BLACK CROWES MANAGER:
Keith, do you know the Black Crowes?
KEITH RICHARDS:
Know'em? I wrote'em!
That was backstage on the "Voodoo Lounge" tour when The Black Crowes opened up for the Stones.
I'm just about finished reading Black Crowes' drummer Steve Gorman's new book on life with the Robinson Brothers, "Hard To Handle." It is infuriating and hilarious, frightening, and actually, a bit nostalgic, as I have been an unabashed fan since day one. These boys were my favorite live act for a good 15 years, even though the very first time I saw them live, opening for Aerosmith in 1990, was a shambles. But I miss those shows, almost all of which were stellar. Setlists changing from night to night, deep cuts, covers, hits and more, if they did a 5-night stint at the Beacon Theatre, I made sure I was at 3 or 4 of those nights. They never quite knew how to pull off the "jam." I don't think they were accomplished enough to improvise with any authority. But when they stuck to good old rock and roll, and did their best Faces, Stones, and Led Zeppelin, they shook the foundations.
I was having some fun with the book, listening to a handpicked soundtrack as I read, and digging out some old stubs. Correct me if I am wrong, but the very few times I've featured the Black Crowes here, the response was chilly, at best. I know a few out there feel as I do, especially my friend Kevin who hipped me to Gorman's book. If you were turned off by their Otis cover, or their blatant attempt at recreating "A Nod Is As Good As A Wink" on their debut, well, that was 30 years ago. Maybe these deeper cuts will defrost you.
The opener is "Exit," my absolute favorite of their still unreleased tracks. I saw them perform this for the first time in 1995 and waited and waited for an official release. It never happened.
"Waitin' Guilty" and "Grows A Rose" are both B-sides that I believe are both better than any of the A-Sides they released since 1995.
"Bad Luck Blue Eyes Goodbye" is probably their best ballad, even moreso than what is arguably their most famous song, according to drummer Gorman, "She Talks To Angels," which I personally don't really like that much. This was always a showstopper live, as was "Soul Singing," hardly a deep cut to fans, but it might be to you. This became a concert staple and was almost always the best part of the night.
"What Is Home" is my favorite Rich Robinson track from "Before The Frost..."
This Six Pack may not change your mind, but I bet you'll be surprised by how much you like some of it.
TRACKLIST
Exit
Waitin' Guilty
What Is Home
Grows A Rose
Bad Luck Blue Eyes Goodbye
Soul Singing
zip
Keith, do you know the Black Crowes?
KEITH RICHARDS:
Know'em? I wrote'em!
That was backstage on the "Voodoo Lounge" tour when The Black Crowes opened up for the Stones.
I'm just about finished reading Black Crowes' drummer Steve Gorman's new book on life with the Robinson Brothers, "Hard To Handle." It is infuriating and hilarious, frightening, and actually, a bit nostalgic, as I have been an unabashed fan since day one. These boys were my favorite live act for a good 15 years, even though the very first time I saw them live, opening for Aerosmith in 1990, was a shambles. But I miss those shows, almost all of which were stellar. Setlists changing from night to night, deep cuts, covers, hits and more, if they did a 5-night stint at the Beacon Theatre, I made sure I was at 3 or 4 of those nights. They never quite knew how to pull off the "jam." I don't think they were accomplished enough to improvise with any authority. But when they stuck to good old rock and roll, and did their best Faces, Stones, and Led Zeppelin, they shook the foundations.
I was having some fun with the book, listening to a handpicked soundtrack as I read, and digging out some old stubs. Correct me if I am wrong, but the very few times I've featured the Black Crowes here, the response was chilly, at best. I know a few out there feel as I do, especially my friend Kevin who hipped me to Gorman's book. If you were turned off by their Otis cover, or their blatant attempt at recreating "A Nod Is As Good As A Wink" on their debut, well, that was 30 years ago. Maybe these deeper cuts will defrost you.
The opener is "Exit," my absolute favorite of their still unreleased tracks. I saw them perform this for the first time in 1995 and waited and waited for an official release. It never happened.
"Waitin' Guilty" and "Grows A Rose" are both B-sides that I believe are both better than any of the A-Sides they released since 1995.
"Bad Luck Blue Eyes Goodbye" is probably their best ballad, even moreso than what is arguably their most famous song, according to drummer Gorman, "She Talks To Angels," which I personally don't really like that much. This was always a showstopper live, as was "Soul Singing," hardly a deep cut to fans, but it might be to you. This became a concert staple and was almost always the best part of the night.
"What Is Home" is my favorite Rich Robinson track from "Before The Frost..."
This Six Pack may not change your mind, but I bet you'll be surprised by how much you like some of it.
TRACKLIST
Exit
Waitin' Guilty
What Is Home
Grows A Rose
Bad Luck Blue Eyes Goodbye
Soul Singing
zip
13 comments:
Sal - so glad you liked the book! I was thinking of adding some oof the great cover versions I've seen the Crowes do over the years but thought I would just add my own 6 pack of favorite Crowes deep cuts to this conversation.
-If It Ever Stops Raining (which eventually became By Your Side)
-Peace Anyway
-Better When You're Not Alone
-Descending
-My Heart's Killing Me
-Under a Mountain
Don't get me started on these guys. They ARE rock and roll, warts, roses and all. They took me to rock and roll places no other band has. You never knew what you were gonna get when you saw them live. And they were prolific. And, as they created, they wore their influences on their sleeves, something that is now a bit more trendy than we'd like for a heck of a lot less talented bands. "Before the Frost...Until the Freeze is their Manassas on Workingman's Street and Other Assorted Love Songs from the Big Pink" and I love it. Reading Gorman, it's another reason to never meet your idols, eh?
Global warming helped me with my old rocker chill reception to them. I found them derivative at first. Have enjoyed them 2? times I've seen them once opening for Petty in 2000? and @ JF with NMAS Dickinson as extra guitarist.
? 4 u Sal what is the best of the solo stuff out of the bro's output? I've got them al I think but never listened much and what I did made no knockout impression either way?
Neal,
I really don't like any of the solo stuff. The CRB bores me to tears. The Rich stuff is a tad better, but ultimately is as exciting as his personality. The recent Magpie Salute records are the closest thing to classic Crowes, so I would check those out first.
@Kevin,
Just listened to the full band "Descending" for the first time in ages. Wow!
Magpie Salute? guess I could google it....but
Neal- Sal is right. Check out the Magpie. Their new album comes out in a few weeks.
thnx boyz dl ed 2 cds will listen over weekend. That is just the kind of opinion I was expecting. Well thought out and not giving the benefit of the doubt because of you luv the main bands stuff.
Streaming the NSBF and really enjoying set by Jackie Greene. When I first started watching him they don't really show who's on but his name was in that time slot but when I googled got a female singer came up. but regoogle often necessary. Says he never recorded with Black Crowes but was in them last few years. Assume you're hip to him. I really enjoyed. FYI fun festival to stream.
I just finished the book and absolutely loved it.
You and I share a Black Crowes love. I've seen them a bunch and I love this band to death. I think Chris Robinson is one of the most underrated singers out there.
The book is hilarious and heartbreaking. I still love this band after Gorman's take on what giant assholes those brothers could be, which isn't exactly a surprise. It made me get out "Tall" and "Band" and listen again with fresh ears. And now I wanna hunt down that Beacon show on the "Amorica" tour discussed in the book. I don't think I was there.
Damn. I miss these guys
Gorman's been a busy guy with the book and the rejuvenated Trigger Hippy. Their new album comes out soon but Billboard is streaming it right now and it sounds really good.
I'm in. I really don't know anything but the tracks you mention, so now might be the time.
The Faces are like the Ramones in that tons of bands have aped them to greater success than even The Faces had with their approach. Had Chris Robinson been as likable as Rod Stewart, they could have scaled greater heights in my opinion. Being petulant and getting thrown off the Miller Beer sponsored tour opening for Z.Z. Top was indicative of their self-destructive tendencies. They could have made a lot of Z.Z. Top fans Black Crowes fans.
Like The Georgia Satellites, (and The Beatles for that matter) The Black Crowes "got it" and incorporated everything that came before them into their approach and made rock and roll that seemed almost original.
I knew Johnny Colt before his time in The Black Crowes and even his band before that one was great. The Black Crowes were new enough that when I ran into him and he said he was playing with "The Crowes" now, I didn't realize he meant The BLACK Crowes. They were the right guys, who were lucky enough to find one another, but couldn't work together effectively long enough to achieve their potential. Their blues based approach went right down to the original root of rock and roll, and they could play well enough as a unit to put it over live.
What's not to love!?
- Stinky
Post a Comment