking out, and that’s why I’m practicing now." "It’s funny since I’ve ripped off Bonham more than any other drummer. He and Ringo (Starr) are my favorites and probably the reason I am a drummer. I’m not going to try to duplicate everything he did. I’m just going to try to recreate the feel and everything will be alright for the two, two and a half hours that we’re playing." Page requested the band learn the recorded versions of the Zeppelin songs but told the Black Crowes, which also include keyboardist Eddie Harsch, to be prepared to jam. "That’s what Zeppelin did live, and we’re up for that," Gorman said. "I’m glad we’re not doing just one show since it will be interesting how the shows evolve. It’ll be interesting what direction the songs take and the set list is going to change every night, which makes it even more fun."
After the brief tour, the Black Crowes will resume its own tour. "We love doing out thing but this is just too special," Gorman said. "I’m glad we followed up with Jimmy, who is one of the sweetest guys you’d ever want to meet, and were able to do this. This will be one of the greatest things this band has ever done."
10.6.99
I got this email regarding netaid and the crowes, but im not sure if its true about the times. Check yourself to confirm it.
Hello from Sonicnet. I just wanted to let you know about the NETAID cybercast and chat we are sponsoring this Saturday. This is a online cybercast to help end world hunger. Please feel free to post the official banner on your site.
Black Crowes will be featured in the Cybercast starting at 11PM Saturday, October 9th.
NetAid featuring Black Crowes Sat, October 9, 12:00 PM EDT http://netaid.sonicnet.com
The biggest names in music convene for a concert of colossal proportions to help the underprivileged and oppressed. SonicNet, VH1.com and MTV.com cybercast live from Giant's Stadium in New Jersey from 5:00-11:00 PM. Performers scheduled to appear include: Black Crowes, Counting Crows, Puff Daddy, Bush, Busta Rhymes, Jewel, Sheryl Crow, Sting, Wyclef Jean w/ Bono and many more. More about NetAid: NetAid is not a one-day event. It is a long-term effort to build a community of conscience dedicated to providing basic needs: food, shelter, legal protection, human rights and health care.
10.5.99
Added new Audley Freed Interview thanks to Spidermouth (in the info section)
10.1.99
Black Crowes, Jimmy Page Collaboration Born In Club Gig
They'll play their own songs and blues covers in brief U.S. tour.
A upcoming six-date tour that will find former Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page sharing a stage with blues-rock band the Black Crowes had its roots in a one-off club gig during which the same musicians played several Zeppelin songs. "It went so well," singer Chris Robinson said Tuesday. "It opened the door for everyone to say, 'What if we did this on a bigger scale?' That's how much fun we had playing. Everyone was blown away." At the June 27 gig at the Cafe Du Paris in London, Page and the Black Crowes played such Led Zeppelin classics as "In My Time of Dying," "Whole Lotta Love" , "Down by the Seaside" and "The Lemon Song"
They'll begin rehearsals in New York next week for the short tour during which they'll perform blues covers as well as Black Crowes and Led Zeppelin songs, according to Robinson. Among the cover possibilities, Robinson said, are Jimmy Reed's "I Ain't Got You" and Jimmy Rogers' "Sloppy Drunk." The tour begins with a three-night stand Oct. 12–14 at the Roseland Ballroom in New York. "For us, it's just a thrill," Robinson, 32, said. "It's about going out to have a good time. We want to go out and enjoy a different dynamic. Jimmy kind of takes away some of the pressure. It makes it very casual." From New York, the collaborators head to Worcester, Mass., for an Oct. 16 show at the Worcester Centrum and then to Los Angeles for shows Oct. 18 and 19 at the Greek Theatre, according to a Black Crowes spokesperson. Robinson said no decisions will be made on what Black Crowes songs would be on the setlist until rehearsals are under way.
Though he said he and younger brother Rich Robinson, 30, have begun writing songs for a sixth Black Crowes album — he gave "Cypress Tree" and "Bled to Death" as two working titles — none of that new material would likely be played during the shows. Robinson said he expected to begin recording the album in February. The Black Crowes earlier this year released By Your Side, an album that marked their return to driving blues-rock after two albums — Amorica (1994) and Three Snakes and One Charm (1996) — that found them experimenting with salsa and psychedelia. The band, spawned in the Robinsons' hometown of Atlanta, released its first album, Shake Your Money Maker, which included the hit "Hard to Handle" (RealAudio excerpt), in 1990. The Black Crowes' heavy guitar rock, rooted in soul, blues and classic rock, has often been compared to the sound of Led Zeppelin, who broke up a decade earlier. Page, 55, talked about the blues influences that figure to creep into the upcoming shows during an interview last year to promote Walking Into Clarksdale, an album with former Zeppelin bandmate Robert Plant. "Our roots [in the blues] go back decades, right from when we first started individually getting into music," he said. "All of it comes out [on our records] in one shape or another." The guitarist was unavailable Thursday (Sept. 30) for comment on the tour with the Black Crowes.
source: sonicnet
9.16.99
BLACK CROWES' CHRIS ROBINSON DISCUSSES JIMMY PAGE SHOWS
When the Black Crowes and Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page take the stage for "A Rock N' Roll Evening" in New York and Los Angeles in October (allstar, Aug. 26), it will undeniably be a defining moment in rock history, but don't expect the usual amount of post-gig album releases and commemorative merchandise.
"There is no pressure, that's what cool about it," remarks Black Crowes frontman Chris Robinson. "Today's music business is so chock full of calculated things and things that would revolve around an album and a tour and a VH1 special. We're just doing it for music's sake. But maybe that's not so cool, maybe we should fucking whore it out. But to me, that's what is gonna make it something from the summer that I'll never forget. Rock and roll for rock and roll's sake."
Sparked by a one-off benefit gig in London in June (allstar, June 28), the Crowes and Page will bring "A Rock N' Roll Evening" to the Roseland Ballroom in New York City on Oct. 12-14 and the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles on Oct. 18-19. Expect the shows to last between two and two-and-a-half hours each, according to Robinson, and in addition to a host of Zeppelin, a few Crowes' tunes, and covers of Fleetwood Mac's "Oh Well" and B.B. King's "Woke Up This Morning," the Crowes and Page are currently learning Otis Redding's "Ole Man Trouble," Chuck Berry's "Ain't That Just Like A Woman," and Jimmy Reed's "I Ain't Got You" for possible inclusion in the set.
"It's going to be heavier on the Zeppelin side, a few selected Black Crowes numbers and then cover tunes," says Robinson. "That's the thing, when you have Rich [Robinson], Jimmy [Page], and Audley [Freed], it's like 'Let 'em go!' So I think playing blues and some R&B numbers is part of it too and letting the guitar players do their thing. As the lead singer, I'll let them do that."
As for singing lead on some of Led Zeppelin's biggest tunes, Robnison is quick to point out he will not be mimicking Robert Plant but rather placing his own vocal stamp on the songs. "It's not just a Zeppelin thing, we bring the way we play to it also," he says. "We stick to the meat of the matter but I just have a different sort of [singing] style. Mine is more like if Tina Tuner was in Led Zeppelin."
But at the same time, he's still a bit star stuck. "It really is cool to have someone as illustrious as Mr. Page enjoy playing with us," Robinson says. "When we played in London, everyone had a big smile on their face the whole time. It's is totally fucking awesome."
Meanwhile, the Crowes have written around nine tunes for their next record, the follow-up to this year's By Your Side (Columbia), including "Bled To Death" and "Cypress Tree." The band hopes to begin rehearsing the songs in January and hit a studio in February. According to Robnison, the album will be decidedly heavier than By Your Side, although the singer just can't seem to figure out from where that change was spawned. "As far as our new songs, we're already in a another place again compared to the last one," he says. "It seems much darker and sort of heavy -- maybe cause we've been playing with Jimmy, I don't know. Heavy guitars? I wonder where that came from?"
source: allstar news
9.14.99
According to boa, a new Page/Crowes date has been added!! :)
10/16/99 - Boston, MA @ The Worcester Centrum (on sale 09/18/99)
9.10.99
New Tour Dates:
10.22.99 - Las Vegas, NV - The Joint (on sale NOW!)
10.23.99 - San Francisco, CA - The Maritime Hall (on sale Sunday the 19th)
9.2.99
Someone on the board was selling their tapes, check it out here.
8.26.99
OH YEAH!!!!!! i can't wait for this show!!!!
"A ROCK N' ROLL EVENING" JIMMY PAGE AND THE BLACK CROWES TOGETHER LIVE IN CONCERT PERFORMING THE BEST OF LED ZEPPELIN AND THE BLACK CROWES AS WELL AS RHYTHM & BLUES SHOWS SET FOR NEW YORK AND LOS ANGELES IN THE FALL
Expect the definitive, ultimate rock n' roll experience when JIMMY PAGE and THE BLACK CROWES join forces - together live - for four special concerts: two in New York City (Roseland, October 12 and 13) and another pair in Los Angeles (the Greek Theatre, October 18 and 19). Billed as "A Rock N' Roll Evening," the shows will feature both artists performing the best of Led Zeppelin and The Black Crowes as well as an assortment of their favorite rhythm and blues songs. Tickets for the NYC gigs go on sale Friday, September 10, while tickets for the Los Angeles shows will be available Sunday, September 12.
Management for both artists are taking steps to combat any ticket scalping. The upcoming U.S. shows by Jimmy Page and T he Black Crowes were inspired by the roof-raising full set they performed on June 27 at the 400-capacity Cafe du Paris in London. In addition to those lucky enough to be inside the club, thousands of fans crowded outside the venue to catch an earful of the excitement happening inside.
Described by observants as "magical and intense," the show included such songs as "Whole Lotta Love" (Led Zeppelin), "Hard To Handle" (The Black Crowes), "Woke Up This Morning" (B.B. King), "In My Time Of Dying" (Led Zeppelin), "Shake Your Money Maker" (The Black Crowes), and "Oh Well" (Peter Green-era Fleetwood Mac).
8.25.99
Taller is no more, check out the official site for details.
Also, there is going to be some gigs with Jimmy Page, check back later when they are confirmed.
8.20.99 - new link, VH1 BTM
I added a new link to jeff's page. Also, here are the scheduled dates for the BC Behind the Music program on VH1. Be wary, they have cancelled before, so be sure to complain if they do that again!
Tuesday, August 24: 6:00 PM
Tuesday, September 14: 11:00 PM
Wednesday, September 22: 6:00 PM
8.9.99 - New Links
I added a link to shaker's page, and a new Steve Gorman Fan Interview
7.31.99 - New Article, Tabs
I added a new article from Rolling Stone to the info section and a new Tab also
7.28.99 - Fuji Rock Festival Info, new article
I added a new Audley Article to the info section.
FUJI ROCK FESTIVAL '99 featuring Rocket from The Crypt, Atari Teenage Riot, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Fountains of Wayne, Fun Lovin' Criminals, Black Crowes, Skunk Anansie, Bernard Butler...and more! Live from Naeba, Japan Video Cybercast Thursday, July 29 starting 10:00 PM (ET), 7:00 PM (PT) Friday, July 30 starting 11:00 PM (ET), 8:00 PM (PT) Saturday, July 31 starting 9:00 PM (ET), 7:00 PM (PT)
Link to: http://www.sonicnet.co.jp/station/event_fuji99/
Don't miss this end of the century party music festival from the far east. SonicNet Japan brings you the Fuji Rock Festival '99 Live from Naeba, Japan! Confirmed Performances By: Ash, Atari Teenage Riot, Bernard Butler, Blur Death In Vegas, Femi Kuti, Fountains of Wayne, Fun Lovin' Criminals, Happy Mondays, Joe Strummer & the Mescaleros, Neve, Rocket From the Crypt, Skunk Anansie, Stevie Salas, The Black Crowes, The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Tricky & more...
7.18.99 - more updates..
More paris gig pictures added, a new interview and new tabs added.
7.17.99 - updates..
I added a new article and a new trader list .
7.11.99 - New Fall Tour Date
They are scheduled to play at the Greek Theater in Los Angeles, CA on 9/16/99
7.9.99 - He's Back!
ED'S BACK! Keyboardist Eddie Hawrysch of The Black Crowes returned to the stage on Tuesday, July 6 in Berlin, Germany after missing eight shows due to emergency surgery he underwent to correct a twisted intestine. Performing favorites such as "Jealous Again," "Remedy" and "Go Faster" (the newly-released single from the band's critically acclaimed "By Your Side" album), Eddie took his place alongside the rest of the group, who had been keeping his seat warm onstage every night by setting up a six-foot inflatable green alien at his keyboards. The Black Crowes are in the midst of their European tour which will last through July 30th, when the band performs in Japan at the Fugi Rock Festival. Meanwhile, look for the band to launch another round of headlining dates in the U.S. in the fall. Dates will be announced in the coming weeks.
7.8.99 - new articles
I added a couple new articles to the info section, one older one and one new. Thanks to Jason D. for posting them!
7.7.99 - New pics from Europe!
Thanks to Chris M , these pictures are from from Bielefeld (Germany), and also there's a nice one of Eddie too :) ; they are in the info section.
7.5.99 - Page Pics!
check out my info section for the pics from the Page show.
7.1.99 - Page show news from TBL (the best Led Zep news page)
PAGE: BACK ON-STAGE Unconfirmed but usually reliable reports follow - alas TBL couldn't raise the mortgage to allow us access...!! The charity event was in aid of ABC Task Brazil Trust, for the street children of Brazil and was organized by Jimmy, Jimena, Emily Cash (Pat Cash's wife) and Nathalie Smith (Adrian Smith's wife). The event was sponsored by Calvin Klein who invited almost all of the guests. Other acts included Roger Taylor playing Queen songs and the Stereophonics who had Billy Duffy guesting on Wild Flower.
Jimmy Page setlist as follows Page w/Black Crowes (minus keyboardist Ed Harsch), Shake Your Money Maker, Sloppy Drunk (Jimmy Rogers song), Woke Up This Morning (BB King song), In My Time Of Dying, Oh Well (Fleetwood Mac song), Whole Lotta Love (very short version) Approx 42 mins
Short Break
Page w/Guy Pratt and Michael Lee Dazed And Confused (instrumental version, no bow solo)
Page w/Guy Pratt, Michael Lee, Steven Tyler and Joe "Fuckin'" Perry Train Kept A Rollin', Heartbreaker
Page w/Guy Pratt, Michael Lee, Steven Tyler and Joe "Fuckin'" Perry, Rich Robinson and Chris Robinson You Shook Me Combined Sets Approx 30 mins Onstage at 11.25pm Finshed at 1.00pm
Page wearing black trousers and black T-shirt with white logo (probably Scream logo) Calvin Klein had cameras filming the event. It was good to see all of these musicians together on stage at the same time, but with only a couple of rehearsals the performance was not that tight. The best song was the instrumental version of Dazed and Confused. Jimmy seemed to be enjoying himself as did the crowd of approximately 700.
6.28.99 - Jimmy Page Charity Show
Here is the setlist of the show, from Boa:
Shake Your Money Maker, Sloppy Drunk, Woke Up This Morning, In My Time Of Dying, You Shook Me, Oh Well, Whole Lotta Love
When i get more details I will post them. If anyone has a tape of the show, please let me know and post it on the forum!
Eddie Released from the Hospital!!
Black Crowes keyboardist Ed Hawrysch was released from a hospital on Monday (June 28) in Laige, Belgium after emergency surgery sidelined the musician on Thursday (allstar, June 24). Hawrysch fell ill en route to London from Cologne, Germany and was rushed to the nearest hospital in Laige where doctors performed emergency surgery for a twisted intestine. He missed the band's scheduled gig with Aerosmith at Wembley Stadium in London on Saturday (June 26), but he was there in spirit as the band erected a large green alien in front of Hawrysch's keyboards in honor of their first show without him in nine years. Although the keyboardist will miss Monday (June 28) night's show in Brussels as well, he is travelling with the band and will rejoin the group onstage as soon as he is able.
Meanwhile, ex-Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page joined the Crowes onstage at the 400-capacity Café du Paris in London on Sunday (June 27). The seven-song set, a benefit for SCREAM (Supporting Children through Re-Education and Music) and ABC (Action for Brazil's Children), included three Led Zep tunes ("Whole Lotta Love," "In My Time of Dying," "You Shook Me"), one Crowes song ("Shake Your Money Maker"), a B.B. King cover ("Woke Up This Morning), and a Fleetwood Mac oldie ("Oh Well"), among others. Aerosmith's Steven Tyler and Joe Perry joined the soiree as well, helping Page and the Crowes closed the set with "Whole Lotta Love."
6.27.99
Apparently Eddie is doing fine and recovering in the hospital, meanwhile the tour is continuing without him until he is out. If you want to mail cards to him, send them via Taller at: P.O. Box 1077 Ocean Township, NJ 07755
6.25.99
June 25, 1999 The Black Crowes Keyboard Player, Ed Hawrysch, Rushed To Hospital For Emergency Surgery Which May Jeopardize Remainder Of The Black Crowes European Tour.
After last nights show in Cologne, The Black Crowes were travelling to London for tomorrows show at Wembley Stadium when keyboard player Ed Hawrysch was taken severely ill. Ed was rushed via ambulance, which met the bands bus en route outside of Brussels, to the nearest emergency facility in Laige. Surgeons were immediately called in and concluded that emergency surgery was necessary. At the present time, his condition has been stabilized, however, the doctors are continuing with testing and the band and management are awaiting a final prognosis. As a result Ed will be unable to perform with The Black Crowes until further notice. The Black Crowes management and band are currently having conversations with the doctors and promoters to discuss what implications this will have on not only their inclusion on tomorrow Wembley bill, but also the rest of their tour which is scheduled to conclude in Tokyo on July 30. Ed Hawrysch has been a key member of The Black Crowes since 1991. The Black Crowes are anxiously awaiting further information, and are trying to accommodate their fans by coming up with an alternative setlist for tomorrow's Wembley performance. More information to follow.
Once I get an address for cards, I will post it.
6.20.99 - Taller has moved!
Here is the new address:
P.O. Box 1077 Ocean Township, NJ 07755
6.10.99
Thanks to Blues for posting this:
Jimmy Page and the Black Crowes will team up for a special one-off benefit concert being held at the Cafe du Paris in London on June 27. Page personally asked the Crowes to serve as his backing group for the charity show, which will feature a mixture of both Page and Black Crowes songs as well as some cover tunes selected specifically for the event by Page and the Crowes' Chris and Rich Robinson. Proceeds from the show will be donated to the Action for Brazil's Children's Trust, a charity Page sponsors that provides aid to poor and underprivileged youths in the South American country. The concert will be a reunion of sorts for the legendary Led Zeppelin axeman and the Southern trip-rock band, as the Black Crowes opened a string of dates on the Jimmy Page/Robert Plant No Quarter Tour back in 1995. The Black Crowes have also demonstrated its familiarity with several songs from the Led Zeppelin repertoire recently, as the band incorporated snippets of "Dazed and Confused" and "Whole Lotta Love" into its live set during the Crowes' recent tour with Lenny Kravitz and Everlast.
5.27.99
I added a new forum on the main page! check it out and I hope to see people using it and posting ..
5.25.99
You can win an all-expense paid trip to London to see BLACK CROWES and the STEREOPHONICS and meet them backstage before you see them perform live at Wembley Stadium on June 26 with AEROSMITH, THE GOO GOO DOLLS and LENNY KRAVITZ!
To enter and for competition rules, visit http://www.bugjuice.com/stereophonics/
The contest ends on June 2nd.
5.21.99
I just saw Star Wars Episode I, and it was really great! I think the critics gave it bad reviews just because they were jealous of George Lucas or something, or they were on something! It was better than I expected and the Special Effects were the best I've seen in any movie!! Its definitely worth checking out just for that! It also follows the continuity and "feeling" of the other 3 movies, and it doesn't drag out too long like some of those that are 3 hours or more. Its one of those that you have to see in the theaters because no matter how good your home theater system is, it can't really replicate the huge screen, and great surround sound system that the movie theater has, and if you don't get to fully experience those aspects, then the movie won't be nearly as good! I know that I will be going back quite a few times to see things that I missed and to absorb the enormity of it all! Overall rating would be: 9/10
See it as many times as you can and tell everyone you know!!! Check out this Star Wars vs. Titanic site!
5.15.99
I added a new article from Metal Edge to the info section, thanks to Cheryl!! also i added a new tape trader's list, dave's.
5.14.99
New Black Crowes live recordings available:
check the official site for more info , here
5.8.99
I added Mark's tape trading list to the info section
5.3.99
Don't forget about the VH-1 Behind the Music special on May 9th. set those vcrs!
5.1.99
There is a new Black Crowes interview in Metal Edge magazine, June issue. Its pretty good, about 2 pages long with some pictures, so if someone can type it and send it to me, it would be very cool!!
4.30.99
I added a new interview with Steve Gorman to the info section.
4.29.99
I added a new link in the Info section to a Crowes Real Audio interview.
There are new Tshirts for sale by TALLER on the official website
I added a couple of new interviews in the info section.
I added a new article in the info section, On the Couch, and updated ICQ list
Rich Robinson is offering a reward for the return of a guitar stolen backstage at The Black Crowes' February 16th show at the Dews Hall Grand Center in Grand Rapids, MI. The missing instrument is a 1963 Fender Esquire (a white guitar with a rosewood neck) valued at $6,000 and it's a rare find he came across last year in Los Angeles. Robinson had been playing the guitar onstage every night and had been composing new songs on it. He was also looking forward to playing the guitar on the group's upcoming outdoor amphitheatre tour launching April 23rd in Los Angeles. The trek is in connection with their "By Your Side" album, which features the single and video "Only A Fool." Meanwhile, representatives for The Black Crowes say that no questions will be asked with the return of the guitar, and anyone with information about the missing instrument is asked to e-mail the group at tallest@blackcrowes.com .
First up: the debut of their "Only A Fool" video--which the channel has added out of the box--this Tuesday, March 16. Then, on Sunday, May 9, the band will be the subject of their own hour-long "Behind The Music" special. It'll be a revealing look inside the life and times of the controversial band who released their debut album SHAKE YOUR MONEY MAKER back in 1990.
Presently, THE BLACK CROWES--CHRIS ROBINSON, vocals; RICH ROBINSON, guitars, vocals; STEVE GORMAN, drums; EDDIE HARSCH, keyboards; bassist SVEN PIPIEN; and touring guitarist AUDLEY FREED--are catching fire with their Columbia Records debut BY YOUR SIDE, which first spawned the #1 rock radio track "Kicking My Heart Around" and also features the newly released official first single "Only A Fool." It's already a Top Ten rock track and debuted at #20 on the triple-A chart. The success of the song--an infectious mix of rock, soul and pop--will be fueled by the video, a colorful and eye-grabbing visual experience. Directed by Al Yankovic and shot in the band's Atlanta hometown, it captures THE BLACK CROWES in all their feathered glory
