Sting Me

Last night Tom and I went down to the 930 Club to see the Black Crowes. I've liked them ever since their first record came out. That was back in high school when I was listening to classic rock and metal exclusively. Outside of metal I didn't think there were any new bands really worth listening to. I remember being excited for the new Rush tape or the new AC/DC CD or scraping enough money together to buy ...And Justice For All on tape.

The Black Crowes were one of the few young bands I genuinely liked in 1990. Back then the whole rock revival thing was kicking into gear again. Even though they sounded just like the Stones they didn't really sound like anything on radio or on MTV. Maybe Guns n Roses, but GnR weren't exactly fun like the brothers Robinson, they were frightening (at the time at least). Their copying of the classics was to me new and exciting. It was anachronistic but it was fresh in its way.  Instead of the same old same old on Q102 it was kids a little older than me making a record I actually dug. It wasn't anything transcendental, I am not equating them with Bob Dylan, but to a 17 year old kid it was cool.  This was  few years before I got acquainted with Nirvana and Pearl Jam and Soundgarden and their ilk.

Young Rich Robinson

The first three Crowes records are easily the best. The second one, The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion is awesome and the follow-up Amorica is almost as good. Those were the records Marc Ford played on and he was my favorite BC lead player. He also played on Three Snakes and a Charm but that oine was a bit too jammy for me. After that the albums blur together. I liked Lions when it came out.

Chris Robinson

They aren't touring behind any new record right now. They did just release a big live set that I listened to but wasn't terribly impressed with. I thought the guitars sounded kind of dull. They didn't roar. It was alright. The show though was great. They are a killer live band. The only originals left are Rich and Chris and drummer Steve Gorman. The other guitarist and bass player (Sven something-or-other who's been with them a long time) and the keyboard player all sounded great. They seemed to rotate guitars every couple songs, so many different guitars. Rich looked like he lost some weight; I remember seeing him a couple years back and thinking he was looking real chunky. He looks great now. Chris looks like a wraith still but the great thing about him is how utterly comfortable he is as a lead singer. He doesn't play an instrument; he just sings and does he goofy hippie dance. But for a band that has long jam breaks during the songs, you get no sense of him being uncomfortable or bored or not knowing what to do or irritated that another 5 minute guitar solo was going on. He just twirls around and plays with his shirt and bangs the tambourine and has a good time. I admire that. He's a great front man.

"She Talks To Angels" naturally

This was the fourth time I have seen them. First time was at DAR Constitution Hall on the SH&MC tour. Second time was a surprise gig at 930 Club around 1997. Last time was when they toured with Jimmy Page and did Zeppelin tunes all night. I remember the DAR show was great; the first 930 Club was fine; the Page show was kind of weird. This was a very good show. They are tight and accomplished and know how to groove. They played over 2 hours. They did most of the songs you'd want to hear: "Twice As Hard," "She Talks To Angels," "Stare It Cold," "Jealous Again," "Remedy," "Sting Me." Happily they didn't do that stupid "Stop Kicking My Heart Around" song; that one is so meh. Tom said the other guitarist must be real new because he was looking at song sheets a bunch of times. Man's got to eat, right?

As it goes for a meat and potatoes rock band, you can't get much better than The Black Crowes.