On November 11th, 2019, Chris and Rich Robinson announced that the Black Crowes would be reuniting to celebrate the 30th anniversary of their debut album Shake Your Moneymaker. This is probably very exciting news to the fans of the Black Crowes’ more commercial releases of such hits as “Twice As Hard,” “Hard to Handle,” and the mega-hit “She Talks to Angels.” The fans that are excited about this news are the fans that ditched the Crowes decades ago when they decided that they didn’t want those hits to be the primary representation of the Black Crowes. Let’s go back a bit and work our way forward.
Starting on their 1995 Amorica or Bust tour, the Black Crowes made the bold decision to tour playing a different setlist each night while not leaning on their “hits” as a crutch. While this alienated many of the band’s fly by night fans, this move solidified a huge, cult following that was more reminiscent of the Grateful Dead’s fans (Deadheads) that the average radio listening fan. This move definitely had the band playing smaller venues than if they had stuck to their commercial sound, but the Black Crowes still played sold-out shows, multiple nights in some cities, and they seemed like they had hit their stride and found their identity.
It’s no surprise that the Black Crowes was plagued with issues. Drug use, heavy alcohol use, and constant fighting between brothers Chris and Rich Robinson rocked the band to and fro like a fishing boat in stormy waters. The first casualty was lead guitarist Jeff Cease, who would go on to be replaced by former Burning Tree guitarist Marc Ford. This lineup would continue to deliver two of my all-time favorite albums, The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion and Amorica.
The follow-up album Three Snakes and One Charm is without a doubt the sound of a band splitting at the seams. This would be the last album to feature the Black Crowes’ now-iconic line-up as guitarist Marc Ford and long-time bassist Johnny Colt found the door and exited the band. From that point on, the sole remaining member would be forming member/drummer Steve Gorman who was also many times referred to as the “Third Robinson Brother” who held the drums down amongst a cast of revolving characters including Mr. Crowes Garden bassist Sven Pipien, guitarists Audley Freed, Luther Dickson, Paul Stacey, and Jackie Greene, and keyboardists Ed Harsch and Adam Macdougal. Shit, I’m sure that there was more, but this is proof of just how fucking impossible the Robinson’s are to work with.
The Black Crowes played their last gig in 2013. Black Crowes fans had hoped that the band would do a proper farewell 25th-anniversary tour, but it wasn’t to be. The Robinsons hated each other with a passion, Chris was in LA playing with his band The Chris Robinson Brotherhood, and Rich formed a band called The Magpie Salute which featured former Black Crowes members Marc Ford and Sven Pipien. Chris Robinson Brotherhood was a band that played all of their own songs, never swaying into Crowes waters while Rich’s Magpie Salute put on live shows that were heavy on Black Crowes played pretty badly.
As much as I loved the Black Crowes music and live shows, the band never seemed to able to catch the magic of my favorite lineup that featured the Robinsons, Gorman (drums), Ford (guitar), Colt (bass), and Harsch (keyboards.) That lineup was the heart and soul of everything the Black Crowes were about. Every lineup after that classic lineup just seemed to be like a rebound hookup. The heart, the soul, and the passion was gone. Even after seeing all of the later incarnations of the Black Crowes, I never seemed to be moved like I once was. The Black Crowes seemed to be a band going through the motions and honestly looked like they didn’t even want to be there.
In November of 2019, Chris and Rich Robinson went on the Howard Stern Show to announce that the Black Crowes were reuniting to celebrate the 30th anniversary of their debut album Shake Your Moneymaker. There were rumors floating around for months that Live Nation (the biggest concert promoter on the planet) was offering the Robinsons a nice, hefty check to reunite. After hearing this, the whole thing reeked of a gash grab. With an appearance that was nothing short of awkward and completely forced, the brothers stated that they forgave each other and were ready to move forward. If blood is thicker than water, I guess money is thicker than both.
Not only did the Robinsons announce a “reunion” but they also announced that there would be NO original members in the band. NONE. ZIP. NADDA. Just the brothers and their “paid by the hour” musicians. The band that at one time stood as a band that I had the utmost artistic respect for has now been reduced to the likes of KISS and other bands that Chris Robinson once publically spoke out against swearing they would never the money-hungry mongers that the others were. Insert foot in mouth, Mr. Robinson.
While I will always and forever love the legacy that the Black Crowes left behind, I cannot with any faith call this travesty “The Black Crowes.” Why not call it Robinson & Company or The Chris & Rich Show? This will never be the Black Crowes. The Black Crowes was so much more than the Robinson brothers. The Black Crowes was a band. It was a communal gathering of musicians that threw it all into a giant cauldron and stewed magic. The end result was much bigger and much more magical than just the barebones lyrics and riffs. The songs were brought to life by six people that put all of their heart and soul into them only to be cast aside like unimportant extras in a movie.
Two short years ago Chris Robinson not only expressed disdain for his brother [see video below], he had this to say about the post-Jerry Garcia Grateful Dead band Dead and Company which features pop singer/songwriter/guitarist John Mayer.
“The Grateful Dead has turned into this giant nipple that everyone sucks off of to get money.”
I guess that means that the Black Crowes have turned into nothing more than a giant nipple that everyone sucks off to get money. This is a classic, timeless example of the pot calling the kettle black.
Rest in Peace, Black Crowes. You will be forever missed and to the Robinson brothers, enjoy your huge ass check. Looks like the mighty dollar far outweighs any artistic credibility you ever had.
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