The Black Crowes Appreciation Thread

[Shug]

Just some info for those interested...

Crowes come out of the gate ON FIRE in 1992 touring Southern Harmony.  This whole show is on YouTube song by song.  The Crowes at their most Humble Pie-est!
Black Crowes - No speak no slave - 1992

They recorded another show for Germany TV from the same venue in 1995 and you can see and hear the drugs starting to have their influence on the music.  Its way stonier than just three years earlier. 
The Black Crowes - Wiser Time (Live in Germany)

The live DVD Into The Fog http://www.amazon.com/The-Black-Crowes-Freak-Roll/dp/B000EHSVO6/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1353177999&sr=8-6&keywords=into+the+fog  is a great representation of what they sounded like when Marc Ford came back in 2005.

This may not look that impressive on paper, but trust me, this is one of the most intense shows they ever played, absolutely blazing jamming.  http://instantlive.shop.musictoday.com/Product.aspx?cp=858_4575_8569&pc=IVCD208

Other really good live stuff is the two-night all acoustic shows at Town Hall, NYC in 2008.  This was with Luther Dickinson, but he sounds good playing lots of slide in the acoustic setting. http://www.liveblackcrowes.com/live-music/0,3263/The-Black-Crowes-mp3-flac-download-11-3-2008-BC-Roadshow-New-York-NY.html

http://www.liveblackcrowes.com/live-music/0,3264/The-Black-Crowes-mp3-flac-download-11-4-2008-BC-Roadshow-New-York-NY.html

[Shug]

Real nice version of Oh Sweet Nuthin' from the Cabin Fever DVD (live at Levon's barn)
The Black Crowes - Oh Sweet Nuthin'

[Fully]

I've enjoyed watching these this afternoon, Shug.

[exist10z]

Shake Your Money Maker and The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion were two of the better albums of their time.  I loved these guys.  And just to dig a little at the grunge fans, who I debated in another thread, I don't think there was a single grunge album better than TSHAMC, which came out in 1992. 

[Shug]

I've enjoyed watching these this afternoon, Shug.

Glad you did, Fully! Just doin' my part to spread the gospel of real rock 'n' roll! 

exist10z, I used to get a lot of shit from the other employees of the record store I worked at in the early 90s for being a Black Crowes and Lenny Kravitz fan.  They'd say in disgust "But it sounds so RETRO!"  and I'd say, "Yeah, that's exactly why I like it!"  I still don't understand the cult of originality in aesthetics we have in the modern West.  For me if its good, its good no matter if you were the first or the 100th band to make a certain sound.  But that's just me.

[Fully]

I like them too. That bluesy rock sound never gets old to me. Some modern rock is a little too whiney and wimpy for me - not all, but some of it should just be in an entirely different category than rock.

[joely_91]

Love the crowes! been meaning to eventually pick up the freak n roll album that was pressed to vinyl.... so expensive though... really upset that I may never get to see them or chris in his new band in australia again :(

[Penny Lane]

Please check out Chris's first solo album. It's up on my list of favorites..

[midwesterner]

I was at both of those Town Hall shows in 2008. Still 2 of my favorite Crowes shows to listen to. But what made the 2nd night really amazing was walking out into Time square afterwards and being with so many people when it was announced that Obama had won!

[parkervb]

probably no group that was doing better Stones covers than these guys.

[Shug]

Yep.  Can't You Hear Me Knockin', Torn and Frayed, Lovin' Cup, Happy, Tumblin' Dice.  Seems they appreciate Exile on Main Street!

[Fully]

Don't you think that a big part of the reason they can do such great Stones covers is that they are a direct descendant of the Sticky Fingers, Exile era Stones? I'm not saying that to criticize them. I could live a happy life if more music sounded like it came from that era.

[Shug]

Yeah, I do, Fully.  Although its very true, they, in the early days, understandably tried to deny it, claiming more obscure influences (but not less accurate) like Humble Pie and Leon Russell.

I've always thought of Jagger, Steve Tyler and for about 10 years, Chris Robinson as generational descendants.  Nothing like an over-the-top arrogant and overly confident showboat personality for leading a real rock 'n' roll band, as long as they are good enough to justify the arrogance!

[ChiefOKONO]

These guys rule.  Just heard them for the first time in a while recently.
early stuff was incredible.. wish they could have kept that up for a bit longer.  It's sad they had so many personnel changes though.
They could jam like few others when they were in their prime.

I LOVED the reunion shows in 05-06 but I think their peak was probably 1996-97.

[Shug]

I was at both of those Town Hall shows in 2008. Still 2 of my favorite Crowes shows to listen to. But what made the 2nd night really amazing was walking out into Time square afterwards and being with so many people when it was announced that Obama had won!

Do you, by chance, remember what the guy from the audience was yelling out that made Chris tell him to fuck off?  On the recording, you can only hear Chris' rant in response, not what instigated the rant. 

[LBSUNFLWR]

I was at both of those Town Hall shows in 2008. Still 2 of my favorite Crowes shows to listen to. But what made the 2nd night really amazing was walking out into Time square afterwards and being with so many people when it was announced that Obama had won!

I was also at these shows and will never forget when Rich gave an update and then we walked into Times Square to see the results! Those were 2 of the best out of many many EXCELLENT shows in NYC over the years!

As much as I loved the 90's version, and the 2005 reunion version of the band, something about Luther really took my love to a different level! Damn he was fun to watch on stage with Rich and Chris!!

[Shug]

Don't you think that a big part of the reason they can do such great Stones covers is that they are a direct descendant of the Sticky Fingers, Exile era Stones? I'm not saying that to criticize them. I could live a happy life if more music sounded like it came from that era.

I was thinking about this a little more when the Crowes doing You Don't Miss Your Water live came up on shuffle on my iPod.

I think what made the Crowes so great at covering the Stones and other grand masters of that era is that they understood the path of influences that lead the Stones to be what they were.  They didn't just try to mimic the Stones or Zepp or Humble Pie. The Crowes understand, on a deep musical level, Muddy Waters and Gram Parsons, for example, as much as they understand The Stones.  A simple point, perhaps, but I think really important when it comes to separating the mere imitators from the ones who do a real living breathing authentic re-creating of the sound and feel of a particular time and style of music.  I really think the Crowes are vastly under-appreciated as torch-bearers for real rock 'n' roll music.

[Shug]

I have really been getting back into The Black Crowes since 2010's Croweology came out. I love the alternate versions of all those killer old songs! I had gotten into them originally back around 1992 after The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion came out. I made a recording of that and Shake Your Money Maker from a friend's CD onto a 90 min. tape and listened to it all the time in the mid 1990's. I later bought Amorica, and Three Snakes and One Charm in the 1990's. I didn't buy anything of theirs until Croweology. After that, I went back and got By Your Side, Warpaint, and Until the Frost...Until the Freeze. I recently got the two newest CRB albums. I also have all of their DVD's except for Warpaint Live. Next, I have to find the live album they made with Jimmy Page. That should be great!

The live album with Page is well worth getting.  One year for my birthday party, my brother cranked that sucker up to concert-level loudness through his brand new $6000 speakers.  It sounded fucking awesome until the speakers blew out!  The Crowes and Page doing Zeppelin, Yardbirds and blues songs was truly a beautiful match.  They frickin' nailed it, IMO.  Even the odd time signature stuff like Nobody's Fault But Mine, just wailing.  Chris played a mean harp, too.

Another CD worth getting is the Lost Crowes.  Its got the outtakes from Amorica (very strong stuff, but I can't believe they left off the songs Exit and Title Song, you gotta get those from a bootleg called Tall or Taller Than All) and a pretty cool album that was finished but never released called The Band.  It was Marc Ford's last record, done in Nashville, more songwriter-y than previous.

[midwesterner]

I would love to see another Brothers of a Feather tour. I saw the NYC shows and loved them. Maybe next year after CRB finishes touring.  Also I just picked up a new CRB 7" that is 2 covers. I love that Chris has been putting out high quality vinyl.

[LBSUNFLWR]

The CRB is so excellent live!!!