The Black Crowes are Still Soaring
Definitely Birds of their own Feather
by Rex Rutkoski
http://www.insidecx.com/interviews/index.html


     The Black Crowes never have been much for hype.
     Guitarist Rich Robinson, who, with brother and vocalist Chris Robinson, 
fronts this musical contingent that has established a reputation for most 
decidedly insisting on doing things its way, will admit he actually likes a tag 
with which the Crowes' publicists are heralding the group these days: "The Most 
Rock 'n' Roll Rock 'n' Roll Band In The World."
     "Yes," says Robinson through a smile, "it came from an article written 
about us in [U.K.'s] Melody Maker. The writer hated us. We just thought it [the 
expression] was funny. I think the term 'rock and roll' has been convoluted and 
sort of pushed into the corner over the years."
     After all, he reminds, rock and roll once stood for breaking down barriers 
instead of building them. "And that goes for social barriers, too," he adds. Now 
it's all about niche marketing on a corporate level. "And it's very small," he 
says. "We don't have anything to do with that." For the Black Crowes, says 
Robinson, rock and roll is different. "Ours is more soulful. It spans more 
different genres."
     A band like the Crowes, that speaks its mind and has been around for a long 
time, develops a reputation of being difficult, he suggests. "Our stance always 
has been, 'You have 1,500 bands on your label and we have one.' I don't really 
give a s**t what they have to say. We are able to go to sleep at night feeling 
proud of what we do. That [attitude] might have hurt us."
     It certainly hasn't prevented them from finding ways to get their music to 
the people, however.
     "At the end of the day, music is why we are here. It's not fame and money. 
All that is secondary," Robinson allows. "It's not a good reason to get in a 
band. You've got to love that you do. We really take our music seriously. That's 
what we do first, what matters first and foremost. We stuck to our guns because 
of it. Not too many bands have been around after 12 years."
     And, armed with a new album, Lions, they are going around the tour circuit 
again this year on the intriguingly named "The Tour of Brotherly Love." The co-
headlining trek features the Black Crowes and U.K.'s Oasis in what is being 
billed as exemplifying the best of live American and British rock.
     Robinson says it is only coincidental that the Crowes happen to have an 
album out for this tour. "We've been able to go out without new albums, which 
has been good," he says.
     The band has its own career philosophy, he says. "We don't do things 
because others told us it would be good to do. We don't go out on tour to sell 
records. We wish all our records would sell 120 million, but that's not why we 
tour."
     Lions, their sixth album, marks the Crowes' debut on V2 Records and the 
first time they were produced by the legendary Don Was.
     "I love this album. A lot of times the record sort of dictates where it's 
going to be with the songs," Robinson says. "The songs sort of dictate where 
it's going to go. One cool thing working with Don is he came in and really 
properly read where Chris and I wanted to take it and he helped us get there."
     That's really what you want from a producer, he says. "He makes the record 
the band wants to make, and is not interested in making it sound like him. 
That's a big difference," Robinson explains. "Some producers don't want to piss 
off the labels. They don't want to go against what the record company thinks."
     He says he is really happy with every record the Crowes complete. "It 
encompasses what we want. Our songwriting has reached a new level. Chris and I 
are very much on the same page. There was really good, positive energy 
throughout the whole thing."
     Robinson says the creative process has not changed for the band. "The songs 
just really come how they come. They just sort of happen," he says. "Basically I 
write the music and I write the lyrics. I'll sing Chris a melody and we will 
work on an arrangement together."
     He believes the Crowes have a lot of musical prowess. "Everyone is on a 
high musical level. As far as our songs go, you can say the same thing. I'm 
really proud of all the songs Chris and I write."
     They work best in a spontaneous and very creative environment, he says. 
"It's not like we have to spend a year on a record. We are able to make a record 
in a week if we have to-first takes, and really incorporate all the spontaneous 
elements most people need."
     Robinson believes the Crowes have evolved thematically. "Totally, since day 
one," he says. "I loved Shake Your Money Maker [their 1990 multi-Platinum debut 
album]. After 22 months on tour we had all the tools we needed to make Southern 
Harmony, which was a statement [1992's The Southern Harmony and Musical 
Companion]."
     It was made in eight days. "That's a statement. It was recorded all live," 
he says. "With Amorica [1994] we wanted to make a studio record, we wanted to 
use the studio and really delve into different ways of approaching songs and 
writing.
     "You can look at all our records and sort of track it. Three Snakes [Three 
Snakes and One Charm, 1996] was a more organic record with a lot of acoustic. In 
By Your Side [1999] we wanted to make a very straight-ahead rock record, and 
this record encompasses everything we've done in our career. We've taken it to 
the next level."
     He advises new musicians just coming into the business that want to do the 
same to "go with your gut feeling. When you meet someone you should be able to 
listen to your gut, and if it tells you something is wrong don't do it."
     While he believes that an increasing number of young musicians are much 
savvier as to the business of music, he warns, "You still have predatory people. 
They still prey. We got sued by some guy claiming to be something he wasn't. We 
had to spend two years all because this guy said he was our friend and took 
advantage of it. But I think people are so in the know now as far as business 
dealings."
     To creative people, making good music is important, he reminds. "We always 
wanted our music to mean as much to other people as music has meant to us over 
the years," Robinson says. "Music has moved us throughout our childhood into 
adulthood. In a way it's hard to really put a finger on what music means to us. 
What all sort of art and creative endeavors are supposed to do in any field, 
books and movies and architecture and painting and other mediums, it's supposed 
to challenge you and give you other ideas and make you look at something in 
different ways."
     Corporations may want to control it, he says, "but they can't if it comes 
from pure places."
     It all comes down to attaining your own idea of success. "It's being able 
to do what you want to do and be proud of it," he says. "It would be great if we 
were selling millions of records all the time and still be able to make the 
records we want to make.
     "At the end of the day, success is being able to make the records you 
always wanted to make. And in 12 years in the business, like the Crowes, it's 
not submitting to all the sort of territorial bulls**t that gets thrown on you. 
Success is living by the lifestyle you choose to lead and still make music every 
day, which is something you love to do."