4/3/02
Black And Blue And 
on His Own
Former Black Crowes and Blue Floyd guitarist flies
solo, lands at The Farm

from the Crowes Nest: http://qfg.tierranet.com/crowesnest.html


Lorne M. Chambers

In 1991, guitarist Marc Ford was on the road playing
with the band Burning Tree, the opening act for The
Black Crowes, who were still flying high following the
release of their breakthrough debut album Shake Your
Money Maker (1990). When Crowes’ guitarist Jeff Cease
up and left (or was asked to leave) the band, Ford was
asked to step in. Life was good for the young
guitarist. He and Crowes’ frontman Chris Robinson were
best friends and the band was just about to go into
the studio to record their second album, The Southern
Harmony and Musical Companion (1992). 

The album did well and the band continued to tour
religiously, developing a loyal following. Amorica
(1994), the third album, did not sell as many copies
as the first two but Crowes fans embraced it and their
reputation as a volatile and raucous rock ‘n’ roll
band, in the same mold as The Rolling Stones,
continued to grow. 

Although musically The Black Crowes were at the top of
their game, things had begun to sour for Ford who felt
restrained in the band and that he wasn’t allowed to
contribute much to the creative process. “Well, I was
pretty tired of being there. I just wasn’t enjoying it
much at all,” says Ford. 

“I had my hands tied for so long with the Crowes. When
I joined, I knew there wasn’t a possibility of
writing,” Ford says now looking back on the
experience. “Rich and Chris [Robinson] wrote the songs
and they were the band. But after a couple of years, I
really needed to start writing again. I just didn’t
have a creative outlet.”

In 1996, Ford recorded his last album as part of The
Black Crowes. Three Snakes and One Charm (1996) was
the band’s fourth album and was released among rumors
about the feuding Robinson brothers and the band’s
illicit drug use, particularly Ford’s. Ford left the
band in 1997, in what he calls a “mutual decision”

“By the time I left the band, I had quit drinking
because my health was really bad. I had dabbled a
little with the wrong things but I was done with all
that by the end. I just wasn’t there. I mean, I was
there physically, but that was it,” says Ford. 

Since his departure, The Black Crowes put out two
disappointing albums By Your Side (1999) and Lions
(2001), neither receiving the fanfare nor the critical
acclaim as the band’s previous four albums. 

Many fans contend the Crowes never attained the same
level of quality they had achieved during Ford’s days
with the band. Although most fans stayed loyal to the
Ford-less Crowes, many also continued to track the
fromer guitarist’s career. 

Shortly after leaving the band, Ford fronted the band
Federale and was signed by Geffen Records. But while
working on the pre-production of the band’s first
album, a merger between Geffen Records and Interscope
resulted in the label dropping Federale.

Ford went on to join the band Blue Floyd, along with a
handful of other talented musicians, such as Berry
Oakley Jr., of the Robbie Krieger Band and son of the
late Allman Brothers bassist Allen Woody and Matt Abts
of Gov’t Mule, and Johnny Neal of the Allman Brothers.
The band, which played the Music Farm a few months
ago, plays Pink Floyd songs with a bluesy twist. Again
with Blue Floyd, Ford’s creative urges were not
satisfied.

“To be honest, I overstayed my time there,” he says
about his time with the high-profile cover band. “At
least where I felt comfortable. I mean, the whole
thing started with Allen Woody, then when Woody
passed, it started to just be a cash source. Once I
heard they were going to do Beatles songs, I was like,
that is it.”

Now, for the first time, Ford is on his own. He has
just finished his first solo album, appropriately
titled It’s About Time. It isn’t Crowes-like or Blue
Floyd-like, it is Marc Ford finally writing, playing,
and singing his own songs. “To me, it is just honest.
It is American. Just honest,” describes Ford. “I
didn’t really pre-think anything. I tried to make it
as diverse as I could. 

“Hopefully, we will get the label support and spend
some time out on the road. At least spend the summer
out on the road,” he says. While Ford awaits big label
interest in the album at the ripe old age of 36, he is
beginning his first solo tour. Ford and his touring
band, The Sinners, will play the Music Farm Monday,
April 8. Charleston’s answer to The Black Crowes, The
Dirty South will open the show.

Following the hiatus/breakup of The Black Crowes
earlier this year, frontman Chris Robinson announced
he is pursuing a solo career. Rumors on various
websites have Black Crowes fans drooling. The buzz is
that Robinson is forming a new band, New Earth Mud,
and has asked Ford, his former bandmate and friend, to
be a part of the project. “He [Robinson] called me one
day, and he was living close by, so we got together
and I did some acoustic work with him. I think Chris
envisions a full band and a tour, but so far for me,
it is just casual,” says Ford, who for now, remains
dedicated to his solo career and his music. 

“It is the only thing I know how to do,” he says. “I
am an idiot without a guitar.” 

from www.charlestoncitypaper.com