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Re: Black Crowes reunite
In what has already been considered by many to be the most questionable reunion in quite some time,- The Black Crowes have reunited for a 2020 Live Nation-promoted summer tour, playing their 1990 debut album Shake Your Money Maker in its entirety to 20k sheds and arenas across the states. While its a stretch to call it The Black Crowes vs simply the Robinson Brothers – as the rest of the band performing with them this summer has never performed under The Black Crowes name prior – everything seems a little bit off.
Wasn’t it only just a few months back that lead singer Chris Robinson was on his Cosmic California musical voyage under the freak flag of The Chris Robinson Brotherhood, creating a kaleidoscope of anything goes improvisational rock in the vein of The Grateful Dead? Guitarist Rich Robinson was just starting to get the wheels spinning on The Magpie Salute featuring former Crowes Marc Ford and Sven Pipien. Having just released their second studio LP High Water II on October 11th, The Magpie was just starting to gain that momentum they’ve been aiming for. So why suddenly slam the breaks on the solo careers of both Robinson boys? Perhaps the title of the album says it best – Shake Your Money Maker.
It’s no secret that both the Chris Robinson Brotherhood and Magpie Salute, despite their creative appetites, whether improvisational delights or powerhouse classic rock, were not what most would consider financially or commercially successful, although they each certainly have their draw compared to most bands struggling to make it these days.
Both bands were slugging it out on lengthy tours in clubs and small theaters – a small cry from headlining arenas and the HORDE and FURTHUR tour in the mid to late ’90s.
Now Chris and Rich are back together – a lot of awkward, a lot of expected, and also a lot of disappointing. There is no underlying factor that each sacrificed many a dollar to carry on their own creative visions, and there’s only so much growth for 50-year-olds in new bands to venture. With that in mind and so much rocky history, it hardly seems they are simply doing this because they miss playing together. Let’s not bullshit and just state the obvious: it’s for the money. And that’s fine if it is – but just say so! Don’t lead your fans to think this is “pure.” How can going from something that was so free form and creatively defined to something so orchestrated be considered pure?
Hearing a band do an album in its entirety note for note – “there’s no jamming” as an upcoming Rolling Stone article about the reunion tour states – makes it like seeing The Grateful Dead perform Skeletons From the Closet. In other words, no thanks. This isn’t The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway or The Wall we are talking about here – it’s Shake Your Money Maker! It’s an album whose biggest hit is a cover of Otis Redding’s “Hard to Handle” with some other strong moments and a few throwaways. In fact, Shake Your Money Maker isn’t even the best Crowes album –
Rest of the article:
https://glidemagazine.com/236494/the-bl … er-lining/
Re: Black Crowes reunite
This appears to be the trend for reunions now...
Simply reunite the key members, fill in the rest of the slots with obscure musicians on salary, call it the reunion, and launch the shindig.
In today's culture, it makes sense I suppose but it sure rubs hardcore fans of these various bands the wrong way but we're in an era where hardcore fans are not as relevant or important as they used to be. Nobody really cares much about band members...they just want to hear the hits while posting selfies on social media.
It's all about selling tickets to casual audiences. No more, no less.
Re: Black Crowes reunite
I once saw the Crowes. Probably their second tour. I thought it was terrible. I couldn't stand the jamming, constant jamming. The songs were unrecognizable. I realize some people like that freeform shit. Not me. They lost me around the third or fourth album.
I wouldn't pay to see them play Shake Your Moneymaker. Not much at least.
Re: Black Crowes reunite
They lost me with Amorica. It just wasn't up to snuff with the previous two albums and like you said, Chris took over the band and turned it into some clusterfucked version of the Grateful Dead.
Only way I'd even consider seeing them is if it was cheap and there were guarantees they play the hits, play them properly, and zero shows where the set lists are deep cuts, covers, and hippy jams.
They were an amazing band right out the gates. Should've been bigger than they were. Another great band ruined by ego and drugs.
This reunion is all about money. The brothers didn't even talk until after the contracts were signed.
Re: Black Crowes reunite
By Your Side was a return to the old Crowes albums. Actually War Paint was a good one too. The Lost Crowes double cd was kind of interesting.
They should have done a GNR and broke up after Southern Harmony then now being doing a megabucks Shake Your Money Maker Again Tour.
I think that in their heads they are like Aerosmith but nobody cares, kind of like Skid Row. Huge in the metal world but don’t have the mainstream connection as Aerosmith or Van Halen or GNR.
Remedy was on GTA rock station once. Great driving song.
Re: Black Crowes reunite
Its a good album tho. I agree not a "Tour Set" album tho. Isnt it the 30th anniversary of it? That said, just call it the 30th anniversary of their breakthrough.
James said it well, they need to play the hits, play them properly, and no/few deep cuts. That's never really been their style I suppose, but do it for the memories tour.
I will say 'Croweology' is a great album. Its like a Greatest Hits via slowed down acoustical jams. Studio produced, not live, but its good & worth checking out on YT. They did have some good later material. I too bailed on them in the 90s.
Re: Black Crowes reunite
Remedy is a jam for the ages....
This is killer too...
Just looked at their discog. Holy shit do they have a lot of stuff I never listened to.
Funny how a supergroup of the Black Crowes and Jimmy Page was taking shape but as soon as Page wanted to work with them and not just perform onstage, they kicked his ass out the door.
Like I said, drugs and ego were not kind to this band.
Can't wait to see the interest in this. Like wasted said, they're not really as big as they think they are.
I don't know... maybe I'm underestimating how many people want to take a selfie while Hard to Handle plays in the background....
- FlashFlood
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Re: Black Crowes reunite
Can't wait to see the interest in this. Like wasted said, they're not really as big as they think they are.
I don't know... maybe I'm underestimating how many people want to take a selfie while Hard to Handle plays in the background....
Eh, they’re doing the amphitheater circuit. It’s not like The Smashing Pumpkins reunion tour when they booked major market arenas, only to rope off upper levels. Anybody (relatively) can do the amphitheaters.
Re: Black Crowes reunite
I was listening to Money Maker the other day and it’s a great debut. So many great songs on one album. But they didn’t have the star power to really challenge The Stones as a stadium act. In fact I think I saw them open for The Stones around 95 at Wembley. It’s kind of the same as The Strokes with Is This It, it’s a cool record but they didn’t get proper drug habits and drive Ferrari’s through shop windows or every really follow up that album.
