Chris Robinson's new Black Crowes project

I just think Chris is a drama queen and likes to keep things stirred up for his own entertainment. I doubt he's jealous again.

 

The band was great. Just saying they don't have that star presence up there. Marc Ford was always a tremendous player obviously, and Rich is Rich but not the most exciting to watch on stage.. For example I went to see GnR and I was fixed on Slash, he just owns the stage, without dancing around.....

Some people just have "it" on stage, Chris had that, dancing around or not. Even though he is a flaming douche

That's all. Loved the band and would certainly go see them again

 

Yeah, I can't disagree with that. It doesn't really bother me, but I see what you're saying. I wonder if Hogg will develop more of a presence as the band establishes itself (particularly with new material).

I can think of tons of times I've seen bands with "new guys", who are very tentative onstage, either due to their own hesitance, or a desire not to overstep or overshadow the existing members, or whatever reason...and then seeing them a tour or two later, and it's like seeing a completely different person onstage.

 

I'm feeling a bit bewildered by this turn of events.

If 'As The Crow Flies' is really Chris with 'the B Squad' as Rich puts it, then it surely must be a one time only deal. Chris comes out, sings a classic Crowes set and never does it again. Sort of a reminder to the fans that he still sings these songs better than anyone and can do whenever he feels like it.

That said, it also depends on who is actually in 'the B Squad' - no inside information here, but I'm guessing it's not a million miles from a line-up like Adam on keys, Jackie Greene on lead, Neal Casal on rhythm, Jeff Sipe on drums (he almost made the band in 2005) and Andy Hess on bass. All decent players, but not really what I think of when I think 'Black Crowes Songs'. That would be more of a tribute band than The Magpie Salute for sure. (In fact the 2013 Crowes were a tribute band imo).

And that's why The Magpie Salute needs a solid album full of great tracks (and not recycled unreleased Crowes tracks, but I feel that is likely at this point), which allows them to reduce the Crowes heavy setlists. John Hogg has improved beyond my expectations throughout the year (or maybe I'm just getting used to him?) but otherwise he will always be measured against Chris. It's just the way it is and I think this new Chris venture might be his way of reminding everyone of that fact.

That said, I'm pulling for The Magpie - there is so much potential there that it would be a huge surprise if the new album was anything less than stellar.

Chris can do what he wants - I'll listen, but I've long since stopped collecting his live material, and only buy the albums out of some sort of blind loyalty.

 

Would always rather hear Neal than Jackie on lead...

 

Yeah, fair point. He may just need some time to get comfortable with those guys. If they write some music together that could help as well.

 

Maybe Chris is putting together a tribute band of The Magpie Salute!

 

Jeez, I hadn't seen that. Stuff like that, and criticizing John Mayer for playing Dead songs (when he does the same thing!) have just really turned me off of him. It's too bad, I like a lot of the music but his personality is really making it difficult for me to separate the two. And making me wonder whether I want to support him financially.

 

As a fan of the music made by Billy Corgan, the Gallagher brothers and the Robinson brothers, I've learned to just ignore the circus sideshow off the stage.

 

I love all those acts as well and agree with you 100 %. I will also add to your list the Davies brothers

 

What's weird to me about Chris in particular, is that his whole vibe with CRB is so at odds with these bitter statements. It's hard to reconcile what he preaches through CRB with some of what he says elsewhere.

 

Or a CRB tribute...

 

Coming to your local shed in 2021, the music festival of the decade!

Featuring:
Rich Robinson Botherhood
The Magpie Salutation (f. Chris Robinson)
The Black Crowes (featuring no Robinson brothers)

 

Well done, sir. I'm in the same place. While I'd prefer bandmates get along and treat each other with civility, I'm more interested in the music than the personal, behind-the-scenes drama.

 

I have no emotional investment in the brotherly feud as I was in the beginning of a jazz bender when the Black Crowes came on the scene so I barely paid attention to them at the time. That sort of distance makes it easy to accept the flaws of both artists and just enjoy what I enjoy from each. So why the hell am I even posting? Just because I don’t think the cover criticism is accurate, as CRB does covers from a wide range of musical sources atypical of the Grateful Dead or even “the scene”.

While CRB did have “It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue” heavily in the rotation for awhile and have on occasion done Dead only shows, their covers tend be from all over the place, which is one of things about them I find to be fun about them (even if in the end I may not care for the execution of the cover performed).

The commonly played latter period Byrds “Lazy Days” is not one done by the Dead. Doing Steppenwolf’s overplayed FM staple “Magic Carpet Ride” as a boogie number was genius. They’ve covered T. Rex's "Rabbit Fighter" of all things, “Hello LA, Bye Bye Birmingham”, “Never Been To Spain”, “Only Daddy That’ll Walk The Line”, “Wasted Days And Wasted Nights”. This is a long ways away from what the Grateful Dead covered, and the number of bands that have covered Dylan far exceeds the Dead, so I’m not sure I’d even count Dylan covers as being associated with the Dead.

As far as bitterness seeming hypocritical to the hippie image on the one hand you’re so very right, but if you live in a hippie town like I do, this shouldn’t surprise you in the least.

 

Why not Jackie Greene?

 

Can anyone recommend a link to a Magpie Salute video or show online with good audio. The videos I’ve found are of dubious quality and make them indeed sound like a Black Crowes cover band. I’m interested in hearing them in hi-fi though. As far as CRB, I’ve only heard Betty’s Blends Volumes 2 & 3. While I love the songs, I think the keyboards are and some of the free form jamming is unbelievably out of place at times. The weirdo synth tones usually have me gunning for the fast forward on my PMP screen. That’s my only complaint with those guys though. I think it’s a terrific band.

 

Here's a Magpie soundboard from a show the other night in Virginia. Head over to the etree or thetradersden for more soundboards --the band has been allowing a couple ace tapers record soundboards for the past few weeks. Super cool of them, and good for exposure.

The band is also releasing a 14-track live album to anyone who attends the NYC shows tonight and tomorrow.

There are also a bunch of band-sanctioned videos from the past month or so on Youtube.

They've gotten much tighter over the course of this year. I think they should strongly consider trimming the band down for reasons both economic and music--I'm of the unpopular belief Rich, Marc and Sven should handle all the lead vocals--but the setlists have been great overall. Who woulda thought Rich would ever play lost classics like Bitter Bitter You or Words You Throw Away again? Still lots of old songs for Chris to explore, too...

Enjoy!

The Magpie Salute 2017-11-09 Rocky Mount, VA SBD.zip

The Magpie Salute
09 November 2017 - The Harvester - Rocky Mount, VA [ USA ]
S E T L I S T

Omission
Greasy Grass River
One Mirror Too Many
Bitter Bitter You
Badge Of Descencion
Astral
Time Passes Slowly
Feel
Only A Fool
Ballad In Urgency
Wiser Time
Hitchcock Railway
Smoke Signals
Goin' Down South
Shipwreck
Title Song
Last Time Again
Paint An Eight
Sometimes Salvation
My Morning Song

 

Nice! Thank you!

 

That's a shame. I believe they have young kids.

 

https://www.jambase.com/article/chris-robinson-confirms-hell-lead-crow-flies-wanee

 

This made me chuckle (from the article):

"Chris told Howard Stern, 'My brother’s in a Black Crowes tribute band' earlier this year and then when asked about The Magpie Salute he told Rolling Stone, 'Yeah. I mean, everyone’s gotta feed their families, or whatever. So it is what it is. I wouldn’t have expected any of those people to come up with an idea outside of that anyway. You know what I mean?'”

Ouch! I take no pleasure in feuding brothers, but that made me laugh. I'm going to see Chris' "idea outside of that" at the Fillmore on Dec. 16.

 

Good friend of Steve Gorman.

 

But CRB is on the bill too.