This month in Bought & Sold, Marc Ford pops his head through the door to talk about the guitars in his life, from first loves to current squeezes, and those he loved and lost over the years.

And with a new concert album, Live in Germany, out now, the Lucinda Williams guitarist reveals what’s in his current rig, and tells us why his Asher signature guitars are almost too good to be true.

What was the first serious guitar that you bought with your own money?

Well, I took all of the savings I had accrued as a kid from all the birthdays and Christmases – which was obviously meant for something way more responsible, I think – and I cashed it and went in and had a guitar put together out of Warmoth parts. It was right when that whole Schecter thing was happening and the parts-guitar thing was just starting. I essentially had a hot-rodded [S-type] made.

But prior to that, all of my guitars were gifts from my family. I ended up trading that for something else pretty quickly. It was sort of a flash of the times, you know? It had a humbucker in it and it was [an S-type], so it had the whammy bar… it was very Eddie Van Halen-esque in a way. That was what was going on at the time and I didn’t know enough about guitars, so it just seemed cool. But as soon as I got into guitar, I realised that it wasn’t something I wanted to use.

What was the last guitar that you bought, and why?

The last one that I bought was a Nash [T-style]. I was missing the Telecaster style with the gear that I had with me with Lucinda [Williams], so I went to Mike’s Music – where I bought my ’61 Tele, like, 30 years ago – and now I’ve bought another [laughs]. It’s a great guitar and it made sense because it’s a tool that I’ve been missing in my equipment.

What’s the most incredible find or bargain that you’ve ever heard when buying guitars?

Shoot… probably a short-scale Gibson hollowbody like the one Chuck Berry played in the ’50s before he went to the ES-335 [the ES-350, a close cousin to the Byrdland]. I found one of those in Lake Havasu for incredibly cheap. It needed some work, but it was a great deal. It was the same one that Chuck played, and the same one that [Eric] Clapton played at the Bangladesh concerts [EC played a Gibson Byrdland].

What’s the strongest case of buyer’s remorse you’ve ever had while buying gear?

Well, that first guitar that I had made is one. It was a quality guitar, but it was just a dumb choice. It really wasn’t at all helpful to what I was doing, so I was pretty bummed that I did that, you know?

But other than that, I don’t think I’ve made too many stupid mistakes… at least, not ones that stick out. But there’s always gonna be some stuff that didn’t turn out the way that you thought or didn’t fit once you got it home. But I don’t do a lot of on-a-whim, off-the-cuff buying, you know? I’ve gotta hear it and know that it’s working pretty cool before I buy it.

Have you ever sold a guitar you now intensely regret letting go?

I mean… yeah [laughs]. There’s a lot of gear that I had to get rid of because rent was due. I was always paid as a sideman, so there were only a few moments where I was really paid money that was decent.

There were a lot of lean times, where I had to get rid of stuff just to keep afloat. So that list is longer than I can remember what’s even on there. But gear is a great place to keep your money, you know what I mean? If you have real pieces, you’re really not gonna lose anything on them.

This is when you start to realise that guitars are just tools. Like, you can have your favourites and you can have things that you prefer, but sometimes that can be limiting.

There are times when being on an instrument that’s a little uncomfortable, set up wrong, or not what you’re used to, forces you to be present, think about what you’re doing and not get so hung up about the instrument itself.

What’s your best buying tip for someone looking to buy their ultimate guitar?

The ultimate guitar tip for guitars – and really, any guitar, though it’s more obvious on acoustic and maybe less so with electric – is that it’s got to sound good when it’s not plugged in. There has to be a tone that catches your ear. And it probably needs to be unique compared with other guitars.

Obviously, feel is important. It’s gotta feel good to you. But if it doesn’t sound good when it’s not plugged in, there’s no way that you’re ever gonna get it to sound good through the electronics.

If forced to make a choice, would you rather have a really good guitar and a cheap amp or a cheap electric guitar and a top-notch amp?

I’d buy the guitar. Shit, these days, half the time I’m playing through a rented amp [laughs]. But the guitar is so much more personal. You’re physically touching the thing and, in a perfect world, it becomes a part of you to where you don’t even think about it any more.

It becomes just a way to get your insides out, since your fingerprints are literally on it. There’s direct contact and that’s gonna exchange your subtleties way more than an amplifier will, I think.

If you could only use humbuckers or single coil pickups for the rest of your career, which would you choose, and why?

Single coils. They’re more expressive. There’s more subtleties and they’re way more direct for when you need that. I just find them to be more versatile and more fun. I’ve always been drawn to single coils. Not that I’m knocking a great humbucker; I just prefer single coils.

Marc’s Go-To Rig

Right now with Lucinda, I’ve got a Satellite amp. It’s probably about 25 watts with two 10-inch speakers. I don’t know what [owner] Adam [Grimm] does to them, but they’re just cool and they work.

I’m playing a Wide Sky guitar that’s kind of like a Les Paul Special, and I’ve got the Nash T, and an old 50th anniversary ’54 [Fender] Strat that I really love. I just got the Nash, but I think I’ll bring it out on the road with me.

Aside from all that, I’ve got my signature Asher guitars. Bill [Asher] is an incredible luthier. His attention to detail is almost more than I can handle! I developed a relationship with him over time, and we started talking about ideas and gear.

At the time, my two favorite guitars were a Les Paul Special and a Fender Strat. I thought, ‘Can we marry these two guitars together somehow?’ Then I noticed his Electro Sonic design, so we were essentially using his parts that he’d already designed and just assembling them to my taste.

With pedals, on the road I’m really only using a couple of boost pedals, an overdrive and maybe a slap delay. There’s not a lot of tricks, which is cool because I was never much into tricks anyway.

• Live in Germany is out now.
• This article first appeared in Guitarist. Subscribe and save.

The Black Crowes are making up for lost time. Thanks to disagreements over ownership, which led to a public feud, there was a mighty 15-year gap between 2009’s Before the Frost…Until the Freeze and their next album of new material, 2024’s Happiness Bastards.

Now, not even a full two years later, the Crowes have returned with A Pound of Feathers. Founding singer Chris Robinson and his guitarist brother, Rich, are obviously choosing to strike while the iron is hot, having lost precious time in the heat of bickering so fervent that even Oasis’s formerly feuding Gallagher brothers once deemed it “intense.”

Despite not having a huge amount in common musically – the Black Crowes best known as Southern rock revivalists and Oasis embodying the essence of Britrock – the two bands famously hit the road together in 2001. With the disputes now firmly put to bed in both camps, one could say the era of sibling rivalry is over and it’s goodwill from here on out.

“It’s the season of brotherly love,” Rich Robinson says with a smile while on a video call with Guitar World from his home studio. “That co-headline run with Oasis was great and actually ended up being one of my favorite tours. Those guys are amazing. Noel comes down to our shows sometimes when we play. Chris went to see them on this reunion tour in New York not long ago and said they sounded great. All of the guys in the band are really cool, from Noel and Liam to Gem Archer and Andy Bell. They’re good people.”

While there’s been no word of new music from Oasis just yet, the Black Crowes have been careful in making sure their creative reunion looks to the future as much as it reflects on their storied past. The overwhelmingly warm reaction to Happiness Bastards certainly put wind in their sails, with Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Grammy recognition helping the brothers realize they were always going to be stronger together.

“I think the success was a bit surprising for us,” Rich says. “We had a long time to write that record. There was a lot to choose from. We took our time, and it was a good statement to come back with after not being in the studio for however many years. We couldn’t have been happier with the response.”

And now you’re back with A Pound of Feathers. It definitely feels like all systems go.

Yeah. Time can shape a record – with the last one, it was nice to take our time, write stuff and be cool. But there’s also an excitement and instinctual element when you’re moving faster, like we were for this one. I have a studio in my house, so I sent Chris a bunch of stuff.

I wrote most of it while I was at home after a big tour. We eventually decided it would work better to use a studio as a writing place instead. I had sketches, ideas and riffs – just basic arrangements of songs – so we went into this studio and got two or three songs done a day. The whole record was finished in about 10 days.

You’ve told me before that you almost always write on acoustic guitar. Is that still the case?

I actually wrote quite a bit on electric this time round. I used the tones to help write the songs. The sound of things can inspire me. An acoustic sound will pull something out and an electric might find something else. This record definitely had a different approach, though we did work with [producer] Jay Joyce again.

He’s someone we love and have a great working relationship with. But as for the writing, I was just in my studio, messing around, playing with amps, finding sounds and experimenting with tones. That had a lot to do with the overall feeling of the record.

Is there anything on the album that feels new for you as a guitarist?

I used a lot more standard tuning on this record. It’s just something I was feeling, though I still used my go-to open tunings in places. Sometimes I have an urge to try something I don’t try that often, which might be why a lot of the songs were in standard.

Blood Red Regrets is in DADGAD, which is a new tuning for me. I actually found it hard because all the other tunings have a similar chord structure and pattern. DADGAD presented a challenge, which I got around and overcame. The way the strings ring under the notes you’re pressing gives it a specific sound.

I’m really proud of how that song came out. It has this middle section that goes acoustic. I was playing this Mellotron pedal over my acoustic part, and then I added a 12-string acoustic on top, plus some bass. It ended up being a really cool tune.

Maybe the tuning helped give it even more of a Led Zeppelin feel.

For sure. That song ended up being my homage to Jimmy Page, especially with that middle section. The riff came out really cool because of the timing; that’s what I really like about it. Because of the tuning, the chord structure is all different for me. The chord shapes ring out and have this really cool timbre.

There’s this Celtic thing that we were tapping into. Like the Bert Jansch recording of Blackwaterside, which Jimmy covered with Led Zeppelin as Black Mountain Side. DADGAD is such a cool tuning. It pulls these strange things out of me. And then there are all the other people who use that tuning, like Stephen Stills.

It feels like your acoustics are more prominent on this record.

There are definitely more areas of acoustic on this one. It can be quite textural, if you throw in acoustic stuff to create a bigger sound. When recorded properly, acoustics can blend really well with electrics.

On Pharmacy Chronicles you’re hearing my 1964 Gibson J-200. I bought a couple of them. One is blonde and has the nylon bridge pieces, while the other has nickel. The nickel seems to project a little bit more, so that’s probably what we used, but they both sound great. It was my first time using J-200s because I’ve always tended to go with Martin dreadnaughts.

When I heard these ones, I couldn’t believe how much bottom-end they had, but they also covered all the other frequencies really well. Throw that in there with good mics, a great engineer and producer who know what they are doing and you’ll hear everything it can be.

What kind of electric guitars did you end up using?

I used a bunch of different guitars. I bought a 1967 Guild Starfire, which is kinda cool. It’s the same model you see on the cover of that Kinks record [1965’s The Kink Kontroversy]. It’s a single-cutaway in a cherry-stain finish; I ended up putting different pickups inside. I also played my Gibson ES-335s and my 1956 Les Paul Special on some stuff.

When it came to amps, I used my 1968 Marshall Bluesbreaker a bunch. I brought my Harry Joyce amps back; he’s the guy who made the original Hiwatts. I used those on a couple of tracks. I also had this small single-speaker Fifties tweed Fender Vibrolux, which was really ratty-sounding.

There’s another one Fender made called the White amp [Fifties-era tube amp by the Fullerton-based White Instrument Co.], a junior model they originally designed for students – but it sounds fuckin’ great. I was able to get a bunch of different tones using all of that.

You used that 1968 Bluesbreaker as a reference point for your own line of Muswell amps, which you launched in 2023. Are those on the record?

I used my main Muswell on about four songs. It’s a great-sounding amp. We found these custom transformers made by some guy in the U.S. I have six Muswells, but this one has the different transformer while others might have different tubes. We mismatched a lot of stuff trying to find the best tone.

I guess Muswell is more of a boutique brand. People will call in and order one, and then it takes a while to build. Right now there’s no infrastructure; it’s just one guy building everything.

I have a couple of people that want in, so we’re getting to a place where we can expand, but I’ve been so busy playing. There hasn’t been a massive launch or any big push with Muswell. I like doing them one at a time.

You’ve built up a sizable collection of vintage guitars. Which are the most rare?

That’s hard to say. I still have my dad’s Martin, which they made the signature out of – a 1953 D-28. I have that TV Yellow 1956 Les Paul Special and a 1959 TV Les Paul Junior. I have my ES-335s from 1961, 1962 and 1968, which have very different tones. I have a 1964 Rickenbacker Rose Morris with the f-hole instead of the check; it’s the one Pete Townshend used to play, which is pretty rare, apparently. I have quite a few from this period.

The opening track, Profane Prophecy, kicks off with some of the classic Rolling Stones triads heard on Start Me Up and Brown Sugar.

The excitement of that intro really got me going when I wrote it. I think it just has this cool, instantaneous sound that grabs you. When I write, I’ll typically have more of a solid foundation for a song before I send it to Chris. But this time was different.

We pushed the ideas quite a bit. Profane Prophecy started out a bit different, and then Chris was hearing it the other way around. He’d be like, “I hear this as the chorus,” and I’d say “No, that’s the verse.” Then he’d say, “But this is the verse,” and I’d say “No, that’s the chorus!”

We had to work it out together. It was a combination of a couple of songs. I had the opening part and the middle bridge in a different song, but I realized it would work better like this. It was pieced together.

Cruel Streak has a standout riff with its mixture of ringing open strings and walking chromatics.

There’s a bunch of stuff in there. Again, that one took a journey. I had it as this thing, and then it evolved. It’s so funny to hear how much it changed. A lot of times when I write these things, I’ll have a pretty specific idea of where I think it’s going to go, and then sometimes it might take this complete left turn.

That was really cool. We changed up the drumbeat and the arrangement, because the chorus was originally a bridge, but it was too cool to be just a bridge. It made a lot of sense in the end. But I’m very proud of that main riff and how it sits with the drums, alongside what Chris was bringing to the table.

Another big guitar moment is how you bring down your dynamics and use fingerstyle to interact with the keys on Eros Blues, creating what feels like an improvised conversation between the two instruments.

That was another case of two songs being put together. I had the bridge section and was trying to figure out where to use it. Chris had the idea of changing the dynamic in the verses.

When it gets to that chorus section, it’s pretty amazing. That song is almost like a journey. You start with this one kind of thing and then get into this whole other realm. It’s floaty and ethereal, and then all of a sudden that chorus hook kicks in. I love the juxtaposition.

What’s your favorite solo on the album?

There’s a song called Do the Parasite! with this middle section that’s almost like an AC/DC breakdown. I love the solo I played. There’s the solo I played at the end of Profane Prophecy; I love how it tied everything in. But I’m happy with all of it.

We were going to bring everyone in, but we had about 10 days of working just me, Chris and Cully [Symington], our drummer, just to get the songs to a place. Sometimes, when it’s all working and very organic, it’s best just to carry on as is.

Chris would say, “Throw a bass on there and some more guitars here,” and then I’d do it. Before we knew it, the take would be done. Trying to deconstruct that and bring in more people would’ve been overdoing it. Sometimes when you capture something, when you try to recapture that thing, it doesn’t work. Most of the time, it won’t work.

Maybe that’s why it almost feels more like a jam record in places.

It was a really cool way to make a record. Everything sounds like we’re excited. With all of that, you get drawn in and that all translates into what you are doing.

A lot of these songs were played two or three times and that’s it. I haven’t actually played them since, so I’ll have to relearn a lot of it before we start rehearsing just to figure out which parts I’m going to play and which parts our other guitarist, Nico [Bereciartua], is going to play.

On the album I played everything, all of the acoustics, electrics and slide, but then again I’ve played slide on pretty much every record I’ve made. Our intention was to bring everyone in, but once you start and find yourself with eight or nine songs done in a week, it feels great and you know everything is working well. We didn’t want to fuck with that.

There’s a lot to be said for the chemistry between you and Nico on stage. But for some fans, what you had with Marc Ford was also very special. Could you ever work with him again?

I don’t think so; I’d say that time is done. It just went south again. When Marc and I started playing again [in the Magpie Salute], everybody was cool and it was all purposeful. But the same patterns came back and it took a wrong turn.

I didn’t want to deal with that anymore, which was a bummer because I liked our band and everyone else was cool. It got to a point where I was like, “Why should I deal with this?” Nico and I have a great relationship.

What made him fit into the band so easily?

He loves the Black Crowes, including how Marc Ford played, and that’s a good thing. His parts are very true stylistically to what we’re doing. Even though he’s from Argentina, he grew up loving the same stuff. We’ll talk to each other about songs from I’ve Got My Own Album to Do by Ronnie Wood or old Small Faces and Rolling Stones riffs.

We have very similar musical tastes, so it’s a combination of that with his love for the Crowes that helps us play and weave together so well. It’s an artform, having two guitar players get up there and share the stage.

The heavy dose of reverb and tremolo on Doomsday Doggerel could make it one of the most atmospheric tracks you’ve ever recorded.

I was getting a tone for something else and playing this random riff, just to mess with the tremolo. Chris was like, “What’s that?” and I told him it was nothing, I was just making it up. Then he asked me to write a song around it. He loved what I came up with right away.

Originally I was playing my big Gretsch, the signature Magpie Blue model [Gretsch G6136T-RR Rich Robinson Magpie]. I put a ton of reverb on it, and the part was going to sit in the background. I kept playing it over and over, and it turned into a song.

And you’re right, it’s definitely different, I’ve never done anything like that before. It almost reminds me of the B-52s’ early stuff. That guitar player [Ricky Wilson] was far out, man. He played such cool stuff on an old Mosrite that, I think, only had four strings on it.

His approach to chords was really out there, especially on songs like 52 Girls or Dance This Mess Around from their debut record. He had this really cool thing going on, it was so interesting. People don’t talk about how good he was.

Where did the tremolo and other effects come from?

The only pedals I can remember using were the Guyatone Flip VT-X Vintage Tremolo and the Electro-Harmonix Mel9. I have some Strymon stuff, too. A lot of my solos were just the amp turned up to 10.

Your sound has always been very pure and honest. Even with digital gear getting better and better, we can’t imagine you plugging into a laptop.

They’re getting close, but you can never account for the physics of a room. What’s the humidity like? What’s the oxygen level like? Are you at high altitude or low altitude? What’s the shape of the room? Where is the microphone being placed? All of these things can have a big effect on your sound.

Your tone that comes out will always be what it is, but everything else needs to be taken into consideration. Then there’s the feeling aspect. You have this symbiotic relationship with your amp.

You’re literally connected to it. You’re plugged in and feeling that. It’s vibrating the floor and you’re hearing it, feeling it and playing with it. I think that’s when it becomes like this big oscillation. You’re in it.

And if you didn’t have that, you’d end up playing differently.

Exactly. Personally, I just can’t stand computers. To be able to stand in front of amps and hear the rest of the band play is exciting. The whole purpose of rock ’n’ roll is to [play with] abandon.

It could go off the rails at any time. If everybody is on a computer listening to a click track playing their music around the light show rather than the actual songs, there’s no chance of greatness or failure.

But when you plug in, there’s always a fine line that you are driving toward. That’s the exciting part. You are stretching, like, “Oh shit, I’m gonna go over here and try this!” Sometimes you fail, but if you can pull it off, it’s magic. I think computers suck that out of everyday life. There’s nothing more boring than sitting at a computer.

• A Pound of Feathers is out now via Silver Arrow
• This article first appeared in Guitar World. Subscribe and save.

“It’s complete horseshit,” said Johnny Colt, former bassist of the much-maligned Black Crowes in the March 2005 issue of Bass Player. "You can walk into any store and look at the magazine rack – even in the so-called ‘Bible Belt’ – and you'll see a whole lot more than that. What about the Ohio Players’ records? What about the cover of Fire?”

Colt was talking about the banning of the band’s third release, Amorica, due to cover art featuring a closeup of a woman’s stars & stripes bikini-clad crotch.

Too hot to handle? Rolling Stone seemed to think so – the magazine wouldn't publish an ad displaying the cover. And K-Mart, Target, Wal Mart, and other ‘household-oriented’ chain stores refused to stock the record.

Rather than alienate themselves and deny their fans in rural areas, the Crowes reluctantly authorized a second cover, but it still didn't sit well with the band.

Prior to the arrival of Stone Temple Pilots in 1992, the Black Crowes were the whipping boys of the rock press, who trashed them for a sound and look that channeled yesteryear elements of the Faces and the Rolling Stones.

They were weeded out for their candid views on marijuana legalization and for their “go as low as you can or as high as you can” lifestyle. They clashed with just about everyone around – including each other.

The result? Their first two albums, Shake Your Money Maker and The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion, sold over 10 million copies worldwide.

Their third effort, Amorica, was a striking fusion of blues, rock, soul, and gospel – and Colt's bass had never been more powerful. From the elegant, old-school feel of Nonfiction, to the fuzzed-out grind of High Head Blues, to the fretless-like glide of She Gave Good Sunflower, to the dropped-D chug of A Conspiracy, his high-caliber basslines expressed an energized, unspoiled approach.

“I put a lot of time into the instrument away from the band, and I think my bass playing improved a lot. Most of it was simply learning to listen. No bullshit – Amorica is the real deal.”

Alas, Amorica was also the product of many months of real turmoil. Singer Chris Robinson and his brother, rhythm guitarist Rich (the pair were sometimes called the “Rotten Twins”), were well-known for their frequent spats and moody mannerisms. Adding to the chaos, the Crowes parted company with George Drakoulias, who helped to produce the band's first two records.

Problems heaped upon problems, and the 17 songs originally recorded for the album were scrapped. Needing focus, the band finally enlisted the aid of producer Jack Joseph Puig, of Jellyfish fame.

“We've always been so hit-and-run in the studio that it was odd to spend that much time on a record, but it doesn't always happen when you're trying to go somewhere new.”

In the end, it was just “business as usual”, insists Colt, who's credited with “bass fishing” on the Amorica sleeve. “Bass fishing! Honestly, I'd rather fish for trout.”

Southern Harmony took six days to record, while Amorica took six months. What was the biggest obstacle?

Just locking in on where we were going, and trying to learn how to give each other space and grow as musicians. Striking the right kind of magic and laying it down is difficult when everyone's not in the same place – and we were coming from a lot of different places. But you don't get a record like Amorica without a fight. If you're going to push it, it's going to push back.

What made the working situation so volatile?

We toured for a long time after our first record – 20 months or so and came back home and slammed out Southern Harmony, and then went right back out again. When we finished that tour, a lot of stuff had changed: we'd gone from being 21 at the time of the first record to suddenly being 26. It all happened so fast.

We decided we needed to take some time away from each other, but when we did, that felt awkward. Once we did get back together, it was like, ‘This is fucked! We were knocking it out three months ago – what happened?’

The only thing that had kept everything in line for me was the band, and suddenly that was way off kilter. That was a large part of the cloud in my head.

Is turmoil part of the creative process for the Crowes?

Absolutely. Struggle is part of the creative process, period. The fights get bigger, but that makes the musicians push harder. I don't know too many happy-go-lucky types who can put paint on a canvas and create anything I'd want to look at. In fact, when most artists make great works there's usually some kind of crazy underlying problem, and that's always been par for the course with us.

Why the switch in producers?

After we finished Southern, we knew our relationship with George was over. He was extremely close to the band, and I don't think he wanted to tackle the task again. It was too upright, too big, too walkin’, and too talkin’ for him to deal with.

Jack Puig was originally hired to be our engineer. I can imagine how tough it must have been for him to walk into a situation like ours. With the Crowes, you'd better step up to the plate and swing your bat or prepare to get completely ripped apart. After working with him, we felt he could bring the vision.

What were the biggest changes Jack Puig made?

We were constantly trying new approaches and techniques. More important, he gave respect to the musicians, and he wasn't afraid to listen; he had sensitivity to both the songs and the players. He also helped to create a supportive, ‘Let's be better than you've ever been before’ environment.

It's funny, because every studio we work at starts to look the same – we bring in our rugs and posters of the greats like Coltrane. We even have Johnny Wong's Tiki Hut, which is a fully stocked bar with a bartender to wait on the band and the crew! So the cocktails and party supplies were there, and it was very relaxed. A little Bob Marley on the stereo, and we were ready to go.

I hear a bit more reach in your playing than on the first two albums.

On Money Maker, my parts were straight-ahead, because George wouldn't allow me to go anywhere. Then again, at the time, maybe if I had gone somewhere it would have been painful!

With George I basically had one day to record my parts for 15 songs; the line I got from him was, ‘Be a pro.’ Translation: ‘Get 'em done!’ Just like turning wrenches in a pit crew, get it done quick, and get it done right.

How do you know when you're onto a good bassline?

Well, I know when I'm not! I just feel it – it's there. It sings right out and catches all the right notes. The main thing is to not be scared to go out and find it.

Every once in a while I get a look thrown my way, like, ‘What the hell are you doin’?’ Then I give Marc the look, and he knows, ‘Oh, God – Johnny's going around the block!’ The bad thing is, if you do go around the block and come back empty-handed, it's a different story.

Sometimes I think, ‘What kind of chord is that?’ But the minute I figure out where we're going, I'll try not to play, so l'm not walking on any toes. That's when it starts to sound like music – and that's when the groove gets big. I enjoy space more than anything.

Do you care about selling records?

I was scared at one point that our first record sold too many copies, because I wanted to make sure we continued to progress as artists. I don't believe musicians who say they're not concerned with selling records, because if you're not here to be in the business – and there is a business involved – then what are you doing here?

What's the benefit of having sold 10 million records?

That I get to buy lots of cool basses!

When Marc Ford joined the Black Crowes, the 26-year-old Californian's background differed from that of his Atlanta-bred bandmates. But the vibes were immaculate, leading to the recording of 1992’s The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion. The number one platinum album is beloved by Black Crowes fans and general rock fans alike.

“I heard something from it the other day,” Ford says. “I was like, ‘Wow, man, that’s really good! Those kids were onto something!’ It’s strong music. It still stands.”

A big reason for that is Sting Me, a cut that’s become a wall-rattling Crowes staple; and Remedy, which reached number one on the Billboard Mainstream Rock charts. Aside from kicking off the album as back-to-back bangers, the songs have another thing in common: Ford's tasteful yet sinful soloing.

Ever the laidback technician, he recalls that brothers Chris and Rich Robinson only had frameworks of the tracks: “I flew in, and the next two days, we were running over these new songs. And a couple of days later we were recording them. There was no time to work anything out; you were just getting shapes thrown at you. The songs weren’t even finished!”

The loose atmosphere and some classic equipment guided Ford through the proverbial darkness. “I had a Strat but no gear – maybe a Fuzz Face, and Chris had given me a Les Paul. I had my Marshall, but I ended up using one of those red knob Fender Twins for the whole record.”

He adds: “Some people, like Steve Cropper, love red-knob Twins. I don’t really know how to use them, but we just made it work. There weren’t many amps to choose from; it was the best choice in the room at the time. I found a kind of cleanish, basic sound. I put a Tube Screamer and a Fuzz Face with it, and that was it.”

Gear aside, what’s helped Sting Me stand the test of time is Ford’s solo. He says it came from a place of thought and care. “It’s about joining the conversation – it’s about what has to be said musically. It’s got to have relevance to the rest of the song. The attitude has to add to the story.

“I wasn’t planning notes. I was just thinking, ‘Attitude and melody-wise, what’s required here?’ It was instinctual. We barely knew the songs when we recorded them; it was all cut live.”

He adds that didn’t do many overdubs, if any. “I just heaved one out there and hoped it landed! I remember the excitement we felt. We knew we were onto something cool, but there wasn’t time to sit around and analyze it.

“I do remember there were a few solos that I did when the room would light up. I’d be like, ‘Absolutely not – that’s not my best!’ I knew where all the fuck-ups were. I hadn’t learned to hear what was there versus my expectation.”

At the time, Ford was hung up on technical greatness – ironic for a player with immaculate feel and phrasing – but he was “forced to live with some things. I was like, ‘Man, this is horrible and embarrassing!’ But six months later, I was like, ‘Okay, I get it. I’m really glad they left that on there!’”

The experience of laying down Remedy was similar. “I keep going back to needing to somehow tell a story,” he says. “It has to come from a lyrical point of view. If someone screams at you with word after word, you can’t hear that for very long. It’s like, ‘Okay, I get the point. You’re heated!’

“But you can’t sustain a conversation that way. You’ve gotta slow it down and be clear to get the message across. That was my approach. It’s impressive to hear a lot of notes, but I only do that to create urgency, never to show off. I’m just trying to communicate.”

Like Sting Me, the feeling inherent in Remedy “came from a lot of mistakes, and the frustration and inability to get it right.” He continues: “I knew in my head that phrasing things in a lyrical way, leaving space, and having it be thoughtful would work.”

“I wasn’t very good at it yet, but I didn’t want run-on sentences. I wanted the solo to have punctuation. In my 20s I was more apt to go, ‘Check this out!’ and stuff it down your throat. But at the same time I had respect for the music, which always meant more to me than a kick in the pants.”

The low-key wilderness aspect of Remedy made its guitar moments classic. “I remember not knowing what to do with the changes,” Ford admits. “I was like, ‘What would Chuck Berry do?’ I just tried to find something that worked.

“It’s simple, it doesn’t take a lot of effort, and it got the point across. A song like Remedy is direct and to the point. There’s a lot of rhythm and just enough melody to keep it interesting. The solo wasn’t thought out; it was just an emotional fit. Thankfully, I had the tools of pause, conversation and silence, and they snuck in there!”

These days he’s busy with Lucinda Williams and his solo career. But when he does hear any of those Black Crowes songs, he feels ironclad in his decisions from 34 years ago. “I wouldn’t change anything,” he states.

“It was a perfect storm. It was the perfect meeting of opportunity and preparation – I was ready for that, and it showed. It was exciting and it grew me as a player. It was bitchin’, man!”

Detroit-born bassist and producer Don Was has rubbed elbows with a who’s who of timeless artists including Bonnie Raitt, John Mayer, the Rolling Stones and Willie Nelson – but his approach to the work remains simple.

“I try to play from the heart, listen and react, stay in the groove, support the storytelling, and refrain from showing off too much,” he tells Bass Player.

But he admits: “If we’re being honest, the weakest link in the rig has always been my fingers and harmonic naiveté. I harbor no illusions about being a session bassist. I’m not in the same league as Jamerson, Pino, Hutch, Lee Sklar, Marcus, Nathan, David Hood or Chuck Rainey.”

Which doesn’t mean he can’t hack it. “I’ve got a feel that’s occasionally appropriate for a song,” he allows. “Brian Wilson said he called me for sessions because I sounded like a guy in a band and not a session player. I’m okay with that.”

At 73, Was isn’t slowing down. He’s the President of Blue Note Records, and he recently started a new group, Don Was and The Pan-Detroit Ensemble. He says he’s driven by a rule he learned years ago: “The pot of gold at the end of the rainbow is realizing that you just need to play with soul. It’s already inside you.”

What inspired you to pick up the bass guitar?

Seeing McCartney on Ed Sullivan in 1964, when I was 12. I noticed his guitar only had four strings, but I didn’t know what a bass actually did. I thought it was a guitar missing the high B and E strings – I was soon to learn otherwise!

The best band at our junior high, The Shy Guys, needed a bass player. I answered the ad, and the leader, Ron Lefko, came over with his guitar to audition me. He said, ‘Let’s play Walk, Don’t Run.’ I knew the chords and played them on my guitar, very carefully avoiding the B and E strings.

Ron said, ‘Okay, you know the chords – now play the bass part.’ I said, ‘That was the bass part. I never touched the B or E string!’ He looked perplexed, then kindly explained what the bass actually is.

I didn’t get the gig, but I did go buy a skinny-necked, Bill Wyman-style Framus Star Bass and an Ampeg B-15, and I started practicing.

You were influenced by the blues, jazz, and ’60s counterculture. How did that shape your playing?

Oh, I stunk at all three styles! But at 19, a brilliant Bill Evans–influenced jazz pianist in Detroit named Lenore Paxton hired me to play in her trio. She showed me the ropes about remembering changes, creating walking bass lines and locking down a groove.

I played in her trio for a decade – four or five sets a night, four nights a week – at a groovy, dimly-lit bar called Bob ’n Rob’s. It was maybe the best gig I ever had. We had a lot of fun and she made a bass player out of me.

Detroit exposed us to a cultural jambalaya of styles. On off-nights, I’d play with all kinds of musicians: a gypsy band, Ted Lucas’ folk-rock band, musical theater pit bands.

Did you get into the drug scene?

Got way into it! Self-consciousness and fear are a musician’s fiercest enemies, and drugs that obliterate those roadblocks have a strong allure. Unfortunately that approach comes with its own set of “ancillary issues.”

If you're in it for the long haul, I’d recommend a methodology that keeps your receptors open, but also lets you move through life gracefully, without wrapping your car around a phone pole or pushing your friends and family away.

What did your bass rig look like once you got going?

I’ve always favored a simple, direct setup. You can’t lose with an Ampeg SVT, though in recent years I’ve also gotten an incredible thrill from a Benson Gnostic. I’ve got a couple of ’60s Fenders, a couple of beautiful Roger Sadowsky Jazz basses.

For the past few years I’ve been playing Bill Nash’s 1963 Precision models – they give me all the joy I’m looking for. No pedals. I use David Gage pickups on double bass, but given the emphasis placed on subwoofers and bass drums in contemporary sound reinforcement, the warmth of the double bass gets somewhat obliterated in larger venues.

So I’ve started using an Ampeg Baby Bass or an Eminence 4-string with the Gage pickup for a little more definition. In the studio, I’ve been using the Acme MTP-66 Motown preamp as a direct box.

Tell us about working with The B-52s on Cosmic Thing and Good Stuff.

I can tell you who played bass – it wasn’t me! Sarah Lee played on Cosmic Thing, and Sarah, Tracy Wormworth, and Hutch Hutchinson played on Good Stuff, at least on the tracks I produced.

The sessions were fast. Everyone played and sang live in the room at once. Love Shack was recorded in one take. Both records were made in a relaxed, enjoyable atmosphere, and we had a lot of fun. Listeners can perceive the vibe in the room – they can hear joy and they can hear struggle.

You did play bass on Dylan’s Under the Red Sky.

I haven’t played on most of the records I’ve produced. I don’t play unless someone specifically asks; it feels presumptuous and unsavory to force yourself on an artist. The biggest problem with playing and producing is losing objectivity – you go into the control room and focus on what you just played instead of the big picture.

But Dylan is my hero. Since I was 14 my dream in life was to play bass with him. So I wrote myself into the scene. I don’t think I ruined any songs, and we had a ball. It was a loose, relaxed album.

Bob is smart, very funny, and a master record-maker. Over the years I’ve learned from him about putting a premium on feel, trusting your instincts and avoiding too much polish. I’ve done a bunch of things with him over 35 years – if you’re a fan of his work, I can assure you that your admiration is well-placed.

You produced Iggy Pop and Ringo Starr in the early ’90s.

Ringo and Iggy have one big thing in common: they’re incredibly underrated. Ringo has an unbelievable feel – he swings like crazy, plays with a lyrical musicality, and infuses joy and personality into every bar. The Beatles would not have impacted culture the way they did without his contribution. For bass players, he’s a total gas to play with.

As for Iggy, every wild story you’ve heard probably contains a kernel of truth, but he’s so much more than that. He’s a highly cultured, well-read, smart, and sensitive cat – a poet disguised as a human lightning bolt. Greatest frontman in rock ’n’ roll history and a brilliant, evocative songwriter with a unique perspective. I’m really proud of the two albums we made.

You’ve worked extensively with Bonnie Raitt. What’s she like?

It’s hard for me to talk about Bonnie without getting emotional because I love her so much. She’s the most soulful vocalist walking the face of the Earth, and to paraphrase Archie Bell, she can play guitar just as good as she sings. She learned from the blues masters and earned their complete respect.

There’s no disconnect between her voice and her guitar. It’s one voice, kinda like Aretha Franklin with her piano or Willie Nelson with his guitar, Trigger. I once produced a duet between Willie and Bonnie – their voices and guitars wove together seamlessly.

What’s the backstory behind producing the Stones’ Voodoo Lounge and Bridges to Babylon?

In 1993 the Stones had just signed with Virgin Records and the label wanted them to have a producer. They sent me to NYC while the band was auditioning bass players at SIR.

Mick Jagger and Keith Richards came over and sat on either side of me, and both started talking at the same time – neither one of them yielded to the other guy! My head was whipping back and forth like I was watching a ping-pong match.

Best I could tell, Mick was outlining what he wanted in a producer, and Keith was explaining why they didn’t need a fucking producer! It went on for about two minutes, which, In that situation, is an excruciatingly long time!

Finally, they both ran out of steam. Silence. Then Keith said, “Are you sure you want to be the meat in this sandwich?” I walked out convinced I’d never see them again.

What changed?

Four days later, Keith called, apologized for being curt, and said maybe they could use a producer. He wanted to use Don Smith as the engineer for Voodoo Lounge because he’d done a great job on his two solo records with The Expensive Winos.

But Mick wanted a neutral partisan behind the board and Keith wanted me to talk with him about it. I'd been working with Don Smith a lot and I thought he would be perfect for the album. So I called Mick and told him that Don was my choice, not just Keith's.

Mick relented, and when I called Keith to tell him Don Smith was in, he said, ‘Your name's not Don Was – it's Don Is!’ I was hired, and the same pattern of shuttle diplomacy continued for the next 25 years!

We made four studio albums together: Voodoo Lounge, Bridges to Babylon, A Bigger Bang, and Blue and Lonesome. I also produced a handful of live albums, a bunch of new singles for greatest hits packages, and I finished old tracks for deluxe reissues of Exile on Main St. and Some Girls.

They've been like generous big brothers to me and taught me a whole lot about music. I also got to play bass with them any time Darryl Jones couldn't make it to a rehearsal or a writing session.

Is the chemistry between Mick and Keith as volatile yet magical as it’s made out to be?

All that crap is ephemeral and disappears the minute they start playing. The musical conversation going on between these guys is masterful, relaxed and jocular. They listen to each other closely and respond with lightning speed.

Charlie would play something on his hi-hat that would make Keith respond with a certain figure, which would make Mick phrase the next line differently, which would make Ronnie play something wild that Charlie would pick up on.

They were four enormous musical presences who came fully to life when they were playing as the Rolling Stones in front of a stadium full of folks. They are the greatest band ever.

What’s the key to getting the most out of Keith?

Keith is sharp as a tack and very well-read. He singlehandedly changed the concept of rhythm and lead guitar. The notion that he’s somewhat sloppy is a misnomer – if you listen to how crisp his attack is and how he releases the notes rather than letting them blur everything up, you understand that he's got impeccable technique and a deep groove.

As he gets older, he gets better; more succinct and effective in his choices. So yeah, he's still totally got it. And the key to getting the most out of him is to stay the fuck out of his way and let Keith be Keith!

Are you working on the next Stones album?

I think the torch has been passed. Mick wants to make modern pop albums, and I believe that Exile on Main St. sounds like what a modern Rolling Stones record should be. He’s certainly earned the right to chase what he hears.

I introduced him to my buddy Andrew Watt – younger, brilliant, rock-rooted, and hit-savvy. We're all still good friends. People liked Hackney Diamonds and all is well.

What was it like working with Chris and Rich Robinson on the Black Crowes' Lions?

Well, if you want the truth, I wasn’t in great shape during those sessions. I wasn’t putting a premium on sleep. When you’re making records, ‘good’ is the enemy. Any motherfucker can make a good record – if you can’t make a great one, stay home.

In my compromised state I didn’t have it in me to push for greatness, which is sad because Rich, Chris, and Steve Gorman were getting along well at that moment. I view it as a squandered chance to make a timeless classic. That’s not the Black Crowes’ fault – they’re good guys and can be an awesome band when they want.

You’ve worked with Willie Nelson. Is he as stoned as people say?

He’s probably had THC in his blood every day for the last half-century, but I’ve never once seen him compromised, weakened or out of control. He maintains a nice, Zen Willie Nelson bubble – a noble state of mind to aspire to.

Along with Jimmy Scott and Frank Sinatra, Willie is one of the great phrasing geniuses of all time. Every line feels heartfelt and warm. His guitar playing is the same; voice and guitar are one storyteller.

Go to a Willie show and you’ll see a cross-section of America getting along peacefully – folks who’d normally be at each other’s throats in these polarized times. That’s testimony to the unifying power of music and to the strength of Willie's artistry and intelligence.

Was working with Scott Weiland in 2010 a trip?

At that moment he’d just completed rehab and spent months in a halfway house. He was making a heroic effort to be sober and reliable. His bandmates were cautious, so I was hired to work with him privately on lyrics and vocals.

He was the opposite of volatile; he was quite sweet, had a fantastic work ethic, and was determined to deliver the goods. We worked every day for about three weeks. He wrote deep lyrics and sang the shit out of the songs. We had wonderful, philosophical conversations, and I had tremendous respect for him.

When he passed, it hit me hard. He fought his demons with all the courage a man could muster. He won many battles but was simply outflanked and couldn't win the war.

After a few albums with John Mayer, what can you say about him?

John is a brilliant guitarist, songwriter, and singer who gets even more expressive with time. He knows how to get thick, beautiful tones and how to build compelling arrangements. He generates a dizzying array of parts – my biggest role is helping him choose the most effective bits.

He also has the most comprehensive artistic vision I’ve ever seen. Before we even begin recording he knows what the album cover, tour ads and merch should look like. It blows your mind to watch him in action.

A couple of weeks ago I was telling him about an interview in which Woody Allen said that, as a director, if you get 40 percent of what you originally envisioned up on the screen, you're doing well. That seemed like a pretty unambitious batting average to me.

I asked John what percentage of his vision he was willing to reasonably accept. Without missing a beat, he said, “I accept nothing less than 100 per cent.” We've made three albums together, and that answer completely checks out.

Where does the bass player version of you end and the producer begin?

Everything I do seems inextricably connected, including my work as president of a record company. The goal is always to help create music that gets under people’s skin. It’s about making them feel something – helping them make sense of their lives and deal with a world that's increasingly chaotic and confusing.

Or at the very least, make them feel better for three and a half minutes. That’s why we’re here.

What’s next for you?

My new band, Don Was and The Pan-Detroit Ensemble, released our first album, Groove in the Face of Adversity, in October. We’re a nine-piece soul-jazz group from the Motor City that tries to embody the raw, honest, deep-pocketed musical traditions of our hometown.

We’ve got months of touring lined up for 2026, and we’ve started a new album. I’m in my 15th year as president of Blue Note Records and we’ve got the strongest release schedule in the company’s history.

Production-wise, there are some very cool records on the calendar – but I’m superstitious about discussing them until they’re in the can. I’m 73, but I feel energized like a kid, and the plan is to keep moving and growing till I drop.

• Groove in the Face of Adversity is on sale now.

Altered tunings can be one of the most fun and rewarding elements associated with the guitar. Specifically, the ability to change the tuning of some or all strings in the pursuit of finding new chord shapes and evocative progressions is really inspiring. And inspiration is what we all crave when playing and writing.

It’s common to associate 'big change' tunings like open G (D G D G B D) with slide players, but it has also driven some of the most famous non-slide songs in rock and blues. Two fine examples are The Rolling Stones' Brown Sugar and Jumpin’ Jack Flash.

The beauty of this tuning is its instant usability. While tunings like DADGAD can be a challenge during first forays, open G (aka Spanish tuning) gives up the goods far more readily as you’ll discover in the following examples.

When I’m playing in open G, I keep a close eye on the triads (three-note chords) on the fourth, third and second strings as the results are the same as with standard tuning.

So, all the normal major and minor triad shapes can be used as reference points around which you can add colour with the other strings. Typically, this can involve using open strings to provide a relationship with the triads. Or you can really exploit the I to V relationship between the fifth string (G) and the sixth and fourth strings (both D).

As would be expected, open G major often pulls you towards playing in the key of G. While this isn’t a bad thing, you do want to ensure you get the best out of any altered tuning by exploring other keys, too.

For example, open G is particularly effective for playing in C major and D major as the open strings can be used to create colour or tension against fretted notes. In this regard, it’s a good idea to map out common open position major and minor shapes to begin with. Remember, the magic of open G lies in the fact that you have familiar reference points on the fourth, third and second strings. Onto the examples!

Example 1 - The open strings of Open G

It may seem obvious but the best place to start with any tuning is simply to hear it. This is best done by slowly playing the open strings to hear their relationship to each other and then play all strings together to hear the open chord. In this case, you'll be sounding a huge G major. Don't under-appreciate the loudness and resonance of all open strings sounding together in Open G – it's that good!

Example 2 - Simple C and G chords in Open G

Next you can start locating simple open major and minor chords and find out where chord progressions such as I – IV and I – IV – V lie. In this example, you’ll play G (the I chord) to C (the IV chord) progression. Listen how the open fourth string (D) at the top of the C chord creates a rich add9 extension.

Example 3 - Fingerpicking in Open G

Open G can take some of the work from the fretting hand as the open strings do so much. In this fingerpicking example you’ll play through the I – IV – V chords in G major (G - C - D). Check out how the chords require very few fretting hand fingers, a nice relief!

Example 4 - Thickening notes in Open G

Open G is a fantastic Americana and bluegrass tuning, even more so given how many traditional tunes are written in keys like G and C. Check out how easily you can thicken a G major chord using unisons (unison = two occurrences of the same note played together).

In bar 1, the G5 chord has two G notes and two D notes, sounding like a variation on a 12-string guitar.

Example 5 - Extended chords in Open G

It’s easy to find rich chords in open tunings, and Jimmy Page took this approach with many of Led Zeppelin’s classic tracks. This example explores rich-sounding G and D chords where the open strings add interesting textures: rich chords with little fretting hand work.

Example 6 - Americana stylings in Open G

This example is an Americana/folk inspired piece inspired by Rich Robinson of The Black Crowes. Importantly, it gets you out of all the ruts you may find in standard tuning so will, physically and sonically, sound fresh.

It’s based around G, C and Dm chords, using the open strings and textural options of the tuning to bring the piece to life.

Players who use Open G tuning

The Rolling Stones - Brown Sugar

Keef is perhaps the player best associated with open G tuning through the massive early Rolling Stones hit, Brown Sugar. Study this song and you’ll appreciate how the triads on the fourth, second and third strings serve as an anchor in open G tuning.

The Black Crowes - Remedy

The influence of Keith Richards and Jimmy Page is ever-present in Rich Robinson of The Black Crowes. That said, he took open G tuning and made it his own by writing many gorgeous parts in this tuning. Check out Remedy to hear how he uses it in a blues-rock context.

Charley Patton - Magnolia Blues

It's not just '60s and onwards guitarists that love Open G. The early blues pioneer, Charley Patton often used open G tuning which gave his playing a softer, folk blues feel. Magnolia Blues used this tuning, often with a capo placed at the 2nd fret or higher. For sure, you can hear Charley's influence on Keith Richards.

25 years ago, electric guitar legend Jimmy Page and the Black Crowes teamed up on Live at the Greek – a historic live album that celebrates both Page’s and the Crowes’ rich repertoire, with some old blues and rock standards thrown in for good measure.

Most of the tracks were recorded at L.A.’s Greek Theatre (thus the album name) on October 18 and 19, 1999 and released a year later. The resulting album captured some of Page and co’s most thunderous live performances together.

In a new mini-documentary celebrating the anniversary of the historic team-up, Page sits down with Crowes’ Chris and Rich Robinson to reminisce about how the opportunity to play together came about.

“We were in London, we were doing a couple nights at the Royal Albert Hall,” Chris recalls. “Robert [Plant]’s like, ‘Can I bring Jimmy down?’ We were like, ‘We’d love to meet Jimmy! Of course!’ And we just hit it off like that.”

To which Page adds, “It was really good for me to meet them because I really admired them from the recording work that they’d done. They were definitely from the same school I come from.”

As opposed to – as the Zeppelin guitarist puts it – “just hustling a few jams together”, the collaboration transpired into something “more epic”.

For Page, one of the most standout moments was re-interpreting the track Rick Rubin famously likened to “nature coming through the speakers” – Ten Years Gone – from Led Zeppelin’s 1975 record, Physical Graffiti.

“Ten Years Gone was something I’d worked on at home,” he explains. “[It] had all this sort of guitar orchestration on it, but I’d never heard it like that, apart from on record, because in the days of Zeppelin, I’d try and do as much as I could just with the one guitar.

“And suddenly I had all these harmonies going on, like I died and gone to heaven! And I mean this for sure – [it was] really emotional moment.”

Page also contributed his guitar chops to one of the Crowes’ signature tracks, 1990’s She Talks to Angels. It was a pivotal moment for the band that led them to perceive the song differently.

“[It’s] definitely our most popular song, and Jimmy, adding something that was different, took on something else musically,” Chris recounts. “She Talks To Angels was never the same after that, because he elevated this thing [to the point] of, ‘Oh, this is what it could be.’”

An expanded and remastered version of the live album dropped on March 14 – and it includes Crowes songs that were omitted from the original release due to contractual restrictions from their record company, plus a previously unreleased soundcheck jam.

In more recent Jimmy Page news, singer-songwriter Jake Holmes – hailed as the original songwriter of Dazed and Confused, later popularized by Zeppelin – revived a copyright lawsuit against Page over songwriting credits and royalties.

25 years ago, the Black Crowes played a run of generation-bridging, Led Zeppelin-heavy shows with Jimmy Page.

Though the collaboration fizzled out before any studio material was produced, some of their most thunderous live performances were captured for posterity in the 2000 double album, Jimmy Page & the Black Crowes: Live at the Greek.

Now, in celebration of its 25th anniversary, Live at the Greek is set to be given the deluxe reissue treatment.

Produced, mixed, and remastered by Kevin Shirley, the reissue will feature 16 previously unreleased tracks, including a previously unreleased song – titled, appropriately enough, Jam – Rich Robinson and Jimmy Page wrote at a soundcheck.

Ahead of the release, a two-track single has been released – No Speak No Slave, a brand-new video for which can be seen below, and a previously unreleased version of the Zeppelin-via-Sonny Boy Williamson classic Bring It On Home.

“I’m really looking forward to the soon to be available release of Jimmy Page & The Black Crowes material from concerts in 1999,” Page said in a statement. “The new mixes capture the collaboration of those historic encounters and provide the full explosive passion and exciting energy of those alchemical moments.”

“The new Live at the Greek box set brings the whole experience of our work with Jimmy into a vibrant, electric, mystical, and powerful perspective,” added Crowes frontman Chris Robinson. “Hail, hail rock ‘n roll!”

Black Crowes guitarist Rich Robinson said, in turn, “Going through the shows and putting together the new box set has been such an incredible dive back to that time in our history. It was a once-in-a-lifetime thrill to play these amazing iconic songs with the man who composed them. The sound of the new mixes and extra songs blew me away when I first heard them.”

The 25th anniversary edition of Jimmy Page & The Black Crowes: Live at the Greek will be available as a 6 LP box set with a foldout poster and removable top box, a 3-CD set presented in a six-panel digipak with a foldout poster, and a double LP “Best Of” edition.

Limited to 1,000 copies, the “Best Of” features 15 highlights from the larger album pressed on electric smoke-colored vinyl, and can only be ordered directly from the Black Crowes' website.

Set for release on March 14 via The Orchard, the album as a whole can be pre-ordered here.

Speaking of the Black Crowes and Led Zeppelin, the brothers Robinson recently recruited none other than Slash for a heartfelt cover of the folky Zeppelin classic Going to California at the star-studded FireAid benefit concert.

After thanking the city of Los Angeles's first responders, Chris Robinson said by way of introduction, “We're gonna play something we thought was appropriate for the evening.”

Last night (January 30), a huge number of pop and rock A-listers came together for FireAid, a benefit show that aimed to raise money for victims of the devastating fires that tore through the Los Angeles area earlier this month.

As is often the case at star-studded benefit concerts, there were a number of surprise guests, most notably the surviving members of Nirvana, who played a four-song set with St. Vincent, Kim Gordon, Joan Jett, and Dave Grohl's daughter Violet, on vocals.

Unlike Nirvana, the Black Crowes were featured on the bill beforehand, but they had a surprise of their own.

For a rendition of Led Zeppelin's folky classic, Going to California, the Crowes recruited none other than Slash.

Few prominent rock bands are better-equipped to tackle the Zeppelin catalog than the Black Crowes. After all, many a year ago, they played a number of full, Zeppelin-heavy shows with Jimmy Page himself, the highlights of which were captured on the double live album, Live at the Greek.

Indeed, their take on the Zeppelin acoustic showcase is a beautiful one, with the Guns 'n' Roses guitarist – armed with a Gibson acoustic that, interestingly, doesn't appear to be his signature J-45 – and Rich Robinson, playing his Eastman 12-string, perfectly locking in with one another.

After thanking the city's first responders, Crowes frontman Chris Robinson said by way of introduction, “We're gonna play something we thought was appropriate for the evening.”

Just last year, Slash teamed up with Chris Robinson for a cover of the Steppenwolf-via-Hoyt Axton song, The Pusher. The song – which was made famous by the classic film, Easy Rider – served as the opening tune on Slash's blues covers album, Orgy of the Damned.

“When I called him about it, he loved that song,” the top-hatted guitar hero told Guitar World last year. “It was cool that he was so passionate about it, and excited about coming in and doing it.”

Best known as the guitarist who took over lead guitar for the Black Crowes after Marc Ford, Audley Freed has been a big part of the rock guitar world since 1993, when his band Cry of Love hit paydirt with Peace Pipe.

He found himself alongside Jimmy Page on the Crowes’ Live at the Greek in 2000, and contributed a few tracks for 2002’s Lions, which is when his four-year stint ended.

By the time they asked him to rejoin in 2005, he was too busy with duties that included Gov’t Mule, the Dixie Chicks and Aerosmith’s Joe Perry. And when he’s not gigging with Sheryl Crow, he’s busy with session work in Nashville.

“I have these collages I made from magazines when I was a teenager,” Freed tells Guitar World. “They’re hanging up in my studio. Off the top of my head I can count eight people in them I’ve made music with! These people aren’t just names I knew – their music really influenced and impacted my life. It’s been a great blessing and learning experience to play music and spend time around them.”

What initially drew you to the guitar?

“I was always drawn to it. I had a plastic cowboy-style toy guitar when I was really young. It had kind of a magnetic pull… I have no idea why.”

What sounds initially influenced you?

“As a child of ‘70s radio I heard all kinds of things. You could hear soul, pop, disco, Tin Pan Alley-style crooners and all kinds of rock. I liked bits of all of it.”

Beyond that, what sorts of guitar players did you gravitate toward?

“Once I started playing, it was what you'd call FM rock – ZZ Top, Zeppelin, Aerosmith, Neil Young and The Cars, to name a very few. I was really into a lot of country rock and southern rock – the Allmans, Skynyrd, Ozark Mountain Daredevils and Marshall Tucker. The soundtrack to the film Dazed and Confused pretty much sums it up!

“I liked a lot of music that wasn’t necessarily about the guitar, including soul and yacht rock. I got into all kinds of styles and eras as I went along. I’m still discovering a lot of music.”

What was your first setup like?

“My first amp was called a Marlboro. I think it had a single 12-inch speaker and was most certainly solid-state. I couldn't get it to sound anything like the stuff I was listening to!”

What was the local scene like as a young player?

“I’m from a small town in southeastern North Carolina called Burgaw. It was really rural, with about 2,000 people. Now it’s the home of Mojotone, one of the world’s leading suppliers of all kinds of guitar gear. If you had told me that back then, it would have seemed impossible… We got our first stoplight when I was 15!”

How did that impact your development?

“I could pick up three FM rock stations, and occasionally music magazines would be at the convenience store. There were record stores in Wilmington, about 25 miles away. I guess all that, along with the occasional appearance of bands on TV, was how we got our information.

“There were a few people in town who were really into rock ’n’ roll and turned me on to things. They played too. We’d get together and jam for fun; and once in a while we’d play a dance or street festival. I don’t believe there ever was a bass player.

“My friend and early mentor, Ernie Johnson, lived in the next county. He was the best guy around – and he had a real Gibson Les Paul! He showed me a lot. When I went to college in Wilmington, I started playing with and hanging around a lot of the local musicians. There was a club called The Mad Monk where regional and national bands would play. That was the first scene I was a part of.”

When did you realize the guitar would be a lifelong thing?

“I never had a moment where I came to that conclusion. However, it was never a question – I would always play the guitar, even if it wasn’t for a living.”

What about your first proper rig?

“I had a ’77 or ’78 Marshall JMP combo that my parents bought for me in high school. I used it in bands while I was in college and in a full-time cover band after I graduated. I sold it to a friend years ago, but he was kind enough to sell it back to me not too long ago.”

Was Cry of Love your first real band?

“I’d played in cover bands for a few years, but yeah, I’d say Cry of Love was my first proper band. We put it together after a few years of playing the six-night-a-week, four-set-a-night cover circuit that existed at the time, mostly around the southeast.

“We parked ourselves in Raleigh, NA, got jobs, found a practice space, and went to work. We practiced several nights a week, wrote songs, and did a bunch of demos at a local studio with John Custer, who eventually produced our albums.

“It took a few years, but our deal came about when a guy at Columbia named Josh Sarubin heard an unfinished demo and came to see the band. That was kind of the way you went about it back then, pre-internet.

“It was a great time. We set up in Muscle Shoals Sound and played live, just like we did at band practice and our gigs. We were a pretty tight unit, so getting the basic tracks went quickly. We wanted to capture the live sound plus some minimal sweetening – and that’s what we did.”

That debut album, Brother, featured two top-10 hits, one being Peace Pipe. How did that song come together?

“I worked at a place called Harry’s Guitar Shop – it’s still there in Raleigh. I was unpacking a guitar and I just played something on it that became the main riff in Peace Pipe. The lick just came out of nowhere. That was a Friday. We had a band practice Sunday night, and by the end, it was pretty much done.”

Can you remember the gear you used while recording it?

“The gear on the record was a ’73 non-master volume Marshall and a Warmoth Strat-style guitar. I believe I doubled it with a ‘50s Les Paul Junior through a Silverface Fender, which I think was a Vibrolux. I found out recently that Fender amp was used on a lot of hits at Muscle Shoals Sound; it’s still in the studio there.”

What led to the Black Crowes calling you in 1998 after Marc Ford left the band?

“I was recommended by several folks. I did an audition in Atlanta in the fall of ’97. That was a Friday. I got a call back on Monday, so I knew it went well – but then nothing happened for months. They didn’t do any touring until June of ’98. I went to Atlanta then to rehearse and went on tour.

“There was no directive, really. I knew the songs and played the essential parts with my approach. When it was time to do my own thing, I did that too. They seemed happy with that.

“At the time, I was using a Bogner Ecstasy on the clean channel cranked way up. I went for a cleaner tone than Rich Robinson to try to complement his sound. I was thinking of a Malcolm and Angus Young approach – not necessarily musically, but sound-wise. Sometimes when two guys are both playing with a lot of gain, it can make things sound smaller. It was loud!”

The subsequent tour found you at the Greek with Jimmy Page.

“I could talk for days about that experience. To be in the same room, much less playing with a guy who was such a big influence – and such a cultural icon – was mind-blowing. Like any real rock player in the ’70s, I had a poster of him on my bedroom wall. He was very kind and gracious.”

Did you grab any wisdom from him?

“I believe he appreciated the respect we gave to the tunes. I’ve heard from mutual friends that he liked my attention to detail. So do the work, kids – it pays off! I saw him recently for the first time since then. I was playing at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony with Sheryl Crow, and he was there. It was great to be able to say hello.”

What type of rig did you use at the Greek that night?

“I think I was using a ’74 Marshall non-master 50-watt head, combined with a Fender Tonemaster, into two halves of a Matchless 4x12 cabinet. I can’t be sure… I’ll have to look at some YouTube videos!”

What was the process of recording Lions like?

“I was only there for a couple of days and I played on two or three tunes. However, I met Don Was, who was producing, for the first time there. I’ve done a lot of work with him since.”

Were you asked to rejoin the Crowes when they fired back up in 2005?

“I was asked, but I declined.”

Post-Crowes, you were on Govt Mule’s The Deep End Vol. 1 with Larry Graham. How did that come to be?

“Warren Haynes was writing for the project and asked me if I had any tunes. I gave him a demo of the track, and he wrote some lyrics. It was cool because the feel of the demo was based on I Wanna Take You Higher by Sly and the Family Stone, which Larry Graham played on.

“There was also a bass lick in the intro patterned after something he played on a Graham Central Station tune. Lo and behold, here we are in NYC recording the track, and Larry Graham is playing the part. Crazy!”

You’ve worked with Chris Robinson and Jakob Dylan in the years since. How did you approach those very different gigs?

“I approach any gig by trying to be as appropriate and respectful of the music as possible. Chris’ gig was pretty freewheeling, jammy and loud – a lotta fun. Jakob’s was way more understated but with room for interpretation; really fun in a different way.”

You also ended up joining Joe Perry’s solo band for a short spell. What was it like working with him?

“I helped him get a band together for a few shows and some TV around the release of one of his solo records. It was great fun. Quite an experience to be grilling steaks and playing with another hero who was on my bedroom wall!”

You’re playing with Sheryl Crow now. How did you get the gig?

“Her guitar player, Peter Stroud, is an old buddy of mine. She was putting a new band together for her and brought me in. All the new band members had played together in various situations. The bass player, Robert Kearns, was a founding member of Cry of Love.”

Do you have a favorite song of hers to play?

“Truthfully, I enjoy playing everything in her catalog – to name a few: There Goes the Neighborhood, I Shall Believe, Cross Creek Road, and Steve McQueen are some favorites; they’re fun to interpret.”

What’s your current rig like?

“I use all kinds of stuff. I’m a fan of most Vox AC30-style amps. I have a couple, including a ’64, that I use a lot in the studio and for remote tracking at home. I’ve also been using an early ‘70s Selmer a lot for recording. Other amps I use a lot are a Lazy J 20, Badcat Black Cat, Germino 50-watt, Blackface Showman and Deluxe, and a PRS 30-watt.

“I use a lot of P-90 and Tele-style guitars. Right now, my live touring amp for Sheryl Crow shows is a 15-watt Matchless Lightning and a single 12 Reeves cabinet, but I’ll change it up from time to time. I also use a Fender Vibrolux reissue when I want to switch to that type of clean tone. For other gigs I’ll tailor the amp to the situation, volume and tone-wise.”

Sheryl aside, what’s next for you in all lanes?

“I’m always keeping busy… I’m playing on a couple of different rock records right now. I do a fair amount of that, and sessions for what I guess is called Americana these days. And I’ll be out this summer doing shows with Sheryl Crow.”

• Freed heads out on the road with Crow starting on July 25 in Seattle.

The Black Crowes have had a tumultuous history. Numerous musicians have passed through their ranks, and brothers Chris and Rich Robinson’s battles with each other – verbal and physical – are legendary.

It’s been 40 years since the earliest incarnation of the band first came together. Only Rich and Chris remain from Mr. Crowe’s Garden, the name the band was using right up to the point that they signed their record deal with Def American in 1989.

While the media often has reported on the volatility of inter-band relationships, the Robinson brothers have dealt with the issue by adopting a real-world perspective on the immense challenges that global success brings to a pair of teenagers, barely out of school, who suddenly find the world at their feet.

Rich remembers how their life was turned upside down. 

“By the time I was 18 and graduating high school, I’d written a lot of the songs for that first album. But, you know, I’m a teenager. What the fuck do I know about anything? All of a sudden, we put this record out and it sells seven million copies and I’m gone for 12 years.

“We went from playing clubs in Atlanta to 12 people to playing in Moscow with AC/DC in front of a million people. You go through that in a period of 18 months, how do you handle that? People can deal with failure, but in a way, it can actually be harder to deal with success when it’s so big and comes so quickly.”

The band have just released their first album in 14 years, Happiness Bastards, a record that sees them revisit many of the elements that made their first two albums – Shake Your Moneymaker (1990) and The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion (1992) – essential listening for anyone who likes their rock ’n’ roll cut through with a hefty dose of Southern swagger.

Rich is excited at the prospect of taking the new record out on tour with the latest lineup of the band, which includes their new guitarist, Nico Bereciartua, and is feeling fired up about the long-term future of the Black Crowes.

Fans have been waiting a long time for a new album. 

“Yeah, it’s been a while. We had the luxury of a year and a half during Covid to start writing songs. We didn’t really plan on making a record, per se; we just realized we were going to have an indefinite period of down time.

“I decided to start writing some songs, and Chris did the same, then we traded our ideas back and forth, which was how it started. After that, we started the Shake Your Moneymaker tour. By the time we got to the end of the tour, we knew it was the right time to do another album.”

Do you find it difficult to finish a record, always tweaking and second-guessing what you’ve done?

“I’m very much a ‘leave well enough alone’ person. I believe in putting it down, then saying it’s done, you know?”

Do the songs change much once you get into the studio?

“Not really. The main things are always in place; it’s usually just production ideas. Arrangements never really change a lot. We will maybe add more backing vocals or something, but that’s really just extra sauce on what we already have. We’re not averse to a little exploration, but usually we know what we’re aiming for.”

Did you record much that didn’t make the cut?

“There were a couple of extra songs, but typically for us, an album is dictated by the songs. We’ll know which ones work together or sound right as a whole, and that selection process almost looks after itself. It’s all about the flow of the record and making sure everything flows in the right direction.”

How do you and Nico divide your guitar parts?

“Firstly, there’s the meat of the song, which is always pretty much what I do. I played most of the solos on this record, which isn’t something I typically did in the past, before my solo stuff, so that was kind of cool. Nico is a great slide player, so it’s a case of bringing him in to do what he does when the song requires it. He really has an understanding of how I play.”

What were your main guitars and amps on the album?

“I used a few 335s – a ’51, a ’52 and a ’68. They always sound great. I also used some Teles, and I have a ’56 Les Paul Special that I used a ton; it always sounds amazing. There was a great ’59 TV Junior [TV Yellow Gibson Les Paul Junior], a couple of Gretsches, including a White Falcon, plus a Zemaitis and a Dan Armstrong. For amps, I started a small amp company called Muswell. We make one-off amps if someone calls to order one. 

“They’re based on a ’68 [Marshall] Bluesbreaker that I have, which is the best-sounding amp I’ve ever had. In fact, I used one of the Muswells and the actual Bluesbreaker for a few tracks. I also used an old white Fender amp that was like a Princeton, some Tweed Deluxes and the Silver Jubilee that I’ve had since ’88. It was all over the first album and subsequent tours.”

What about Nico?

“He uses an SG Custom a lot, plus another straight SG and a great Les Paul. For amps, he was playing a Super Reverb and an Ampeg V Series.”

The opening cut, Bedside Manners, has a great stomping groove. It sounds like it must have been a blast to record.

“There’s a lot of energy in that song. It was actually the last song I wrote for the album. That was one of those songs that just came very quickly, you know? As soon as I came up with the intro, I was away and that was it. It has a great vibe – I can’t wait to play it live.”

One line in the song – “With friends like these, who needs enemies?” – seems to be a pithy retort to various former band members who’ve been coming out of the woodwork to criticize you and Chris.

“Yes, exactly. [Laughs] It’s pretty funny.”

Wanting and Waiting has more than a hint of Jealous Again in the verses, which is a nice way to tie the album back to the heart of the band’s music.

“Yeah, I totally see that. It has a different riff, though, which to me always makes me think of AC/DC, that fucking drive. That’s what it is, actually; it’s a driving song. That was the first song I wrote for the record.”

Follow the Moon has a hard-hitting riff that’s almost redolent of Led Zeppelin.

“Yeah, it does have some of that Zep punch. There’s some Zeppelin and also the Grease Band, who used to back Joe Cocker, and they made some records in their own right. There’s something of their vibe in there as well. That really cool Zeppelin-y chorus of guitars always sounds great to me.”

The solo on Cross Your Fingers has a fantastically warm, creamy, neck-pickup Les Paul tone.

“That’s in open C. It’s a hard tuning to solo in, though. The rhythm part is one thing, but I can’t really switch guitars for the solo, so it’s a little tricky. It was my ’68 Les Paul Goldtop. It was damaged in the floods after Hurricane Sandy [2012]; I actually lost about 70 guitars in that flood.

“I had it restored by RS Guitarworks [in Winchester, Kentucky], and it came back exponentially better than it was. I don’t know how they did that because they also worked on a 335 that was damaged, and it just wasn’t the same guitar anymore, which wasn’t their fault – it’s just the way the flood affected the guitar. The Goldtop, though, sounds and plays better.”

It’s strange to think that it’s been 40 years since you and Chris first teamed up to form a band. 

“Yeah. We got big so quick, and Chris and I just grabbed ahold of that dragon and ran with it; we didn’t look back and we didn’t think about it. I think that created a dynamic unto itself.

“Not only a shift in dynamic between Chris and me as brothers, but also a shift in the band dynamic. How do we – as incredibly young and naïve individuals who were totally unprepared for what was happening to us – deal with the people around us and their agendas?”

Do you think the periods spent apart over the years gave you a perspective that enabled you to get back together again with a new energy?

“As a result of that amazing level of success and pressure, we spent most of our lives in a toxic state of putting ourselves as brothers second or even third, when it should have been first.

“The fact that we stopped in 2013 definitely got us away from that place that we were in prior to the split. It enabled me to think about things and acknowledge that it’s easy for me to blame Chris 100 percent, and likewise – it’s easy for him to blame me 100 percent. That space definitely allowed me to see how I could have done some things differently.”

Did the process of playing solo and then forming Magpie Salute give you another perspective on band dynamics?

“After doing four solo albums and two solo EPs, then making two albums with Magpie Salute, to have those same band problems come back and [to experience] the same toxic band members’ behaviors, I thought, ‘Jesus, what the fuck is this? I might as well be with my brother!’ [Laughs]

“A lot of that was the impetus for getting back together, but when we did get back together, we really made a point to say that we wanted to do this right. We don’t want some sort of money-grab, one-off tour.

“We agreed that if we were going to do this again, we needed to put our relationship first and start from scratch. And also to find people who are positive and support us, and who want to succeed with us, instead of always trying to tear it down.”

Does it feel like you’re both in it for the long haul this time?

“Yeah, very much. The Magpie Salute was done anyway. Marc [Ford] and I started it, but old habits started to creep in, and some toxic behaviors started happening, so I didn’t want to deal with that stuff anymore. This is where my heart is, this is my lifelong body of work. With my brother, with this past and this future – this is where I want to be right now.”

You’ve been through a lot of guitarists in the band. What do you look for in a guitarist?

“Pretty much every position in the band has been through varying personalities and players. [Laughs] My belief is that the song is king. You can put the best solo in the world in an average song and nobody is going to give a shit. You put an average solo in a great song, and you’ve still got a great song.

“You play with different musicians and their contribution is a big part of making everything cohesive, but people’s personalities, their habits and their issues get in the way, and it can’t always stay the same. 

“I always want someone to really serve the song. Sometimes people are in it for themselves – ‘Look what I can do!’ You have to say, ‘Dude, put the guitar down; there’s a song here.’ [Laughs]”

Guitarists often dedicate so much time to improving their soloing skills that they forget about mastering rhythm guitar, learning how to groove, keeping things tight and driving the song forward.

“Absolutely. Think about it – if you solo all the way through a song it just becomes white noise. There’s a thing about that position of guitarist in our band, where I think people don’t realize what the role is, and they take it upon themselves to play too much.

“Nico loves this band, he understands and respects what we are and what we do, and you can tell by his personality, his playing, his positivity and his friendship that he gets it. I’m thrilled to have him in the band. 

“The same can be said about Culley [Symington], our new drummer. Again, he loves the band, respects the history and understands what he needs to do to lift the music. Same with Erik [Deutsch], our keyboard player.

“When we reference Simon Kirke or Ron Wood, they know what we mean; it’s the common language that moves the band forwards. Sven [Pipien, bass] and I have that language, you know. I’m really happy with where we are now as a band.”

With the ever-changing personnel, does it help keep things fresh or would you prefer a longterm stable situation?

“I guess that’s a yes and no answer. I would rather have a consistent lineup for the long haul. The changing keeps us on our toes, but when you get a band that plays a hundred shows together, that’s when they start sounding like a band and the magic happens.

“It’s cool to get a new person with a new energy, but I would prefer to have a stable lineup where we really forge something special together. It’s fine if someone wants to move on; I want people in the band who have reverence for the songs, people who are happy and who want to be here.”

It’s fascinating to watch you play through some of your songs on YouTube. The parts are extremely complex and dense. Do you actually create the song in that way?

“Yeah, man. That’s how I’ve always written, and that’s what was so amazing about Eddie Harsch [keyboards] back in the day. He was such a gifted musician; he could always just come in and fit. When there’s that much going on in my guitar part, I can see how that would be difficult.

“I always wrote like Nick Drake – in my own mind. He was always one of my favorite guitar players; I was trying to fit Nick Drake into Keith Richards’ playing. [Laughs] 

“How do you square those two things? That was what I was trying to solve. The way Nick worked wasn’t really that unlike someone like Mississippi Fred McDowell or Bukka White or Furry Lewis for me. That symphony of sound coming out of one guitar – that’s how I always wrote.

“With Nico being a huge Crowes fan, he’s aware of how the band fits together, when to play, when to lay out or whatever. He sees what a part needs. The way that Chris sings off what I do rhythmically, that push and pull, is probably the essence of our sound.”

Do you think open G was what enabled you to find that way of constructing your parts and writing songs? 

“Well, to go deep into that tuning can be difficult. You can strum chords and they’ll sound cool, but to go further and find interesting suspensions, that’s the key to that sound. That set me on the path to the point where I use about 15 different tunings now. They range all over the place.

“The first open tuning I used was E, which is what I used to write She Talks to Angels. I’ve done a lot of experimenting; I use an open C tuning with a C octave between the six and fifth strings, which I used on a few songs on this album. I came up with an open D7, which is interesting. Of course, DADGAD is a great one. There’s something about the timbre of the way open tuning strings resonate. It really inspires me.”

Do you find it easy to get your head into the different tunings when you’re changing tunings so much, or does it require a lot of focused thinking?

“It definitely requires a focus, particularly if you’re soloing. [Laughs] You can’t resort to familiar patterns or places on the neck, so it definitely keeps you on your toes. A lot of the open tunings are difficult to solo in; you can do cool things with the rhythm guitar parts, but you can’t do any of the things that you would typically do if you were soloing in standard tuning. I like the challenge, though. If something sounds good, it makes me want to dig in and figure it out.”

Looking back over your catalog, what are the highlights for you, and how do you see Happiness Bastards fitting in with that history?

“Shake was the springboard for everything, and I love it and respect it, but I think Southern Harmony was the first time that we stepped into our own skin. We were firing on all cylinders as a band; we’d just come off 18 months on the road, playing 350 shows. We went right in to record that album and made it in eight days. It’s live, and it felt that way. I love that record for that reason.

“Three Snakes [1996] is one of my favorites. We weren’t trying to make a commercial record, and we sure as hell didn’t. [Laughs]

“I also really like Lions [2001]. There’s some cool shit on that record. Some people don’t like that album, but I love it. Lay It All on Me is a great song, and there’s Soul Singing – some great stuff. I’m not thrilled with how the album sounds, but I do like the songs.

“Warpaint [2008] has some good songs, and I feel that the new album fits perfectly in the midst of those records. It’s not like all of a sudden we have a DJ in the band, and we’ve gone off on some bizarre tangent. It’s appropriate, it sounds classic but almost… modern wouldn’t be the word, but maybe fresh would be the best way to describe it.”

Is there another album in the pipeline?

“We’re not thinking that far ahead at the moment. We’re just thinking about the tour and looking forward to playing some of the new songs live for the first time. There’s a tremendous energy about the band, and I can’t wait to take that out on the stage.”

• Happiness Bastards is out now via Silver Arrow.

Record producer, mixing engineer, and multi-instrumentalist Brendan O'Brien – who famously worked with AC/DC, Pearl Jam, Rage Against the Machine, and Bob Dylan – has revealed how he ended up playing the guitar solo of The Black Crowes' hit Hard to Handle when he was still establishing himself in Atlanta.

“[It was] the last day we're there. And by the way, that part and the guitar solo part, they were going to get someone else to play on it. And the story was, at some point, Slash is going to come play. Someone else is going to come play on it,” recalls O'Brien in a new interview with Rick Beato. 

“And at some point, I just couldn't get him on the phone. Right. You know that it's not going to happen. I think it was Chris [Robinson] [who] just said, ‘Let bud play. He could do this in a heartbeat.’

“So I just want to say that both the guitar solo and the organ solo were played under duress of [music producer] George Drakoulias yelling at me. He's going, ‘Hurry up. Are you done? Come on.’”

Elsewhere in the interview, O'Brien clarifies the industry rumor that he played most of the instruments on the band's album Shake Your Money Maker.

“I did not. Those guys played everything. And Jeff Cease did a great job. He played all that guitar solo melody stuff on that record, and Rich [Robinson] played great. And so those are his songs. So yeah, I felt like I was helpful to those guys. But they did all that. So there's no question about that.”

The Black Crowes’ cover version of the 1968 Otis Redding single Hard to Handle was their breakthrough single. It peaked at number 45 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 45 on the UK Singles Charts.

Black Crowes brothers Chris and Rich Robinson recently reunited to record and release the band's first album in 15 years, Happiness Bastards.

In preparation for the album release, Chris and Rich Robinson dropped in on The Howard Stern Show and discussed what it was like to perform alongside Jimmy Page back in 1999.

If Guns N’ Roses were the natural successors to Aerosmith in the late ’80s, then The Black Crowes were there to fly the flag for the rootsy rock pioneered by The Rolling Stones. 

Led by singer Chris Robinson and his brother Rich on guitar, the Atlanta group signed to Def American in 1989 and released their debut album Shake Your Money Maker the following year to wide critical acclaim – cementing their stature as one of the most vital new forces in rock at the time. 

But nothing lasts forever. As well as a brief hiatus in the early noughties, the band broke up in 2015 following a disagreement between the two siblings, and four years would pass until they were able to put their differences aside to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the album that launched their careers. 

This year they return with their tenth full-length Happiness Bastards – a tour de force of Southern-voiced rock ’n’ roll, tastefully and eloquently cross-pollinating bluesy minor pentatonics with country majors as they so often have done in the past.

When Total Guitar tells Rich Robinson the tones on the latest release are possibly the finest he’s ever put to tape, he’s more than ready to spill the beans. “Let’s geek out,” he nods. “That’s what us guitar players do, right?”

The timing, by the band’s own admission, could have been better. They were all geared up and ready to celebrate the album that launched their careers when the pandemic put paid to much of the anniversary tour. 

Keen to make up for lost time, however, the brothers decided to commence writing for their first album of original material in 15 years – the ideas starting with Rich and then being sent over to Chris, who would use a neighbour’s studio to overlay his vocals and send the demos back. By the time they were recording the final versions, creativity was in full flow, and once again it was vintage gear helping them conjure up authentic sounds of the past…

“A couple of years ago I wanted an old Marshall Bluesbreaker, which can be hard to find,” reveals Rich. “Suddenly a 1966 model appeared in Nashville and I had to buy it. I brought it to rehearsals and knew it was amazing. Being a typical guitarist, I knew I’d need another one in case it blew! So I found a ’68 in Seattle, which is one of the best amps I’ve ever heard. I realised that I wanted a spare ’68! So I had a guy duplicate it, in every possible way.”

The like-for-like clone led to the launch of the guitarist’s own company, Muswell Amplification, named after The Kinks’ 1971 album Muswell Hillbillies. You won’t find these reverse-engineered boutique combos in your local guitar shop, however, as they’re all made to order with a wait time of roughly two months. 

In any case, as Rich goes on to explain, the Bluesbreakers are just one part of a wider sonic picture, working in tandem with an old Vox AC30 and the same Marshall Silver Jubilee that has been with him since the start. “Jubilees are so special,” he says of the amps that were released in 1987 to celebrate Jim Marshall’s 50th year in music, ending up as the head of choice for Slash, John Frusciante and Joe Bonamassa. 

“It doesn’t make sense because usually the less knobs, the better. They have the pull rhythm clip and other clever stuff, but it all just fuckin’ works! Every time I hear one, I’m blown away. I have a 50-watt and a 100-watt, both ’87 originals, one of which was all over our first record.”

Naturally, old amps call for old guitars: the main protagonists in this case being a 1956 Les Paul Special in TV Yellow, a 1969 Les Paul Junior in the same finish, two early 60s ES-335s, as well as a black Telecaster and Gretsch White Falcon.

All acoustic parts were tracked with Rich’s Martin signature – a faithful recreation of the 1954 Martin D-28 he inherited from his father Stanley Robinson, a travelling musician who scored a late ’50s hit with Boom-A-Dip-Dip. 

There probably would have been even more vintage instruments in the studio with him if were not for the severe flooding and havoc wreaked by Hurricane Sandy – one of the most destructive natural disasters in American history – back in 2012.

“I lost around 70 guitars!” admits Rich, the passing of time having gently eased some of the understandable heartache. “My 1964 ES-335 got destroyed. I sent it to get fixed because it was delaminating and they tried but it was never the same. It sounded horrible to me and didn’t play well. 

“But there was a 1968 Goldtop that got damaged and actually came back better after getting fixed. It was so destroyed you could take the paint off with your hands. They mixed it back together to refinish the guitar, then used the leftovers for a pedal which had a mahogany back, just like the Goldtop! It’s a little boost – really simple – so I used that a bit on the record, too.”

Boosts aside, in these 10 new tracks there is little in terms of gain stacking or colouration. Even ambiences are kept to a minimum, with a vintage Electro-Harmonix Memory Man providing what Rich calls “a ratty, old-fashioned delay sound” by being placed in front of the amps on two tracks. 

The Black Crowes have always been quite minimalist in that regard, favouring a salt of the earth musical honesty that is as pure as it gets instead of anything too modern, effected or processed. If Rich has one piece of advice for all the younger musicians starting out, it’s about finding your sound by sticking to the basics. 

“I’m always like, ‘Guys, put the pedals away!’ because you get the bulk of your tone out of your guitar, amp and fingers. Sure, use pedals as a little bit of salt here, a little bit of sugar over there. But a lot of kids get carried away and have five pedals running at once instead of getting a nice amp and turning it up… which sounds way more natural.”

Natural is definitely the right word to describe what we’re hearing on new tracks like Bedside Manners, Cross Your Fingers and Rats and Clowns – the latter of which eschewing the guitarist’s breezy country rock influences in favour of the heavy open A-string riffing one might link to Malcolm Young’s work in AC/DC. The comparison is welcomed with open arms and evokes fond memories for Rich. 

“It’s my homage to Malcolm, man! I’ve never not loved AC/DC. That’s exactly where that chugging you mentioned comes from. Anyone who thought that AC/DC were heavy metal was wrong – that’s the best Chuck Berry-style rock ’n’ roll you’ll ever get. Funnily enough, we did the Monsters of Rock tour with them in 1991. 

“They loved us because they felt we were a proper rock ’n’ roll band, which meant a lot. Also, we were brothers, just like Malcolm and Angus. I remember we played one headline show on a night off and they came down to see us, which was so cool.”

The Young brothers’ influence can also be felt on Wanting And Waiting, which features D minor pentatonic hooks that sway and swagger. “It’s a driving song,” Rich says, likening its groove to Gone Shootin’, a deep cut from AC/DC’s 1978 classic Powerage. But, for the most part, the predominantly open tuning-led tracks owe a lot to famous recordings by The Rolling Stones’ Keith Richards and folk music legend Nick Drake.

“I think there was something really special about Nick Drake’s rhythm playing; it sonically reached inside of me,” smiles Rich. “So I would take that and mix it with what Keith Richards was doing, as well as Jimmy Page and Stephen Stills. My approach is an amalgamation of all that. It mainly came from listening to all those old English bands – that was the shit for us!”

As the guitarist freely admits, The Black Crowes aren’t trying to break any speed limits with their instruments. Their approach is as old school as it gets – owing more to feel and simplicity than anything too studied or regimented. Some people see music in colours and others experience it more as shapes, and Rich counts himself firmly in the latter camp. 

“Everything should have this flow, almost in an architectural way. That’s what I loved about Peter Green. He was always so fuckin’ tasteful. So many times, less can be more. There are those who play for the right reasons and others who won’t shut the fuck up! It’s like ‘Dude, you can put that guitar down for a bit... you don’t have to play every note all the time.’”

In that regard, it would be fair to say the Rich Robinson approach shares more in common with the Gilmours and Becks of yesteryear than, say, busier blues players like Joe Bonamassa and Eric Gales who steal all the headlines today…

“Those virtuoso guys are great players and they can do everything on the guitar,” Rich says. “They can do gymnastics, run up and down, anything you could possibly ask them to. But sometimes it’s more fun to hit one note and see what happens, see if it can mean as much. Sometimes it can mean even more! 

“Jimmy Page was great at that, I think it’s why he’s considered to be so brilliant. Melodically, he knew when to play less. Jeff Beck is absolutely another one. Those two had the technique but more importantly they knew when to use it and when not to.”

The same goes for Rich’s approach to slide guitar – he’s picked up more from “the sweeping beautiful melodies of George Harrison, Ry Cooder and Lowell George of Little Feat” than more technically ambitious players like Derek Trucks, who he happily admits is “fuckin’ brilliant and another level”. 

But humans aren’t perfect, he reasons, noting how the real magic lies in how our imperfections manifest themselves in how we’re heard, giving the listener deeper insight into a musician’s true nature and character. 

Rich also puts a lot of trust in his signature brass slide – made by D’Addario and worn on his pinky – to guide him and take the lead in all things glissando and vibrato. It’s almost like he, as the player, surrenders to the creative tool and lets it decide where the line should go and when it’s finished with him. 

“We don’t have to be so uptight about everything being perfect,” Rich shrugs. “A song can speed up going into a chorus and then slow down – and that’s okay. When you add vibrato on slide, it doesn’t have to be exactly note-perfect the whole time. The more you play, the better you get at it. So my advice is don’t worry too much about intonation or technique, because it’s all relative. Just don’t lose the human element in your music.”

• Happiness Bastards is out now via Silver Arrow.

The Black Crowes dropped in on the Howard Stern Show recently and discussed their October 1999 performances with electric guitar icon Jimmy Page – famously captured on the 2000 double album Live at the Greek.

The final set released on that live album was almost entirely dominated by Led Zeppelin material, including Whole Lotta Love, Out on the Tiles, Celebration Day and In My Time of Dying. 

Now a clip from the Howard Stern Show shows the band discussing the shows and perform another Led Zeppelin song featured in the same set, Hey, Hey What Can I Do. 

Ahead of the cover, Stern asks guitarist Rich Robinson about what he took from his experience of playing guitar alongside Page at the time.

“I felt Jimmy's excitement for music and his passion,” responds Robinson. 

“He’s just kind of free with it, you know what I mean? He just he taps in. And I watched him onstage jumping around. He played with absolute conviction and passion at all times – and power.”

In addition to the memories and playing insight, the reunited band also reveal that they have a more concrete memento of the performance: unreleased recordings of Page performing Black Crowes songs with the band at the same 1999 live shows. 

“The Black Crowes are re-releasing [Live at the Greek] and adding the Black Crowes songs that Jimmy Page played on with you guys…” notes Stern, before vocalist Chris Robinson takes up the prompt. 

“Yeah we're going to do a boxset next year,” adds Robinson. “It will be the 25th anniversary of that record. [It’s] been released a couple times, but without any of The Black Crowes songs that we did with him.”

The original Live at the Greek was released in February 2000, so you can likely pencil in, er, ‘some point from February’ next year for that one.

In the clip above, Rich Robinson appears to be using the same beaten-up Fender Telecaster Deluxe he used to repel a stage invader at a Black Crowes show back in 2022.

More recently, Robinson told Total Guitar about his long-suffering 1968 Gibson Les Paul Goldtop, which he salvaged from Hurricane Sandy – and has come back in better shape than ever.

In October 2012, The Black Crowes guitarist Rich Robinson lost scores of vintage guitars in Hurricane Sandy. Now he says he’s been able to restore one of them – a 1968 Gibson Les Paul Goldtop – and, against all the odds, it’s playing better than ever. 

Robinson tells the story in the new issue of Total Guitar, ahead of the release of the band’s (incredibly titled) new studio album, Happiness Bastards (due March 15). 

While Robinson has previously discussed the instruments he lost to Sandy, in the latest interview the Crowes guitarist sheds light on a more positive aspect of the otherwise harrowing experience. 

“I lost around 70 guitars,” Robinson explains to Total Guitar. “My 1964 ES-335 got destroyed. I sent it to get fixed because it was delaminating and they tried but it was never the same. It sounded horrible to me and didn’t play well. But there was a 1968 Goldtop that got damaged and actually came back better after getting fixed.”

The condition the guitar was found in was, it’s fair to say, less than ideal and it seems Robinson’s expectations of the repair were pretty low, initially.

“It was so destroyed you could take the paint off with your hands,” recalls the Black Crowes man. However, it seems that, with a little TLC from an inventive pro repairer, he was eventually able to walk away with not just a functioning guitar – but also a new addition to his pedalboard.

“They mixed [the old paint] back together to refinish the guitar,” says Robinson. “Then used the leftovers for a pedal which had a mahogany back, just like the Goldtop!”

The happy ending is that the Goldtop has since performed so well it found its way onto the new record. 

In addition, the matching Goldtop stompbox also reportedly features on Happiness Bastards, though despite its lavish finish, Robinson notes it’s a pretty utilitarian circuit: “[it’s just] a little boost – really simple.” 

Though Robinson isn’t explicit about the link in the Total Guitar interview, the ’68 Goldtop may well be the same one that he used on the band’s debut album, Shake Your Money Maker album.

“I used my Goldtop that I’ve had forever and had a Bigsby on it,” Robinson prevoiusly told Guitarist.

“At first, we thought that was a mid-’50s model, but later we found out it was a ’68. That Goldtop was really messed up, y’know, the paint had worn off and it had a DiMarzio humbucker and a P-90 in the neck.”

For more from Robinson, including the story behind the Black Crowes’ first studio album in almost 15 years, the wealth of tasty vintage gear powering his tones and why the metal crowd have AC/DC wrong, pick up Total Guitar issue 382 from Magazines Direct.

Luther Dickinson’s discography is staggering, although that’s not shocking for a session guitarist. Then again, Dickinson – the son of Memphis legend Jim Dickinson – is more than just a session man. 

Many know Dickinson for his time with the Black Crowes from 2007 to 2011, which produced two studio albums, Warpaint and Before the Frost… Until the Freeze, plus two live records, Warpaint Live and Wiser for the Time (the latter of which dropped after he’d left).  

But Dickinson’s catalog is varied, and it’s driven by soulful, experimental chops: The Replacements’ Pleased to Meet Me (1987), Jon Spencer’s Acme (1998), Lucero’s Lucero (2001), a host of solo records, and yet another bushel of blues-rock with his North Mississippi Allstars.

His ability to do it all has led to countless affecting sessions and shows, and comes from slinging a semi-hollowbody over his shoulder and letting it flow. But regardless of what he plays or who he plays with, certain groupings transcend. “Playing together is easy,” Dickinson says. “I love playing with Devon Allman and Samantha Fish; they’re creative, powerful forces.

“But I have to mention Duane Betts and Johnny Stachella. As a second-generation player who grew up listening to the Allman Brothers – and whose father worked with Gregg and Duane – standing shoulder to shoulder with that crew, going hard as hell, and pushing each other is an honor. That’s why the Allman Betts tour is a yearly highlight.”

How big an influence was your dad, Jim Dickinson, on you?

“Jim Dickinson was a badass, and a first-generation Memphis rock ‘n’ roller in the ‘50s. He was five years younger than Elvis, and he started one of two teenage rock ’n’ roll bands that played the high school circuit.

“The story of how he and his friends learned open tuning is amazing and begins with their band playing Bo Diddley songs incorrectly in standard tuning. When Bo came through Memphis, dad’s band was hired to open the show. They stood in front in amazement, watching his hands, wondering, ‘What is he doing? He’s not playing any chords!’ They stayed up all night figuring out Bo Diddley’s secret code, and by the time the sun came up, they had unlocked the secrets to open tuning. 

“Dad’s open-tuned rhythm guitar playing, his piano playing, and the players he worked with – mainly Ry Cooder in the ‘70s and ‘80s – were an unfathomable influence on me; not to mention his production and film score work, which I am actively doing now.”

How did your exposure to all that affect your playing?

“Dad and his crew always served all sides of the discipline – acoustic folk, country blues, jug band music, and drug culture-inspired rock ’n’ roll – with Les Pauls and Fender amps. They were dear friends with Furry Lewis, Bukka White, Sleepy John Estes and Fred McDowell. They played music with these elders annually at the Memphis Country Blues Festivals.

“Because of this perspective, fingerpicking open-tuned guitars and playing slide were always a natural part of my guitar concept. I started in open tuning and I’ve been fingerpicking and playing slide my whole life.”

Was there a moment where you said, “I want to do this as a career” or did it happen naturally?

“I can’t remember a time when I didn’t know I would be a guitar player. I wasn’t a natural, but I continue to love fighting for every inch of progress and evolution. Simply knowing what I want to do and being focused can be a great advantage.”

How did you end up in the studio with The Replacements in ‘87 to record the Shooting Dirty Pool solo?

“It was a clear case of my dad asking the Mats, ‘How’s about y’all let my boy play?’ The Mats have always been so cool to me. They have been my lifelong friends since I was 13 and made those noises on Shooting Dirty Pool.

“See, Dad had imagined a music video for the song and wanted to illustrate a pool room bar fight with heavy metal guitar noises. Both he and Ry Cooder had just finished working with Steve Vai on the Crossroads movie, and I’d been making lots of whammy bar finger-tapped noises in my bedroom inspired by Vai. It’s just a collage of noises.”

You worked with Jon Spencer on two Blues Explosion albums in the ‘90s. What was that like?

“Jon was inspiring to work with. I loved his work ethic. We would collect riffs, quickly build the arrangement, and move on to the next song. His lyric sheets looked like poetry and art, with the words in cool placements all over the page. It was a fun collaboration, and I learned a lot – but it was hilarious because our fans didn’t get Jon, and his fans didn’t dig us!

What was your rig like at the time?

“I was probably playing my ’71 Tele, with a Silvertone Lipstick pickup in the bridge and a Teisco Paperfoil pickup in the middle position. That was a really gnarly ride.

“I’ve had the same gear in our Zebra Ranch Studio all along. I had an old Silvertone guitar and amp, Harmony guitars, old Gibson archtops with the old P-90s, a Fender Brown Panel concert amp, a Marshall 2x12 combo, a Marshall Bluesbreaker, a Black Panel Fender Deluxe.”

How did you end up working with Lucero in the early ‘00s?

“We were all friends before from the Memphis scene. I remember chatting with Ben Nichols at an Otha Turner show in Memphis, and Ben said he was thinking of starting a new band with Brian Venabel and Roy Berry, and of course, The Saint, John C. Stubblefield.

“My brother Cody produced their first and second records at Zebra Ranch, and Jim produced their fourth. I played lap steel with them on their early shows and played lap steel and acoustic guitar on their first album. We toured together for years; Ben Nicholls influenced me pretty hard!”

You formed the North Mississippi Allstars around that same time. What was your vision as far as guitars go?

“The fingerpicked and open-tuned riffs of Fred McDowell and R.L. Burnside – when R.L. played solo acoustic in the ‘80s – were so heavy and very tough. I wanted to orchestrate them with a power trio, playing unison riffs and cool beats to flesh out those hill country riffs.

“After a couple of years of playing the music very straight ahead, we started to incorporate the approach we grew up playing, which was experimental rock ’n’ roll. We’d improvise around the songs and use them as springboards for our excursions of spontaneous interpretation.

“I have strived to get an electric guitar to respond like a fingerpicked, open-tuned acoustic guitar for decades. I went about it wrong; I figured the Gibson aesthetic made sense, but it was always a struggle. I recently found that Fender’s guitar scale, tension, tone, intonation, and bolt-on neck philosophy suits me better.”

How did you end up joining the Black Crowes in 2007?

“The North Mississippi Allstars played a few gigs opening for the Crowes, and Rich Robinson and I became friends. We started a side-project called Circle Sound. So when Marc Ford quit in ’06, they called me to fill in.”

Was there an audition?

“There was indeed an audition, at the Zebra Ranch. We jammed on a handful of classics, and it went great. We recorded my first record with them, Warpaint, in ’07, released it in ’08; and another, Before the Frost… Until the Freeze, in ’09. My last show with the Crowes was back in Amsterdam in ‘11. It was a blast. They were professional gentlemen through and through.”

Was there any trepidation, given the Crowes’ shaky past regarding lead guitarists?

“No trepidation at all – I was ready to rock. I had six months to learn their whole repertoire, and I went at it, working a little bit every day. I was making charts, smoking weed, and jamming along to the albums and the live recordings from ’05 and ’06.

“But one thing that helped was that Jimmy Herring had recently joined Widespread Panic, and I saw him play an early show with a trapper keeper full of charts at his feet. Jimmy showed me his process, which I applied to the Crowes gig.

“I grew up with session players and chart-makers working with Dad and David Hood, the master. Live charts are more like road maps and short-term memory boosters. They had no problem with me not making mistakes and being myself.”

Was there pressure to play like Jeff Cease or Marc Ford?

“They had no comments about the old material, though I purposely tried to hit the landmark flagship melodies and then let it flow from there.

“The hardest thing was playing my own parts. We would record loose in the studio, jamming along to whatever new songs they brought in, and it was laid-back. I was surprised when we got to rehearsal, and those loose improvised recordings had become parts – it was harder to learn my own parts!”

You mentioned your friendship with Rich, but what was the lead/rhythm dynamic like?

“Rich is driving that ship. His cool, open-tuned guitar parts are what makes that music unique. I always vibe off the drummer, and I'd always lean into Steve Gorman and try to engage with his drumming and connect with his feel. Steve and I have a new band, Bag Men, with his old partner Nick Govrick from Trigger Hippy. We still have a blast!”

What was your main rig like during your Crowes years?

“I tried everything over those years, starting with my Marshalls, but I ended up with a 150-watt Fuchs rig that I plugged straight into. Chris Robinson gave me my first Gibson ES-335. Between that, my favorite Gibson SG and the Fuchs, I landed on a pretty clean tone.

“It was the only way I could rise above the volume and distortion. It was so loud and harmonically rich that I had to change my strategy. I played light and loose and made sure to have plenty of headroom.”

Gibson gave you a signature ES-335 with P-90s in 2014. Was that inspired by the 335 Chris gave you?

“Like I mentioned, I was trying to get a Gibson guitar to react like an open-tuned, fingerpicked acoustic guitar, but loud as hell. I always tried to get my slide guitar to use feedback sustain and get in the vibe of Jimi Hendrix’s whammy bar. I thought a long-scale, semi-hollow with P-90s would do it. It turned out nice, but it was never my favorite.

“I love old P-90s, but the new ones feel choked out and not as open and remnant as the sweet old P-90s of the ‘50s and ‘60s. But it was a beautiful guitar.

“Mike Voltz and the whole Memphis crew knocked it out of the park. They copied the finish of my father’s old ES-175 and the neck of my old LG-1. It was sweet – but it didn’t respond the way I’d hoped.”

So you weren’t happy with it; what’s the latest there?

“So, dig this: we designed a second guitar, the polar opposite, which was a full-scale, fully hollow ES-335 with humbuckers and a Bigsby called the 330-L. That son of gun crushes! It responds to natural amp sustain and sings like a bird. It’s beautiful, black, and feels so good.

“They couldn’t put my name on the second one, though, because of Gibson’s political issues then. Being fully hollow, it didn’t sell that well, either – but if you ever see a black 330-L, check it out. The two of them together are a killer yin/yang to my aesthetic.”

Are you working on any new music?

“I’m always working on new music. My latest solo record, Magic Music for Family Folk, came out in ‘23. I have another solo record called Dead Blues coming soon, featuring an amazing vocalist named Datrian Johnson. I’ve also got an ambient album, a jazz album with Medeski, and much more on the way.”

• Magic Music For Family Folk is out now.

Hello, and welcome to Essential Guitar Tracks. As you may well know, every seven days (or thereabouts), we endeavor to bring you a selection of songs from across the guitar universe, all with one thing in common: our favorite instrument plays a starring role.

Our goal is to give you an overview of the biggest tracks, our editor’s picks and anything you may have missed. We’re pushing horizons and taking you out of your comfort zone – because, as guitarists, that’s something we should all be striving for in our playing. 

So, here are our highlights from the past seven days – now with a Spotify playlist…

The Black Keys – Beautiful People (Stay High)

Beautiful People (Stay High), the energetic return of Akron, Ohio's finest rock combo, is devoid of guitar fireworks – but then again, that’s not what a Black Keys song is for. As he has since the Keys went supernova with 2010’s Brothers, Dan Auerbach focuses on doling out the funkiest riffs East of the Mississippi. 

In both its chorus and its name, Beautiful People (Stay High), has a euphoric, gospel-like feel – with Auerbach following the lead of the horns in both his supple, funky scratching and slinky leads, which, of course, are seasoned with a healthy dose of fuzz. (JM)

The Black Crowes – Wanting and Waiting

With news that Southern blues-rock stalwarts Black Crowes would be returning for their first record in 15 years comes a rip-roaring lead single – titled Wanting and Waiting – that ushers in the next era of the band. Paving the way for their ninth album, the track is a sultry, swampy romp, supercharged with greasy guitar grooves and blues-y exchanges. Worth the wait. (MO) 

Waxahatchee – Right Back to It (feat. MJ Lenderman)

Two of the brightest and most unique talents to come out of the South in recent years come together on Right Back to It, the new tune from Katie Crutchfield’s Waxahatchee project. MJ Lenderman – best known as the guitarist for Wednesday – adds some beautiful textures to this unhurried waltz. Stay for that solo, though – showcasing his immaculate phrasing and perfect sense of how to work around the melody (and not distract from it), Lenderman is as smooth as any Nashville professional, minus any of the well-worn cliches. (JM)

Slift – Weavers’ Wift

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again – the Sub Pop signed French trio are next in line for Mastodon’s mind-expanding metal crown. This latest taster of their new album, Ilion, is laced with intricate guitar, from ringing psychedelia to the sort of riffs that recall Gojira’s terraforming scale. 

It’s accompanied by another sci-fi video installment – all linked up to an overarching story of “Homeric” proportions involving ancient gods, convict ships, and interplanetary travel – that plays out through the rest of the record. The album drops next month, which frankly, does not give us enough time to understand everything that is happening here. (MP) 

C Turtle – Shake It Down

To say Shake It Down wouldn't sound out of place on a hypothetical record masterminded by a supergroup comprising the personnel of Wet Leg, Big Thief, Snail Mail, Fontaines DC and other indie heroes would be somewhat accurate, but even then it would probably undersell it – that’s how tasty this track is. Shake it Down is its own untethered beast – courtesy of emerging act C Turtle, who welcome listeners into their scuzzy indie sonic universe with lashings of loose, unhinged, and deliciously-laid-back-but-perfectly-on-point guitar thrashes. (MO)

Gouge Away – Stuck in a Dream

Performed almost entirely live, Deep Sage is the forthcoming third album from the wiry post-hardcore quintet, and Stuck in a Dream is a ferocious introduction. All Jesus Lizard riffs, acerbic, uneasy bends and urgent post-punk energy, this is a two-and-a-half-minute jolt of electricity for the ears. (MAB)

Lord Dying – The Universe Is Weeping

The self-proclaimed progressive sludge outfit are readying the followup to 2019’s Mysterium Tremendum, and it has a similarly high-concept title: Clandestine Transcendence. First taste The Universe Is Weeping takes thrash-worthy harmony leads and contorts them into an intoxicating, enveloping dual-guitar riff that forms the track’s metallic backbone. (MAB)

Grieving – Tarpaulin

On Tarpaulin, UK four-piece Grieving have expanded from their fine line in roughly-hewn Jawbreaker/HWM melodic punk into post-hardcore territory, taking in a grab bag of late Dischord releases and a thick slab of Pavement in the process. It sounds less comfortable and a little more anxious, wending and winding around layers of arpeggiated guitar licks and textural touches before unleashing the sort of cathartic chorus that bounces around your brain all day. (MP)

BIG|BRAVE – I felt a funeral

BIG|BRAVE guitarist Mathieu Ball once told us, “Whenever we play something too musical, I feel it’s almost a cop out. We have to get rid of any traditional guitar playing!” And that in itself is a reason to listen to any new release from the Canadian experimental rock collective.

On I felt a funeral, every slide, swell and fade of Ball and Robin Wattie’s playing is as important, if not more so, than the notes they play, while their gritty tones fry and sizzle with brooding intensity. (MAB)

BODEGA – Tarkovski

With a suite of guitars dripping in dreamy chorus and a minimalist lead line that is far more infectious than it has any right to be, Tarvoski ushers in the next era of BODEGA – the punk cultural commentators who are gearing up to release their new album this year. 

Titled Our Brand Could Be Yr Life, the record has been teased as a fuzz-soaked collection of rock ruminations dealing with the “slow-creep of corporate think into youth culture,” and its lead single is a fitting curtain lifter. If those indie guitars and ripping solos are anything to go by, it looks like a completely fresh BODEGA is on the way. And we’re so here for it. (MO)

Emma Ayzenberg – lucile

lucile – the latest preview of LA-based singer/songwriter Emma Ayzenberg’s forthcoming iron mountain EP – is a lushly orchestrated gem. Ayzenberg gamely holds down the fort with her acoustic fingerpicking, while Gregory Uhlmann adds some (dark) colors ‘round the edges in the form of clipped, gothic single-note statements that fit Ayzenberg’s beautiful vocals and the song’s cinematic string arrangement like a glove. (JM)

Dead Poet Society – My Condition

A sugar-rush earworm from LA’s DPS that comes ahead of the release of second album, Fission, later this month. It incorporates the gang vocal euphoria of the likes of Grouplove with Royal Blood’s stomping riffs. It feels designed for big stages – full of huge tones, arena-sized reverbs, and a generous serving of ‘woahs’. (MP)

Bring Me the Horizon – Kool-Aid

Bring Me The Horizon’s fine form has continued unabated into 2024, with the British rock band expanding upon their Post Human series with its latest addition, Kool-Aid. 

Following the precedent set by the five tracks that came before it, Kool-Aid is quintessential BMTH – bruising riffs, big soundscapes, and bold vocals. Watch this space for news regarding the band’s upcoming album, Post Human: NeX GEn, which has all the hallmarks of being another BMTH belter. (MO)

Kenzy Peach – Come For Me

A new single from Portland, Oregon based up-’n-comer Kenzy Peach, Come For Me is a delightfully spunky bit of pop. The hooks are massive – primed for airplay and the big stages already – but guitarist Noah Rastegar compliments them with the perfect amount of gritty riffage, jagged leads, and even some Sonic Youth-like dissonance to lead the song out. Oh, and that big-time, super-singable solo? Pure air-guitar gold. (JM) 

Also on this week’s playlist…

• Caligula's Horse – The Stormchaser
• Liam Gallagher, John Squire – Just Another Rainbow
• Kris Barras Band – Hourglass
• Marika Hackman – The Yellow Mile
• Judas Priest – Panic Attack
• Bill Ryder-Jones – I Hold Something In My Hand
• Holy Wars – Tension/Release
• Steve Hackett – Wherever You Are
• Omni – Plastic Pyramid (feat. Izzy Glaudini)

Atlanta southern blues rock stalwarts, Black Crowes have announced that Happiness Bastards, their first record in 15 years, will be released via Silver Arrow Records March 15. It’s preceded by the rip-roaring lead single, Wanting and Waiting, which you can check out below.

The new album, their ninth overall, arrives 40 years after brothers Chris and Rich Robinson formed the band, which became one of the biggest blues rock acts of the ‘90s after the success of debut release Shake Your Money Maker.

“Happiness Bastards is our love letter to rock n’ roll,” says Chris Robinson. “Rich and I are always writing and creating music; that has never stopped for us, and it is always where we find harmony together. This record represents that.”

They’ve tapped Grammy Award-winning producer Jay Joyce (Eric Church, Keith Urban, Coheed and Cambria) for the record, which features 10 new tracks. The release offers their first new music since 2019’s live recorded studio album, Before The Frost…Until The Freeze, with its first taste, Wanting and Waiting channelling their ‘90s prime.

“This album is a continuation of our story as a band,” Rich Robinson continues. “Our years of experience writing and making music and touring the world are represented in this record, and we were brilliantly guided by one of the best producers in the business, Jay Joyce. I am incredibly proud of what we put together.”

The Black Crowes are on their third reunion after the brothers settled an alleged dispute over ownership of the band, which ended their first reunion in 2015. They’ve played over 150 shows in 20 countries worldwide since getting back together in 2019.

During those shows, the band is said to have needed something new to show for their lost time. That resulted in the Robinson brothers, alongside long-time bass player Sven Pipien, heading to the studio with producer Jay Joyce in early 2023. The press release offers no mention of who plays drums on the record. Cully Symington has been their touring drummer since 2023.

Black Crowes formed in 1984 with a sound that united psychedelic pop, southern rock – with the pentatonic licks of Gary Rossington a major influence – and ‘70s blues rock. The band exploded with their 1990 debut, Shake Your Money Maker, producing six albums during their first era, ending with 2001’s Lions.   

Rich Robinson, whose guitar collection includes a 1962 Gibson SG reissue, a 1963 ES-335 Rich Robinson replica and a custom-made Teye La Perla, has played over 15 variations of open tunings over the years, and h slide playing is a core element of his sound. He cites Jimmy Page and Nick Drake as influencing his decision to explore open tunings.

Black Crowes play two Las Vegas shows on February 9 and 10.

For more information and preorders, head to the Black Crowes website.

And for more from Rich Robinson, check out our exclusive interview, where he names the 11 guitarists who shaped his sound.

“I don't focus on my pedals too much. I use them, but in some ways, they’re hidden in my sound. The 'board I have is basically the same one I’ve been touring with for years. But again, the idea of my 'board is to give me a boost during a solo or a little extra here and there. I believe it comes down to the amps, and I rely on vintage amps as much as possible.

“I’ve got the RJM Music Technology MIDI controller [Mastermind GT]. It’s great and it’s functional. Aside from that, I’ve got my Boss Waza Craft Chromatic Tuner, a Strymon Lex Rotary, a Lehle volume pedal [Volume 90] and a Fulltone [Clyde Standard] wah. I also have a Lehle Little Dual, which allows me to switch between amps without hum.

“From there, I’ve got a Black Volt Amplification [FDR] overdrive, a Way Huge Red Llama overdrive [MkII] and another overdrive, a Free the Tone String Slinger. Then I’ve got a Way Huge Angry Troll Boost [WHE101] and a Strymon Flint [V2], which I use for tremolo and reverb.”

“I use the various overdrives and boosts for solos, not for the entire song. There’s a reason I buy old amps that have tubes, valves and fucking capacitors; they sound great, and they move air. That’s the key. 

“You can have all the pedals you want, but the guitar/amp combination makes the sound. Pedals are just some extra paprika.”

If I had to choose one pedal for a full show

“I guess I’d go with the Angry Troll. I like that I can set it to where it gives me a good lift and boost during a solo. It doesn’t have to be overdriven; it just gives a perfect, versatile boost that doesn’t overdo it.”

As it has since the departure of original guitarist Jeff Cease, the Black Crowes' guitar carousel has continued to spin, with the latest and greatest to hold the spot down being Nico Bereciartua. 

Bereciartua took up the mantle in early 2023 after the departure of Isaiah Mitchell – who left to focus on his band, Earthless – in late 2022. On the surface, a player like Bereciartua – who hails from Buenos Aires, Argentina – may seem like an off-the-beaten-path pairing with the Crowes, in all their Atlanta-born, modern Southern rock glory.

In fact, the now-43-year-old six-stringer is a dyed-in-the-wool blues breaker at heart, having picked up the guitar at 12 after listening to Robert Johnson, before moving to learn all he could about slide guitar. By his early 20s, Bereciartua was a member of Argentinian band Riff.

Bereciartua then furthered his career – and showcased his musical versatility – with his 2015 solo instrumental record, Nico, an album that netted him a Carlos Gardel Award for outstanding achievements in Argentinian music.

All this is to say that when it comes to the Crowes, Bereciartua doesn't just talk the talk; he walks the walk.

“I first became connected to the Crowes via Rich [Robinson],” he says. “It's a cool story: Rich was doing a Q&A on Facebook, and I commented with a video of me playing one of his songs. A couple of months later, Rich wrote to me on Twitter, and – long story short – I ended up playing with him for two years. That led to me playing with the Black Crowes, the greatest honor of my life.”

As for what makes him the perfect fit to stride in the footsteps of the players who preceded him, he says, “I think that's better left said by them [Rich and Chris Robinson]. But I know they're happy with me – they know I love their music and will always play the songs with passion and respect. I enjoy every second of each show – I'll be focused, and give it my all.”

Of course, we know that Bereciartua grew up listening to greats such as Robert Johnson, but what about '90s-era players like Marc Ford, the guitarist most associated with the Crowes' golden era?

“Oh, I was a huge fan,” he admits. “I traveled many times to see them. The Crowes greatly influenced me and all the bands I formed. The Crowes' guitarists were doing everything I liked about guitar, like playing tastefully and building something special between two guitarists. And, of course, that tone!”

He continues, “But I've been listening to that same music since I was a teenager, and as far as the Crowes go, my favorite album back then was The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion. But as time passed, it changed to Three Snakes and One Charm, which remains my favorite. That said, I'm also influenced by and obsessively listened to bands like the Rolling Stones, the Faces, and AC/DC.”

Given his influences, it's not surprising to hear that Bereciartua finds playing with the Crowes to be an honor. That, however, doesn't change the fact that he's hit the ground running amid the Crowes' resurgence for the ongoing celebration of the 30th anniversary of their hugely successful debut album, Shake Your Money Maker.

Rave concert reviews, the possibility of new music, and the Crowes' cult fanbase showering him with support was no doubt a lot to take in. But none of that could have prepared Bereciartua for the news that the Crowes would be accompanying Aerosmith on their Peace Out farewell tour.

But it seems that Bereciartua, ever calm, cool, and collected, is taking it in stride: “It's been a dream,” he enthuses. “Like everything else that's happened since I joined the Crowes, I'm excited about playing arenas. I'm enjoying every second of the tour, from the shows to the tour van to having dinner with the rest of the band.”

Seeing as he's playing alongside Rich Robinson – who has a wealth of guitar-related knowledge and tone secrets – the Peace Out tour will likely be a learning experience, too. But Robinson isn't the only veteran six-stringer along for the ride – Aerosmith's Brad Whitford and Joe Perry harbor a century's worth of secrets themselves. 

“I met Brad, and he's a really nice guy,” Bereciartua says, “But I haven't had the chance to meet Joe yet. It's great to see them on stage, enjoying and loving what they're doing. That means more to me than any words of wisdom because that's the goal.”

As for Robinson, “I locked in with Rich from the first moments I played with him,” he reveals. “It was just us, with two acoustic guitars in a room. And since then, we've been close friends, probably because we have similar musical tastes and guitar influences. I admire what Rich does; he's such an amazing player and gifted songwriter.”

Anyone who has seen the Black Crowes over the years knows that when you settle in for a show, you'll be treated to a guitarist's delight, with vintage amps backing Robinson and gorgeous curios in hand, as well as to his left and right.

As for Bereciartua, he's following suit: “I love Gibson guitars,” he says, “And SGs are my favorite. Now, I'm using a Firebird that I love. Those two are great for slide, especially because you have full access to the neck.”

As for pedals and amps, like Robinson, Bereciartua isn't messing around.

“I'm using an Iron Care pedalboard, with effects like a drive from BMF called the Purple Nurple,” he reveals. “And I have a Red Llama booster from Way Huge, too. That aside, I've got an RJM PBC 6x with a couple of presets, my Ampeg V4 from '71, a blond Fender Bandmaster from '62, and a cool Fender Super Reverb.”

Though history dictates that things are always subject to change in the land of the Crowes, it seems that Bereciartua is precisely what the doctor ordered. And seeing as the Crowes are his “main priority going forward” – despite the fact that the guitarist is currently recording his third solo record – it looks like the lineup will remain static for a change. 

Still, Bereciartua is the new guy, which means, for now at least, he'll lean into what's established. “Of course, I'm beholden to what's been done,” he insists. “I try to pay respect to all of that. But I think I fit in stylistically and give what's needed.

“But I'm not asked to play exactly what's on the records; I have room to move around, but always within the established style of the Crowes. And that's good because that's what I like to play!”

As for what lies ahead, and where he sees himself within that context, he says, “I'm always trying to learn more, especially now that I have this opportunity of playing beside people who know more than me. But I think I got here because of my good attitude, not liking to compete, and not being interested in being the best or fastest.

“Every player needs to serve the song, because a song is way more important than who is playing it. And hopefully, I'll be with the Crowes for a long time, making records and still always learning from them.”

While the Black Crowes might’ve been a touch shy on originality, they were outliers of an era that was watching hair metal flame out as grunge was meteorically rising. One listen to 1990’s Shake Your Money Maker will tell you all you need to know: the young and rowdy Georgia band were dutifully beholden to the icons they grew up watching and hearing – Keith Richards, Mick Taylor and their comrades.

Shake Your Money Maker was an unexpected smash success, injecting boogie-woogie into a scene yearning for something more. And the Crowes were more than happy to serve up heaping doses of said boogie-woogie, but of course, not without equal doses of the turbulence that would come to define them later in the decade.

The first sign of said turbulence – aside from the Robinson brothers’ perpetual sparring – was the firing of Jeff Cease in 1991, who, up to that point, had proved to be a perfect foil to Rich Robinson’s guitar heroics. And with Cease out of the picture, the Crowes found themselves needing someone who was like-minded enough to tackle blues rock in the thick of the grunge era but also calm enough to handle the rigors of life in a band that wasn’t exactly harmonious.

The answers to the Crowes’ prayers came swiftly in the form of Marc Ford, a slick six-stringer out of Southern California, who recalls his entry point into the fray as surprisingly nondescript. “Honestly, I don’t know that there really were any conversations about me joining,” Ford tells Guitar World. “The way I remember it is they needed a guitar player, they knew what I did, and we played well together.”

But before he could even think about making an imprint on the Crowes, Ford got what many would consider the call of a lifetime when Slash asked him to join Guns N’ Roses as a replacement for the departed Izzy Stradlin. But shockingly, Ford declined the invitation to join the established powerhouse, instead staying a member of the on-the-rise Crowes.

“The music of the Crowes spoke to me a bit more,” Ford says. “But also – and even Slash agreed with me on this – the Crowes were a better fit for me over Guns N’ Roses because, with the Crowes, I could have more of a voice. If I had joined Guns N’ Roses, that would have basically been me filling the role of someone having to back up Slash. I don’t think it would have been all that fulfilling or satisfying to do that. I would have gotten bored, and that would have been dangerous…”

Thinking back on what brought the SoCal native together with a raucous band of kids out of Atlanta, Ford continues, “I don’t know… me joining them just seemed to make sense. There wasn’t much talk or thought put into it; we just got in a room together, started playing, and it felt right for everyone in our camp.”

Of course, the shadow of the Black Crowes’ successful debut lingered, as did the throwback-laden work of Jeff Cease. And so, while Ford had been around the block a bit with the likes of Michael Monroe and Burning Tree, it wouldn’t necessarily be a stretch to think he’d move to duplicate the template set forth by Cease on Shake Your Money Maker.

But while that might have been a factor for some, Ford, ever the laid-back technician, paid no mind, instead choosing to do what got him there in the first place: “I didn’t think much about what they’d done before I got there. I didn’t have much of a plan, you know? The thing with me is that when it comes to guitar, I only respond to what I’m hearing. So, whatever [Jeff] was hearing, that didn’t mean much. 

“When I joined the Crowes, I knew they were a rock ’n’ roll band that played rock ’n’ roll music. And I was already playing rock ’n’ roll myself, so I didn’t need to learn how to fit in. The important thing for me was listening to what was going on around me and generating a response to that.”

Overthinking (or lack thereof) aside, whatever unseen force was between Ford and his bandmates in the Crowes, it was undeniably electric. In short order, Ford hit the ground running, playing hundreds of shows with his new band, developing smooth and shockingly easy chemistry with Rich Robinson in particular.

“The chemistry came to us pretty quick,” Ford says. “But obviously, we learned as we went along, which came about through everyone listening to each other. From that, we were able to make the adjustments that needed to be made. But again, all of that was pretty immediate. Rich and I came from a similar enough background to where we could easily make it work.”

And make it work they did; 1992’s The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion was a smash success – even more successful than Shake Your Money Maker. Moreover, the ensuing tour was a boon, finding the Crowes dominating stages worldwide. 

But sadly, the ride didn’t last long, and by 1994, despite the albeit lesser success of the turbulent Amorica, relations within the Black Crowes were at an all-time low. Drugs, infighting and general toxicity had polluted the waters, leading to a nadir that not even a band as musically cohesive as the Crowes could avoid.

Looking back on what is now remembered as the beginning of the end, Ford sighs, “The band was all over the place by that point and very scattered regarding our relationships. People were trippin’ on whatever they were trippin’ on, which also muddied the waters. 

“But, man, the band was as tight as ever by that point because we had been on the road constantly for years. So we weren’t always getting along, but musically, we were a unit that functioned incredibly well. It felt good to be able to step outside the whirlwind of the other stuff and do that for sure.”

Ford hung around for one more album, 1996’s Three Snakes and One Charm, before jettisoning himself from the band in 1997, although he did return for a brief, not-so-friendly reunion in 2005 before parting ways for what appears to be the final time.

These days, the Black Crowes continue with only Chris and Rich Robinson remaining as original members, not that Ford cares. He’s got his solo work and various production projects that he devotes his time to. But the sweet sounds of Ford’s distinctively rich tone still live on in the hearts of Black Crowes fans worldwide who wish he would take the stage with the band once more.

And while Ford has made it clear that a reunion is not to be, he’s set aside the ugly parts of his past exploits with the Crowes, focusing on the memorable music they created instead.

“I like to focus on the fact that it feels great to know you’re functioning at your best,” Ford says. “And you’re making great music, and people are connecting with it. We did a lot of that, and I’m proud of it.” 

What intangibles did you bring to the Crowes entering the sessions for The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion?

“That’s a tricky question… maybe I was slightly more advanced on my instrument than the other guys. The other guys in the band hadn’t played all that long before they got a record deal; Rich was only 19 then, you know? So I think I had more experience under my belt than they did then, which helped. 

“Those guys all learned how to play together as teens and had a certain chemistry, so all I had to do was fit in. But yeah, I had been playing longer and had been in more diverse situations, leading to me having a bit of a larger musical vocabulary and maybe more melodic sense than them.”

How did you deploy that vocabulary on a song like Remedy?

“It was all pretty much instinct. A lot of things that you heard on that record – like Remedy – were things I came up with off the top of my head. There wasn’t a lot of planning when I was working on stuff. The way I saw it was it was either working or it wasn’t. If it works, and the motion is there, we left it on the record.”

I’ve read somewhere that you see music as visuals and colors due to your lack of formal training. Can you expand on how you applied that approach?

“Yeah, that’s true. Whenever I was putting together a solo – and I still do this – I first listened to the song and tried to identify where the holes were. It’s basically me assessing the track and saying, ‘Okay… what’s missing here?’ 

“And once I had that dialed in, I’d think, ‘What does this song need me to add?’ From there it was a matter of, ‘Does this need more? Is there even a place for another part?’ Often it was a matter of finding what it needed and then figuring out if I should leave it or reinforce it. And that would have been based on the emotional context – if the track was laid back, or if it needed to be exciting.”

One of the hallmarks of the Crowes’ sound in the ’90s was the call and response between you and Rich. How did you delineate who would handle what parts in the studio?

“I was the ‘lead’ and Rich was the ‘rhythm,’ but like you said, there was some gray area. But there wasn’t much discussion. Rich wrote the songs, so his parts were pretty much there and in place. And as far as the call-and-response stuff – that really developed when we were out on the road. So by the time we got into the studio, there were a lot of things we’d already been doing live that we wanted to adapt. From there, we felt it out, and again, the biggest part of that was listening to each other very carefully.”

Which guitars and amps played the most significant role while recording The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion?

“My main amp was a red-knob Fender Twin Reverb through a Marshall half-stack. And then I had my 50-watt Mar-shall that I used on a couple of things, most notably the Sometimes Salvation solo. 

“As far as guitars are concerned, the whole thing was done with my Strat, a Les Paul and maybe a guitar or two that I think I borrowed from Rich, which was probably a Tele. But the Fender Twin Reverb did a lot of heavy lifting, and I seem to remember using a [Dunlop] Fuzz Face and an Ibanez Tube Screamer.”

What were your thoughts when you first listened back to The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion?

“I mean… we thought it was good. We knew what we had done was valid. Of course, you can’t really say how popular anything is gonna be, but we thought we had done good work. We were proud of it, and at the time, it made us happy.”

Was it difficult becoming so successful so quickly?

“It was. There was so much happening, and it was happening so fast. A lot of adjusting goes on as you try and get used to that sort of thing. And with us being so young and having people give us whatever we wanted, it became a dangerous headspace. It caused some of us to skid out a little bit – I guess everybody skidded out in their own way – and nobody was equipped to handle that kind of admiration.”

How did the aftermath of that period affect the band going into the Amorica era?

“The bigger problems were between the brothers [Rich and Chris Robinson] in that they couldn’t figure it out between them. They left the rest of us waiting for their cue. They wrote the songs, and they dictated things, you know? So if they weren’t getting along, no one could move forward or do anything until they figured it out.”

Do you feel the – at times – less-than-harmonious nature of the band fueled the creativity of the Crowes; as in, would you guys have been as strong of a band musically had things been friendlier?

“There was frustration that came with waiting for other people to decide on what they wanted to do. But the playing part was easy once the decision was made to move forward. I focused on that when my time came. But if I couldn’t play, I had to wade through all the other bullshit to get to that point. 

“But having said that, yeah, friction causes certain things to happen, some good and some bad. I wouldn’t want to do it again, but there’s no denying it raises the energy level of some people. But even when we weren’t getting along, by the time we did Amorica, we were exactly where we wanted to be musically. That’s all that mattered.”

So the waning commercial success didn’t bother you?

“I don’t really remember. I mean, yeah, I’m sure it did with other guys in the band. And it’s not like I didn’t care, but I’ve never been one to pay attention to stuff like that. I’m not the type of person to try and adjust to the point that I’m pleasing other people. So if a record isn’t selling, there are probably underlying reasons as to why.”

Do you feel grunge greatly affected the Black Crowes’ fortunes?

“Probably. But I felt like we were doing great work, which was more important. Like I said, if it’s not selling, some things happen that are underlying, a lot of which can’t be controlled. But our records never had an issue because our work wasn’t good. And, as you mentioned, it was the height of the grunge scene, and people’s heads were in other places.

“But I’m sure there could have been some decisions that would have helped us out rather than some of the ones that were made, but at the time, I didn’t think much about it. The only thing I could control was what I was doing, and I thought I was giving my best.”

Three Snakes and One Charm was your last studio record with the Black Crowes, and it features some distinctive moments from you and Rich. What lent itself to that?

“With that record, like the others, everything was dictated by what Rich brought to the table. And as I recall, Rich was getting into some things that were not really straight-up rock ’n’ roll songs. He was getting into other types of music, so things were more eclectic. 

“I think I used more open tunings on Three Snakes and One Charm to try and make things more interesting and allow myself to stand out a bit from what was going on musically.”

What made the chemistry of your era so special?

“It was just a matter of the right guys ending up together at the right time. And the fact that we were all will-ing to do what we needed to do and shared a similar mindset early on. The music was always important to us, allowing us to do some things we were really proud of.”

What’s your proudest moment as a member of the Black Crowes?

“I guess the tour for The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion would have to be what stands out most. That tour was pretty phenomenal. And, of course, playing with some of our heroes at the festivals was unforgettable. But the big thing was feeling like we had arrived and could do what we had always wanted.”

When you look back, do you have any regrets?

“Not musically. But I think that’s kind of a pointless question, isn’t it? Other than being more mature and grown-up – which is not what we were – there are none. I guess I regret what went along with the thinking and feeling that it was never going to end. That was probably something that was foolish, but you know, it is what it is.”

Marc Ford has opened up on one of rock’s great sliding doors moments when he turned down the offer to replace outgoing Guns N’ Roses rhythm guitarist Izzy Stradlin in favor of staying on with the Black Crowes.

Ford had scarcely got his feet under the table with the Atlanta retro blues-rockers when an offer came in: would he hook up with Guns N’ Roses for a stadium tour, taking up the role vacated by Stradlin? It was an offer he couldn’t refuse. And yet he did refuse it, and to this day does not regret it.

In an interview with Guitar World, Ford says that even Slash understood where the widely respected SoCal blues-rock ace was coming from. 

“The music of the Crowes spoke to me a bit more,” Ford said. “But also – and even Slash agreed with me on this – the Crowes were a better fit for me over Guns N’ Roses because, with the Crowes, I could have more of a voice.”

Ford had just hooked up with the Robinson brothers with a remit to turn loose his electric guitar on lead. Guns N’ Roses were the biggest rock band in the world, but the Use Your Illusion tour had descended into chaos. There were riots. There were tantrums. Every night it was a circus, and Ford would have been looking on.

“If I had joined Guns N’ Roses that would have basically been me filling the role of someone having to back up Slash,” he says. “I don’t think it would have been all that fulfilling or satisfying to do that. I would have gotten bored, and that would have been dangerous…”

It would have been dangerous anyway. Guns N’ Roses were often called the most dangerous rock ’n’ roll band in the world in the mid ‘80s, but that was simply a comment on the localized debauchery as they exploded on the Sunset Strip scene. 

They were way more dangerous in the ‘90s, as at the Riverport Ampitheatre, when frontman Axl W. Rose crushed a mic in disgust and stormed off during Rocket Queen, with dozens injured in the three-hour riot that followed.

The Black Crowes might have witnessed frequent rioting, but at least they had the good grace to keep it in-house, with brothers Chris and Rich enjoying a combustible fraternal relationship, as brothers are wont to do. 

More importantly, Ford would go onto form a brilliant partnership with Rich Robinson, honed over many miles on the road. Putatively, Ford was lead, Robinson was rhythm, but these roles had porous borders. Robinson’s writing suited Ford down to the ground.

“There wasn’t much discussion. Rich wrote the songs, so his parts were pretty much there and in place,” recalled Ford. “And as far as the call-and-response stuff – that really developed when we were out on the road. So by the time we got into the studio, there were a lot of things we’d already been doing live that we wanted to adapt. From there, we felt it out, and again, the biggest part of that was listening to each other very carefully.”

Rich Robinson cherishes tonality. That much is certain. One listen to any of the Black Crowes' records will tell you that.

There's also the matter of Robinson's mouthwatering collection of vintage guitars and amps. Indeed, the veteran rocker has curios to inspire bewildered wonderment for days and vintage amps that would delight even the most stony-faced of tube lovers.

"Feeling and tone are huge," Robinson tells us. "I've always cared about tone; you know what I mean? It's always been essential to me. And so, I've always consistently gone to great lengths to improve that side of my playing. I'll sprinkle in different amps, and different guitars, all to find that magic sound. Because you can have all the extra shit you want, but 98 percent of it comes from the guitar and the amp."

Those tone-chasing ways are, in part, why Robinson founded his own amp company, Muswell Amplification.

"Yeah, that's really it," he says. "But it stems from when I picked up a '66 and '68 Marshall Bluesbreaker, which are monster fucking amps. I love amps like that because they inspire me to play and bring out so much creativity. If things sound shitty or weak, it makes me want to bail, and it doesn't make me want to play guitar or write music."

"That experience inspired me to look into making my own amps," Robinson continues. "I wanted to ensure I always had a good, vintage-sounding tube amp around, so I made my own with my guitar tech, Roland [McKay]. We sourced vintage tubes, transformers, and capacitors and went out and found the most beautiful birch wood to make the cabinets, along with Celestion speakers.

"And I have to say, they sound incredible. I've had them out on tour with me, and I'll bring them out when we hit the road with Aerosmith, too."

Now 33 years after the release of the Black Crowes' debut record, Rich Robinson's commitment to guitar mastery via analog means is unrelenting. That purely instinctual approach to solos, slides, riffs, progressions, and rhythms is unique to Robinson.

Guitar in hand, Rich Robinson conjures ghosts of rock 'n' roll's past while dutifully pushing the genre forward. And while some choose a road paved with pedals, tricks, and gimmicks, after all these years of quiet service, Robinson has learned that keeping things simple and focusing on tone is the linchpin of his success.

"I look at the guitar in terms of response and physics," Robinson explains. "The truth is that everyone room I'm playing in will sound different, right? And, yeah, digital amps can account for that, but I don't care; there's something amazing about analog stuff. I get a feeling from the sound of my old amps that I'll never find digitally. When I'm on stage, I feel the vibration and the tone to the point that I truly become one with whatever I play."

When asked if his new line of Muswell amps – or his reliable oldies but goodies – have inspired him to get the Black Crowes back in the studio, Robinson says: "Of course, we're heading into the studio in just a few weeks before we go on tour with Aerosmith. I'll be using my Muswell stuff, along with the old Marshall amps, for sure. I'll be leaning hard on the '68, as it's my favorite of the old Bluesbreakers I have. But I'll bring them all in, see what works best, and use those. And I'll also take them out on tour with Aerosmith later this year."

"There's no point in having these things if I'm not gonna use them," Robinson insists. "If I’m playing with this stuff, it's just so inspirational, and that same feeling can be translated when I'm on the stage, too. That's why I've spent so much time, energy, and money chasing this stuff; I believe it's an integral part of the Black Crowes' sound. Beyond that, it's an integral part of my sound, you know? So, it's what I always shoot for and what I believe matters most."

As the Black Crowes prepare to hit the road supporting Aerosmith on their final tour, Rich Robinson dialed in with Guitar World to dig into the 11 guitarists who shaped his sound.

1. Stephen Stills

"Some of my earliest memories date to when I was three or four years old and being with my dad while he listened to music via his console stereo. It was this big piece of furniture, and when you opened it up, there were speakers and a turntable built in. And I remember listening to his go-to records like Sly and the Family Stone, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, the Beatles, and The Who. But for some reason, the CSNY stuff resonated with me, and Stephen Stills has been a favorite ever since. His playing always added to the song's emotional message and really delivered the feeling.

"So, I picked up on that early on. And to this day, he's one of my favorite players, both acoustically and electrically. The way he approached songwriting was incredible, and his voice was unbelievable, but his guitar playing was amazing, too. Of course, I didn't understand that when I was three or four, but I delved deep into what he was doing as I grew older. Man… his acoustic sound, his picking, and how he played were all brilliant. His playing moves me to this day."

2. Angus and Malcolm Young

"As you get older, you start to develop tastes that are all your own and not influenced by other people. And I remember getting into AC/DC early on, which hooked me on Angus and Malcolm Young. I mean… shit, how can you choose one over the other. They're both equally brilliant and complimented each other perfectly sonically. Once that clicked, I thought, 'Fuck me, man, this is the shit.' The way their guitars were recorded, and the sounds coming off them still equals one of the best tones ever.

"When Angus and Malcolm would play together, they sounded so powerful but not overdriven. They're like the quintessential sound of rock 'n' roll. It's just straight-ahead, organic playing, and so warm-sounding. Angus's leads were loud but never felt harsh or overprocessed, and Malcolm's rhythms were like no other.

"So, they've always influenced me, and the interplay between Malcolm and Angus is nothing short of a gift. There's no other way to describe it other than a gift. Those two made up one of the most unbelievable duos in rock history."

3. Peter Buck

"Eventually, I got into my angry punk rock phase in my early adolescence, which led me down all sorts of roads. And growing up in Georgia, eventually, I came upon the alternative rock that was popular then. While the punk phase didn't last long, the energy of it stuck with me, and I developed a deep love for The Clash, The Cramps, The Damned, and the Sex Pistols, but I also fell in love with The Smiths, The Cure, The Jam, and R.E.M. In particular, I fell in love with Peter Buck.

"To this day, Peter Buck is one of my influences. He's just a straight-up phenomenal and exciting guitar player. But then again, everyone in R.E.M. was incredible, which only made me love them more.

"I still remember the first time I heard Radio Free Europe and being blown away by his picking and this sound that he had that I couldn't put my finger on. His sound was very Southern but also gentle, beautiful, and unique. And I liked that it was Southern music, but it wasn't like what people usually associated with the South at that time.

"That whole place is like a paradox; there's a lot of beauty, horror, and many ups and downs. There's no escaping that. But there's this version of the South that R.E.M. captured, and I gravitated toward it immediately."

4. Nick Drake

"Like Peter Buck, I vividly remember the first time I heard Nick Drake. A friend of mine gave me this compilation of Nick Drake's stuff called Time of No Reply, and the first song I heard was called Fly. It was the most beautiful and haunting thing I'd ever heard, and it stuck with me for days.

"His playing, the tonality of his voice, and his phrasing were all like nothing I'd ever heard. And the way he put them all together was miraculous to me. It was almost like a religious experience. It was so together and beautiful, and it felt like it all melded together as one.

"Nick Drake's whole package fits perfectly within the bubble of what that song was. It's still hard to imagine how anyone could play and sing like that, but Nick Drake somehow did."

5. Clarence White

"Going back to some of the music my parents listened to in the '60s and '70s, I have to include the Byrds. I loved their music, and as far as guitar goes, Clarence White is one of those guys who had a thing that was all his own.

"The guy was just so unbelievable. And to be like, 'Oh, I wish I could make sounds like this,' and then go out and invent a new apparatus for a guitar so he could do that was nuts. I mean… how unbelievable is that?

"That aside, his delivery, his tone, and the way he was able to incorporate this new invention [B-Bender] and basically write a whole new way of playing guitar, to me, is fucking phenomenal."

6. Keith Richards

"When I entered the Keith realm and started trying to figure it all out, I quickly realized it was like a jigsaw puzzle. That journey got me deeper into the whole vibe of the Rolling Stones, which is magnificent, man. And I remember being maybe 15 or 16 years old and being on a long drive up the East Coast to New York while listening to a cassette of Beggars Banquet. I kept listening to the whole thing over and over, and the sounds that Keith was able to get were high-pitched, almost like a wind instrument over the acoustic guitar.

"The way that Keith was strumming and how that shit was just hanging over the whole thing created this melancholy but beautiful vibe and feeling. And then the unique way that Keith was strumming… I fucking love his acoustic playing. I mean, obviously, Keith is a brilliant guitar player, but to hear him play acoustic is a special thing. The way that he strummed was unique, percussive, and so far out. But then his tone is unbelievable. It's so incredible that, honestly, no-one on this Earth can touch him."

7. Mick Taylor

"From there, the Keith thing carried me into Mick Taylor. Not unlike Malcolm and Angus, Keith and Mick formed an insane guitar duo. And people can say what they will about whatever portion of the Stones catalog they like, but those albums with Mick Taylor are unreal.

"What those two fucking dudes were able to do when they played together… that's the gold standard of how two guitar players should play together. Keith and Mick Taylor playing together was truly something astonishing. It was so fluid and instant, and they were both so present. They were both there, and their playing was just so apparent.

"I loved how Mick's approach complemented things because he's often thought of as a blues guitar player and gets boxed in there. But with the Stones, his pacing and virtuosity bred such beauty that doesn't necessarily exist in the blues. There was so much yearning but also a harshness that was addicting to listen to. It was hard and heavy but also deeply emotional. I don't know how else to describe the sound of Mick Taylor. His approach was fluid and beautiful, so it perfectly synced with Keith's."

8. Jimi Hendrix

"Like many people, my mind was blown when I first heard Jimi Hendrix. His solos were so amazing, but the chord structures, and he would write, and how he would play those chords were seriously fucking deep, in my opinion. He took typical chords, and someone added structure that made them complicated and unique.

"The one thing that always struck me about Hendrix was that all his parts were so amazing, you know? It's like, who plays like that? I still remember hearing Are You Experienced and literally having my fucking mind blown. Everything about it was stunning, and it still is to this day. But I was in middle school when I first heard it, and as soon as I did, none of it ever left me. It just stayed with me."

9. Ronnie Wood

"Ronnie Wood is very underrated, especially when it comes to his compositional approach. How he played those songs and wrote them in the first place was really something else. He did things that were so interesting and wrote so many songs that are so memorable. Writing stuff like Gasoline Alley or Every Picture Tells a Story takes a lot of talent. We're talking about some of the most stunning rock songs ever, and Ronnie Wood was a huge part of them.

"Beyond the compositional side of his, his slide abilities and his overall sonic approach were just so good. But to me, Ronnie hasn't been able to shine in that same way with the Stones, which is a shame. Don't get me wrong, he does his thing, and it's amazing, but his shit with the Faces was on a whole other level. That was some seriously special shit. I wish he got to do more of that with the Stones."

10. Jimmy Page

"Jimmy meant as much to me as anyone, and maybe even more because I got to play with him on tour with the Crowes. I mean… to sit there and play with Jimmy Page was an experience I'll take with me forever. His compositional approach, acoustic playing, and rhythm playing were all on a plane he only existed in. And his solos are so tasteful and filled with these moments where he ebbs back and forth with these beautiful melodies. What can I say? He's fucking unbelievable. Jimmy is straight-up amazing.

"Anyone who calls him sloppy or whatever, fuck that. He's a God of guitar, which should be obvious. So, to get up there and play those Zeppelin songs with him and then to have him play my songs during those two summers that we toured with him, those are some of the best moments of my life.

"He's just one of those guys who can take apart those songs and inject this tone and feeling that you can't duplicate, no matter how hard you try. Having listened to and loved his music my whole life and then having played with him, I have absolute respect and reverence for Jimmy. When I look back on the entire thing, taking the stage with him was nothing short of a gift for me."

11. Duane Allman

"The last guy I want to talk about is Duane Allman. He impacted me in a lot of ways, but his slide work is on the same level as anything Hendrix did for the guitar. He was just as influential as Jimi Hendrix, but he took the whole thing in a totally different direction. I've always thought you had music and the guitar before Hendrix and then music after. And in my opinion, because he was so far out there in how he played and thought, the same goes for Duane Allman.

"The feeling that comes from his guitar playing is utterly indescribable. To be able to deliver that in a way that was so musical and new was otherworldly. But what I maybe loved the most about Duane Allman was his versatility.

"To me, it was obvious that he loved the blues and dug B.B. King, but he took those influences and made them his own. And when he added the slide into the mix, it's like, 'Oh, shit, this is life-changing.' So, Duane Allman is another one of those guys that will all forever be one of the guys who laid it all out for those who came after."

• The Black Crowes tour the US with Aerosmith from September – see TheBlackCrowes.com for full dates.

As the lead guitarist of Earthless for the past 22 years, Isaiah Mitchell has provided explosive swells of ethereal textures, soaring forth from stacks of Marshall amps.

But dating back to 2019, Mitchell most recently found himself a member of the Black Crowes' ongoing guitar carousel. To that end, Mitchell contributed to the Atlanta rocker's legacy mostly via the live setting. However, he did manage to get into the studio with the Brothers Robinson for the group's six-song EP, 1972, released in 2022.

Though it's not been widely reported, Mitchell jettisoned himself from the Crowes in December of 2022, making the hard decision to put Earthless first. It was a matter of logistics, with more than a few aching heartstrings factoring into the proceedings.

When asked if he has any regrets regarding his time with the Black Crowes, Mitchell said: "I had a great time with the Crowes. I have no regrets. I just couldn't make both bands work, and so I had to decide based on what I felt was best. Being in the Crowes was totally different from what I've done with Earthless, and it was incredible to be in that position and put different things into practice."

"It was a constant lesson in serving the song," Mitchell continues. "Honestly, my time with the Crowes was great. It was a great exercise for me as a guitarist. It reminded me that I do enjoy the two-guitar setting, and I look forward to playing with other musicians in the future, where it's going to be a couple of guitar players. I love that dynamic, and that's just one of the many things that I was grateful for. To have had that different musical experience was awesome. I fucking loved it."

Amid preparations to head down under for an Australian tour, Isaiah Mitchell dials in with Guitar World to give the rundown on the end of his time with the Black Crowes, scouring the depths of his musical soul with Earthless, the latest gear populating his pedalboard, and what's next for him as he moves ahead.

As I understand it, you've left the Black Crowes. What led to your departure?

"Yeah, I quit in December. I think they've already got a new guitar player [Nico Bereciartua]. They're starting to play some shows with him, so it's all good. I had to leave because I couldn't be in both Earthless and the Crowes.

"I couldn't give both bands the attention they needed, so I had to make a choice. I had to decide if I wanted to do another full year with the Crowes, because if I did, I knew that Earthless would suffer. There were going to be times when the Crowes would have gigs, and I'd have to turn down Earthless gigs and keep the band off the road. So, trying to do both at the same time just wasn't something that was going to work. I had to make the change; that's not something that I wanted to do to my band."

Did you depart on good terms?

"As far as I know, everything is fine. I mean, I'm okay on my end. I'm so grateful for the opportunity; it was fucking amazing. It's an honor to have been able to have that experience, and to have been able to play on that stage with those guys. I grew up with those songs, so to play them with the guys was a fantastic experience.

"Ultimately, I just couldn't keep doing both. If summer was twice as long and spring was twice as long, and the year, overall, was twice as long, yeah, I could have. But sadly, they're not."

What did you take away from your time with the Crowes that you'll carry with you going forward?

"I really like being back in a musical situation where I'm playing with another guitar player and a keyboard player. Being in a situation where there are more melodic instruments going on, and there are a lot of pieces to the puzzle, and it's a lot of fun. Whereas in a three-piece, it's like, I can just be loud and proud. Because, for the most part, I've got to fill up a lot of space with a three-piece. So, being back in a position where I'm being asked to be sparser and not having to go all over the place was something different.

"In a way, it was a limiting thing and more about serving the song where I don't have to insert myself so much. Having to do that because that's what the song needs, and that's how it was written; I really liked that. I enjoyed working with Rich [Robinson] in dialing that in, because for like 20 years with Earthless it's just been a guitar onslaught [laughs]. My brain was trained that way, so working with the Crowes brought me back to a more courteous approach."

Describe your compositional approach as a guitarist, considering the music of Earthless seems to possess some deeply improvisational elements.

"Oh, yeah, for sure. There's a huge freeform element in Earthless. If Mike [Eginton], the bass player, or I don't have a riff or idea to bring to the practice space, we'll start jamming and messing around. With that approach, basically, when we hear something that we like, we'll record it. And if we hear something after the fact, and we think it might fit somewhere, we'll go back and find that part and continue to develop it and let it blossom on its own.

"More or less, the approach that we take with our music is: whatever feels right, we do it. If it needs to go longer, then it's gonna go longer. If it needs to be shorter, then we'll shorten it. If it's something that needs to be 45 minutes, then we allow it to be that; we don't have a lot of restrictions. The most important thing for me as a guitar player is to let the raw emotion play out completely. It's important to feel like I have the space to do what I need to do, and that absolutely comes out in the music."

For a new listener, how would you describe the music of Earthless?

"It's a primarily instrumental power trio, and as I said, there's a ton of improvisation. We've been told that the music of Earthless is like if you had Jimi Hendrix playing with John Bonham and Geezer Butler, and they're playing the middle section of Zeppelin's Dazed and Confused for about an hour [Laughs]. So, yeah, it's kind of like that. There are also some jazz elements where there are themes but also a ton of improvisation, which makes it fun. I guess I'd call it cerebral or journey music. It's spiritual. At least, that's how I connect with it."

What sort of musical itch does Earthless scratch for you?

"Earthless is absolute freedom, spontaneity, and committing myself completely to the moment. It's about being inspired in the moment and creating the moment. It's usually very fun to play around with it and improvise. I love that because I grew up listening to Hendrix, Cream, and Mountain; all these bands that would have extended jam sessions and guitar solos, you know? That's where I come from, so I feel happy that I get to do that because I really do enjoy doing that. I love being totally free."

Given that, did you feel restricted when playing with the Black Crowes?

"When I played with the Crowes, it was a situation where, yes, I was put in a box when playing. I had an area of eight bars or so where I could be myself, but other than that, I needed to stay in a specific zone. Outside of that small space, I was playing the tunes how they should be played because that's how they were written. I was playing the guitar parts Marc Ford, Jeff Cease, or Luther Dickinson played, and I couldn't deviate from that too much.

"It was its own thing, and while it was great with Earthless, outside of the fact that I had a hand in writing the music, I get to determine what we'll listen to. If I want to bring in different kinds of elements from different regions of the world, I can. If I want to play blues slide or whatever, I can be spontaneous in the moment and do whatever it is that my mood wants. And that's something I couldn't really do in the Black Crowes. With the Crowes, if you're not serving the song in a certain way, it doesn't work. Again, that's great, and I love that type of music, but it is a big difference."

Which guitars are you using these days?

"I played Les Pauls, Teles and Strats with the Crowes, but with Earthless, Strats have always been my number one guitar. I think that they're the most versatile guitars out there. With those three pickups, you can elicit an incredible array of diverse sounds, and you can do even more with the tone controls. And then you have the tremolo system, which gives a beautiful vibrato sound like a Bigsby – which I have on my Les Paul – but I prefer the Strat tremolo over the Bigsby.

"That tremolo is the main thing; you can get around it easily and up high with the cutaways. When I was a kid, my dad, who is a bass player, was always into Fender Jazz basses, and so, I guess I'm partial to Fender guitars. Growing up in Texas, when my dad was at band practice, I would see his Fender basses with those classic, large headstocks, and that image is imprinted in my brain. It's an iconic image stuck in my brain since I was two or three years old."

Do you modify your Strat or keep it stock?

"I have such an affinity for guys like Jimi Hendrix, David Gilmour, Richie Blackmore, and Rory Gallagher, all of whom played Strats and had huge, unique sounds. I gravitated toward that, which has definitely left me as someone who messes around with his guitar. So, I put a Callaham tremolo system on it, like with the block and everything.

"As for pickups, I have a guy in Australia that makes custom Strat pickups that I like. His name is Mick Brierley, and his pickups are brilliant. He surprised me with pickups for all my guitars, which I love. He also made me some P-90s – my favorite pickups of all time – and they're fantastic. Other than that, I'll change the pots, and anything else I think will improve the guitar."

Does the hum of the P90s lend itself to the improvisational soundscape of Earthless?

"I'm not sure. I don't find that it bothers me at all. I like the warmth of the P-90s; if there is any noise, it doesn't really register with me. I love single-coil pickups, and yeah, maybe there is some hum, but it's nothing crazy. Most Strats can be pretty noisy, but nothing has deterred me from playing them. The P-90s are my favorite, but I don't use them with Earthless as much. In other musical situations, I would, but not so much here."

What combination of amps are you using now?

"Earthless is about to go out on tour, and primarily, I'm planning to use 50-watt Marshall JTM45s. Those will be the main ones, but sometimes I'll use the 50-watt JCM. But that's only sometimes, because those tend to be a bit too bright and glassy to me. I use an Orange Custom Shop 50-watt with a PPC212 Orange cab with Greenbacks at home.

"I'm about to get my hands on a Magnatone Super 59 M80 head in a couple of weeks, so I'm looking forward to giving that a go with Earthless, too. With the Crowes, I played a Magnatone Twlighter Stereo, which was a fucking killer amp.

"Lastly, there's a company out in L.A. called Black Volt Amplification, and I just got one of their amps. I've been using that as well, and it sounds incredible. Really, I go for anything that sounds like a classic Marshall."

What can you tell me about your pedalboard?

"I keep it pretty simple. Treble boosters are my main ingredient there. I guess it's like a secret weapon kind of thing. I love OC44 Treble Boosters and have a Diaz Texas Ranger Treble Booster that I alternate in. Depending on the amp I pair them with, I go back and forth between those two.

"Beyond that, I have a Fuzz Tone pedal, but I don't use it often. I like overdrive, and I have the classic TS9 Tube Screamer that I use all the time. It works nicely with the Texas Ranger. For overdrive, I also have a Crowther Hot Cake Overdrive, which I rotate in, too.

"I have another friend in Australia named Tim Brennan of TYM Guitars, and he gave me a great clean boost pedal. It has a mild overdriven thing going on with some nice clarity, and I've been using that one a lot. And then I use the Strymon Flint pedal, which has a beautiful harmonic tremolo and a nice reverb in one box.

"I've got a Dunlop Echoplex delay and an Electro-Harmonix Deluxe Memory Man copy. My buddy Mark Leahey, who runs Make Sounds Loudly, makes some of the best pedals I've ever heard. He just sent a Memory Man copy, so I'm going to put that on the board and take it out with me, too. Other than those, I'll do a Dunlop Cry Baby Wah, a Dunlop JH1D Hendrix Wah, or something like that."

What's next for you in all lanes?

"Earthless is heading out on tour to Australia. We've got about eight or nine shows, I think. We haven't been back there since 2018 or 2019, so getting back there will be good. Australia is one of our favorite places to play. The shows have always been good there, and the people are very appreciative. So, it feels like a home away from home for us, which I'm stoked about.

"Beyond that, Earthless has all kinds of stuff going on throughout the year. We put out Night Parade of One Hundred Demons and plan to set aside some time this year to start working on new music. The goal is to have something recorded for 2024. So, we've got plenty of shows to put on, and then we'll get going with some new writing."

Footage has emerged of the Black Crowes and security physically removing a persistent stage invader at the band’s recent show at the Palais Theatre in Melbourne, Australia on November 20.

The crowd member who unwisely took it upon themselves to get onstage was involved in an altercation with the band during the opening bars of their performance of Stare It Cold.

The clip below shows the individual evade the venue security team’s best attempts to remove him from the stage, even throwing one of the team into the crowd. 

Singer Chris Robinson then attempts to swipe at the unwelcome guest with a mic stand before his brother, guitarist Rich Robinson, intervenes – propelling his Telecaster at the neck/chest region of the individual. 

Despite taking such a hit from a sizeable chunk of solid wood, the stage invader still does not go down and it takes further shoves from Robinson and a security team member before he is repelled into the crowd. The band then call for him to be removed from the venue, before resuming their show.

It might strike some viewers and fans as an overreaction, but bands and security can never be certain of the intentions of such individuals. Certainly, in recent years, there have been several dark moments, in which people have intended harm to both bands and audiences. 

On the plus side for the stage invader, he should probably be thankful that Rich Robinson wasn’t wielding one of his many Les Pauls at the time. It’s probably the only common model we’d place above a Tele on our ‘guitars we don’t want to be hit by’ list…

At the start of 2020, Chris Robinson and his brother Rich were anxiously preparing for a massive world tour to celebrate the 30th anniversary of their multi-platinum debut, 1990’s Shake Your Money Maker. 

The brothers had reconciled the year prior after several years not talking to each other, mostly due to a dispute over band ownership. They assembled a new version of the band, and initial performances appeared to reaffirm their passion for playing once again as the Black Crowes. However, COVID swiftly postponed future plans.  

But the Robinson brothers didn’t sit idly by. They teamed up with original producer George Drakoulias to create a remastered version of the album – which features the hits Jealous Again, Twice As Hard, She Talks to Angels and a cover of Otis Redding’s Hard to Handle – and dug into the vaults for material from their early days.  

Expanded versions of 2021’s The Black Crowes Present: Shake Your Money Maker also include a collection of B-sides, demos and unreleased material – some dating back to their early incarnation as Mr. Crowe’s Garden – as well as a recording of their spirited 1990 show in their hometown of Atlanta. The extra time gave them a chance to reminisce further on the album and see how far they’d come. 

As Chris says, it made them realize “how amazing and lucky we are to have created some music and been in a band that has perpetuated a career that’s gone on for three decades. That people would be interested in your music and what you have to say. 

“It reaffirmed my loud and passionate belief of ‘nothing is the same,’ but the way we feel about rock and roll is the same,” he says. “And it’s funny too – the good, the bad, the ugly, the joyous, the lazy, the whatever – that the Black Crowes were on the outside. On the inside, where Rich and I were coming from… [we were] always putting the music in its proper… giving it proper gravity, its weight.” 

The band has grown considerably from where they were at the start of the album’s sessions. At the end of the '80s, they weren’t on a label, didn’t have a manager, and money was scarce. Rich was 19, a year out of high school and still living with his parents. Chris was in his early 20s, still trying to find his way. 

“We had no money at all. We were hungry, like literally,” Chris says. “But I think we knew this was an opportunity that was special. We’d been working very hard the years leading up to that. A couple of years, really. We wanted to get in the game. We wanted to get on the field, and we wanted to make a record. We wanted to tour the world. We wanted our shot.” 

Adds Rich, “We looked at the record like that was everything. Like we had arrived. We were all so excited just to be able to get into the studio and record these songs.” 

They credit Drakoulias for taking a chance on a young band and becoming their point man for all things business. 

“George really believed in us when no one else did. And that was really important back then. Before you made anyone any money in the music business, very few people really gave a shit,” Chris says. “George did, and he saw something in us and believed in us. And he also instilled a work ethic that we have to this day, about the songwriting, and when you have good songs, it makes everything a lot easier. Songwriting always comes first. No matter what, and no matter what it seemed like.” 

Drakoulias  and the band were introduced around 1986 through demos the band was doing for A&M. Drakoulias heard about them through conversations within the label. On a whim, he decided to catch their show at a New York City club. 

“We met him there, and he really liked the covers we chose,” Rich says. “We did Down in the Streets and an Aerosmith song called No More No More. And George was like, ‘Wow, that’s a cool combination.’ I think he really saw something in the music we liked and the music we chose to add. I don’t know how much he thought of our own songs, but I think he saw something there and took us under his wing, and tried to sign us to A&M. 

“We were all really young and excited about what could be, but we had no idea that anyone would really like what we were doing,” he continues. “If you look at what was happening in music at the time, it was bands like Warrant and Slaughter and Poison, and all of these kinds of hair metal bands. We were doing an Otis Redding song… So, it was more just really for the love of music and for the excitement of us to be able to get into the studio and make a record.” 

The remastered version of the album is like a time machine for the brothers. The band was pleasantly surprised to rediscover songs such as Charming Mess, which was slated to be the band’s first single but was left off the album.   

“It’s like digging up the time vault in front of the elementary school in the year 2053. Like, ‘Oh my god,’” Chris says. “I was surprised about how ambitious we were, to try to play [John Lennon’s] Jealous Guy and 30 Days in the Hole. I love to see the demos for Front Porch Sermon and Angels. 

“I love the sincerity of what we were trying to do. And it’s just interesting to see something that’s not fully formed. I mean, of course, the record is fully formed, but all the little parts leading up to it, in the year before, the year and a half before we’re in the studio. It’s just cool to see where the trajectory ends up taking us.” 

Adds Rich, “I think the version of She Talks to Angels that’s on the box set was the demo version we had sent to George…. I totally forgot we had recorded [an early version of] Jealous Guy. I remember us playing it a few times at shows when we were younger, but I don’t ever remember recording it, and then I heard it and I was like, ‘Oh yeah.’ It just came straight back… It can be pretty funny sometimes to kind of check out a moment in time, like a little flash in time where you see the start of something and where it ends up.” 

Guitars Take Flight 

Even in their early days, the Robinson brothers knew they wanted, as Chris says, to be a “guitar-based rock ’n’ roll band, in the classic sense.” At the time, Rich would write most of the guitar parts and Chris would add lyrics and melodies. Drakoulias and engineer Brendan O’Brien, who has experience as a guitar player, were helpful for Rich and original guitarist Jeff Cease in getting the right tones.  

“One thing that was really important to us was to have guitar tones that we loved,” Chris says. “They were probably, at the time, seen as out of touch. We didn’t sound like a heavy metal band. We didn’t sound like hair metal. We didn’t sound like this or that. We loved the Rolling Stones and the Faces. We loved AC/DC and Aerosmith, Free and Humble Pie. Mick Ralphs and Mott the Hoople. And we wanted these guitar tones. 

“We weren’t really concerned with it being different,” he adds. “We weren’t concerned with people saying, like, ‘Oh, that’s like the '70s or the '60s or whatever.’ We just were trying to do the best we could in the moment.” 

In those days, the band’s gear was much more limited compared to future releases. “We didn’t have a lot of gear, so we had to make everything work in the dynamic that we possessed,” Chris says. “I liked the idea of not having everything at your disposal and really working hard to make what you have work.”

While he later learned to play guitar, Chris was solely focused on songwriting for the band’s early albums. Says Chris, “I’m the frontman. I have to open for Robert Plant and Steven Tyler within four months of each other. So, I had my own trip to deal with.” 

For Rich, the sessions helped him be able to tell the “difference in how guitars sound and how they feel and what they’re going to bring to the table.” He wrote riffs for songs on whatever guitar he had available.  

“I was always more focused on writing songs at the time, but I’ve never been one to obsess or to laboriously go over scales or do these things,” Rich says. “I always picked up guitars when I was moved to pick the guitar up, and therefore I was always moved to write a song… when I felt inspired to do so. Therefore, every time I picked up a guitar, it always made me feel happy and inspired, and that’s how I am today.” 

He had four guitars at the time – a black custom Fender Telecaster that had an oversize humbucker in the neck position, a Blonde Telecaster that he traded for a Goldtop and a 1953 Martin D-28 that his father had loaned him. His parents also bought him a Silver Jubilee half-stack amp after graduation. “Each one served a different purpose,” he says. “I wound up using mainly the Blonde Tele and the Goldtop.” 

Regardless of the guitar, he excelled in keeping the rhythm. “What Rich didn’t have as a flashy lead guitar player, he had in spades as a rhythm player, and as the person responsible for the composition,” Chris says.  

Adds Rich, “One of my first guitar heroes, when I was much younger, was Angus [Young]. And the funny thing is, like, listening to Shake Your Money Maker, there is a lot more AC/DC on there than I remember. A lot of the rhythmic parts were doubling each other instead of more [of the] guitar interplay that we got into on later records, like Southern Harmony and Amorica where Mark Ford and I would kind of break off and do these things.”

The songs on Shake Your Money Maker are richly textured, thanks to the band’s use of several different types of guitars. Jealous Again features Rich’s Blonde Tele. Stare it Cold finds Rich playing in open-G tuning to achieve, as Chris puts it, “ringy strings.” He’d been playing open G for about six or eight months. For She Talks to Angels, Rich used the Martin D-28, which echoes his early folk days. But the Tele was the star. 

“It had that thing that only Teles can really do,” Rich says. “I use the Tele for mostly the open-tuning stuff, and I use my Goldtop for things like Hard to Handle and Could I’ve Been So Blind. For whatever reason, I guess the Tele held the tunings a little bit better, but ultimately, the sound of those two instruments couldn’t be further apart, but they work really well together. So, it was just kind of out of necessity. That’s what we brought, so that’s what we recorded the songs with – but they worked.”

Lasting Impact 

31 years later, Rich and his brother have come to realize how big an impact their work on Shake Your Money Maker has had on other musicians. 

“It catches me off guard in a good way, just to hear that the way I played or the way I wrote actually influenced someone,” Rich says. Chris is excited to see whenever “[our] music has retained any of that kind of shine that people can pick up on, and then make a little more shining thing. 

“I think ultimately that’s the tradition we work in,” he says. “Because we’re inspired, and we’re influenced by things we feel on an emotional level. And then, realistically that’s what we want to put out there. All the other stuff is just, like, the way of the world.”

“We’ve taken 30 years to realize it, but Rich is like me. We both like to make stuff and songs are like making something,” Chris says. “People like to go fuck around with their engine in the garage, or build a deck on their house or whatever. We like to work and write songs. And there’s great craft in that. I think we have an understanding of what kind of time and commitment that craft takes.” 

One of their favorite moments is when Prince came to the Fox Theatre in Atlanta in the early '90s and performed Jealous Again. “To have him play one of our songs was far out,” Rich says. “Those things are amazing – to hear people that we loved and appreciated. Before George Harrison passed away [in 2001], he had said some complimentary things about us, which was incredibly humbling and flattering. So yeah, those things are always amazing.”

While the band’s main focus is to get back on the road (and they are indeed booked through mid-November as of this writing), Chris and Rich have begun to work on sketches that have the potential to become new Black Crowes songs.  

“Rich and I started working on new music, and George [Drakoulias] has been working with us. It’s been amazing to have George, to have his ear, to have his knowledge and depth about the songs,” Chris says. “We’re not in a hurry. We have no plans to record anything. We’re just writing and writing. It’s really come full circle in terms of that as well.”

• Shake Your Money Maker 2020 is out now via American Recordings.

Rewind to February 1990. With the grunge cavalry still a distant rumble, it is a godless age of choking hairspray, tiger-stripe Kramers and gratuitous go-faster solos. And with an almost perverse sense of timing, it is now that the universe chooses to push The Black Crowes into contention with debut album, Shake Your Money Maker. 

In thrall to The Stones, clutching scuffed Teles and beat-up Goldtops, vocalist Chris Robinson and kid brother/guitarist Rich’s unapologetically retro brand of rock ’n’ roll is widely tipped for oblivion. If the prevailing music scene doesn’t kill them then the Robinsons – hotheaded Southerners who proudly tell the rock press that “we knuckle” – will surely do the job themselves.  

And yet, here we are, three decades later. The Robinsons are bona fide rock stars. Shake Your Money Maker is a five-million-selling classic, sufficiently iconic to be given a new Super Deluxe reissue treatment. Most unlikely of all, the brothers who once ran the Gallaghers close for sibling rivalry are back on civil terms. “It’s funny,” agrees Chris. “For me, the unimaginable part is to be sitting around talking about this record 30 years later…” 

How were The Black Crowes doing when you first started recording Shake Your Money Maker back in 1989? 

Chris Robinson: “You mean, anonymity and abject poverty? That was pretty much the vibe. Life is very different when no one gives a shit. Shake Your Money Maker [SYMM] was the first time we put something together that people would listen to. Up until that point, we were like, ‘Please, someone come to this fucking show!’ 

“You used to tell someone you were in a band and they’d look at you like you were an idiot. Y’know, you’re a loser, you’re never gonna make it, that’s just for Los Angeles and New York. So there was a lot of ‘no’ and ‘can’t’ and ‘won’t’. It was good, though, because we had to rise up past that with our belief in what we were doing.”

Rich Robinson: “We had toured around in the South in vans, played to no-one, had club owners write us bad cheques, had fights – the typical shit bands have to deal with. With SYMM, we were making the best record we knew how to make, but it was a rock ’n’ roll record and rock ’n’ roll wasn’t very popular at the time – it was all Mariah Carey and hair-metal.”

Thirty-one years later, how do you think the album has aged? 

Chris: “A lot of people bagged us. Y’know, a lot of older journalists and the fuckin’ NME said we were not cool. We were like Neil on The Young Ones… In the 90s, the 70s weren’t cool, y’know? And we took a lot of shit for it. But when I look back, there were a lot of throwaway, dumb, cheesy rock ballads at the time. 

“I like a lot of 90s music, but some of it you’re like, ‘Wow, that sounds really 90s.’ And you can say whatever you want, but I think our record is more timeless, without sounding too [conceited]. I don’t think it’s the best record ever made or anything, but there’s a timeless quality to it.” 

Rich: “I hadn’t listened to SYMM in decades. I just didn’t do it, until we started getting it remastered. It was interesting to hear, y’know? I think it really holds up. It’s an exciting record and there’s a lot of youthful exuberance on there.”

What was the atmosphere like in the studio? 

Chris: “We were still pretty punk-rock and street-oriented at that point. We didn’t do any drugs then – we didn’t have any money. It was all about the record. You were making records in the old way, too, man. Like, there’s no Pro Tools. We played Twice As Hard 30 times to get it right.”

Rich: “We didn’t have hundreds of shows under our belts and we hated rehearsals, so we had to play these songs over and over again. But we took it very seriously and we trusted George Drakoulias [producer]. But we were just kids – I was 19 – so we did some stupid shit, too. I’m sure there was a little bit of vandalism.

“The opening car wreck to Thick N’ Thin: we actually recorded that. Our drummer, Steve Gorman, had an old Dodge car and there was a gigantic industrial rubbish bin, so our engineer held a mic over this trash can and Steve just kept running into it over and over again.”

Chris: “At that time, Rich and I weren’t really clashing. Later, we would clash over sessions. But it was George’s world. I mean, we wrote the songs and did the performances, but when George said, ‘That’s it’ – that was it.”

When you listen back to SYMM, what do you think of your guitar playing? 

Rich: “I’d only been playing since I’d gotten a guitar for Christmas when I was 14 because my dad didn’t want me messing around with his guitar. Chris got a bass. My dad showed me three chords, which was all he had the patience for. He said, ‘Here’s G, C and D, you figure the rest out.’” 

Chris: “When we were in [Black Crowes precursor] Mr Crowe’s Garden, Rich wasn’t the flashy guitar player that played solos and stuff…”

Rich: “On SYMM, it was only a couple of years since I’d delved into open tunings. So I wasn’t a master, by any means. I also wasn’t the type of person to practise a ton and obsess. I always believed in letting it happen naturally and focus mainly on writing songs. That’s what Chris and I did from day one. We got guitars, we wrote songs. 

“It’s like, you can write a lot of songs with G, C and D. I was obviously into Keith Richards, but Nick Drake really influenced how I played. You see that a little bit in She Talks To Angels. That’s more where I got my open tunings from, him and Stephen Stills. Now, I’m up to about 15 different tunings that I use to write and play songs.”

Chris: “No-one else was really working that hard on their guitars back then. I hear Rich’s playing now and it sounds fucking good. He’s always had an amazing metre.”

Chris, we think of you as a solid player these days. Did you play on SYMM?

Chris: “God, no. I play guitar now in my solo folky, tripped-out world. I’m a rhythm guitarist and I play a little bit of lead – but my leads are like Syd Barrett.”

Rich, what guitars did you use for SYMM? 

Rich: “I had my blonde ’68 Tele that I’ve had forever, and my Goldtop that I’ve had forever and had a Bigsby on it. At first, we thought that was a mid-50s model, but later we found out it was a ’68. That Goldtop was really messed up, y’know, the paint had worn off and it had a DiMarzio humbucker and a P-90 in the neck. My dad also loaned me his ’53 Martin D-28 for She Talks To Angels. He later gave it to me and I’ve played that on every record as well.” 

Chris: “Rich had an interesting guitar sound that was different. I mean, before Guns N’ Roses was the biggest thing of all time, you could go buy Les Pauls and they weren’t that expensive. When Missing Persons is on MTV, Les Pauls aren’t going for much money, y’know? Les Pauls were Allman Brothers and shit, so you could get these guitars for cheap.

“I think we borrowed a friend’s guitar, too, broke the neck off of it somehow, fucking around, and we didn’t have the money to pay for it. We didn’t have all the shit we’d have two years later. Y’know, when you have money to start procuring good gear.” 

Rich: “When I graduated from high school, my parents bought me a Silver Jubilee half-stack and that was it. I didn’t start using pedals until much later, maybe around By Your Side [1999]. So that’s all I had. But that’s kind of how it was. The label didn’t give us an advance. We had zero money. There wasn’t even a food budget. George bought us a sandwich and we had to split it.”

As well as the remastered record and live show, there’s an LP/CD of unreleased songs and B-sides. Which of these bonus tracks should we check out? 

Chris: “Things like the She Talks To Angels demo are interesting because you can see the seeds of what would be. I wouldn’t usually listen to any music I made, once it’s done. But when I heard the live show from December 1990, I was like, ‘Wow, that’s a band who just spent a year on the road.’ Every night, we were grinding it out. 

“When I listen back to that group of kids… you don’t have to love The Black Crowes, but you can never say we weren’t doing our thing. We were the first band in a long time to play mid-tempo rock. That’s super-70s. Everyone was like, ‘Oh, you don’t do that…’” 

Rich: “To hear our covers of 30 Days In The Hole and Jealous Guy again has been great. Charming Mess is cool because it’s an unreleased track, like if someone found a really cool song that came off of Exile On Main St. 

“Chris and I were always looking for the next thing, always writing songs, much to the chagrin of our management and label at the time. I remember the opening night of our tour with Aerosmith – our first arena tour – we opened with this slow, dirgey brand-new song. And no-one was too pleased.” 

Chris: “When we wrote Charming Mess, we knew the intro was pretty much Hot Legs – and Mr Stewart has given us his approval to put it out. We released that as a single in January, and we had more adds than the Foo Fighters or AC/DC. I was like, ‘Wow, amazing.’ Because the song’s 31 years old.”

Did you have a sense that SYMM was going to sell five million copies? Rich: “Not even remotely. We played to 12 people when we started out, in Salt Lake City, and then we played to 600,000 people in Moscow a year later. Like, how can you quantify that?”

How did you enjoy the fame that was suddenly thrust on you?

Rich: “Chris definitely took the brunt of it – for all of us. It was never something that I really strived for. I’m a much more shy and private person than Chris is. No-one told us how to deal with [the fame]. It was just overnight.

“We put the record out and within a few months we were touring with Aerosmith and Robert Plant, and our record is gold. Within a few more months, it’s platinum. And then, between December and the end of January, we had sold three million albums. It was going that fast. If I remember correctly, Hard To Handle was the most-played video on MTV in America that year.”

Chris: “The punk-rock streak in me is deep and wide. I always hated the corporate part of it, the record company. I knew we were only as good as the money we made them. Y’know, our next album, [The] Southern Harmony [And Musical Companion, 1992], debuted at No 1, but we only sold a couple of million copies so the label was like, ‘Whatever, they’re kind of over.’ 

“The fame part… I liked some of it. But the writer in me had always liked the anonymity of my adventures. Y’know, after SYMM, you had a bodyguard just because people are going, ‘Fuck you!’ And back then, I’d be like, ‘Well, fuck you, too!’ I was one behind Liam Gallagher, y’know? Fame and money is boring. David Hasselhoff is famous – who gives a shit? I like being recognised for my music, but I don’t need any other shit. I don’t have a Twitter account. If you need me, come see me, you know what I mean?”

What was your backline when you took SYMM out on the road in the 90s?

Rich: “For all of the Southern Harmony and Shake Your Money Maker tour, I had three Marshall stacks and I think I only used two full stacks, but one was a Silver Jubilee and the other was a Fender Showman running the two cabinets. I wanted to mix the two sounds. And if we played stadiums, like we did with AC/DC – for that Monsters Of Rock stadium tour in 1991 – I think I played all three stacks, which would then be two Silver Jubilees and one stack of Showman.”

When you finally get out on the road this year, how will the live versions of these songs be different to the studio originals? 

Chris: “Well, one thing we’ve never done is play the album the way it was. We’ve changed things, we were always problematic. But this time we’ll be playing the album versions, the album lengths. So, for us, it’s kind of a brand-new frontier and I’m excited about that. I’ve been in the wilderness for a while – I’m happy to get back on Broadway.” 

Rich: “It’s the little quirks that you do live. It’s like when we played the Zeppelin songs with Jimmy Page. He remembered the live version, the things Zeppelin would do live. So we’d play these songs and Jimmy would be like, ‘No, this was the ending we did.’ I can only imagine that Jimmy was covering three guitar parts and having to work those down into one part. So whenever you tour a song, they’re gonna take lives of their own, however you wanted them to be when you wrote them.”

How did it feel to get back together in 2019?

Chris: “I remember walking into the rehearsals on the first day and I’m like, ‘Yes!’ There’s just this avalanche of guitars and I love it. It’s like, ‘I’ve been in this jam-band world now for 10 years. Just give me a bleeding ear right now.’ It was the thing I needed the most.”

You’re known for butting heads. Has revisiting SYMM brought you closer? 

Rich: “Yeah. It kind of brings us back to the beginning and helps me tap into why we started doing this in the first place. Music was always our love and passion – but when it’s mired in pettiness and fighting and bullshit… a lot of times caused by dudes in the band… 

“I mean, Steve Gorman told me one time, ‘Man, when you and Chris got along, it scared the shit out of us because we couldn’t get you to do anything we wanted.’ Or however he put it. It was something to that effect. Basically, what he said was that they worked to keep us apart – whereas the band succeeded and made the greatest records when Chris and I worked together. So to dive back into this record, that was really created in a very innocent place, has been really cathartic.”

Chris: “It puts things in perspective. We’ve spent so much time being negative about each other and being surrounded by negative entities that it’s nice to be in a positive place in our 50s. Again, our music is the easy part. 

“We never really fought when we were making music. It was all the other shit that’s been a problem. Now we’re in a better place. We can be each other’s brothers and be in a band now. And that’s what it’s about. Before, we were just in a band – but we didn’t behave like brothers, y’know?”

• The Black Crowes' Shake Your Money Maker [Super Deluxe Edition] is out now via American Recordings.

Former Black Crowes guitarist Marc Ford has claimed in a new interview that he was offered the electric guitar slot in Guns N’ Roses twice, and turned it down both times.

Speaking to the Black Crowes-themed podcast State of Amorica, Ford said the first time came after Izzy Stradlin abruptly exited the band in 1991 during the Use Your Illusion tour.

Ford said he was approached again roughly a decade later, in 2002, while Axl Rose was working on Chinese Democracy, which was eventually released in 2008.

"I got asked to join that band a couple of different times," Ford said (via Blabbermouth). "Once when Axl was still finishing that record that was taking forever [Chinese Democracy]. Right about when I was about to make [Ford’s 2002 solo album] It's About Time, I got offered to join that band."

He continued, "But the first time, I had just come back from a sort of 'unofficial official,' or whatever it was, joining of the Black Crowes weekend in Atlanta. When I got back home, that Monday morning, Slash had called and offered [Ford the open spot in Guns N' Roses]. He said that Izzy was leaving, and did I want the spot? And I said I just joined the Black Crowes. And he was very cool. And he said, 'That's a good gig for you. Right on.' "

Ford joined the Black Crowes in 1991 and played on three albums – 1992’s The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion, 1994’s Amorica and 1996’s Three Snakes and One Charm –before leaving the band in 1997. 

He rejoined briefly in 2005 when the Crowes first reunited. Additionally, Ford has played with, among others, Burning Tree, Ben Harper and the Black Crowes offshoot the Magpie Salute, as well as released a series of solo albums.

Summer NAMM may not be taking place this year, but Gretsch has still unveiled a slew of new models, highlighted by signature electric guitars from Rich Robinson, Brian Setzer, Michael Guy Chislett and Tiger Army’s Nick 13.

There are also new Electromatics, Streamliner and Falcon models, as well as a pair of affordably-priced acoustics and more.

For the skinny on all the new releases, read on.

G5230T Nick 13 Signature Electromatic Tiger Jet with Bigsby

The signature model from Tiger Army’s Nick 13 features a mahogany body, mahogany neck, 12-inch-radius laurel fingerboard with 22 medium jumbo frets, Bigsby B50 vibrato tailpiece and anchored Adjusto-Matic bridge.

There’s also Black Top Filter’Tron pickups with individual volume controls, master tone and master volume with treble bleed circuit.

Other features include an oxblood pickguard with TigerBat logo and matching truss rod cover with Nick’s signature, cream pickup inserts, chrome hardware and pearloid TigerBat inlays.

The guitar is offered in Black with white binding for $599/£609.

G6128T Players Edition Jet DS with Bigsby

The Jet DS sports a select mahogany body with maple top, as well as a 1.85-inch depth along with vintage chambering.

Other features include a mahogany neck and rosewood fingerboard, with a lowered neck set for improved fret-hand mobility and Gretsch’s new full-access rolled cutaway and tapered heel.

There’s also a pair of Dynasonic pickups at the bridge and neck, an anchored Adjusto-Matic bridge and Bigsby B7CP String-Thru tailpiece, a no-load master tone pot with Squeezebox paper-in-oil capacitor, master volume with treble bleed circuit and individual pickup volume controls.

The Jet DS is available in Black, Dark Cherry Metallic, Lotus Ivory and Sahara Metallic for $2,299/£2,139.

G5655TG Electromatic Center Block Jr. Single-Cut with Bigsby and Gold Hardware

The G5655TG features a smaller-sized body with a chambered spruce center block.

There’s also a lower set maple neck and a 12-inch-radius laurel fingerboard with 22 medium jumbo frets and Neo-Classic thumbnail inlays, a Bigsby B70 vibrato tailpiece and anchored Adjusto-Matic bridge.

Pickups are a pair of Black Top Broad’Tron humbuckers with individual volume controls, master tone and master volume with treble bleed circuit.

The G5655TG is available in Black Gold and Aspen Green with a gold pickguard and gold hardware for $899/£899.

G2215-P90 Streamliner Junior Jet Club

The Streamliner Junior Jet sports a bound nato body, mahogany-stained neck and 12-inch-radius laurel fingerboard with pearloid Neo-Classic thumbnail inlays and 22 medium jumbo frets.

Other features include Broad’Tron BT-2S bridge and P90 Soap Bar pickups, master tone control, master volume control and three-way pickup switching, an anchored compensated wrap-around bridge, gold Electro-style control knobs, cream pickguard and nickel hardware.

The guitar comes in Mint Metallic, Sahara Metallic and Single Barrel Stain for $349/£355.

G6636TSL Players Edition Silver Falcon Center Block Double-Cut With String-Thru Bigsby

The G6636TSL sports a slightly smaller 16-inch double-cutaway laminated maple Falcon body and a chambered spruce center block.

There’s also an ebony fingerboard with pearloid Neo-Classic thumbnail inlays, anchored Adjusto-Matic bridge, Graph Tech TUSQ XL nut, string-thru Bigsby B7CP, Grover strap locks and Gotoh locking tuners.

High Sensitive Filter’Tron pickups are paired with a master volume with treble bleed circuit, master tone, individual pickup volume controls and three-way toggle switch.

The G6636TSL is offered in Black with silver sparkle binding, jeweled G-arrow control knobs, chrome hardware and silver pickguard with silver Gretsch logo and Falcon graphic for $3,499/£3,249.

G6120T-HR Brian Setzer Signature Hot Rod Hollow Body with Bigsby

The G6120T-HR Brian Setzer sports a single-cutaway hollow body with an arched maple top with ‘59 trestle bracing and oversized F-holes.

There’s also a maple neck with a a 9.5-12-inch compound radius rosewood fingerboard with rolled edges, 22 medium frets and pearloid Neo-Classic thumbnail inlays.

Dual TV Jones Brian Setzer Signature Filter’Tron humbuckers are paired with a three-position toggle switch and master volume control with treble bleed circuit.

Other features include a pinned Adjusto-Matic bridge with rosewood base, Bigsby B6C vibrato tailpiece, Delrin nut and Gotoh locking tuners.

The G6120T-HR is offered in Magenta Sparkle with nickel hardware for $2,799/£2,769.

G6120TFM-BSNV Brian Setzer Signature Nashville with Bigsby and Flame Maple

The G6120TFM boasts a single-cutaway hollow body with a tiger flame maple arched top, back and sides with 1959 trestle bracing and oversized F-holes.

The set maple neck sports a 9.5-12-inch compound radius ebony fingerboard with rolled edges, 22 medium frets and pearloid Neo-Classic thumbnail inlays.

The dual TV Jones Brian Setzer Signature Filter’Tron pickups are joined by a three-position toggle switch, three-position tone switch, master volume control with treble bleed circuit and individual bridge and neck pickup volume controls.

There’s also an Adjusto-Matic bridge with pinned rosewood base, Bigsby B6C vibrato tailpiece, Delrin nut and Gotoh locking tuners.

The G6120TFM comes in Orange Stain with a period-correct gold pickguard shape, size and bracket, white body and neck binding, nickel hardware and G-arrow knobs for $3,299/£2,769.

G6136T-RR Rich Robinson Signature Falcon with Bigsby

The G6136T Rich Robinson features a three-ply hollow maple body with solid spruce top and 1959-style trestle bracing with a spruce block under the bridge and oversized F-holes.

There’s also a 12-inch-radius ebony fingerboard with 22 medium frets and mother of pearl Neo-Classic thumbnail inlays, a TV Jones Classic humbucker at the bridge and a Broad’Tron  BT65 pickup at the neck.

The control layout features separate bridge and neck volume knobs, a three-way toggle switch and master tone and master volume with treble bleed circuit.

Other features include Grover Imperial tuners, amber jeweled G-arrow control knobs, bone nut, Adjusto-Matic bridge with pinned ebony base and string-thru Bigsby B6 tailpiece.

The G6136T comes in a Raven’s Breast Blue gloss lacquer finish, with a silver pickguard adorned with Magpie logo, silver sparkle body and neck binding and nickel hardware, for $3,799/£3,519.

G6136T-MGC Michael Guy Chislett Signature Falcon with Bigsby

The Michael Guy Chislett signature features a hollow laminated maple body and a solid Sitka spruce top with bound F-holes and vintage 1959-style trestle bracing.

Other features include a semi-gloss maple neck, 12-inch-radius ebony fingerboard with pearloid Big Block inlays and 22 medium jumbo frets, TV Jones TV Classic pickups, a three-way toggle switch, individual pickup volume controls, master tone and a master volume with treble bleed circuit with Squeezebox paper-in-oil capacitors.

There’s also a Bigsby B6GP vibrato tailpiece and Adjusto-Matic bridge with ebony base and bone nut.

The G6136T-MGC is offered in a Vintage White gloss lacquer finish with gold sparkle binding, gold pickguard and gold hardware for $3,799/£3,519.

G5230T Electromatic Jet FT Single-Cut with Bigsby

The G5230T sports a chambered mahogany body with maple top, mahogany neck and laurel fingerboard with 22 medium jumbo frets and pearloid Neo-Classic thumbnail inlays.

There’s also a pair of Black Top Filter’Tron pickups with individual volume controls, master tone and master volume with treble bleed circuit.

Other features include a Bigsby B50 vibrato tailpiece, anchored Adjusto-Matic bridge, bound headstock, plain-face head cap, vintage-inspired purfling, closed back tuning keys and chrome hardware.

The guitar is available in Cadillac Green with silver pickguard for $599/£569.

G5220 Electromatic Jet BT Single-Cut with V-Stoptail

The Electromatic Jet BT boasts a chambered mahogany body with maple top, lower set mahogany neck and 12-inch-radius laurel fingerboard with 22 medium jumbo frets.

There’s also Black Top Broad’Tron pickups with individual volume controls, master tone and master volume with treble bleed circuit, Gretsch V-Stoptail tailpiece, anchored Adjusto-Matic bridge, bound headstock, plain-face head cap, vintage-inspired purfling and closed back tuning keys.

The guitar is available in Firestick Red with silver pickguard for $499/£495.

G5230LH Electromatic Jet FT Single-Cut with V-Stoptail, Left-Handed

The G5230LH features a chambered mahogany body with maple top, mahogany neck and laurel fingerboard with pearloid Neo-Classic thumbnail inlays.

A pair of Black Top Filter’Tron pickups are controlled by individual volume knobs, master tone and master volume with treble bleed circuit.

Other features include a bound headstock, plain-face head cap, vintage-inspired purfling, closed back tuning keys, Gretsch V-Stoptail, black plexi pickguard and pickup bezels and chrome hardware.

The guitar is offered in Airline Silver for $599/£569.

G9500 Limited Edition Jim Dandy

The Jim Dandy Flat Top parlor-style model sports a non-cutaway basswood body with X-bracing, a C-shape nato neck and walnut fingerboard with vintage-style frets and pearloid dot inlays.

Other features include a top-load walnut bridge with compensated synthetic bone saddle, 1950s-style vintage open-gear die-cast tuning machines, nickel hardware and single-ply aged white pickguard featuring a “G” graphic.

The guitar comes in an Oxblood finish for $169/£195.

G9520E Gin Rickey Acoustic/Electric with Soundhole Pickup

The G. Rickey features an X-braced basswood body, C-shape nato neck and walnut fingerboard with 18 vintage-style frets and pearloid dot inlays.

There’s also a top-load walnut bridge with compensated synthetic bone saddle and a Gretsch Deltoluxe acoustic magnetic soundhole pickup.

Appointments include aged white body binding and an aged white “G”-graphic pickguard, gold-and-white soundhole rosette with gold double-line top striping, nickel hardware, vintage-style end-pin strap buttons and open-gear die-cast tuners.

The guitar comes in a Smokestack Black finish for $249/£275.

G2655TG-P90 Limited Edition Streamliner Center Block Jr. with Bigsby and Gold Hardware

The double-cutaway G2655TG-P90 features a smaller double-cutaway laminated maple body with a chambered spruce center block, nato neck and laurel fingerboard with 22 medium jumbo frets and pearloid Big Block inlays.

Pickups are a Broad’Tron BT-2S at the bridge and a P90 Soap Bar at the neck, with master volume, master tone, two volume controls and three-way toggle switch.

There’s also a gold Bigsby-licensed B50 vibrato tailpiece, anchored Adjusto-Matic bridge and aged white binding with purfling.

The guitar is offered in a limited-edition Matte Black finish with gold hardware for $599/£579.

For more information on all the new models, head to Gretsch Guitars.

The Black Crowes' Rich Robinson has pushed back against claims by former Crowes drummer Steve Gorman that the electric and acoustic guitar player once turned down an invitation from Jimmy Page to write music together.

In his recent book, Hard To Handle: The Life And Death of the Black Crowes, Gorman wrote that after the Black Crowes and Page toured together in the early 2000s, the Zeppelin legend inquired as to whether the band would be interested in collaborating on new music.

According to Gorman, Robinson replied, “No thanks.” Gorman also contends that Page then informed the Crowes’ manager at the time, “I’m driving to Connecticut and I’m going to kill Rich in his home.”

Now, in an interview with Classic Rock, Robinson denied Gorman’s recounting of events.

“Absolutely not true,” Robinson said. “I remember having conversations with Jimmy, telling him: ‘Hey, if you ever wanted to make a record or do anything, I would love to help in any way I can.’ Jimmy’s a brilliant musician, a brilliant person. I loved playing with him.”

He added, “Jimmy Page wants to write songs for me, and I’m gonna say: “You know what, Jimmy? Led Zeppelin was alright, but I’m not gonna do it’? It’s the most absurd thing I’ve heard in my life.”  

The Black Crowes will head out on a reunion tour celebrating the 30th anniversary of the band’s debut album, Shake Your Money Maker, beginning in June.

The Black Crowes announced their breakup in 2015, and for the past several years front man Chris Robinson has been busy with his jam band-oriented Chris Robinson Brotherhood while his brother, acoustic and electric guitarist Rich Robinson, has headed up the Magpie Salute.

Now, the formerly estranged siblings have announced a Black Crowes reunion tour celebrating the 30th anniversary of the band’s debut album, Shake Your Money Maker.

The 46-date outing kicks off June 17 in Austin and runs through September 19 in Los Angeles.

Additionally, the reconstituted band is playing an intimate show at New York’s Bowery Ballroom tonight, November 11, and on November 14 at the Troubadour in LA.

According to a report in Rolling Stone, the brothers will be joined by an entirely new Crowes lineup consisting of Earthless guitarist Isiah Mitchell, session bassist Tim LeFebvre, keyboardist Joel Robinow and drummer Ojha.

Said Chris Robinson in a statement, "I'm thrilled and blessed to be playing with my brother celebrating the music we've made and bringing our lives together full circle. Long live rock n' roll and the Black Crowes!"

Added Rich, "First and foremost, I'm really happy to have my brother back in my life. To be able to play music again together and celebrate the first record we made as kids, is a gift. To have these songs stand up after 30 years is something I could've never fathomed."

Back in 2016, Rich Robinson addressed the Crowes' breakup in Guitar World, saying “I truly believe we should have done something better than we did to end – for the fans not for us – even if it was just one final run somewhere. It would have been a far cooler thing to do than to have it just end.”

It appears they’ve found that cooler thing. Let’s hope it’s also not the end, but rather a new beginning.

You can check out the full Black Crowes tour itinerary below.

The Black Crowes Shake Your Money Maker tour: 

June 17: Austin, TX - Austin360 Amphitheater
June 19: Dallas, TX - Dos Equis Pavilion
June 20: Houston, TX - Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, Presented by Huntsman
June 23: Tulsa, OK - BOK Center
June 24: Rogers, AR - Walmart AMP
June 26: Birmingham, AL - Oak Mountain Amphitheatre
June 27: Atlanta, GA - Cellairis Amphitheatre at Lakewood
June 30: West Palm Beach, FL - Coral Sky Amphitheatre at the S. Florida Fairgrounds
July 1: Tampa, FL - MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre at the FL State Fairgrounds
July 3: Charlotte, NC - PNC Music Pavilion
July 4: Raleigh, NC - Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek
July 7: Nashville, TN - Ascend Amphitheatre
July 8: Nashville, TN - Ascend Amphitheatre
July 10: Virginia Beach, VA - Veteran United Home Loans Amphitheater at Virginia Beach
July 11: Washington, DC - Jiffy Lube Live
July 14: Camden, NJ - BB&T Pavilion
July 15: Bethel, NY - Bethel Woods Center for the Arts
July 17: Holmdel, NJ - PNC Bank Arts Center
July 18: Wantagh, NY - Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater
July 21: Gilford, NH - Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion
July 22: Mansfield, MA - Xfinity Center
July 24: Hartford, CT - XFINITY Theatre
July 25: Saratoga Springs, NY - Saratoga Performing Arts Center
July 28: Toronto, ON - Budweiser Stage
July 29: Detroit, MI - DTE Energy Music Theatre
July 31: Buffalo, NY - Darien Lake Amphitheater
August 1: Pittsburgh, PA - KeyBank Pavilion
August 13: Minneapolis, MN - Xcel Energy Center
August 15: Chicago, IL - Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
August 16: Indianapolis, IN - Ruoff Home Mortgage Music Center
August 18: Cleveland, OH - Blossom Music Center
August 20: Cincinnati, PH - Riverbend Music Center
August 22: Milwaukee, WI - American Family Insurance Amphitheater
August 23: Maryland Heights, MO - Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
August 26: Bonner Springs, KS - Providence Medical Center Amphitheater
August 28: Omaha, NE - CHI Health Center Omaha
August 30: Morrison, CO - Red Rocks Amphitheatre
September 1: Salt Lake City, UT - USANA Amphitheatre
September 4: Seattle, WA - White River Amphitheatre
September 5: Ridgefield, WA - Sunlight Supply Amphitheater
September 8: Concord, CA - Concord Pavilion
September 9: Mountain View, CA - Shoreline Amphitheatre
September 11: Las Vegas, NV - MGM Grand Garden Arena
September 12: Phoenix, AZ - Ak-Chin Pavilion
September 18: San Diego, CA - North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre
September 19: Los Angeles, CA - Forum

Summer NAMM 2019: Gretsch has announced a new collaboration with Magpie Salute and former Black Crowes guitarist Rich Robinson, the G6136T-CSTRR Custom Shop Rich Robinson "Magpie" with Bigsby model.

The new guitar is a hollow body, Falcon-style design that features a three-ply maple body and a solid spruce top with oversized F-holes, 1959-style trestle bracing and a spruce block under the bridge. There’s also a maple neck and a 12”-radius ebony fingerboard with 22 medium frets and mother of pearl Neo-Classic thumbnail inlays.

Pickups are a TV Jones Classic Plus humbucker at the bridge and a Broad’Tron BT65 at the neck. The control layout boasts separate bridge and neck volume knobs, a three-way toggle switch, a master tone and a master volume with a treble bleed circuit.

Other features include Grover Imperial tuning machines, amber jeweled G-arrow control knobs, an Adjusto-Matic bridge with a pinned ebony base and a Bigsby B6 tailpiece with a string-thru shaft.

Aesthetic touches include a Raven’s Breast Blue Relic finish, a silver pickguard adorned with a Magpie logo, silver sparkle body and neck binding and Robinson’s "Feather and Circle” symbol carved into the top.

Said Robinson, “Ever since I was a kid, I’ve always loved Gretsch guitars. From Neil Young and Stephen Stills to Steve Marriott and Malcom Young, these guitars have always piqued my imagination. Sonically and visually, Gretsch guitars have always been unique in the musical landscape. To have my own signature Gretsch is an honor, and the Magpie is the combination of all of my favorite elements of Gretsch guitars.” 

The G6136T-CSTRR Custom Shop Rich Robinson "Magpie" with Bigsby is limited to just 25 pieces globally.

For more information, head to Gretsch Guitars.

The Magpie Salute began in the summer of 2016 as a one-off mini Black Crowes reunion — when Rich Robinson invited guitarist Marc Ford and keyboardist Ed Harsch to supplement his solo band for a show in Woodstock, New York. It went so well that they booked more gigs, and when those were also a hit, the band officially launched—although sadly without Harsch, who passed away November 4, 2016, at age 59. Magpie released a self-titled live album culled from those initial shows, with one new original tune, “Omission,” cut in the studio. Then they hit the road as a 10-piece, playing plenty of Black Crowes covers.

All those gigs verified what they already knew from the first moments onstage together again: They had something special together. Robinson and Ford played together in the Black Crowes from 1992 to 1997 and again in 2005 and 2006. Magpie represented an opportunity to reacquaint themselves and further a musical bond that was always electrifying and is widely considered the Crowes’ peak. Now, the Crowes seem to truly be left behind, with Rich and his brother, Chris Robinson, feuding and moving on. Meanwhile, Magpie Salute have evolved into a truly new band, trimmed down to six players: Robinson, Ford, singer John Hogg, bassist Sven Pipien, drummer Joe Magistro and keyboardist Matt Slocum. Last winter, they entered a Nashville studio and cut 28 songs in about a month. That material has been divided into two albums, High Water I, released August 10, and High Water 2, which will follow.

Ford calls the Nashville sessions “the hardest-working party I’ve ever attended.”

“It was pretty ambitious,” adds Robinson. “We cut 28 songs in three weeks. It was a lot of work, but we were in such a good space. We were originally talking about a double album, but it was just too much. We decided to stagger it out and focus on one record at a time, which is really cool. We’re really happy about both records and where we are as a band.”

The 12 original songs on High Water I were written or co-written by Robinson, Ford and Hogg and stake out a wide range, with ringing open-tuned acoustics, crunching Gretsch Falcon riffs and stellar grooves. The music echoes the Crowes and all their influences — the Stones, the Faces, Humble Pie — while also establishing its own distinct sound, based around Hogg’s sturdy, soulful vocals and Robinson and Ford’s textured, intertwined guitars. You can hear throughout the album why the two guitarists were so happy to reunite and why so many Crowes fans rejoiced at the news that they’d be collaborating again.

Was it obvious which songs went together and how the two albums should shape up?

RICH ROBINSON: Yes. You line them all up, listen to them and it starts to fall together and speak to you. The second record is really cool, too, and maybe a little deeper, and this is a great bridge into it from where we started. There’s a really long story that’s being told musically and lyrically, and I like that.

MARC FORD: If you listen to it, the music will tell you what needs to happen. Other things are just judgment calls for whoever’s in charge — and that’s Rich, who is the producer. This is Rich’s ball, and he’s allowing us to play with it, and it’s totally bitchin’!

Rich, all that being the case, was it difficult to make this project distinct from your solo bands? To make it more collaborative?

ROBINSON: No. But I don’t think of it like that. It’s never been my goal or desire to be the center of attention. I was more than happy to let Chris take that role. It made me uncomfortable and I just wanted to play and write music. My solo stuff was cool, but there was something missing. There were a lot of great things about it, but it was neat to have Marc come back and have John be the singer and have it be a full band. It feels more collaborative and like there was less pressure, even though I did put the whole thing together.

FORD: The guy’s got a vision, and it sounds how it does because of his choices. This is really his gig. He called me to join it and I’m really happy he did—and grateful to be a part of what is probably the best band I’ve ever been in. We’ve all lived through some shit and grown up a little so there’s a total lack of bullshit. We’ve lost enough to know we don’t have much to prove. It’s like we’ve fallen in love again. I can’t fake this thing I do.

You were very productive, cutting two albums in less than a month. Did that stem from having all these shows under your belt before you started writing and recording in earnest?

ROBINSON: Yeah, probably. I’ve played with everyone in different configurations. Sven and Marc were in the Crowes, Sven was in the Crowes without Marc, Joe played percussion with the Crowes and was in my solo band. John was with me in Hookah Brown, and Matt was in my solo band. These are the people I musically connected with the most in each configuration I’ve played in over the last 28 years, and it was interesting to see how quickly and thoroughly we all gelled. I believe these are the finest musicians of all those years and bands.

FORD: There’s a kinship that’s really necessary in this music because it’s not based around theory; it’s a weird kinetic language, all feel and sensory perception. If Rich shares that language with one person, we’re all gonna understand it — because you have to be able to speak the language to play with Rich in the first place! Rich has slowly developed his world and language, and we’ve all been part of it. Beyond that, there’s just certain musicians that hear each other, because they’re like-personalities. There’s no rhyme or reason. Some people are at ease together, and you can be standing next to a brilliant guitarist who is an ass, and it just won’t work for more than a split second. Then you want to be done with it. We have a kinship and brotherhood.

ROBINSON: That’s the vibe that we levitated ourselves off of in the studio. Everyone was like, “Fuck, man, this is just great.” I think everyone left incredibly satisfied and happy about what we were doing. That enthusiasm carried us through the whole of the sessions and made hard work just easy and fun.

FORD: Music should be an expression of your life. I think I got turned around for a little while, where music dictated my life. Now we’ve all lived in enough situations where music became work and fucked up our lives, and we want to be in a place where we don’t have to sacrifice. It takes so much getting along to do this job. You live with each other constantly. We’re with each other more often than we are with our families, and the nature of how we get along comes out in the music. We don’t even have to look at each other. The conversation has gotten so non-verbal and non-visual with Rich and me that it’s bizarre. It’s like family.

ROBINSON: There’s a lot of different styles on the record, which is not unlike the Crowes. I’ve always written that way. I like a record to have depth and take you somewhere. I had 40 ideas when I got together with Marc and John. They also had material, and I didn’t want to take anything off the table. I wanted to just throw everything out there and start peeling back. The three of us got together and just started to write the record. And we did some stuff on the fly in the studio. The work dictates what the record’s going to be. I never go into a record with a definitive idea of what it should be. I have to get in there and feel it, and listen to it, and see how the whole thing unfolds. The amazing thing about music is that it always lets you know what it needs to be.

When you first got together, you could get pretty far on fans' excitement in seeing you guys reunited. Next time out, it’s not going to be the first time you're playing together again...

FORD: Yeah. Last year was celebratory of what we’ve done together in the past. And just saying, “This is so bitchin’!” Now it’s like, let’s just put away all the bullshit, get on with this thing and see what happens. Let’s see where we are and if anybody cares. And let’s just have a big party. It was great and gave us a sense of momentum going into recording this new music; during which we realized there’s truly a lot there, and we really care about it. It’s beyond any kind of nostalgia.

You guys went over a decade without playing together. Was there anything about one another’s playing that you appreciated more than you thought or that you had forgotten? Maybe an aspect you enjoyed that you had, sort of, forgotten just how much you'd enjoyed?

ROBINSON: It’s just the interplay; the way he rhythmically plays with me and intertwines with what I’m doing is just impossible to replicate. The two of us just have this thing that I can’t really describe, but it works so well with what I’m doing and how I write. We step off of what the other is playing, and it’s endlessly inspiring. Marc is such a brilliant player that, to me, it’s almost like when I was up there playing with Jimmy Page.

FORD: Rich writes beautifully and he’s far more complex than people really give him credit for. It’s in his name; he’s rich harmonically. There’s a lot going on in his chords and tunings. With one finger on an open G, all of those notes ringing together creates other notes, and it really goes beyond the realm of theory. I don’t think in notes. It’s a big dance and I try to find the song in the song and keep the dance going. There has to be a motion, and there has to be a song in it all the time. And if there isn’t one, you make one. It is more like painting when we’re up there. I think of sounds as colors.

ROBINSON: When Marc and I first started playing together in the Crowes, it was more of an adversarial relationship. I was a kid with all this early success to deal with, and it was all a swirl. It’s wonderful, now, to be out of that band’s negativity — to remove the negative filter, my brother, and to be in a positive setting, exploring our musical and personal relationships. Marc and I came into this band in a very open way, just allowing each other to be ourselves. It makes all the difference in the world and we’re really just getting to know each other now.

FORD: We’re all getting to meet each other for the first time for real. When we met, Rich was a kid driving a BMW and living in a brand-new house. I was a new guy coming in as Chris’ friend.

And that’s why your relationship was adversarial?

ROBINSON: The relationships in that band were just very unhealthy. I was Chris’ little brother and he made sure that attitude remained; even as our success grew and although I was writing songs and doing all this stuff. I was just a little brother, even to new people coming into the band. He would set up a dynamic to create an odd relationship between me and whoever was playing guitar. Marc came in as Chris’ friend and we didn’t really talk too much.

FORD: Rich always had his brother in the room, who we can all safely say needs quite a bit of attention in every situation and every relationship. In every room, in anything that pertains to anything, anywhere — it’s about him, and the whole band had to choose between the Robinson brothers. Like everybody else in and around the band, I had to get to know Rich over that hurdle.

ROBINSON: There was a lot of negativity coming my way from Chris, and I think it kind of colored everyone in that position, including Marc. I’m quiet, Chris is loud and he painted a picture of who he thinks I am, because he has no idea who I am and never did. He likes to paint an unflattering, uncool portrait of me because he wants all of the attention and credit. You can see it now. All last year, he talked about how I’m in a cover band, then he goes out and puts together a cover band [As the Crow Flies]. It’s just funny. I think he thought he knew more about me than he did and never bothered to ask. He just made a lot of assumptions, and that’s the way it was. But it is what it is, I’m fine with it. I’m happier now, being in this band, than I ever was. This is so much more rewarding. No one wants to go down that negative road. I just want to get out and play.

Even with that barrier in your relationship, you two had such a high level musical connection in the Crowes.

FORD: Well, music transcends words. Rich and I, on the one hand, don’t really know who each other are — yet we know each other better than I know anybody else. It comes out in this non-verbal, beautiful magical thing that I don’t want to try to explain. I just have to keep my dumb ass out of the way so that these things can live.

Will having this new material affect your set list and how much Crowes music you play? How are you going to balance that?

FORD: The old stuff is always old and the new stuff is revitalizing.

ROBINSON: I’m still working that out, but this music is our focus. Last year it was more about celebrating the Black Crowes and the bands we loved. This year it’s going to be more about the Magpie Salute and us. Although we’re still going to play some Crowes songs — they’re my songs and I’m going to play them — the focus of the sets is going to be the Magpie stuff.

Former Black Crowes—and current Magpie Salute—guitarist Rich Robinson is partnering up with Reverb to sell off some of his favorite guitars.

The  axes on offer include a Freedom Custom double-neck, a Teye Mother of  Pearl and a vintage 1973 Telecaster Bass, among others. You can examine  some of the instruments in closer detail in the gallery below.

For complete listings, head on over to The Rich Robinson Reverb Shop over at reverb.com.

The Magpie Salute—the band featuring former Black Crowes guitarists Rich Robinson and Marc Ford, plus fellow former Crowe Sven Pipien—have premiered a new song, "For the Wind."

The track—which you can check out for yourself below—is the second single from the band's upcoming debut album, High Water I.

"It's a lot about the systems in place in the world," Robinson told Billboard about the song. "The systems that have been in place as it pertains to creation of any kind. Music or books or fine arts or anything down the line have been flooded with greed and with bankers that get involved and tell artists how they can sell more if they write this way. And then basically you're just an entertainer; you let these pseudo-cynical people write these songs about jeans and Chevys and beer and whatever the hell people write about."

"That system being in place is constantly at odds with natural creativity," he continued. "People see they can make a little bit of money, you make them a lot of money they start inserting themselves more because they want you to keep making them money. It's always been that way, but it seems more fervent than ever now."

High Water I is set for an August 10 release via Eagle Rock Entertainment. It was produced by Robinson and recorded at Dark Horse Studios in Nashville. You can preorder the album right here, and check out its tracklist below.

For more on The Magpie Salute, head on over to themagpiesalute.com.

HIGH WATER I track listing:

"Mary The Gypsy"

"High Water"

"Send Me An Omen"

"For The Wind"

"Sister Moon"

"Color Blind"

"Take It All"

"Walk On Water"

"Hand In Hand"

"You Found Me"

"Can You See"

"Open Up"

The Magpie Salute—the band featuring former Black Crowes guitarists Rich Robinson and Marc Ford, plus fellow former Crowe Sven Pipien—have announced their debut album, High Water I.

Produced by Rich Robinson and recorded at Dark Horse Studios in Nashville, High Water I is set for an August 10 release via Eagle Rock Entertainment. You can check out its first single, "Send Me An Omen," below.

"'Send Me An Omen,' to me, wraps up all of the elements of this band," Robinson said about the song in a press release. "There's pure rock 'n roll juxtaposed with these pop melodies sung with a melancholy that creates this beautiful balance of surreal dark and light."

The Magpie Salute are set to hit the road this summer with a number of headlining shows and festival appearances along with shows alongside Govt. Mule, The Avett Brothers and Blackberry Smoke. You can check out their full itinerary below, along with the tracklisting for High Water I.

For more on The Magpie Salute, head on over to themagpiesalute.com.

HIGH WATER I track listing:

"Mary The Gypsy"

"High Water"

"Send Me An Omen"

"For The Wind"

"Sister Moon"

"Color Blind"

"Take It All"

"Walk On Water"

"Hand In Hand"

"You Found Me"

"Can You See"

"Open Up"

The Magpie Salute 2018 Tour Dates:

Sun, July 1 Copper Mountain, CO The Village at Copper Mountain

Sun, July 8 Thunder Bay, ON, CAN Thunder Bay Blues Festival

Tue, July 10 Buffalo, NY Tralf Music Hall*

Thu, July 12 Wantagh, NY Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater*

Fri, July 13 Holmdel, NJ PNC Bank Arts Center*

Sat, July 14 Mansfield, MA Xfinity Center

Mon, July 16 Peekskill, NY Paramount Hudson Valley

Wed, July 18 Reading, PA Downtown Alive Outdoor Concert Series

Thu, July 19 Waterloo, NY Del Lago Resort & Casino - The Vine

Fri, July 20 East Greenwich, RI Greenwich Odeum

Sat, July 21 Fairfield, CT The Warehouse**

Sun, July 22 Silver Spring, MD Fillmore Silver Spring**

Tue, July 24 Columbus, OH Express Live!^

Fri, August 17 Charlotte, NC Charlotte Metro Credit Union Amphitheatre^

Sat, August 18 Charleston, SC Volvo Cars Stadium^

Sun, August 19 Nashville, TN The Woods Amphitheatre at Fontanel^

Tue, August 21 Huber Heights, OH Rose Music Center at The Heights*

Thu, August 23 Noblesville, IN Ruoff Home Mortgage Music Center*

Fri, August 24 Tinley Park, IL Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre*

Sat, August 25 Clarkston, MI DTE Energy Music Theatre^

Sun, August 26 Des Moines, IA Brenton Skating Plaza^

Tue, August 28 Mankato, MN Vetter Stone Amphitheater^

Wed, August 29 Papillion, NE Sumtur Amphitheater

Thu, August 30 Boulder, CO Boulder Theater

Fri, August 31 Park City, UT Snow Park Outdoor Amphitheater^

Sat, September 1 Missoula, MO Big Sky Brewery

Wed, September 5 Grand Rapids, MI 20 Monroe Live

Thu, September 6 Kent, OH Kent Stage

Wed, September 12 Fredericton, NB Harvest Jazz & Blues Festival

Thu, September 13 Portland, ME AURA

Fri, September 14 Beverly, MA Cabot Theatre

Sat, September 15 Hampton Beach, NH Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom

Sun, September 16 Burlington, VT Grand Point North Festival

Tue, September 18 Washington, D.C The Hamilton

Fri, September 21 Atlanta, GA Buckhead Theatre

Sat, September 22 Columbia, SC Glass Half Full

Sun, September 23 Louisville, KY Bourbon & Beyond

* = w/Govt. Mule and The Avett Brothers

^ = w/Govt. Mule

** = w/Blackberry Smoke

Former Black Crowes frontman Chris Robinson has announced a new band—As the Crow Flies—and a 17-date U.S. tour that kicks off in mid April.

With the Black Crowes, Robinson co-wrote a slew of latter-day classics, including "Jealous Again," "Remedy," "She Talks to Angels," "Twice As Hard" and "Sometimes Salvation." This new project was created as a means of breathing new life into those tunes—and many other songs from Robinson's storied career. Besides Robinson, the band includes guitarists Marcus King and Audley Freed, keyboardist Adam MacDougall, bassist Andy Hess and drummer Tony Leone.

"Spring will be sprung and the songs will be sung," Robinson said in press release that was issued today. "This crow will fly high with old friends and new...I can't wait to hit the stage with some rock 'n' roll for the ages. It's been five years since I've had the privilege of singing these songs, and with Audley, Marcus, Andy, Adam and Tony onboard, a soulful, rockin', funky good time is guaranteed."

Robinson's primary outfit is still the Chris Robinson Brotherhood—and As the Crow Flies' 2018 tour was actually built around the CRB's schedule. The tour will kick off April 17 at the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, New York, before heading south just a few days later. You can see all their current dates below. Tickets go on sale 10 a.m. local time January 12.

For more information, visit asthecrowfliesofficial.com.

As the Crow Flies 2018 Tour
April 17 - Port Chester, NY - Capitol Theatre
April 18 - Philadelphia, PA - Electric Factory
April 21 - Live Oak, FL - Wanee Music Festival
April 22 - Birmingham, AL - Iron City Birmingham
April 24 - Chicago, IL - Thalia Hall
April 25 - Lexington, KY - Machester Music Hall
April 26 - Chattanooga, TN - The Signal
April 28 - New Orleans, LA - The Joy Theater
April 29 - Nashville, TN - Ryman Auditorium
May 1 - St. Louis, MO - The Pageant
May 2 - Kansas City, MO - The Truman
May 6 - Denver, CO - Ogden Theatre
May 8 - Las Vegas, NV - Brooklyn Bowl
May 9 - Los Angeles, CA - The Wiltern
May 11 - Oakland, CA - Fox Theater
May 12 - Lake Tahoe, NV - Montbleu Resort & Casino
May 13 - Portland, OR - Crystal Ballroom

Rich Robinson wanted to do something special for the three studio sessions he performed last summer in front of live audiences in Woodstock, New York, to promote his solo album, Flux.

Something that would reward fans of the Black Crowes who had stuck with him while also scratching a decade-long itch of his own: he wanted to play for the first time in a decade with two longtime Crowes members, guitarist Marc Ford and keyboardist Ed Harsch. With bassist Sven Pipien already in his band, the sessions represented a four-man Black Crowes reunion.

“I knew it would be a treat for the fans, but also for me because I’ve always loved just listening to Ed and Marc play off of anything I played,” says Robinson. “As expected, it was an absolute pleasure. We all felt something lift, something special happening, and the audience felt it, too. Afterward, Eddie said, ‘We really have to make this happen.’ I went back on tour and started thinking about how to keep it going—and how to take it further.”

The result was the formation of a new band, the Magpie Salute, which debuted last January with four shows in New York, followed by four more in London in April. The Magpie Salute picked up the mantle of the Black Crowes, who have not performed together since 2013 and who failed to reunite for a discussed 25th anniversary tour in 2015 after more feuding between Rich and his brother, singer Chris Robinson.

The Magpie Salute have now released a self-titled debut, consisting of seven covers, including songs by Bob Marley, Delaney & Bonnie, Pink Floyd, the Faces, and the Band, and two Black Crowes tunes, “Wiser Time” and “What Is Home.” There is one new song, “Omission,” co-written by Robinson and John Hogg, which was the only track not from the Woodstock sessions. Hogg, a British singer who fronted Robinson’s band Hookah Brown in 2003, also overdubbed vocal tracks on several songs. The group is currently in the midst of a full tour, with shows planned into October.

“There was excitement from the first note, but there was a piece missing; we needed John, who I always felt a kinship with, both personal and creative,” says Robinson. “When he came in and we decided to start really touring, I thought it would be nice to have a record out to represent us, and I realized we had it!”

Sadly, Harsch never performed with the Magpie Salute, though he was at the heart of the idea. He died in November, two months before the group’s debut. “Ed was so excited and we were talking twice a day,” says Robinson. “Then I got a call that he was in a coma, and it was hard to process.”

For many Black Crowes fans, the real news is the reunion of Robinson and Ford, who played together from 1992–97 and again briefly in 2005-06. Most fans consider the Robinson/Ford team to have been not only the band’s peak but one of the top modern blues-rock guitar duos, up there with the Allman Brothers Band’s Warren Haynes and Derek Trucks. It is thrilling to hear Robinson and Ford once again trading riffs and playing off one each other, now supplemented by Argentinian guitarist Nico Bereciartua. The rest of the band includes Pipien, drummer Joe Magistro, new keyboardist Michael Bellar and three other singers, including Charity White, who performed with the Crowes for years.

Struggles with addiction forced Ford out of the band in 1997, and he seems genuinely thrilled to have another opportunity to play with Robinson and return to the indelible music they created together.

“The whole experience is incredible,” says Ford. “When Rich called me, I had no ambition other than playing music with him. Getting back together and making up was the most important part. The music is easy. We can always do that. I just went to jam and it was an amazing time and it’s led to so much more than I ever anticipated.”

A lot of people seem to think you all made a very calculated decision to plunge back into the Black Crowes catalog, but that really doesn’t seem to be the case.
RICH ROBINSON This band came about in a very organic way. The more I play, the more I realize what an amazing gift it is to have such an easy relationship and deep connection to musicians where I play something and just anticipate loving what I hear coming back at me. We all just wanted to explore that more.

MARC FORD When I heard Rich wanted me to come to some type of jam, I said, “Whatever it is, yes!” I just never thought we were finished. It seems like the music created when we’re together is really powerful. It’s like we have a job to do. This music wants us involved. So this record is amazing to me. I got a copy and put it in my car and I had to pull over and sit and listen because I was weeping so hard: “Holy shit, this is a real band.” To have a chance to do it again—and to have it not be a jive trip about money, but an organic outgrowth—well, it’s really intense. It all grew out of an incredible weekend of jamming with no agenda.

John Hogg wasn’t part of that weekend. Was having him overdub vocals for the album a hard decision?
ROBINSON No. It wouldn’t have represented Magpie without John singing. We didn’t think we were going to make a record, but this was there, and it sounded great and it included Ed’s final performances and was an opportunity to let people know what we sound like. Then I realized that I had this song “Omission” that I really like, that John and I wrote for Hookah Brown. I had recorded a demo for Paper and just thought we should try to finish it while we were all together in the studio. I thought it was a great stepping stone for this band to record some original music.

FORD Adding John only adds. Rich had already done an amazing job of editing really long jams into the songs you hear. That’s how it goes with live albums and it’s fine. This was simply: Let’s make a record that shows people where we are coming from and keep us moving until we have more original material. It was very practical and the album happens to tell a beautiful, powerful story about the formation of a band.

Will you guys be producing more original music?
ROBINSON Definitely. I want to make a double album at the beginning of next year of original music written by me, Marc and John. I already sent them 15–20 ideas to get started but we’re also learning about 150 songs for the tour and everyone’s doing their homework. I know them all, so I have the easy part! Once we get on tour things will settle down. Our whole goal is to be a band and move forward, to honor the past, honor the Crowes and our solo material, honor the bands we loved growing up and explore where we are going from here.

The full ranks of the Magpie Salute photographed in early 2017 at Cooper Lake near Woodstock, New York

Is that a challenge when the fan base wants to hear the Crowes catalog and you play it so well?
ROBINSON No, because we’re never going to ignore the catalog even as we move forward—and I love the possibilities of what this band can do. When I got in a band it was because of how music made me feel and what it taught me: how to look at the world and humanity in a different way. Music has given me tremendous gifts: to travel, see the world, play with the Stones, Page, Neil Young, Bob Dylan…

I always only wanted to try and make people feel the way those heroes made me feel. If people felt the way I felt about Exile on Main St. when they listen to Southern Harmony, that’s an amazing thing. People loved the Crowes and those songs and I’ll always honor that, and I’m also really proud of the music, which is a huge swath of my life’s work. I’m proud of what we accomplished, not from a success standpoint, but that we were a great band, who made great records that people were moved by. When we played “Wiser Time” in Woodstock I could feel that the audience thought they might never hear this song again live, and when Eddie played his solo they all thought, I’ve been waiting to hear this since 2006!

FORD “Wiser Time” has become the epitome of us playing together. That was the high point, the “there it is” moment. I didn’t get into this gig or this life to put on a show. I’m a musician. I love making music and I love when the audience is involved in its creation, which sure is a lot more fun and it sustains your ability to keep doing it. I want it to be interesting for me every night. If I’m bored, I’m not going to make anything that interests you. We always keep ourselves on our toes. There’s no fun in trying to be perfect. You can hear it all on this song, along with an incredible solo by Ed.

Marc Ford with his Asher Guitars Electro Sonic

It’s so sad that Ed died before Magpie properly started, but it’s also beautiful that you guys got to play together again.
ROBINSON Yes! Ed played so well, and I’ve never seen anyone more excited or happier. It was almost like he was waiting to get all that out so he could leave.

FORD Eddie’s last recordings rightfully were with us. His solo on “Wiser Time” is just outstanding. We’re all going to go and it doesn’t surprise me that Ed is gone now. And damn, what if we didn’t have that? I got a weekend in a cabin, just me and him, and it was amazing.

Do you guys work out parts or just play?
ROBINSON We just play! I’ve never written in any kind of conventional way. I taught myself to play and I write by the measure not the count. Since the first time I met Ed, Sven and Marc, I just feel like they got it. I love what they would bring to my songs. Marc is such a deep and talented guitar player. Some guys can play a million notes and I can give a shit about them. Now think about Marc’s solo in “Sometimes Salvation,” where he hits a note and holds it and wrings so much emotion out of it. It was just fantastic to hear that coming from him again.

FORD Our playing together is instinctual. That relationship was just there as soon as we played again and now we’re developing it as a band beyond the two of us. We’re 13 days old at this point—that’s how many shows and rehearsals we’ve played—and I’m just starting to find where we can all sit, because every time we play together it gets better and more natural. I don’t think we’ve had enough time to gel to the point where no one has to worry about it. ROBINSON John came in and had a month to learn 85 songs because we played a different set every night in New York. A guitar player learns a part; a singer has to learn melody, pitch, lyrics and think about how he’s phrasing and developing a lyric.

And John has to figure out how to tackle Chris’ vocals, which could be a lot of pressure.
ROBINSON Yes, but the guy is incredibly talented and he’s bringing himself to the material while also honoring the songs. It’s actually very similar to what Chris did when we played Led Zeppelin music with Jimmy Page; he honored the songs but didn’t try to sound like Robert Plant. John is not mimicking Chris, and as he gets more and more comfortable with the catalog he will stake out his own approach even more.

How quickly did your playing together fall back into place?
ROBINSON Immediately. There wasn’t any adjustment. Marc arrived late because of plane problems, so we had zero time to even sit and talk or go over parts. He walked up and it was just there. People come and go, and the Crowes lost way too many members for no reason. You spend a lot of time on the bus and backstage with these people and develop very intense and unique relationships and it’s just weird to cut that off and never go back.

FORD There was no planning or getting ready. It was going to work or it wasn’t and that took a lot of courage for Rich. He had no idea how I was going to show up or what was going to happen.

It’s interesting to realize how much we defined each other. For years I didn’t hear or play a Black Crowes song or think about a Robinson brother, but my style was built in the furnace of that insanity, and Rich’s was, too. So when we come together, we’re just better. At the time, we were scared to death trying to survive and were forced into figuring things out, and that’s the way we’ll always play. What we play makes sense apart but it makes so much more sense together. It’s like, “I’m finally home.” That’s a powerful feeling; it’s what makes you you. Rich and I play together so well because we can’t play with anyone else! Sven, Joe and Ed all have the same relationship with Rich, so we all fell into it with one another immediately. This isn’t the Black Crowes. We do a bunch of the songs because Rich wrote them and they’re great songs, which we want people to hear, but we are a different entity and that will be more and more clear as we progress.

ROBINSON The difference now is we can develop a relationship without a big filter between us in the form of my brother. He’s hilarious and talented and brilliant, but when people would come around the Crowes they would come in with a preconceived notion of me from what Chris had told them and it probably wasn’t flattering—and Chris brought Marc into the band.

FORD Chris is a big personality. He’s incredibly talented and gifted and has charisma for days. So we were all in his orbit. He was the driving force and the reason that we all knew each other. Chris was the one who went out and made the relationships with people. I had a relationship with him before Rich. Musically, Rich and I developed this incredible relationship but now we get to actually see what all that’s made of, without that in-between person there. Brothers are brothers. If two guys are at odds, you have to choose.

The Magpie Salute’s John Hogg, Joe Magistro, Rich Robinson and Matt Slocum

I interviewed Chris recently and he seems very happy and in a good place, and so do you, Rich. Is it just better for everyone this way, with each of you following your own musical visions and paths?
ROBINSON Yes. I absolutely think it’s better this way. All of us can feel the difference and it’s amazing. It’s imperative that we maintain positivity. There’s no more time for the negative horseshit and drama that surrounded the Black Crowes, and Chris was often the cause of it, but it was just how everything operated.

FORD There was a lot of conflict, which I believe Chris thrives on—so it always had to be there. Now it’s gone and everyone gets to have a minute.

ROBINSON To be in this band and play this music with these amazing musicians without all that drama is unbelievable—and the music is still just as good. Some people think great music comes from strife; well, we’ve all been through enough strife to draw on. We don’t need it in our daily lives.

Rich, you have sons. They are brothers. Has your relationship with Chris impacted your parenting at all?
ROBINSON I have five boys. Three of them are under the age of seven and my older two are grown up. We try to teach our kids to get along, that family is important and to support their brothers, but I realize they come to the earth the way they are and ultimately they’re their own people. When I look at whatever Chris and my relationship became, I don’t see anything that I could have done differently to help it, other than to give up who I am and go along with everything he wanted. I remember times where we were close and it sucks to not have that, but there were way more times we were at odds and fighting over petty bullshit that didn’t need to happen.

Why do you have a third guitar player with Nico? Does it change the way you two play together?
ROBINSON It was more just inclusion instead of exclusion. Nico was the guitar player in my solo band and I didn’t want to say, “Marc’s here. Fuck off.” And it’s worked out very well. He’s going to start playing some lap steel and mandolin, to be more of a utility player. He plays great slide and is very smart in his approach. He never overplays and he’s always there to support.

FORD He’s an amazing musician with great ears and he knows all of our parts better than we do, so he floats in between us, finishes the things we forget. He allows me to go where I’m instinctually going and make it all sound better. It was humbling to learn that Nico’s dream was to play with me and Rich, and here he is.

ROBINSON The way we met is pretty amazing. He sent me a video of himself playing one of my solo songs really well and I sent him a note thanking him. He was going to be at the Peach Festival when we played and wanted to meet. He seemed like a nice, cool, positive person so I invited him backstage and it felt like he was one of us already.

Why is Steve Gorman not in this band?
ROBINSON I called Steve and wanted him and Joe to play together. He said he was into it but he had to make sure of some scheduling issues; his radio show was getting re-upped and he said he couldn’t commit. Ultimately he couldn’t do it.

Marc, walking away from the Crowes must have been a very hard decision and it seems you felt you had to do it to survive and stay sober. That must make this opportunity all the more special.
FORD Absolutely! It’s part of the reason I pulled the car over and cried. I made decisions for the right reasons and put in a hell of a lot of work. For me and Rich to go, “Let’s forget it all and just play together” and instantaneously find ourselves right back to where it was, where it was supposed to be, playing music with an unfearful attitude and complete collaboration, it’s just incredible. We’ve all experienced life making music together and not doing so, and we prefer to have it. It’s not about us; the music we make is bigger than us.

ROBINSON When I would do a Crowes song with my solo band I could see the relief on people’s faces. They were there to support me and I understood it was because of the Crowes, who have always had incredibly supportive fans. There’s something incredible about that, now more than ever with so much of music falling by the wayside, going the way of movie theaters and major network television. The world’s changing, there’s a lot more to choose from and people tune out a lot, so I have reverence for the people who show up for my shows. To honor them, I’m going to play this music they want to hear. It’s all an honor.

“The real inspiration for this band is what I think of as roots music—which is everything: jazz, bluegrass, rock and roll, funk/soul/R&B, pop, country, blues, Appalachian folk. As a band, we all love all of these different kinds of music, so why wouldn’t we be inspired by everything from the Stanley Brothers to Lee Stevens’ first solo album to Weather Report, and beyond?”

Chris Robinson is discussing the inner workings of the Chris Robinson Brotherhood, the group he assembled in 2011 following his departure from the Black Crowes.

Robinson has been extremely busy—and incredibly prolific—with this current venture, comprised of guitarist Neal Casal (Ryan Adams, Hard Working Americans, Circles Around the Sun), former Black Crowes keyboardist Adam Mac-Dougall (Macy Gray, Ben Taylor Band), bassist Jeff Hill (Larry Campbell and Teresa Williams, Rufus Wainwright, Trey Anastasio) and drummer Tony Leone (Ollabelle, Levon Helm, Phil Lesh and Friends).

Though Robinson had stated that his initial intention with the CRB was to “have a local L.A. band, just play in California, and see where the music takes us,” he very quickly embarked on an ambitious North American tour while releasing four albums between 2012 and 2014, Big Moon Ritual and The Magic Door (2012), the live Betty’s S.F. Blends, Volume One (2013) and Phosphorescent Harvest (2014).

He has since released a fourth studio album, Any Way You Love, We Know How You Feel and an EP, If You Lived Here, You’d Be Home Now (both 2016), followed by the band’s latest collection of new material, Barefoot in the Head. Combined with two more live Betty’s Blends releases and 2014’s Try Rock ’n’ Roll EP, that’s an astonishing 10 albums in five years.

“We have the freedom to invent this band’s mythology, on the run, coming at it from outside the box,” says Robinson. “The seedling hatched seven years ago and it has progressed in a purely natural way, which is great. I’ve been through it the other way around, way back in my youth, but that doesn’t take away from the amazing respect I have and the unique opportunities I had while in the Black Crowes.”

Barefoot in the Head traverses the broad terrain of sounds and influences that comprise Chris Robinson’s musical creativity, from the Sly Stone funk/soul of “Behold the Seer,” the Bob Dylan/the Band vibe of “She Shares My Blankets,” the Beatles-esque twists heard on “If You Had a Heart to Break” and the heavier T. Rex/Mott the Hoople rock-type grind on “Hark the Herald Hermit Speaks.” The true magic of the band is that they find a way to infuse all of these disparate elements in a seamless, organic way.

Chris and Neal took some time out to discuss the band’s latest expansive and musically ambitious release, Barefoot in the Head.

Chris, how did you and Neal initially connect, and what makes him someone you want to have in your band?
CHRIS ROBINSON I met Neal in the early Nineties in the East Village in New York City at Three of Cups, an Italian restaurant/rock and roll bar. A few years later, I took the Beachwood Sparks on tour with the Black Crowes and Neal was in that band at the time, and that’s where our friendship started. There was also a moment when Neal was going to join the Crowes but Marc Ford ended up coming back into the band.

NEAL CASAL We both frequented Three of Cups but we were in different scenes. Chris was at the height of rock stardom then, and I was in a different crowd. But I was a big fan of the band, and we got to know each other some. He was evangelical about turning people onto good music, overturning stones and discovering old, unknown records and musical gems. He turned me on to [Scottish folk guitarist] Bert Jansch, John Renbourne, Terry Reid and The Incredible String Band. Back in the early Nineties, it was rare to hear someone speak authoritatively about these musicians and bands. His tastes run wide and deep, as do mine.

ROBINSON From the beginning, I could see that Neal and I like the same stuff and have similar tastes. When I asked him to join this band seven years ago, it just so happened that he wasn’t committed to anything, so it was fortuitous. My whole thing is that I don’t need a guitar player—I need a writing partner. We have that threefold now because Adam is active compositionally, too. I’m into nurturing the group aspect of this too; if someone has a part that’s better than the one we’ve got right now, have at it! I love that about this band.

Chris, does your experience with the Black Crowes inform your new music in any way?
ROBINSON The Black Crowes—in my view now as a 50-year-old “folk singer”—is that it was something that happened to me. At the start of the Crowes, we didn’t have a big local scene in Atlanta to be a part of. Luckily for us, [record company executive/producer] George Drakoulias saw us, and you put your coin in the slot—DING DING DING!!!—it comes up cherries and boom the race is on. It was a rocket ride that was unique but also scary when you are a kid in this adult world with people with money symbols in their eyes. You’re trying to have this soulful connection to the energy that you think is “rock and roll,” that you believe in. I just see it as a dedication to the muse.

CASAL As long as the quality is high, we are free to go anywhere we want, which is the best place for a band to be. We’re a hard-working bunch, all of us, with the same mindset, which is “the time is now!”

ROBINSON We don’t have any hit records to live up to, there’s no one pushing us in any direction that is not completely our own, our own personal and emotional content, so the idea is to take full advantage of it.

It sounds like you are free to follow your creativity wherever it may take you.
ROBINSON There’s no one there with expectations, so we are free to create and play music that we like, and that interests and excites us.

CASAL There’s no evil record company guy standing in the corner of the control room, saying, “Hey guys, do you really want to be, like, going in that direction?”

ROBINSON That’s like when Dave Chappell adopts an average older white guy’s voice—no one likes that guy! [laughs] I don’t care where you are from, that guy is not cool!

Isn’t that funny? We have removed ourselves from all of that, truly. We’ve all made great sacrifices to have this freedom: we sleep on the tour bus, we play five nights a week, three hours a night, two-hour soundchecks, average 115 shows a year, we work hard and we’re still not in a place where we are jetting over to the south of France whenevwer we can. We have to be pragmatic and realistic in our business model, and that has to be representative of the same attitude.

When did all of the material come together for Barefoot in the Head?
ROBINSON Leading up to the last record, Any Way You Love…, and the EP, If You Lived Here…, we had been working really hard for three years and we hadn’t been in the studio, so we had more of a budget to work with, plus an extra 10 days. When we finished those sessions a year ago in January, I came home and we had a little time between runs, so I just kept writing. I was in a great headspace.

You know, these times are filled with anxiety, uncertainty and the great toxic illusion of fear and ignorance surrounds us. So you have to be able to withstand that, fight the fear and focus on the things you can control. That’s where it all coalesces. When other things are in chaos, the “poetry” should be focused and expressive. If you can!

When we started this band, we were at a club somewhere in Kansas and I was setting up my rig, taking my amps out of the cases, and a kid said to me, “Why are you doing that?” thinking that I should have someone doing it for me. The Black Crowes drove around in a van for years before we got to travel on buses, and on private airplanes, and stay in the nicest hotels around the globe. Why wouldn’t I do this? The music doesn’t care.

No matter what I’ve been through, right or wrong—if I should have said something, or if I shouldn’t have said something—those things don’t matter. The music business is a system, the rules of the shit, right? If you stop your dedication to the muse, to art, to this life…it’s an archetypal thing that’s not just about rock and roll or musicians. But if it does become just a job, or something that you “learned,” then it isn’t alive anymore. And if it’s not alive, why am I dealing with this dead stuff?

In my 12 years of playing with Dickey Betts, he has always demonstrated that there is only one way to play music, which is to give all of yourself to the moment of creativity, and as a band we will find where we are going, together.
ROBINSON Yes, “I will be revealed!” The mystery is revealed at that point. Dickey Betts is one of the greatest guitarists in rock history, but to maintain that open spirit… Playing music is kind of like entering some crystal-lined cavern, but for some people, after a while it’s just like entering any old living room. Some of us have the same reverence every time it reveals itself, and you discover new chambers. I see music like that. You have to have that same mindset whether you are in a set composition or you are improvising. You should always have the same awe and wonder and magic about it.

Can you point to any specific instances when this became apparent to you?
ROBINSON Absolutely. I remember when we were recording the fourth Black Crowes album, Three Snakes and a Charm, I had this song called “Halfway to Everywhere” that was conceptually like a Sly and the Family Stone-Temptations-Parliament/Funkadelic tune with three different singers doing three different parts. I had my great friends Garry Shider from Funkadelic and Mudbone Cooper.

We were standing at the mic—and I was pretty “far out” with these guys by that point in the day, trying my best to keep up with the Funkadelic crew even though I was running hard myself—and it dawned on me that I had never sung with other experienced guys or producers like these guys; I was thrust into this “do it!” mentality. We were at a home studio in Georgia, and when I was on the mic with these guys, I was thinking of having grown up listening to them with Parliament/Funkadelic, like Garry and his cousin Glen Goins, who were the guys I was imitating as a kid, trying to find my voice. Being next to them and seeing how animated and visceral these guys were, I realized, Oh—there should be nothing restraining you! You have to dive in fearlessly, and we are drawn to that because it fits who we are.

When did you get started on the songs for this new record?
ROBINSON By the end of last summer, I was contemplating moving back over the hill to Stinson Beach and making the record, and I said to the guys, “Listen, I don’t want any of our road gear in the studio—no amps or anything that we used before on any recordings. Bring whatever you want, but not the same amps, guitars and effects.” Any stringed instrument, every stringed instrument!

CASAL That’s what led me to picking up the banjo, and Jeff [Hill] plays beautiful upright bass, and Tony [Leone] added great mandolin playing, too. We started flexing our muscles as a unit, and what’s so strong about this record is the ensemble playing. That’s what you can get when you go straight into the studio after an entire year on the road.

ROBINSON Having Jeff on the new record is a huge difference maker. We had a hired hand on the last few records, but Jeff is the guy in the band, with his own vision and imagination, and can play a lot of other instruments as well. Tony, our drummer, playing marimba was like, okay, where’d that come from? I’m down! It’s being open to the moment and free. It’s hippie baroque—that’s what I call it.

CASAL Jeff brings so much to the table, in terms of solidifying our lineup, our sound and our confidence. Chris was so excited by the lift that Jeff brought to the band that he wanted to get right back into the studio and capture that feeling.

ROBINSON The benefit with that is that you don’t get too far away from it. Some bands are not cut out for that kind of scheduling, but something that binds the guys in this band is that we’re all lifers: before the show, we’re immersed in music, listening and talking, then we play the show, then afterward we wind down, get back on the bus and it’s always music. We’ve got a turntable on the bus, and Neal, Adam and I are all record-buying swine!

How does this band differ from the Black Crowes?
ROBINSON You can’t compare; these are different times and I’m a different person too. The Black Crowes was a fire that everyone was throwing gasoline on all of the time, because that’s what kept it burning. In this situation, we’ve never had an argument, and everyone plays whatever they want to play. Each of these guys has been in a variety of different bands, too, and this is a musical utopia for all of us. This is all any of us really want—this kind of freedom. If you are not acting in a harmonious way to what is around you, then you are actually in the act of destroying it. We all have great respect for each other, and that is something that cannot be bought.

Let’s talk about the tunes, all of which were written specifically for this record, yes?
ROBINSON Yes. Usually, I have the verses and choruses and Neal will come in with the bridges. For “Blue Star Woman” and “Hark the Herald Hermit Speaks,” I wrote the whole thing. On the “smaller” songs, like “Glow” and “Dog Eat Sun,” they only have two parts to them, and we wanted to keep them simple.

How did the recording process take place?
CASAL Everyone lives at the studio while we are recording, and after you wake up and have your toast and tea, there’s nothing else to do but to make music. By 11 A.M. or so, we’re all on the floor, working. Living there in the same space, you get a three-hour jump on the day.

ROBINSON My house is just down the road. I’d drop my daughter off at school, head up to the studio, make a cup of tea and grab my acoustic, go outside and play, and pick something for us to start with that day. “Behold the Seer” is a perfect example, because I had the intro riff, plus the jam into the verse and that was it. Neal threw in the chorus, and then Adam added some different chords for him to solo over. And that was it, and I love it.

Above: Neal Casal with his Scott Walker Santa Cruz.

Were most to the tracks on each song cut live with everyone playing together? The feeling you get is one of listening to a band play live.
ROBINSON Completely. That’s what is has to be. I’ve heard it said 100 times: rock and roll is dead! They said it when I was a kid and they still say it now, but it’s not true, nor will it ever be true. There are still lots of people going to see Derek [Trucks] play every night, and to them this music is more alive than ever. And the same is true for Jimmy Herring with Widespread Panic and Trey Anastasio. Go to Amoeba Records in San Francisco and you have to wait in line to pay for your fucking shit, so don’t tell me it’s dead!

CASAL Chris has been in a very prolific place, in terms of lyrics and music, over the last two years.

ROBINSON My initial feeling was that it would be “sketchy” and loosey-goosey, but by the end of the very first tune, it had turned into something else. But we did end up with a very acoustic sound on the record, and Neal played so many different acoustic instruments. It was the first time he ever played banjo, on “High Is Not the Top,” with Tony on mandolin. “Glow” was recorded live with Alam Khan, Ali Akbar Khan’s son, on the sarod, whose playing is just phenomenal. I met Alam through Derek.

I’m an obsessive Indian classical music fan, and I thought he would be perfect for this song. It’s my attempt at something that’s a little more “English” and pastoral, like a John Martyn kind of flowing thing. That was one of the most special moments in the studio I have ever experienced.

I’m so glad to have a song like “Good to Know” on this record, that is keyboard driven and kind of lilt-y, a beautifully THC-driven meditation, and then also have “Blonde Light of Day.” All of this music was seen, and created, through the lenses of the guys in the band, so there are many views and many angles to the music. The music should be expressive—the stories we get to tell should take you to new and different places.

To create their new album, Anyway You Love, We Know How You Feel, the Chris Robinson Brotherhood relocated to a remote recording studio in the hills of northern California. The result? One of the band’s finest musical moments to date.

The disc also represents several "firsts" for the former Black Crowes frontman and his bandmates; it's first album the band produced without any outside help, and it marks the first release featuring new drummer Tony Leone.

The tunes, including the infectiously psychedelic “Narcissus Soaking Wet,” seem to channel everything from Bob Dylan to Parliament Funkadlelic, while tracks like “Ain’t It Hard But Fair” and “Forever As the Moon” showcase a deep level of maturity in the band's songwriting and kaleidoscopic sound.

The Chris Robinson Brotherhood is Chris Robinson (vocals/guitar), Neal Casal (guitars), Adam MacDougall (keyboards), Jeff Hill (bass) and Tony Leone (drums). I recently spoke with Robinson and Casal about the new album, songwriting, their gear and more.

How much of an influence did recording in northern California have on the sessions for Any Way You Love, We Know How You Feel?

Neal Casal: It was very inspiring. We made the record in a house with a big window overlooking the hillside and the Pacific. It was a very comfortable and quiet environment where there were no distractions or social situations to pull us away. There was something about the energy on that hillside that was very creative. And once we got inside, Chris’ notebook opened up, the words started flowing and the songs just wrote themselves.

Chris Robinson: We might not all be Californian, but this band was born in California. The California concert culture and counter culture is embedded deep within us. Living communally in this amazing house and studio changed our perspective. We were a lot closer to the source of what influenced us and it was unique on so many levels.

How would you describe Anyway You Love, We Know How You Feel?

Robinson: In a weird way, it’s kind of like it’s our first record. Our actual first record was a band that had worked all year long and then went into the studio and recorded our live show. For the second album we had more time on the road and pushed ourselves a little more in the songwriting. Now that we’ve spent four solid years on the road and have been writing and working, it was all about getting to this session and letting these songs flower. We’re really happy about the bounty our art has given us after tending it for so long.

Casal: I think it’s the natural maturation of the band after being together for five years making records and doing hundreds of shows. The songwriting partnerships have developed further and broadened our palletes. The music, our commitment to the band and our mission is deeper than ever. It’s also a more direct sounding record with a closer connection to our live show.

What was the songwriting process like?

Robinson: I’m writing all the time in my notebooks and it could be about anything, like a conversation or even the name of a river. I’ve been doing it that same way ever since I was a teenager. I’m also constantly playing guitar, because you never know when something’s going to trigger a melody or a chord progression. Most mornings would begin with me being outside working on lyrics while everyone else was just waking up. Then we’d move it inside and I’d start playing something. If everyone looked up at what I was doing then we knew we were already halfway there. Whenever they’d say, “Hey, what’s that you’re playing?” that was when the day really began.

Let’s talk about a few tracks from the new album, starting with “Narcissus Soaking Wet."

Casal: That song’s the brainchild of Chris and Adam and their love of deep, funk music. All of their listening to Prince and George Clinton late at night found its way into it. I learned a lot about that style of music through those guys. Eddie Hazel is one of my heroes now and I tried bringing some of that influence into the song with the out of control funk guitar and some other flavors. I remember when it came alive we all got very excited. We play it live every night now and it already feels like a classic.

“Forever As the Moon”

Robinson: It’s a little bit of an ominous song. There’s a little bit of anxiety and fear in the world that controls us to a certain level. In this case, we used it as a metaphor for tuning out all of the hate and fear.

Casal: That’s a song with some very cool Dylan-esque lyrics. Rhythmically, it taps into our love of hypnotic grooves. The words are so cool and it’s one where Tony really shines. We couldn’t have pulled a song like that off in any other version of our band.

“Ain’t It Hard But Fair.”

Robinson: That line is something that I always heard when I was growing up in Atlanta. Whenever you’d ask someone, “Hey, how are you doing today?” they’d say, “It’s hard but it’s fair—and we’re gonna have a good time when we get there!” [laughs]. It’s one of those songs that takes place in scenes. In one scene, there’s two lovers having a conversation and she puts a white flower in the lapel of his jacket. He might have made some bad decisions but she just brushes the hair off his face and says, “But baby, ain’t it hard but fair—we’re gonna have a good time when we get there!”

What are the band’s current tour plans?

Casal: We’re going to be playing as much as we can for the rest of the year. We’ve got new music to play and a new lease on life. We’re ready for the second phase of this band to begin.

Neal, what’s your current setup like?Casal: I have a Scott Walker Santa Cruz model guitar that I’ve been playing for the past two years and it’s the best instrument I’ve ever owned. I really can’t say enough about the beautiful instruments he makes. It’s elevated my playing and is a big part of the sound of the new album. I also have a B-Bender Telecaster. It’s a newer guitar but is an excellent sounding Tele. As far as amps go, I have a Divided by 13 100-watt head with a Celestion 2x12 cabinet. I also have a custom, 100-watt head from a company in New Jersey called Booya that I really love.

Chris, did you always know that music would be your calling?

Robinson: I aspired to find some way to survive by being a unique thinker. Originally, I was planning on maybe going to school and forging myself into a writer. I always loved music. My father was a folk singer and I had listened to a lot of folk and roots records. Then when I got a little older I was into real R&B and funk. It wasn’t until the early Eighties hardcore punk movement that I had access to all-ages punk shows. It was important for me to be in a scene where bands were doing it for something other than to be famous or to make a lot of money. It really influenced me.

What are you most looking forward to about the second next phase of CRB?

Robinson: The creative element, friendships and scene we’ve made is very fulfilling and unique. It’s also fulfilling and unique to make it work without having to be something we don’t want to be. We don’t want to be on a major label or work for a corporation. We also don’t want to water down who we are or what we feel just so other people can make money. We want to have our own little musical commune and be self-sufficient.

Casal: I’m excited about being able to continue to do what we do. Having the chance to get on stage to play another day and to have another shot at writing another record is enough for me. It’s as simple as that. I can’t predict what’s going to happen tomorrow but to do well enough today to keep going is enough to keep me here.

James Wood is a writer, musician and self-proclaimed metalhead who maintains his own website, GoJimmyGo.net. His articles and interviews are written on a variety of topics with passion and humor. You can follow him on Twitter @JimEWood.

When Hurricane Sandy flooded the Black Crowes’ storage space in 2012, a lot of instruments were damaged. I know your ES-335 was restored quite impeccably but were there any that were damaged beyond repair? Which do you wish you had back the most? —Ron Matthews

I’ve been fortunate to have had a lot of great guitars, but a long time ago I realized that it’s just a piece of wood with strings on it. It’s not the guitar or amp that sounds like me: it’s me that sounds like me. And that’s true for anyone who picks up a guitar, or a paintbrush; they are tools to help you express what’s inside you.

Being a spiritual person, when that flood came, I looked at it as taking away all that negative energy because it wasn’t pleasant being in the Black Crowes. It was hard, always. It was hard with some sprinkled moments of positivity. Being in the band was incredibly difficult and negative and it wore me down—and it wore everyone down, so when that flood came, I almost felt relief. We did one more tour after that and it was a lot more positive; 2013 was the best, least contentious one I had been on in years.

Fans were really disappointed that the Crowes just ended without even going out on a final tour. Do you understand that? —Jimmy Solomon

Of course. The audience has a vested interest, but the band does too, and a lot of times bands just can’t continue on. It’s tough being in a marriage of five or six dudes for 25 years, from both a psychological and a creative standpoint. Think of what you go through in a marriage: ups and downs, children, financial issues—just life coming your way. It becomes exponentially more complicated when there’s a bunch of other people and it hangs on a skeleton that’s not necessarily that strong. It can be emotionally exhausting.

I’m very proud of that band and the music my brother [singer Chris Robinson] and I played together. We toured with every one of our heroes except the Beatles! And to be around for 24 years and to have the response to our music that our fans gave us is incredibly gratifying. People would come see us and get out of our music what I used to get out of the Stones and Nick Drake and Led Zeppelin. You could see it and feel this love for what we did and there’s no greater gift on earth than that as a creative person. That’s a beautiful thing but every day was hard. I truly believe we should have done something better than we did to end—for the fans not for us—even is it was just one final run somewhere. It would have been a far cooler thing to do than to have it just end.

Steve [Gorman, Black Crowes drummer] has said that a 25th anniversary tour was planned. Is that true? —Greg Sells

Absolutely! We had planned it throughout all of 2013 and were talking about having someone do a movie and tell our story right. Not doing it was not Steve’s or my decision. It was 100 percent Chris’ decision.

Would you ever collaborate with ex-Crowes like Marc Ford, Steve Gorman, Eddie Harsch or Sven Pipien again on anything? —Andy Shope

You never know. I like all those guys. I’m a huge fan of Ed’s as a musician and a person and have tried to have him come down to play with him several times, but it’s never panned out. I’m always up for working with Sven, who is one of the best bass players in the world. It’s a real blessing in one’s life to be able to play with musicians you have a connection with like I do with Sven and Ed. Steve and I talk semi regularly, but he’s busy. I haven’t spoken to Marc in a few years but he’s a great guitar player who played great stuff on my music. I think we had a very real connection and I would certainly be up for playing with him again some time.

How did you become so creative with open G tuning and move away from the well-known Rolling Stones type patterns to make new, original music? Were there any other important influences? —Ken Graydon

My dad was a huge Crosby, Stills & Nash fan and they are some of my earliest musical memories. Of course I didn’t understand they were alternate tunings, but I loved the sound of Stills’ guitar. A friend gave me a Nick Drake record and I was so drawn to the tone and timbre of his guitar and that became my biggest influence in terms of tunings. Then, as I got into blues, I was drawn to country blues like Mississippi Fred McDowell and Furry Lewis—a lot of open D and G, which was a common theme in what I was listening to. As I started getting into that tuning, I started seeing the chords you manipulate and that was what drew a feeling out of me. All those strings resonating together created a symphony of microtones.

You have a new solo album and are also re-releasing your first four records with new material. What’s that all about? —Ben Oppenheimer

Now that the Black Crowes are finally done for good, it was a good time to take stock and I just wanted all my solo records under one roof and to have them all the way I wanted them. I never liked the sound of Paper, which was my first solo album. I had wanted to remix it for a long time. The flood also damaged all these tapes. We had to dry out the two-inch masters and all the vocals were lost, which gave me an opportunity to sing them all again and to add songs I had never finished, to basically create a new record. It was really cool—something musicians often desire but rarely have a chance to actually do.

Who are your main slide guitar influences? —Jon Dizzle

Keith Richards and Duane Allman go without saying. I love Ron Wood’s slide playing in the Faces. One of my favorites is Ry Cooder, especially tonally. Mississippi Fred McDowell is one of my favorites; his slide is biting and crazy. I love the melodic choices Jimmy Page made on slide; it was very compositional. And Derek Trucks is just mind-blowing and is such a cool dude.

Thank you for doing the concerts at New York’s Beacon Theatre after 9/11. They really meant a lot to many of us. The Crowes were on the verge of a long hiatus but the music was stellar. Did you feel the power? —Thomas Marshall

I appreciate that. Yes. The whole run was very emotional in the middle of a horrifying and bizarre time. We cancelled one show in California then decided to carry on. People needed something. We donated all the Beacon profits to a 9/11 fund. By the way, we didn’t know we were going to break up; Chris announced it to us after the end of the tour. He thought we were holding him back and he could be bigger without us.

There were a lot of second guitarists in the Crowes. Could you say something about each? —Laura Benson

It was a bummer that we kept switching members but shit got in the way and it always sucked losing a guy. I thought Marc was a great guitar player, then Audley Freed, Luther Dickinson, Paul Stacey for a minute and Jackie Greene on the last tour. At some point it got silly, like can we just hold on to someone? I would have preferred to grow and be a band for a longer amount of time but you can’t discount injecting new energy into something as well. I was skeptical of Jackie because I knew him more as a great songwriter, but he came in very respectfully and I thought did a great job.

I was amazed by how well you guys blended with Jimmy Page in 1999. Was it difficult? —Scott Marsh

• It was easy because we have the utmost respect for Jimmy and his music and a pretty deep knowledge of where Jimmy came from. Audley did a great job picking apart the songs and making sure we nailed every part on the records. We rehearsed hard for two weeks before Jimmy walked in. We were such a strong band that we could really give him something to work with.
• One of our first big arena tours was opening for Robert Plant in 1990. He was just great to us. When Page and Plant got back together they offered us some shows. One of the coolest things ever came when we were touring with the Stones and on the days off we would play with Page and Plant, so we can say we were on tour with the Stones and Zeppelin at the same time.

What is your desert island guitar? And what tuning is it in? —Steve Len

I’d probably bring my 1953 Martin D28. If I’m on a desert island I can still tune!

Rich Robinson’s new album, Flux—which will be available June 24—showcases an eclectic range of tempos, tones and tunings, all delivered with the same swagger Robinson first made famous with his brother, Chris Robinson, in the Black Crowes.

The album, which features the monster skills of Matt Slocum (keys), Marco Benevento (keys), Danny Mitchell (keys), Zak Gabbard (bass) and Joe Magistro (drums), not to mention vocalists John Hogg and Danielia Cotton, is—simply put—a powerful collection of music. From standout tracks “Music That Will Lift Me” and “Eclipse the Night” to the groove-laden “The Upstairs Land," Flux ebbs and flows through different moods, in the end delivering a solid listener experience.

In addition to his new album, Robinson his the road as Bad Company’s guitarist for their current U.S. tour, which he’ll follow up with a tour of his own in support of Flux.

I recently spoke with Robinson about Flux, Bad Company, gear and more.

How would you describe Flux in terms of its sound—and maybe how it relates to your previous albums?

I think everyone builds their own relationship to music. That’s what’s so cool about it. For me, this is a natural progression and another step in the journey of where I’ve been and what I’ve done since I was 19 and Shake Your Money Maker came out.

Flux was recorded at Applehead Studios in New York. You’ve mentioned that you love recording there. What makes the place so special?

The studio and people up there are just great. I really like being up in Woodstock, and I spent a lot of time going there when I was living in New York. There’s just something about being there that I really can’t describe. Whenever I’m there, I always tap into something special.

Where do you draw your inspiration?

The music is what elicits the lyrics. It’s how I do it now and how I did it with the [Black] Crowes. With the Crowes, after the music was written, I’d give it to Chris and he’d listen and come up with lyrics. For me, it’s about fitting a melody to what the song is based on and how it makes me feel. I’ll listen to what the music is saying and usually something will come. I like using the energy of the studio to create. With this record in particular, I went in with a bunch of parts. I also like the time limit and sense of urgency to it. You have to get in there and make decisions quickly.

Let’s discuss a few songs from Flux. What can you tell me about “The Upstairs Land”?

A lot of times in the studio there’s a process you follow. Sometimes, something can be cool and then when you flesh it out, you’re not really feeling it. Then it will suddenly take a left turn and become your favorite thing on the record. There’s no rhyme or reason to it. Zak Gabbard came in and played bass on that song, which was really cool.

“Music That Will Lift Me”?

That was a song I had that had been bugging me for a while. To me, it’s a microcosm of the overall record. In my opinion, we’ve really neglected music as we’ve moved forward into the 21st century and the smart-phone era. We’re bombarded by music everywhere we go, but people don’t really pay attention. Historically, music is something that goes hand and hand with life and love. There’s something that should be honored about that.

“Eclipse the Night”?

I’ve always been a huge Sly and the Family Stone fan. There was a song on the last record [The Ceaseless Night] called “Inside," and this is the sister to that song. It has that same sort of jubilant side to it.

Will you be touring to support the new album?

Yes. As soon as this tour with Bad Company ends I’ll start rehearsals with my band. We’ll be going out in the States in July.

What’s it been like touring with Paul Rodgers and Bad Company?

It’s such a cool thing. With the Crowes, we were fortunate to play with a lot of our favorite musicians, like Jimmy Page, the Stones and Neil Young. We also toured with Bob Dylan and the Grateful Dead before Jerry [Garcia] passed. Paul’s voice is as good as it ever was and for me, it’s just so cool to be up there.

How did your relationship with Paul begin?

It was pretty natural the way it happened. I met Paul last fall when we were honoring Jimmy Page in Seattle. There were a bunch of bands playing Led Zeppelin songs, and Paul was there because he was with Jimmy in the Firm. Paul asked me if I wanted to come up and play on some of the songs with him. We had fun and wound up saying goodbye. Then when Mick [Ralphs] wasn’t able to do this tour, they called me up.

Did you always know music was going to be your calling?

I didn’t really know what I was going to do when I was 15, but that was when I started playing guitar. One thing I started doing immediately, though, was writing songs, because I’ve always felt the song was the gift. Looking back now, things happened pretty quickly. By the time I was 19, we were already making Shake Your Money Maker. I never knew that I’d still be doing this 27 years later, but I’m happy about it.

What’s your current setup like?

It’s constantly changing. Right now, I’m playing my old Marshall Silver Jubilee and my Reason amps. They’re a small company who’ve made a few amps for me. For club dates, I’ll usually use smaller amps like a VOX AC30 and a Reason.

What are some of your best memories with the Black Crowes?

That’s a huge swab in my creative career. My brother and I were in it since we were kids, and I’m proud of it. But it is cool to be able to say we played with Bob Dylan, Neil Young and the Stones. Then having Jimmy Page in our band for a year and playing Led Zeppelin songs. Doing all of those types of things—each one is a great thing in itself.

Having said that, what excites you about this next phase of your career?

I’m looking forward to getting out and playing the new music and having people hear it. It’s always cool to watch the process go from nothing to a record to a tour. Then the record becomes the stepping stone to the rest of it. As these songs tour and grow, they’ll continue to shift and change. It’s amazing how they mature; not unlike children. How they can become something else in the long term is what really fascinates me.

For more about Robinson and his projects, visit http://richrobinson.net

James Wood is a writer, musician and self-proclaimed metalhead who maintains his own website, GoJimmyGo.net. His articles and interviews are written on a variety of topics with passion and humor. You can follow him on Twitter @JimEWood.

Aspiring guitar players have been trying to cop Marc Ford’s licks for years.

But perhaps the best lesson they could learn from Ford sounds more like a driving lesson than a classic riff: Stay focused on the road ahead and don't spend your time looking in the rearview mirror.

While journalists and promoters the world over may still refer to Ford as “former Black Crowe,” Ford doesn’t rely on his laurels to make his way in life. A player who’s definitely been there and back, Ford is enjoying his family, his friends, his faith … and a good fuzz.

There’s plenty going on in Marc’s world, including a new studio album and a Kickstarter effort to support it. Read up.

We want to talk about the new album you’re doing, but first let’s bring folks up to speed on what you’ve had going on recently. Over the last few months, you’ve done some local live shows, and I wanted to ask about the gigs you played with Mike Campbell and his side project the Dirty Knobs. From the clips I’ve seen, it looks like you guys were having fun.

Yeah, we did three here in Southern California back in November and it was a blast. We all had a great time … it was just a big guitar geek fest, you know? [laughter]

Mike seems to be a very giving soul in a live setting like that: “Here, take the wheel.”

Yeah, he’s like that in person, too. Mike’s very cool–I like him a lot. He’s probably one of the best guitar players we have–with the kind of personality that gets behind the other players and supports them … and doesn't ever say too much. It’s just a perfect thing.

And then we have the studio work you’ve been involved with, both producing and playing. I’ve been listening to Chris Lizotte’s newest album, Grace and Mercy. How many records does this make that you’ve done together?

Three, as far as Chris’ own albums.

How do you separate your role as producer from that of the lead guitar player in that setting?

Well … with Chris, we’ve been playing together for so long now that it’s like nobody really produces. We just go in with the people we know, put some mics up and count it off. Literally, there were close to no overdubs on this record. Our buddy John Schreiner engineered it and he’s got great ears. We recorded it in a couple of days–and mostly it’s just us playing live.

How did that compare to the process of recording your wife Kirsten’s new album, I Belong to You?

It was pretty similar, really. Kirsten’s took a little bit longer because I had more roles on that record. I did the bass and most of the guitar, so we had to overdub things, but it was still pretty quick. I’m really happy with the result. It was cool to have my son Elijah come in to sing and play on it.

We’ve talked about this in the past: what you two have is pretty special, as fathers and sons don’t always work out musically.

I know. [laughs] I’ve said it before: music will tell on you. If there’s anything going between people, it either gets intensified or gets worked out with the music.

So, in regards to working things out: when you're in the studio with your wife–she’s the artist and you’re the producer and the guitar player and the bassist …

Ahhh … [laughter]

How do you handle the multi-role thing and still go home to dinner together?

You know, for years and years, it was hard for us to sit down and make music together … it was just within the last few years that we’ve worked it out. And now it’s an easy thing for us to do. And if anything too tough needed to be said, I brought in a third party. [laughter]

A wise man.

Yeah well, it's been a long time … so I learned a couple things. [laughter]

Some people live and learn; others just live.

And some people just learn and never live, you know?

There you go. OK, there’s no way I can turn this into a Guitar World piece without asking you: if someone looks down by your feet these days, what are they going to find on the pedal board?

Well, they’d be hard-pressed to find a board, for one thing. [laughter]

Just plug in and go these days?

Yeah, pretty much. Like, when I drive to Long Beach to get together with the guys and rehearse, I’ll usually bring one pedal and see what I can get out of it—see what I can do. I want to figure out the parameters of each pedal and then I’ll try pairing them up to see what works with each other.

So what have you been playing through of late?

Oh, let’s see … I have a couple fuzzes from Richard at Monsterpiece and I’ve been using one of them, the MK II, live and in the studio.

Is that what you used for the Mike Campbell shows?

Yeah, just that and a wah. The Monsterpieces are awesome pedals. When it comes to Fuzz Face-style pedals, MJM’s London Fuzz is a great one I’ve been using—very musical and rich-sounding. Fuzz Faces can flub out on you, but the MJM London stays tight and big.

What about overdrives or boosts?

I have a Power Booster from Steve at Buffalo FX–I’ve always wanted one of those, being a Jeff Beck fan. It’s an intense pedal … it’s everything you want, believe me. [laughs] It’s 18 volts and so strong and loud. I’m loving that one as well.

Are you hitting the Buffalo with a fuzz?

I haven't used them together yet; I’m using either one or the other. It’s tough: the Buffalo is like the germanium fuzzes—they want to see the guitar. The Power Booster doesn't seem to like a wah in front of it, whereas with most of the fuzzes you can get away with a wah pedal first.

Any other pedals in particular you’ve been experimenting with?

Yeah. Mike at Analogman sent me this new compressor he’s building now, and I never thought I’d like a compressor much. This thing is great: he put the attack knob on the outside, along with a mix knob so you can balance the compressed sound with the dry sound. It’s really nice. You can just put a hint of compression on there if you want. And Mike also sent me his MK IV fuzz.

The Sun Bender?

Yep, and it’s great, too. So I am deep in fuzz on this new record we’re about to do. [laughter]

So those are some of the pedals you’ll be going into the studio with. As far as guitars go, you have your signature model Asher …

That’s right. And Wayne at Headstrong Amps, who I’ve been working with for the last 10 years or so, is flying out for the sessions. His Lil’ King is great. And we're talking about doing a signature amplifier.

It definitely sounds like this will be a harder, more rocking collection of songs, compared to 2014’s Holy Ghost. That was a great album–soft and powerful at the same time. It often felt like you were letting the listener peer over your shoulder and read your journal.

I really loved the Holy Ghost record; it was an … intense record to have to sing every night, you know? It was kind of a sobering experience. It's time to go out and have some fun with the guys—get back to a little bit more lightheartedness.

Your co-pilots for the new album will be the Neptune Blues Club: John Bazz on bass; Mike Malone on keys and harmonica; drummer Anthony Arvizu. Anyone who doesn't know about the Neptune Blues Club can dig into your back catalog, as there’s a studio album and a bunch of live downloads. How would you describe what they bring to this project?

I guess you could call it “grown-man music.” [laughter] We’re all at an age where we don't have any reason to play together except that we love to do it. That’s how Neptune started: it was like a club where we just got together and played without any real plans. It’s been—what, 10 or 12 years now?—since we first got together and we still love it.

Is the material all written, or will you guys be working things up in the studio?

Uh, yes, and yes. [laughter] We probably already have more than we need, but I’m still finishing some stuff and we’re still working on some things. Whatever floats to the top is what will go on there. There are a couple of cover songs I want to do … but I don't want to give too much away. [laughs]

You’ll be recording at San Francisco’s Tiny Telephone Studios with John Vanderslice at the controls.

I had the chance to work with John for the first time a few months ago–he’s great. He’s so talented and so quick … it just worked really well. I asked him on the spot about doing this album.

And we want folks to know they can get involved and help make it happen by going to your Kickstarter page.

That’s right. People have been really supportive and we appreciate it. I’ve felt like Neptune really hasn’t had its day yet. All we wanted to do in the beginning was just play in some local bars and make people dance—now we’re gonna make some new music and get out there … take it to the people.

A former offshore lobsterman, Brian Robbins had to wait a good four decades or so to write about the stuff he wanted to when he was 15. Today he’s a freelance scribe, cartoonist, photographer and musician. His home on the worldwide inner tube is at brian-robbins.com (And there’s that Facebook thing too.)

Today, GuitarWorld.com presents two new videos featuring North Mississippi Allstars guitarist/vocalist—and former Black Crowes guitarist—Luther Dickinson.

First, you'll find a performance video of "Ain't No Grave," a track from Dickinson's new album, Blues & Ballads (A Folksinger's Songbook Vol. I & II), which was released February 5.

Below that, we present the premiere of an exclusive lesson video for "Ain't No Grave," which Dickinson wrote about the passing of his father, the late, great Memphis music maverick Jim Dickinson. In the clip, Luther talks about the background of the song and shows off some slide techniques.

Blues & Ballads is a retrospective of Luther's life and includes new songs—songs he wrote with North Mississippi Allstars, songs he learned from friends and family, songs passed down to him by his heroes and mentors of the hill country blues scene and songs that have lived in the American subconscious for decades. All of the songs are presented in a similar stripped-down palette of voice, acoustic guitar, drums and some blues fife and Beale Street piano.

"This collection of songs interpreted simply, recorded live, solo or with a small group of friends reflects my relationship between music, songs, the written word and legacy," Luther says. "It celebrates the American oral tradition of blues and folk songs, not only being passed down and evolving but being transcribed (the original recording technique) and entered into the discipline of written sheet music and songbooks.”

While Blues & Ballads has a retrospective flavor, it’s not a greatest hits. It’s a means of translating songs to a new moment, of letting them breathe and take new shapes. Luther is joined on the album by Mavis Staples, Jason Isbell, Jim Lauderdale, JJ Grey, Charles Hodges, Jimbo Mathis, Amy LaVere and Sharde Thomas.

For more about Dickinson and his new album, visit lutherdickinson.com or follow him on Facebook.

We’ve created our own, premiered some great ones, and searched out some really fabulous video finds.

Now we've looked back through 2014 to find our favorite videos from this year.

Check 'em out!

John Butler Performs "How You Sleep At Night" Live

Here's a video filmed live in the Acoustic Nation studio.

It features John Butler performing "How You Sleep At Night," from his album Flesh & Blood.

Before he started he told us this was the first time he'd played this song solo live on acoustic. I'd say this performance was not too shabby!!

The John Butler Trio's Flesh & Blood released February 4, 2014, on Vanguard Records.

Butler is one of the most successful musicians Australia has produced, with three albums reaching number one on the Australian charts. Butler was born in the United States and moved to Australia at an early age. He began playing the guitar at the age of sixteen. In 2002 Butler, along with several partners, formed their own record label. He is also an avid skateboarder and the co-founder of a grant program that seeks to improve artistic diversity in Australia where he resides with his wife and children.

Check out "How You Sleep At Night."

And check out our other video exclusives:

John Butler Performs "Spring To Come" live.

Butler teaches us how to play "Spring To Come" In this exclusive video lesson.

My in depth on camera interview with John Butler live in the Acoustic Nation studio.

15-Year-Old Guitarist Sarah Command Performs Andy McKee and Joe Satriani

We recently came across the talented Command Sisters, and these young ladies kind of blew my mind.

Yes, they sing in lovely harmonies. Yes, they are talented songwriters and performers. But what really caught our eye were the undeniable guitar chops of young Sarah Command. This 15-year-old takes on original music and tackles pieces by masters like Andy McKee and Joe Satriani.

This is, in no way, meant to diminish the contribution of her sister, 18-year-old Charlotte Command, lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist. Together they are captivating; so much so that they recently won a competition sponsored by the John Lennon Songwriting Contest.

Defined as “country with soul” and “edgy/indie country-pop,” they hail from Edmonton in Alberta, Canada. The Command Sisters have already caught the attention of the Nashville scene, earning them a publishing and production deal with renowned producer/songwriter David Mallory. They have won numerous accolades and have performed on stages large and small throughout North America.

Here's Sarah Command playing "Drifting" by Andy McKee:

Here she performs Joe Satriani's "Midnight":

And here she is with Charlotte jamming on an original tune called "Runway":

Find out more at http://www.thecommandsisters.com

The Black Crowes' Rich Robinson Plays Two New Solo Songs

While Rich Robinson might be known primarily for his work with The Black Crowes, his solo work is gaining much attention these days — and for good reason.

With two solo records under his belt already, his release The Ceaseless Sight represents the full maturation of Robinson as a songwriter, a vocalist, and a solo artist.

The album was released June 3 via The End Records.

“I've always approached writing songs for an album as part of a larger work,” says Robinson. “This album as a whole is one piece and how it fits into my whole body of work is the other. My new record follows the path of my musical journey I've been on for 25 years.”

He continues, “I feel a strong connection to where I've been musically, but more importantly where I'm going."

Below, watch Robinson perform two cuts from The Ceaseless Sight live from the Acoustic Nation studio. Enjoy!

"One Road Hill"

"In Comes The Night"

Keep up with Rich Robinson at richrobinson.net.

Semi Precious Weapons Acoustic "Aviation High"

Known for their over-the-top live shows, Semi Precious Weapons pulls influences from a broad musical landscape, fusing their punk edge with high-octane dance and arena-ready pop.

And as graduates of Berklee College of Music, these guys can play, too.

SPW has risen to fame over the last couple years thanks partially to Lady Gaga, who took the band out on the year-and-a-half long Monster Ball tour.

Recently relocating from NYC to Los Angeles, the band teamed up with renowned producer Tricky Stewart, known for his work with Beyonce, Rihanna and Frank Ocean. SPW worked with Stewart writing and recording for much of 2012 and 2013, before putting the finishing touches on their third full length, Aviation.

“Working with our dream producer Tricky Stewart gave us the inspiration to use textures from all the different kinds of music we love, not just straight up rock and roll, which was really freeing,” says frontman Justin Tranter. “It made it so we didn't have rules while writing, it was just about what felt right.”

An evolution of sound, Aviation blends the band’s dance punk and future rock approach with Stewart’s powerful pop and urban influenced production. SPW recently debuted their first single from the record, “Aviation High,” which has been climbing charts since.

Below, the band treats us to an exclusive acoustic backstage performance of the song live in San Francisco, where Tranter is joined by guitarist Stevy Pyne and bassist Cole Whittle (on a Casio SK-1).

For more from Semi Precious Weapons, check out semipreciousweapons.com.

Tommy Emmanuel Does Double Duty on "Hellos and Goodbyes"

Are you seeing double? So am I!

It's Tommy Emmanuel and ... Tommy Emmanuel in a duet with himself!

If you think this might be gimmicky, think again. Emmanuel knows how to deliver an beautifully executed acoustic performance, and this one has double the goodness.

The song, "Hellos and Goodbyes," was written for the album, The Journey, which went double platinum in Australia and won the Aria award for Best Adult Contemporary Album of the Year in 1994.

According to Emmanuel, the title came to him in a dream. The next day, one of his friends called to say his father had died. His sister was in the same hospital and gave birth the same day. "Hellos and Goodbyes" indeed.

Throughout his career, Emmanuel has played with many notable artists including Chet Atkins, Eric Clapton, George Martin and John Denver. He picked up the guitar at age 4 and as you can tell, he hasn't put it down since.

Keep up with Tommy at tommyemmanuel.com.

Watch "Hellos and Goodbyes" here:

GoPro Footage of Mike Dawes Performing "The Impossible"

We've had a bit of fun with incredible guitarist Mike Dawes in 2014.

If you haven't had a chance to check out our exclusive interview or, my favorite, Dawes' one-handed harmonics lesson, please do!

We couldn't resist mounting a GoPro camera on the headstock of Dawes' guitar as he played his original composition, "The Impossible."

We're sharing two versions here, one with a split screen so you can see him straight on and from the neck down, so to speak. This angle gives us an interesting view of his left-hand fingering and right-hand pyrotechnics.

Check 'em both out! Find out more about Dawes at mikedawes.com.

Here's the split-screen video with traditional camera on the right and a GoPro mounted to the headstock on the left:

Here's a version with just the GoPro footage. I think this is freaky enough that I want to see it on the full screen!

Iron Horse Perform Bluegrass Version of Metallica's "Enter Sandman"

Below, check out a video of an Alabama bluegrass band named Iron Horse covering Metallica's "Enter Sandman."

The track is from the band's latest album, Fade to Bluegrass: The Bluegrass Tribute to Metallica, which was released in mid-October 2013 by CMH Records.

Here's some info from the press material:

"Metallica’s thundering drums, heart-pounding guitars and anguished vocals tell the story of people lost in the hustle of modern society. Bluegrass music sings the tale of people stuck between heaven and hell, the farm and the city and love and hate.

"In many ways, Metallica and bluegrass are brothers, one raised in the urban jungle and the other in the country. So what happens when these two estranged siblings get together? Here's the answer. Banjo and mandolin replace electric guitars, and high lonesome harmonies soar in place of growling vocals to create a surprising and moving tribute."

What's truly satisfying is that this is a convincing bluegrass performance with some fine playing by everyone in the band (Note: The guitar solo starts at 1:50) and powerful vocals. These guys are the real deal, and this is not some slapped-together "cute" tribute album.

For more about the album, visit cmhrecords.com. For more about Iron Horse, visit ironhorsebluegrass.com.

Fade to Bluegrass: The Bluegrass Tribute to Metallica Track Listing:

• 01. Unforgiven
• 02. Nothing Else Matters
• 03. Enter Sandman
• 04. Hero Of The Day
• 05. Fade To Black
• 06. One
• 07. Ride The Lightning
• 08. Wherever I May Roam
• 09. Fuel
• 10. The Four Horsemen

Luna Li Performs Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan on the Gayageum, a Traditional Korean Instrument

Check out these videos of a young woman — Luna Lee — performing iconic tracks by Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan on the gayageum, a traditional Korean zither-like instrument.

The gayageum has 12 strings, although some variants have been made with 21 strings. It is probably the best-known traditional Korean musical instrument. (Thank you, Wikipedia!).

First, she tackles Vaughan's "Scuttle Buttin'," followed by Hendrix's "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)." Chances are Luna's a Vaughan fan, since both of these songs appear on his 1984 album, Couldn't Stand the Weather.

For more gayageum videos by Luna, head here. She also covers Hendrix's "Bold As Love" and a few tracks by acoustic guru Tommy Emmanuel.

Guitar Republic, “Funky Sexy Republic”

Here’s a kick ass performance by the acoustic guitar masters of Guitar Republic, “Funky Sexy Republic.”

I can’t stop watching!

Employing every technique you can think of—tapping, plucking, bowing, strumming, and more — this trio of Sergio Altamura, Stefano Barone and Pino Forastiere give it their all!

Hailing from Italy, this trio continues to lend their unique talents to guitar exploration together and individually.

Find out more at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Guitar-Republic/114496445234409?ref=br_tf

Prepare for some awesomeness here:

Kelly Zullo, "When We Get There"

Check out this sick acoustic guitar assault by Kelly Zullo.

It’s the song “When We Get There” from the upcoming January 2015 release.

Here Zullo uses some speedy finger work and hard hitting right hand technique while she sings at the same time. It’s kinda like tapping you head and rubbing your belly on fast forward.

But she makes it look easy.

Zullo shares these thoughts about the song, “Its perspective is based on how we are always striving to either get to our goals, heaven, hell (?) or someplace that will be the reward for our work and development. Essentially, however, we may get there and actually be ‘nowhere.’ Or greater yet, find that this is ‘there.’ It’s meant to convey our yearning for something more solid and stable, over a speedy and complex guitar riff, which is normally the pace of our lives. The verse is a blues meets bluegrass riff and the chorus is a percussive arpeggio of the chords.”

Check it out here:

Recorded at Natalie’s Coal Fired Pizza & Live Music in Columbus, OH on August 26, 2014, Kelly Zullo & The Phunkgrass’ live and honest CD features real time musicianship and crowd rapport. The high energy acoustic guitar stylings of Zullo, violin of Kristen Peters and upright bass contributions of Daniel DeSantis make up the trio formed in Columbus, OH.

Their energetic performance fuses a fast acoustic funk approach to guitar with the purity of what is traditionally a bluegrass accompaniment. The award winning song “Firecracker” is performed with Columbus mega-guitarist Jim Volk.

Find out more at www.kellyzullo.com

Jinx, “Alive”

Here's a surprise in the best possible way!

Jinx's new single "Alive" expertly combines hip-hop, pop, and acoustic guitar for this ebulliently triumphant song. Clappin', slappin', rappin' and acoustic guitar. And some excellently positive lyrics. I simply love everything about it.

You'll need to wait a few seconds for the awesomeness to kick in. But don't give up!

This video for the song was directed by Jon Jon Augustavo, who directed Macklemore's "Thrift Shop," "Can't Hold Us," and "Same Love" music videos.

For updates, please visit: http://www.jinxuniverse.com/

Eliot Bronson, “Just Came Back To Tell You I’m Leaving”

We caught up with singer-songwriter Eliot Bronson in Nashville, TN.

Scheduled to perform later that evening at The Basement, Bronson was gracious enough to give us this special performance in a park across the street from the venue.

Here, the Atlanta, GA-based artist plays us “Just Came Back To Tell You I’m Leaving,” a fiery track from his recently unveiled self titled album.

Produced by Dave Cobb (Sturgill Simpson, Rival Sons, Jason Isbell, Nikki Lane), Eliot Bronson is a vibey, ten-song collection with an uncluttered production aesthetic that highlights Bronson’s songwriting and his achingly beautiful vocals.

Check out “Just Came Back To Tell You I’m Leaving” below and stay tuned for one more live video.

Bronson has a busy tour schedule this fall, and you can view dates and more at www.eliotbronson.com

Metallica Bassist Robert Trujillo's Classical Guitar Chops

OK, so you might be asking yourself, “Why is a metal bass player being featured on Acoustic Nation?” Wait for it.

By now we’re all convinced Robert Trujillo is a monster bassist. The job of providing the low end in Metallica — a band known for their lineage of fantastic bass players — is no easy task. But Trujillo delivers.

What you’ll discover today, however, is that Trujillo’s musicality stretches beyond the bass. That’s right, we’re talking classical guitar maestro over here.

Below, check out Trujillo’s natural flamenco-style playing; it seems guitarist James Hetfield is pretty surprised as well. This footage is included in Metallica’s Making Magnetic DVD.

Trujillo, along with Hetfield and guitarist Kirk Hammett (who, as Hetfield jokingly jabs “is in jeopardy of losing his job”), proceed to work on a song spawned from Trujillo's riffing.

A lover of flamenco guitar, Trujillo has been seen on stage jamming with classical guitar virtuosos Rodrigo y Gabriela. Perhaps another video for another time.

Enjoy!

See what Metallica is up to at metallica.com.

Fatai's Acoustic Cover of "Chandelier"

Here is a lovely acoustic version of the pop song “Chandelier,” originally performed by Sia.

This sumptuous version by Fatai gives new meaning to the song, infusing it with heartfelt longing supported by some sweet fingerstyle guitar.

Fatai Veamatahau is from Melbourne, Australia and was a semi-finalist of "The Voice Australia 2012."

This very talented musician is now signed to Universal Music Australia - Mercury Records.

Fatai began singing professionally with her family from the age of seven. In 2009, she began a solo career, singing to audiences at various festivals and community events

Find out more at https://www.facebook.com/FataiMusic

Rodrigo y Gabriela, "The Soundmaker"

Hopefully by now you’ve watched our exclusive interview with acoustic guitar duo Rodrigo y Gabriela.

In the 3-part series, Guitar World’s Jimmy Brown chats with Rod y Gab about songwriting, gear, and their latest release, 9 Dead Alive.

Watch the interview here.

Perhaps their most explosive and thrilling release to date, the record captures Rodrigo y Gabriela bursting with melodic and rhythmic invention.

Opening track “The Soundmaker” is evidence of this raw energy.

Below, be treated to an exclusive performance of the song, right from our studio!

Check out 9 Dead Alive tour dates and much more at rodgab.com.

Trevor Hall “Wish Man”

Singer songwriter Trevor Hall surprised his fans with the sudden release of his 12-track album Chapter of the Forest on June 17.

And now the wonderfully good surprises continue!

This one is a live acoustic video filmed at DeathStar Studios in Los Angeles. In it, Hall shares the story behind the song and then performs a live solo acoustic version.

This soul searching song easily showcases Hall’s talent as a songwriter. But what I truly love is that this performance is somewhat Springsteen-like in its urgency and heartfelt intensity.

Hall shares, “"Wish Man" is about being in the here and now. It's about recognizing the hidden angels of the earth and seeing the Divine in all people.”

View it here:

Stevie Ray Vaughan “Lost Acoustic Blues”

If you want to see or hear Stevie Ray Vaughan playing acoustic guitar, you have limited options.

There's his 1990 MTV Unplugged appearance, his posthumously released recording of "Life by the Drop," "Oreo Cookie Blues" (a 1985 Lonnie Mack recording) — and, well, maybe a few other dribs and draps here and there.

Which is why this recently posted clip of Vaughan — you never see his face in the video, but come on — playing 12-bar blues in E (of course, it's really in Eb) on a six-string acoustic guitar is pretty special. The clip is titled "Lost Acoustic Blues."

According to the info posted along with the video, the source is a 1987 French radio and TV interview. The clip was posted to YouTube in May 2013. Sorry we didn't notice it till now!

And speaking of "Oreo Cookie Blues," check out a live clip of Vaughan and Mack performing the slow-blues piece in the mid-Eighties (bottom video). You can find the original studio recording of the tune on Mack's Strike Like Lightning album. For more about Vaughan's many guest appearances, check out The Top Five Studio Guest Appearances by Stevie Ray Vaughan.

LP, “Night Like This” Backstage Video

We had the privilege of hanging with the supremely talented LP backstage at the Warfield Theater in San Francisco.

And of course, we jumped at the chance to catch a live performance of her new, fabulous song, “Night Like This."

From her new album Forever For Now, this song exemplifies the core of LP’s creative genius – equally superb as a solo ukulele performance or with full production.

Check out our exclusive video here. And tomorrow, we’ll be posting a video that shows YOU how to play this song!!

Find out more at iamlp.com

Taylor Guitars' Andy Powers Performs "Light of Day" on Six New 800 Series Guitars

Taylor Guitars master builder Andy Powers is not only a revolutionary guitar designer, but a skilled player as well.

Below, he demonstrates the unique sounds and textures of six new 800 Series models.

While all 800 Series models share fundamental tonal qualities, according to Taylor, "each body style features unique design nuances that accentuate the guitar's sonic strengths."

The video below is an ideal way to hear these nuances. While the 818e's Grand Orchestra shape offers a big, full sound for open chords, a model like the 812ce 12-Fret possesses a slightly darker, punchier quality that's well-suited for melodic work.

Watch below as Powers demonstrates these models, as well as the 814ce, 816ce, 812ce and 810e.

If you're looking to get your hands on one of Taylor's new 800 Series guitars, this video is a great place to start!

Find out more about the new 800 Series at taylorguitars.com

Jake Shimabukuro “Ukulele 5-0” and “Dragon”

You might think that ukulele is just a simple instrument perfect for strumming little ditties. I did.

But Jake Shimabukuro proved me wrong!

Perhaps best known for his renditions of Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” and George Harrison’s “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” on ukulele, Shimabukuro can be described as no less than a master musician.

Recently he released a concert DVD, Grand Ukulele: Live in Boulder, that showcases his live performance prowess.

Recorded live at the Boulder Theater in Colorado, the DVD features material from Jake's 2012 album Grand Ukulele, which garnered praise for its “intricate originals and shrewdly arranged pop covers” (NY Times). I agree. After checking it out myself, I found it pretty fabulous.

We were lucky enough to spend some time with Jake recently in the Acoustic Nation studio, where we talked, he played and we even jammed for a minute or two!

Here, let Shimbukuro blow your mind with these incredible in studio live performances:

Here he plays his original, “Ukulele 5-0”

Check out his song “Dragon.” Here he uses some effects pedals and a looper. Incredible!

Shimabukuro is currently touring widely. Check out his tour schedule and more at http://jakeshimabukuro.com

Here's one for the Eric Clapton fans.

Black Crowes guitarist Rich Robinson and his band kicked off their summer tour this past Saturday night at Sweetwater Music Hall in Mill Valley, California.

Their set included a cover of Derek and the Dominos' "Got to Get Better in a Little While." You can check out some fan-filmed footage of the song below.

Robinson performed this song — which was written by Clapton — 21 times in 2006 with the Black Crowes and has made it a regular part of his solo band's set.

The five-piece band is touring to support Robinson's new album, The Ceaseless Sight, which will be released June 3. You can check out a track list below.

Set List:

• 01. I Know You
• 02. Down The Road
• 03. Its Not Easy
• 04. Station Man
• 05. Standing On The Surface
• 06. Laila II
• 07. One Road Hill
• 08. Lost And Found
• 09. In Comes The Night
• 10. I Remember
• 11. Bye Bye Baby
• 12. Look Through My Window
• 13. Got To Get Better In A Little While
• 14. Gone Away

Encore:
15. Oh! Sweet Nuthin'
16. Know Me

We recently had the privilege of sitting down with renowned guitarist, songwriter, and co-founder of seminal rock act The Black Crowes, Rich Robinson.

A superb musician and a great guy to chat with, we spent a few minutes talking about his upcoming solo release, The Ceaseless Sight, due out June 3 on The End Records.

Robinson already has two solo studio albums to his credit, the first, Paper, came in 2004 while his follow-up, Through a Crooked Sun, arrived in 2011.

“I've always approached writing songs for an album as part of a larger work,” says Robinson. “This album as a whole is one piece and how it fits into my whole body of work is the other. My new record follows the path of my musical journey I've been on for 25 years. I feel a strong connection to where I've been musically, but more importantly where I'm going."

Robinson formed the The Black Crowes with his older brother Chris in Atlanta in the 1980s. At the age of 17, Robinson began writing the music for the songs that would land on the band’s 1990 debut album, Shake Your Money Maker, which sold 7 million copies.

Over the next 10 years, Rich’s songwriting evolved into the musical engine that powered the band to sales of more than 25 million albums. Before taking a hiatus in 2001, the Crowes catalog included classics like The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion, Amorica, By Your Side, and Live at the Greek: Excess All Areas, a double album that captured the teaming of Jimmy Page and The Black Crowes for performances of Led Zeppelin, Crowes and blues and rock standards.

Here Acoustic Nation editor Laura B. Whitmore sat down with Robinson to talk about the new album, his gear and more.

Part 1: The Ceaseless Sight and the creation of the new album.

Part 2: Tone, gear, and more.

Keep up with Rich Robinson at www.richrobinson.net/

See live performance videos of Rich Robinson in the Acoustic Nation studio here>>

While Rich Robinson might be known primarily for his work with The Black Crowes, his solo work is gaining much attention these days – and for good reason.

With two solo records under his belt already, his upcoming release The Ceaseless Sight represents the full maturation of Robinson as a songwriter, a vocalist, and a solo artist.

The album is slated for release June 3 via The End Records.

“I've always approached writing songs for an album as part of a larger work,” says Robinson. “This album as a whole is one piece and how it fits into my whole body of work is the other. My new record follows the path of my musical journey I've been on for 25 years.”

He continues, “I feel a strong connection to where I've been musically, but more importantly where I'm going."

Below, watch Robinson perform two cuts from The Ceaseless Sight live from the Acoustic Nation studio. Enjoy!

"One Road Hill"

"In Comes The Night"

Keep up with Rich Robinson at richrobinson.net.

If a musician grew up in the South during the '70s, it was almost impossible for him or her to avoid falling under the spell of Lynyrd Skynyrd.

Such was the case for bassist Johnny Colt, who was born in North Carolina and spent his early years in Georgia.

Colt got his break as a member of another huge band from the South, the Black Crowes. After a stint with Train, Colt now finds himself onstage with his childhood heroes, Lynyrd Skynyrd, the band he joined after the death of longtime bassist Leon Wilkeson.

We recently caught up with Colt as the band celebrates its 40th anniversary.

GUITAR WORLD: You're one of the newer members of Lynyrd Skynyrd. How did you get introduced to the band and wind up replacing Leon Wilkeson?

The story of me joining is a little strange. I had left the music business and became a conflict journalist. The conflict journalism started for me in the Gulf and the oil spill. When Skynyrd needed a new bass player, they knew me from the Black Crowes. They had seen footage of me in the Gulf in a steam boat being chased by a police. [Lynyrd Skynyrd's] Rickey [Medlocke] and Gary [Rossington] were sort of like, “That’s rock and roll, we need that guy playing bass for us!” — and they called me.

I had a deal with CNN and had no intention of going back to the music business, but you know, it’s Lynyrd Skynyrd. When you grow up in Atlanta, joining Lynyrd Skynyrd is like joining the Rolling Stones.

They’re just legends, just incredible musicians, and as you know, musically you get better as you get older. It’s not a sport. So when I visited them the first time in the studio, I wondered how they would be, what kind of shape they'd be in, what was happening with Lynyrd Skynyrd at that point. They were in the studio working on Last of a Dying Breed at the time. I saw Gary play guitar and I just hung with them. It sounds kind of corny, but in a way it was just kind of like coming home.

You mentioned being a kid from Atlanta — and now you're playing with Skynyrd, which happens to feature the singer from Blackfoot [Rickey Medlocke]. It doesn’t get much better than that.

It really doesn’t.

In terms of the Black Crowes, did you play with them from the beginning through Three Snakes and One Charm?

Yeah, through I guess that live box set that came out. That’s me on that. On most of the records people know, I’m in the band. I was with them for 10 years.

You also did a stint with Train, which is a bit different, musically speaking. How did that happen?

What happened with Train is, the guy who produced their records at the time was Brendan O’Brien. He produced Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Bruce Springsteen and Stone Temple Pilots. I had met Pat [Monahan], who is the singer for Train and an exceptional singer. I mean the guy has all the talent you can ask for in a singer. Because he comes from Pennsylvania, he’s got a work ethic. He comes from Erie. You know, it’s lunch pail; he’s just got this drive.

I had met him before, and I really respected everything about the way the band functioned: how they toured, they kept it real, they were bringing their money home, they had kids, they were grown-ups, they were professionals. That means a lot to me after what I had gone through with the Crowes. So I already liked the talent in the band and I liked the work ethic and the attitude. The music was definitely very different. So basically what happened was they lost their bass player unexpectedly and they had an entire fourth quarter of the year touring set up, so they needed a guy who could show up and play their whole set without a rehearsal.

Not easy.

No, it’s not. So I was busy at the time, again. I leave the music business and do something else and I just get pulled back. It’s like the mob. I was out doing something else, and Brendan called me and said can you help these guys out? For Pat and Train, I said sure. And what happened was I showed up and I played the whole set, and it is different music, but there’s a lot of Train music I love. I’m a huge fan of their first record.

But the truth is, we walked out, I hit the first note, Pat opened his mouth and started singing and it was like wow, he’s so much better live than he is on his records. That doesn’t happen very often. Then I looked out at the audience and it was like 4,000 women, and you know what occurred to me? We’re talking about all kinds of women. These are attractive people, smart people, people you want to date. And I said to myself, damn. At that point I’d been married like 15 years. And I was like, why couldn’t I have played in a sweater rock band when I was 20 and I could have done something about this? This is awesome.

So I intended to just stay for four weeks of touring. But they were great guys, and I ended up staying for six or seven years. But I’ll tell you what: My days in the Black Crowes took a few brain cells, so the amount of time, I’m not certain, but definitely more than five years in Train. It kind of flew by, really.

You mentioned you grew up in Atlanta, and now you're a member of Skynyrd. Was there a time where you went from hero worship to being colleagues or buddies? Was it hard to make that transition?

I’ll tell you, I hope this doesn’t sound arrogant, but the way it is, when we started in the Crowes, you have hero worship, definitely. There’s no way around it. But we opened for Aerosmith and I was around Joe Perry. I spent time with Jimmy Page. In the early days I spent some serious time with Robert Plant. He was a super-cool guy that wanted to spend time with you on tour. Keith Richards, you know, we did an entire Stones tour in Europe. So I was a little desensitized to that part.

But this is the part I wasn’t prepared for. I wasn’t prepared for the songs. Some Lynyrd Skynyrd songs are literally the backdrop of America. Songs like “Simple Man” and “Free Bird” and “Alabama." I wasn’t prepared for how emotional the crowd gets during the songs. I wasn’t prepared for how emotional I became playing them the first few times. Nor was I prepared for the heaviness of the legacy to where you’re playing “Free Bird” and there’s Leon’s name on the backdrop, Steve’s name, obviously Ronnie, Steve Gaines and Allen Collins, of course, and everybody else.

When it comes to being around the people themselves, Gary is an incredibly humble and likeable kind of guy, and he doesn’t have to be. That guy has been through it all, has done it all, and he couldn’t make you feel more at home. Between Johnny, Rickey and Gary, they’re Southern in a way I grew up with. It kind of feels like I’m around my family, my relatives. They are almost 20 years older than me, Gary and Rickey. It feels like family.

Gary’s slide guitar playing gives me goosebumps. I stand right next to him. I’m playing some of the most important songs of my life, and obviously the most important songs of many people’s lives, standing next to the guy who wrote them, and the guitar playing is better than ever. It’s pretty incredible.

You can catch Johnny Colt on tour with Lynyrd Skynyrd through October, culminating with the second Simple Man Cruise in Miami on October 20. For more information, visit lynyrdskynyrd.com and johnnycolt.com.

John Katic is a writer and podcaster who founded the Iron City Rocks Podcast in 2009. It features interviews with countless rock, hard rock, metal and blues artists. In 2013, he started Heavy Metal Bookclub, a podcast and website devoted to hard rock and metal books.