Rich Robinson
Encyclopedia
Rich Robinson is an American musician and founding member of the rock and roll band The Black Crowes
. Along with older brother Chris Robinson, Rich formed the band in 1984 (originally called Mr. Crowes Garden) while the two were in high school (Walton High School
in Marietta, Georgia). At age 15, Rich wrote the music to what would become one of the band’s first singles; "She Talks to Angels
".
, United States
. He was greatly influenced by The Rolling Stones
, The Allman Brothers Band
, Neil Young
, and Led Zeppelin
. But he has also cited John Fahey
and English folk guitarist Nick Drake
as an influence. Robinson often employs open G in many of The Black Crowes’ songs and has also used open E, B♭, and G♭. He claims it was Drake, not Keith Richards
, that led him to open tunings.
By 1989, the band had become The Black Crowes and had gained momentum in their native Georgia. Producer George Drakoulias
discovered the band during a New York City
show the band gave that year, and had them signed to Rick Rubin's then newly-formed Def American label. Recording sessions began almost immediately and the band's debut, $hake Your Money Maker, was released in 1990
to a wide charting success and good critical reception. Much of the album showcased the skills of then-21 years old Rich, from the opening riff of "Twice As Hard
" to the melody of Mainstream Rock chart-topping hit "She Talks to Angels
". The band quickly hit the road in support of the album, first with Aerosmith
(1990), then with ZZ Top
(1991). Having been fired from the latter for behavior issues, the band started its own tour in 1991.
The $hake Your Money Maker Tour was followed by the 1992 release of The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion
. Departing from the more traditional rock & roll approach of their first album, the album featured more syncopated rhythms and generally longer songs (with three songs exceeding 6 minutes). The single Remedy
found the band topping the charts worldwide. Extensive touring, including headlining shows and festivals in Europe and Japan followed the release of the album, with the band appearing at the 1993 Pinkpop Festival.
Although the band’s popularity never again reached the pinnacle of their first two albums, The Black Crowes established a loyal and steady following across the United States and, to a lesser extent, United Kingdom and continental Europe.
Amorica
(1994) and Three Snakes and One Charm
saw the band dwelling further into jam rock, before By Your Side
returned to a more straightforward sound, more relating to Shake Your Money Maker while retaining musical elements developed since Amorica. After releasing Lions
in 2001 and touring to support it, the Black Crowes parted ways for an indefinite hiatus.
Robinson seemed poised to redirect the Black Crowes' musical direction into more progressive ventures with the 2001 release of Lions, but after that album's tour concluded in October 2001, the band decided to take a break from each other.
After the announcement of the band’s hiatus, Rich formed a new outfit called Hookah Brown. The band (featuring John Hogg
on vocals, bass, guitar and keyboards, Bill Dobrow on drums and Fionn O Lochlainn
on bass, guitar, harmony vocals and electric piano) was an attempt to create a sound that was a little different from The Black Crowes. Robinson handled most of the songwriting, with Hogg contributing lyric and melody ideas to some material. After their debut gig at Arlene's Grocery in New York City, the band entered Globe Recording Studio in New York to record a few original tracks. Included on this demo were "Cut the World," "Know Me" and "Black Cloud," among several others.
After completing the demo sessions, Hookah Brown began touring clubs and other small venues throughout the United States. The gigs were well received and it appeared that the band was on the cusp of success, both commercially and critically. In April 2003, however, it was announced that Hookah Brown would be going their separate ways and that Robinson would be continuing as a solo act. The guitarist later revealed that the expense of operating a full band on tour without the backing of a record label proved too much and forced the disbanding of Hookah Brown. In fact, John Hogg abruptly left Hookah Brown, followed by Fionn O Lochlainn & Bill Dobrow after a contract was presented to them by Robinson's New York lawyer.
Robinson continued to tour throughout the end of 2003 and well into 2004. His band featured a consistently rotating line-up, with drummer Bill Dobrow and bassist Gordie Johnson (ex-Big Sugar
) being the only fairly regular faces. By August, Robinson had a full album of original material ready for release. Entitled Paper
, the record featured many new songs in addition to some reworkings of material from the Hookah Brown period. Robinson handled guitar, bass, and other instruments as well as taking over the lead vocals, with the gaps being filled in by Joe Magistro (drums), Eddie Harsch
(keyboards), Donnie Herron (fiddle, violin) and his own son Taylor Robinson (percussion).
During breaks from touring with The Black Crowes, Robinson found time to assemble another band, Circle Sound. Featuring Luther Dickinson
(North Mississippi All-Stars), Bill Dobrow, Sven Pipien
(The Black Crowes) and Rob Clores
(The Black Crowes) in addition to himself, the band played a handful of gigs on the east coast and are expected to perform again in the future.
In 2009, Robinson performed in The People Speak
a documentary feature film that uses dramatic and musical performances of the letters, diaries, and speeches of everyday Americans, based on historian Howard Zinn
's "A People's History of the United States
”.
In addition, Robinson contributed to singer/songwriter Patti Smith
's release Twelve
, which was released in April 2007. He played dulcimer on "The Boy In the Bubble" and guitar on "Midnight Rider
."
In late July 2011, three new tracks began streaming on Robinson's official Facebook page to coincide with the announcement of the release of his second solo record, Through a Crooked Sun
, on October 11, 2011. Tour dates were announced via the same method in mid-August.
In January 2005, Chris and Rich Robinson played an acoustic show together in Las Vegas
, Nevada. It was the first time since the Black Crowes went on hiatus in 2002 that the two brothers had played together on the same stage. This and the reactivation of the band's website fueled rumors that the Black Crowes were re-uniting.
In March 2005, the Black Crowes officially went back on tour in Pittson, Pennsylvania. The tour included seven nights at the Hammerstein Ballroom
in New York
and when the band came for a four night run at the Tabernacle
in their home town of Atlanta, Georgia
, the bands original drummer, Steve Gorman
, returned to the band. The tour continued with many dates in the US and a couple in Canada.
In June, the band began opening for Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers and also played several music festivals including the Bonnaroo Music Festival
. While still on tour with Tom Petty they started playing clubs on their own, and treating their audiences to two-set shows that were close to three hours long. In August they did a five night run at The Fillmore
in San Francisco, which was filmed for the 2006 live CD/DVD entitled Freak 'n' Roll Into The Fog
. The band also did two shows in Japan. The Crowes spent that northern fall doing two set-shows around the US including four nights at the Henry Fonda Music Box Theater in Los Angeles
.
In November and December Chris took time off from the Crowes to tour with Phil Lesh and Friends
on their Shadow of the Moon Winter Tour. He joined back up with the Crowes to finish out 2005 with three shows including a New Year's Eve show at Madison Square Garden
in New York.
After a handful of shows in the States in March, the Black Crowes headed overseas to do three shows at Shepherd's Bush Empire in London
, England
, and three shows at the Paridiso
in Amsterdam
, Holland.
Chris and Rich spent the month of April doing 13 acoustic shows. The tour was titled Brothers of a Feather
and a CD and DVD from one of their three nights at the Roxy
in Los Angeles during this tour was released in 2007. The Brothers played new material during their tour for the first time since the Black Crowes had reunited as well as playing each others' solo material together for the first time.
From here the brothers joined back up with the Crowes and headed to Canada for the month of May with openers Matt Mays and El Torpedo. They headed back to the States for a handful of two-set shows before heading out on a summer shed tour starting in June with the openers Robert Randolph and the Family Band and the Drive by Truckers. They played mostly one-set shows although they did sneak in a few two-set club dates during the summer. The band continued to play a mix of songs from all of their albums, cover songs and a few new songs. This tour ended at Red Rocks in Morrison, Colorado
, on August 12 and then an acoustic brothers' show in Boulder, CO, on August 13. Tickets to the show were given only to winners of a contest put on the band's message board.
Before the band returned to the road in the beginning of September, guitarist Marc Ford
quit, and keyboardist Eddie Harsch was fired. They were replaced by Paul Stacey
and Rob Clores
, respectively. This tour ended November 8 at the Starland Ballroom
in Sayreville, New Jersey
.
During the winter and early spring of 2007 Rich pulled together some friends to do two Circle Sound shows in New York. Both he and Chris did a handful of solo shows. In June the Black Crowes headed back on tour doing one-set shows, sometimes with alternating openers including the Buffalo Killers and the North Mississippi Allstars
. In July Chris and Rich appeared on the Late Show with David Letterman
and did an acoustic version of the song Wiser Time
.
At their August 3 show at the Musikfest
in Bethelem, Pennsylvania, the band made another member change when keyboardist Rob Clores left the band and was replaced by Adam MacDougall. This tour ended in early November with two shows at the United Palace Theater in New York and two shows at the Electric Factory
in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The Black Crowes
The Black Crowes are an American rock band formed in 1989. Their discography includes nine studio albums, four live albums and several charting singles. The band was signed to Def American Recordings in 1989 by producer George Drakoulias and released their debut album, Shake Your Money Maker, the...
. Along with older brother Chris Robinson, Rich formed the band in 1984 (originally called Mr. Crowes Garden) while the two were in high school (Walton High School
George Walton Comprehensive High School
George Walton Comprehensive High School, usually referred to simply as "Walton High School," is public high school located in suburban Marietta, Georgia in the United States. It resides in eastern Cobb County and is a charter school in the Cobb County School District. It is a School of Excellence...
in Marietta, Georgia). At age 15, Rich wrote the music to what would become one of the band’s first singles; "She Talks to Angels
She Talks to Angels
"She Talks to Angels" is a song by the rock band The Black Crowes. It is the eighth track on their 1990 debut album Shake Your Money Maker and was released as the album's fourth single. The song made it to 30 on the US Hot 100...
".
Early life
Robinson grew up in the East Cobb County / Marietta suburbs of Atlanta, GeorgiaAtlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. He was greatly influenced by The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
, The Allman Brothers Band
The Allman Brothers Band
The Allman Brothers Band is an American rock/blues band once based in Macon, Georgia. The band was formed in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1969 by brothers Duane Allman and Gregg Allman , who were supported by Dickey Betts , Berry Oakley , Butch Trucks , and Jai Johanny "Jaimoe"...
, Neil Young
Neil Young
Neil Percival Young, OC, OM is a Canadian singer-songwriter who is widely regarded as one of the most influential musicians of his generation...
, and Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
. But he has also cited John Fahey
John Fahey (musician)
John Fahey was an American fingerstyle guitarist and composer who pioneered the steel-string acoustic guitar as a solo instrument. His style has been greatly influential and has been described as the foundation of American Primitivism, a term borrowed from painting and referring mainly to the...
and English folk guitarist Nick Drake
Nick Drake
Nicholas Rodney "Nick" Drake was an English singer-songwriter and musician. Though he is best known for his sombre guitar based songs, Drake was also proficient at piano, clarinet and saxophone...
as an influence. Robinson often employs open G in many of The Black Crowes’ songs and has also used open E, B♭, and G♭. He claims it was Drake, not Keith Richards
Keith Richards
Keith Richards is an English musician, songwriter, and founding member of the Rolling Stones. Rolling Stone magazine said Richards had created "rock's greatest single body of riffs", and placed him as the "10th greatest guitarist of all time." Fourteen songs written by Richards and songwriting...
, that led him to open tunings.
The Black Crowes
The first incarnation of what would become the Black Crowes appeared as early as 1984. The band were then named Mr. Crowe's Garden after a favorite childhood fairy tale. Robinson has stated that, because of his young age, he would have to be snuck in and out the venues they would perform and would be refused admittance if he returned the next day to attend a gig himself.By 1989, the band had become The Black Crowes and had gained momentum in their native Georgia. Producer George Drakoulias
George Drakoulias
George Drakoulias is a Greek-American music producer and A&R executive at the American Recordings label. He is often considered a protege of Rick Rubin....
discovered the band during a New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
show the band gave that year, and had them signed to Rick Rubin's then newly-formed Def American label. Recording sessions began almost immediately and the band's debut, $hake Your Money Maker, was released in 1990
1990 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1990.-Events:*January 21 – MTV's Unplugged premieres on cable television with British band Squeeze...
to a wide charting success and good critical reception. Much of the album showcased the skills of then-21 years old Rich, from the opening riff of "Twice As Hard
Twice As Hard
"Twice As Hard" is a blues-influenced hard rock song by American southern rock band The Black Crowes. Featured on their debut album Shake Your Money Maker, the song was released as a single in 1990 and reached the 11th position in the Mainstream Rock charts....
" to the melody of Mainstream Rock chart-topping hit "She Talks to Angels
She Talks to Angels
"She Talks to Angels" is a song by the rock band The Black Crowes. It is the eighth track on their 1990 debut album Shake Your Money Maker and was released as the album's fourth single. The song made it to 30 on the US Hot 100...
". The band quickly hit the road in support of the album, first with Aerosmith
Aerosmith
Aerosmith is an American rock band, sometimes referred to as "The Bad Boys from Boston" and "America's Greatest Rock and Roll Band". Their style, which is rooted in blues-based hard rock, has come to also incorporate elements of pop, heavy metal, and rhythm and blues, and has inspired many...
(1990), then with ZZ Top
ZZ Top
ZZ Top is an American rock band, sometimes referred to as "That Little Ol' Band from Texas". Their style, which is rooted in blues-based boogie rock, has come to incorporate elements of arena, southern, and boogie rock. The band, from Houston Texas, formed in 1969...
(1991). Having been fired from the latter for behavior issues, the band started its own tour in 1991.
The $hake Your Money Maker Tour was followed by the 1992 release of The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion
The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion
The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion is the second album by the American blues-rock group The Black Crowes, released on May 12, 1992. It was the first record by the band to feature Marc Ford on lead guitar, replacing Jeff Cease, who was fired the year before.It features four hit singles;...
. Departing from the more traditional rock & roll approach of their first album, the album featured more syncopated rhythms and generally longer songs (with three songs exceeding 6 minutes). The single Remedy
Remedy (The Black Crowes song)
"Remedy" is the second track by The Black Crowes from their second album, The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion. It reached #1 on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart in May 1992 and stayed at #1 for 11 weeks. On the Billboard Hot 100 chart, the song peaked at #48...
found the band topping the charts worldwide. Extensive touring, including headlining shows and festivals in Europe and Japan followed the release of the album, with the band appearing at the 1993 Pinkpop Festival.
Although the band’s popularity never again reached the pinnacle of their first two albums, The Black Crowes established a loyal and steady following across the United States and, to a lesser extent, United Kingdom and continental Europe.
Amorica
Amorica
Amorica is the third album by The Black Crowes. It was released in late 1994 on American Recordings and re-issued in the US and UK in 1998 with two bonus tracks. The album cover's depiction of pubic hair, from a 1976 United States Bicentennial issue of Hustler magazine, caused controversy...
(1994) and Three Snakes and One Charm
Three Snakes and One Charm
Three Snakes and One Charm is the fourth album by the American blues-rock band The Black Crowes. It was released on July 23, 1996.The album's cover logo resembles a 45 rpm record insert. The limited box set edition of seven 7" vinyl EPs included a custom adapter in shape of the logo...
saw the band dwelling further into jam rock, before By Your Side
By Your Side (The Black Crowes album)
By Your Side is the fifth studio album by American rock band The Black Crowes. It was released in early 1999 on Columbia Records, following the band's move from American Recordings. Second guitarist Marc Ford and bassist Johnny Colt had left The Black Crowes in 1997...
returned to a more straightforward sound, more relating to Shake Your Money Maker while retaining musical elements developed since Amorica. After releasing Lions
Lions (album)
Lions is the sixth studio album by American rock band The Black Crowes. It was released in 2001 as their first album on V2 Records following their departure from Columbia, and is their only studio album to feature guitarist Audley Freed. Lions was recorded in New York City in January and February...
in 2001 and touring to support it, the Black Crowes parted ways for an indefinite hiatus.
Solo
After the announcement of the band’s hiatus, Rich formed a new outfit called Hookah Brown. The band (featuring John Hogg
John Hogg
John Joseph Hogg is an Australian politician, and has been a member of the Australian Senate for the state of Queensland since July 1996, representing the Australian Labor Party. He was elected the 23rd President of the Senate on 26 August 2008.Hogg was born in Brisbane to Francis Patrick and...
on vocals, bass, guitar and keyboards, Bill Dobrow on drums and Fionn O Lochlainn
Fionn O Lochlainn
Fionn Ó Lochlainn is a New York based recording artist and instrumentalist.-Background:Born and raised in London, England, Fionn Ó Lochlainn is the grandson of Irish Traditional collector, publisher and musician Colm Ó Lochlainn, and the son of Irish musician and photographer Ruan Ó Lochlainn and...
on bass, guitar, harmony vocals and electric piano) was an attempt to create a sound that was a little different from The Black Crowes. Robinson handled most of the songwriting, with Hogg contributing lyric and melody ideas to some material. After their debut gig at Arlene's Grocery in New York City, the band entered Globe Recording Studio in New York to record a few original tracks. Included on this demo were "Cut the World," "Know Me" and "Black Cloud," among several others.
After completing the demo sessions, Hookah Brown began touring clubs and other small venues throughout the United States. The gigs were well received and it appeared that the band was on the cusp of success, both commercially and critically. In April 2003, however, it was announced that Hookah Brown would be going their separate ways and that Robinson would be continuing as a solo act. The guitarist later revealed that the expense of operating a full band on tour without the backing of a record label proved too much and forced the disbanding of Hookah Brown. In fact, John Hogg abruptly left Hookah Brown, followed by Fionn O Lochlainn & Bill Dobrow after a contract was presented to them by Robinson's New York lawyer.
Robinson continued to tour throughout the end of 2003 and well into 2004. His band featured a consistently rotating line-up, with drummer Bill Dobrow and bassist Gordie Johnson (ex-Big Sugar
Big Sugar
Big Sugar is a Canadian blues-rock band, they were active from 1991 to 2004 and again since April 2010. The band has sold more than half a million albums in Canada.-History:...
) being the only fairly regular faces. By August, Robinson had a full album of original material ready for release. Entitled Paper
Paper (album)
Paper is the debut solo album from Black Crowes guitarist Rich Robinson. This album contains brand new material along with songs that were initially written for Robinson's 2002-2003 project, Hookah Brown...
, the record featured many new songs in addition to some reworkings of material from the Hookah Brown period. Robinson handled guitar, bass, and other instruments as well as taking over the lead vocals, with the gaps being filled in by Joe Magistro (drums), Eddie Harsch
Eddie Harsch
Eddie Harsch is a Canadian-American keyboardist and current member of Detroit-based jam band Bulldog. Previously, he was The Black Crowes' keyboardist from 1991 to 2006. Harsch first joined Bulldog during The Black Crowes' hiatus, which lasted from early 2002 to early 2005...
(keyboards), Donnie Herron (fiddle, violin) and his own son Taylor Robinson (percussion).
During breaks from touring with The Black Crowes, Robinson found time to assemble another band, Circle Sound. Featuring Luther Dickinson
Luther Dickinson
Luther Dickinson is the lead guitarist and vocalist for the North Mississippi Allstars as well as lead guitarist for The Black Crowes...
(North Mississippi All-Stars), Bill Dobrow, Sven Pipien
Sven Pipien
Sven Pipien is a musician best known as the bassist of the hard rock band The Black Crowes. He had previously played bass with Atlanta-based Mary My Hope, who released one album on Silvertone Records....
(The Black Crowes) and Rob Clores
Rob Clores
Rob Clores is a New York based keyboard player who has worked with artists The Black Crowes, Men At Work frontman Colin Hay, Blues Traveler frontman John Popper, Spin Doctors frontman Chris Barron and Gov't Mule leader Warren Haynes.-External links:*...
(The Black Crowes) in addition to himself, the band played a handful of gigs on the east coast and are expected to perform again in the future.
In 2009, Robinson performed in The People Speak
The People Speak (film)
The People Speak is a documentary feature film that uses dramatic and musical performances of the letters, diaries, and speeches of everyday Americans. The film gives voice to those who, by insisting on equality and justice, spoke up for social change throughout U.S...
a documentary feature film that uses dramatic and musical performances of the letters, diaries, and speeches of everyday Americans, based on historian Howard Zinn
Howard Zinn
Howard Zinn was an American historian, academic, author, playwright, and social activist. Before and during his tenure as a political science professor at Boston University from 1964-88 he wrote more than 20 books, which included his best-selling and influential A People's History of the United...
's "A People's History of the United States
A People's History of the United States
Chapter 7, "As Long As Grass Grows or Water Runs" discusses 19th century conflicts between the U.S. government and Native Americans and Indian removal, especially during the administrations of Andrew Jackson and Martin Van Buren....
”.
In addition, Robinson contributed to singer/songwriter Patti Smith
Patti Smith
Patricia Lee "Patti" Smith is an American singer-songwriter, poet and visual artist, who became a highly influential component of the New York City punk rock movement with her 1975 debut album Horses....
's release Twelve
Twelve (Patti Smith album)
Twelve is an album by Patti Smith, released April 17, 2007 on Columbia Records. As the title suggests, the album contains twelve tracks, all of which are cover versions. It debuted on Billboard 200 at number 60, with 11,000 copies sold in its first week...
, which was released in April 2007. He played dulcimer on "The Boy In the Bubble" and guitar on "Midnight Rider
Midnight Rider
"Midnight Rider" is a popular and widely covered song by The Allman Brothers Band, from their album Idlewild South. Written by Gregg Allman and Robert Kim Payne, the song has become a fixture of the band's live performances and an enduring standard...
."
In late July 2011, three new tracks began streaming on Robinson's official Facebook page to coincide with the announcement of the release of his second solo record, Through a Crooked Sun
Through a Crooked Sun
Through a Crooked Sun is the second solo album from Black Crowes guitarist Rich Robinson. This album contains twelve studio tracks and features guest appearances by Warren Haynes, John Medeski, and Larry Campbell.-Track listing:#"Gone Away"...
, on October 11, 2011. Tour dates were announced via the same method in mid-August.
Black Crowes reunited
Las Vegas Strip
The Las Vegas Strip is an approximately stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard in Clark County, Nevada; adjacent to, but outside the city limits of Las Vegas proper. The Strip lies within the unincorporated townships of Paradise and Winchester...
, Nevada. It was the first time since the Black Crowes went on hiatus in 2002 that the two brothers had played together on the same stage. This and the reactivation of the band's website fueled rumors that the Black Crowes were re-uniting.
In March 2005, the Black Crowes officially went back on tour in Pittson, Pennsylvania. The tour included seven nights at the Hammerstein Ballroom
Hammerstein Ballroom
The Hammerstein Ballroom is a two-tiered, 12,000 square feet ballroom located within the Manhattan Center Studios on 311 West 34th Street in Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States of America. It is known for its elegant appearance and excellent acoustical design...
in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and when the band came for a four night run at the Tabernacle
The Tabernacle
The Tabernacle, informally known as The Tabby, is a mid-size concert hall, in the U.S. city of Atlanta, currently managed by concert promoter Live Nation...
in their home town of Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
, the bands original drummer, Steve Gorman
Steve Gorman
Steve Gorman is a musician best known as the drummer of the American hard rock band The Black Crowes. He also spent some time as the drummer for British rock band Stereophonics.- Early career :...
, returned to the band. The tour continued with many dates in the US and a couple in Canada.
In June, the band began opening for Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers and also played several music festivals including the Bonnaroo Music Festival
Bonnaroo Music Festival
The Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival is an annual four day music festival created and produced by Superfly Productions and AC Entertainment, held at Great Stage Park on a 700-acre farm in Manchester, Tennessee. It hosted its tenth annual event June 9–12, 2011...
. While still on tour with Tom Petty they started playing clubs on their own, and treating their audiences to two-set shows that were close to three hours long. In August they did a five night run at The Fillmore
The Fillmore
The Fillmore Auditorium is a historic music venue in San Francisco, California, made famous by Bill Graham. Named for its original location at the intersection of Fillmore Street and Geary Boulevard, it lies on the boundary of the Western Addition and the Pacific Heights neighborhoods.In 1968,...
in San Francisco, which was filmed for the 2006 live CD/DVD entitled Freak 'n' Roll Into The Fog
Freak 'n' Roll Into The Fog
Freak 'n' Roll...Into the Fog: The Black Crowes All Join Hands, The Fillmore, San Francisco is a live concert album released on DVD, CD and Blu-ray by American southern rock band The Black Crowes in 2006....
. The band also did two shows in Japan. The Crowes spent that northern fall doing two set-shows around the US including four nights at the Henry Fonda Music Box Theater in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
.
In November and December Chris took time off from the Crowes to tour with Phil Lesh and Friends
Phil Lesh and Friends
Phil Lesh and Friends is an American rock band formed and led by Phil Lesh, former bassist of the Grateful Dead.Phil & Friends is not a traditional group in that several different lineups of musicians have played under the name, including groups featuring members of Phish, Little Feat, and the Zen...
on their Shadow of the Moon Winter Tour. He joined back up with the Crowes to finish out 2005 with three shows including a New Year's Eve show at Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
in New York.
After a handful of shows in the States in March, the Black Crowes headed overseas to do three shows at Shepherd's Bush Empire in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, and three shows at the Paridiso
Paradiso (Amsterdam)
Paradiso is an iconic rock music venue and cultural center in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.-History:It is housed in a converted former church building that dates from the nineteenth century and that was used until 1965 as the meeting hall for a liberal Dutch religious group known as the "Vrije...
in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
, Holland.
Chris and Rich spent the month of April doing 13 acoustic shows. The tour was titled Brothers of a Feather
Brothers of a Feather: Live at the Roxy
Brothers Of A Feather: Live At The Roxy is a live album by Chris and Rich Robinson of The Black Crowes. It was released on July 10, 2007, and was later followed by a DVD release with extra tracks in September, 2007. The album features two new songs, some old Black Crowes songs, as well as some covers...
and a CD and DVD from one of their three nights at the Roxy
Roxy
-Brands:* Roxy , women's brand of clothing, accessories, and snowboards by Quiksilver company for surfing* The Roxy Theatre, music venue in Los Angeles & online source for music, arts, culture, and more.-Names:...
in Los Angeles during this tour was released in 2007. The Brothers played new material during their tour for the first time since the Black Crowes had reunited as well as playing each others' solo material together for the first time.
From here the brothers joined back up with the Crowes and headed to Canada for the month of May with openers Matt Mays and El Torpedo. They headed back to the States for a handful of two-set shows before heading out on a summer shed tour starting in June with the openers Robert Randolph and the Family Band and the Drive by Truckers. They played mostly one-set shows although they did sneak in a few two-set club dates during the summer. The band continued to play a mix of songs from all of their albums, cover songs and a few new songs. This tour ended at Red Rocks in Morrison, Colorado
Morrison, Colorado
The historic Town of Morrison is a Home Rule Municipality in Jefferson County, Colorado, United States. The population was 430 at the 2000 census...
, on August 12 and then an acoustic brothers' show in Boulder, CO, on August 13. Tickets to the show were given only to winners of a contest put on the band's message board.
Before the band returned to the road in the beginning of September, guitarist Marc Ford
Marc Ford
Marc Ford , is an American blues-rock guitarist. He's a former lead guitarist of the rock and roll jam band The Black Crowes and the leader of his own bands .-Burning Tree:Ford began his career with the blues-rock outfit Burning...
quit, and keyboardist Eddie Harsch was fired. They were replaced by Paul Stacey
Paul Stacey
Paul Stacey is a British guitarist and producer, best known for his work with Oasis and The Black Crowes.Paul Stacey's early work included the 1990s band, The Lemon Trees and Denzil....
and Rob Clores
Rob Clores
Rob Clores is a New York based keyboard player who has worked with artists The Black Crowes, Men At Work frontman Colin Hay, Blues Traveler frontman John Popper, Spin Doctors frontman Chris Barron and Gov't Mule leader Warren Haynes.-External links:*...
, respectively. This tour ended November 8 at the Starland Ballroom
Starland Ballroom
The Starland Ballroom is a concert venue located in Sayreville, New Jersey, USA. Opening night was December 7, 2003 and featured a performance by former Van Halen lead singer David Lee Roth...
in Sayreville, New Jersey
Sayreville, New Jersey
Sayreville is a borough located on the Raritan River, near Raritan Bay in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 42,704....
.
During the winter and early spring of 2007 Rich pulled together some friends to do two Circle Sound shows in New York. Both he and Chris did a handful of solo shows. In June the Black Crowes headed back on tour doing one-set shows, sometimes with alternating openers including the Buffalo Killers and the North Mississippi Allstars
North Mississippi Allstars
North Mississippi Allstars is a Southern rock/blues jam band from Hernando, Mississippi, founded in 1996. The band is composed of brothers Luther Dickinson and Cody Dickinson , and Chris Chew...
. In July Chris and Rich appeared on the Late Show with David Letterman
Late Show with David Letterman
Late Show with David Letterman is a U.S. late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS. The show debuted on August 30, 1993, and is produced by Letterman's production company, Worldwide Pants Incorporated. The show's music director and band-leader of the house band, the CBS Orchestra, is...
and did an acoustic version of the song Wiser Time
Wiser Time
Wiser Time is a single by The Black Crowes released in 1995.-Track listing CD 1:# "Wiser Time [Edit]" - [Robinson/Robinson] – 4:22# "Jealous Again " - [Robinson/Robinson] – 4:24# "Non Fiction " - [Robinson/Robinson] – 5:21...
.
At their August 3 show at the Musikfest
Musikfest
Musikfest is a music festival that has been held each August in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, USA since 1984. The festival begins on the first Friday in August and ends on Sunday ten days later....
in Bethelem, Pennsylvania, the band made another member change when keyboardist Rob Clores left the band and was replaced by Adam MacDougall. This tour ended in early November with two shows at the United Palace Theater in New York and two shows at the Electric Factory
Electric Factory
The Electric Factory is a concert venue in Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaThe original "Electric Factory" venue was a converted tire warehouse at 22nd and Arch Streets, which opened in 1968. The first performers, on February 2, 1968, were the Chambers Brothers...
in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Discography
- PaperPaper (album)Paper is the debut solo album from Black Crowes guitarist Rich Robinson. This album contains brand new material along with songs that were initially written for Robinson's 2002-2003 project, Hookah Brown...
(Keyhole Records, 2004) - Live At The Knitting Factory, NYC - 01/16/04 (Dynasonic, 2004)
- with Chris Robinson Brothers of a Feather: Live at the RoxyBrothers of a Feather: Live at the RoxyBrothers Of A Feather: Live At The Roxy is a live album by Chris and Rich Robinson of The Black Crowes. It was released on July 10, 2007, and was later followed by a DVD release with extra tracks in September, 2007. The album features two new songs, some old Black Crowes songs, as well as some covers...
(Eagle Records, 2007) - Through a Crooked SunThrough a Crooked SunThrough a Crooked Sun is the second solo album from Black Crowes guitarist Rich Robinson. This album contains twelve studio tracks and features guest appearances by Warren Haynes, John Medeski, and Larry Campbell.-Track listing:#"Gone Away"...
(Circle Sound/Thirty Tigers, 2011)
External links
- Official website
- http://articles.latimes.com/2009/dec/12/entertainment/la-et-people-speak12-2009dec12