Chris Robinson's new Black Crowes project

He’s the one guy the Robinson brothers need.

 

BU YOUR SIDE is a great album.

 

I like Marc's guitar playing as much as the next guy, but the songwriting was all Rich & Chris, so if those two are writing the songs together, then it's a Crowes record to me. (I mean, he wasn't on SYMM either, and no one seems to mind)

 

I enjoyed the Magpie show I saw in August, and their drummer is perfectly fine, but I missed Gorman more than I missed Chris, honestly.

 

So many underrated tunes on it though. "Only A Fool" is kind of a Crowes channeling Stax kind of vibe, "Welcome To The Goodtimes" is a great singalong, and "Virtue And Vice" is a great closer. And the whole thing clocks in at just under 45 minutes, not wearing out its welcome.

The b-sides are also killer: "Smile," "Grows A Rose," "Peace Anyway"...they really were rejuvenated at that juncture, IMO, even if it sadly wouldn't last.

 

I would replace the two goody good tracks, Diamond Ring and Only A Fool, with any of these:

Grows A Rose

Just Say You’re Sorry

You Don’t Have To Go

It Must Be Over

Peace Anyways

Smile

 

"All Snowed In." Brilliant--love it! Perfect description of that era. I watched a Youtube video from June '98 that boa posted and I couldn't believe my eyes. Damn, Chris! Major kudos to any hardcore '92-'97 fan who stayed on board through '98 up to the Page shows. I can't imagine how hard that must've been. I think it 'sho nuff' would've brought to me too tears to watch the glittery spectacle.

 

IMO the backup singers were not needed by 2013. I don't think they weren't needed in '05 (my favorite shows of '05-'06 are the March European shows as a six piece). Sven Pipien is a fantastic singer; Jackie, mic stand and all, added some punch to the backing vocals. I remember Steve being asked on his show in '13 if he missed the singers. "No."

I loved the idea of having some singers rooted in gospel/soul, but with the Crowes never added much for me. No fault of theirs, they were always TOO DAMN LOUD. Same with Magpie. Either have the three ladies contribute more vocally or drop them.

 

This was mentioned earlier but the sit in with Frampton really lit a fire under their asses. That might be the best electric 30 minutes of the year. It features probably the best live version of Appaloosa we'll ever hear. And certainly the best Thorn from that year.
The acoustic show with all the guests the next night is my most coveted show from the tour. Too bad it never got a SBD release (outside of boa posted a recording of Rich singing "Feelin' Alright," the Dave Mason version, not the Joe Cocker arrangement the Crowes normally did).

 

It was rough. I could only bring myself to go to one show. It was the 2nd of 2 nights in Boston at the Orpheum. When Chris came out in the makeup and sparkly getup I...um...didn't quite know what to say.

I'm also not the biggest Audley fan and quite honestly I ONLY base that on what he did with the Crowes. He's a talented player, but really not the right guy for those songs. My ears always wanted to hear Marc. August 4, 1997 to the late 99 Page run (the beginning of it...and then it was back to shenanigans when the tour got scrapped due to Page's "back"...I still don't buy it to this day. I was slated to go to the show the night after the Leno appearance) was definitely rough.

 

I wasn't insinuating a rift in 1999. It's now. Don't ask Steve about the Tall/amorica. sessions now. It'll probably break his heart. lol

 

The completist in me wants this to happen. I yell at that guy all the time, especially when it comes to these two records.

 

I imagine he views it at a very unhealthy period marked by huge missed opportunities--Kingsway EP that should've been released in '93, and I know he hates the amorica cover and thinks it hurt album sales.

Here's a recent post from Steve's social media accounts: Driving, listening to random play tunes in my phone. ‘Gone’ comes on. Haven’t heard it in forever. Holy hell. What a track.

 

Was By Your Side ever released on vinyl? I've never seen a copy. I've got Lions on Lp.

 

Didn't realize about the amorica. cover. I'm sure that was a Chris decision. Can you imagine Rich sitting down and saying, "yep...THAT'S the one..." I bet he didn't nix it just to keep the peace. And do you see what I've just done here, making Rich out to be the peacekeeper and Chris the trouble maker? Maybe it's like that on the inside...but maybe not. We just think it's that...and I do like Rich a bit more these days.

I saw his comment about "Gone". I whole-heartedly agree.

 

Here are Steve's thoughts on the amorica cover:

 

I was at the London shows and you're dead right - they were playing so damn good that it couldn't have been any better even if Hendrix had turned up for a jam!

The first London show was an absolute masterclass. So many highlights - they were truly back, even if just for a little while.

Thankfully there's not only the Instant Live but a fantastic audience shot DVD.

 

It still infuriates me that the 2010 and 2013 Ryman shows were passed over with no explanation on the live Crowes site. Unfortunately I missed the acoustic night (could only afford one, and, well, given the choice, I will always choose rock n' roll), but I don't know why those shows specifically were never included. There's earlier Ryman shows, so it isn't the venue, and the 2010 show had no guests, so that wasn't a problem either. It's maddening.

 

My low point on seeing the Crowes was 2001 tour Sept. 30 in West Springfield, Mass.

The band and crew came by bus, got off and hung around the backstage area for a bit (outdoor venue)...

15-20 minutes before showtime a giant four-door Mercedes roared in, and out pop Chris, Kate Hudson and either one or two bodyguards.
Could not have been good for band morale.

Setlist was okay in retrospect, but the show was just really by the numbers and uninspired particularly Chris, although Audley smoked some great solos...

The Black Crowes Setlist at Eastern States Exposition, West Springfield

 

Yeah, originally on LBC.com the front page read something like: "Download every show from the 2013 tour," but the wording was later changed. Would love to hear Audley playing acoustic with the Crowes, along with Sam Bush and Old Crow Medicine Show.

Same with the Port Chester acoustic shows from Oct. Fortunately there are some really good AUDs from the run.

 

I was pretty underwhelmed by the 2001 shows I saw too (although one of which can easily be blamed on the fact that it was at Pine Knob and you couldn't hear a damn thing). But Audley really was a phenomenal guitarist, and I think he gets the short end of the stick from Crowes fans just because he happened to be in the band at a time when the rest of the band was falling apart. I really liked his lead playing when I saw him, and he's one of the bright spots on that live album, IMO. But I'm also okay with other guitarists being in the band who aren't Marc Ford, so that helps.

 

CR
Neal
Jackie
Andy Hess
Adam McD
Bill Dubrow

It will be the ultimate statement in Croweology.

 

I caught the warm up show for Sho Nuff Europe Tour at The Roadmenders at Northampton, 18 months after my last show at the Royal Albert Hall in Feb '97. It was absolutely awful. Godawful. Utterly soulless and desperate. Sacked off the rest of the tour. Didn't bother for a few years after that then caught a Lions show. Still awful. Then came All Join Hands. One of the most beautiful and wonderful things ever.

 

From what I hear, the BYS master DAT is a brickwalled mess.

All those (1990-2002) records will have to be remixed and remastered from the source tapes to even have a chance...

 

I wasn't there the Frampton night (there's a story why), but I taped the acoustic Sunday show at Ryman 2013.