Murder of one

Celebrated
for creating and single-handedly keeping rough ‘n’ tumble rock music alive with
The Black Crowes, singer Chris Robinson has begun a new chapter without his bluesy,
black bird buddies. Robinson recently released New Earth Mud, a laid-back, evocative piece that burns with his
trademark, soulful wail, while showcasing slightly deeper lyrical introspection
and earthier grooves than the Crowes’ rockin’ mayhem. You know how every Crowes
album had at least one mellow-down-easy tune? Well, this album is full of ’em.

            I gave Robinson a jingle up in his
Chicago hotel room. He was as cool as I’d hoped he’d be, thoroughly answering
all my questions with candor and humor, even over-asked queries, like this
one….

City: I’m gonna start off with a question
you’re probably sick of hearing. Are The Crowes finished?

            Robinson:
I’d say yes, for more practical purposes. I haven’t really spoken to
anyone. I think it’s just one of those things, you know? There’s some times
that I probably wish it had ended better. Part of growing up is realizing that
when you’re kids, you think you can change things — with people, not with
bigger concepts.

            City: But
it ended on such a high note, with that double live album [The Black Crowes
Live]. It’s not like you guys petered out and got embarrassing.

            Robinson:
If anything, we circumvented that by doing it now. I’ve had a lot of people
go, “Well, were you afraid to leave the Crowes, something so successful, and
start all over?” And I was like, “Well, the fear decision would have been to
stay in the Crowes, to keep doing something that wasn’t making me as happy as
it used to.”

            City: But
there can’t be any Black Crowes without your voice. Other than your brother’s
guitar playing, you were the focal point.

            Robinson:
Yeah, but I think on my part, I always tried to shift the focus, even
during our very early commercial success, to being a band. Someone the other day had Rolling
Stone, and I was like, “I don’t remember the last time a whole band was on
the cover.”

            City: Now
it’s some chick’s belly button.

            Robinson:
Yeah, or some boy-band shit with the shirt off

            City:
So, between Shake Your
Money Maker and New Earth Mud, what’s happened? Is this a change or was
it always brewing?

            Robinson:
I
think it’s always been there. For my first solo record, I wanted to make a
really understated statement. I didn’t really feel like I wanted to go and have
any big guitars. I really wanted it to feel intimate. I wanted it to feel real
grassroots, and that’s how I’ve started this thing with the acoustic tour. I’m
just not interested in any of the accoutrement of the music business.

            City:
Do you think people just wanted more
of the same?

            Robinson:
I think that people in my position, usually the first thing they do is go
out and compete with what they were. To me, it’s always about what I am and
where I’m going, as opposed to what I’ve done.

            City:
Have you met any resistance?

Robinson:
I
don’t think so. Obviously, the record companies want to do what’s easiest. We
live in an age where a little bit of vision is rare. People want to make it
easy for themselves across the board. That’s why record sales are down and play
lists are stale. That’s why, on video outlets like VH-1 and MTV, there’s no
music. Who wants to watch Tommy Lee redecorate someone’s house? There’s a lot
of great music happening right now and none of it is being represented in the
popular outlets.

City: Through the Crowes, and now solo,
you’ve sustained classic rock. How come it isn’t more popular?

            Robinson:
I think two things. Number one, I think it’s easier for these corporate
entities to keep signing bands and keep churning out the same half-assed crap
from all these one-word bands. I not talking about The White Stripes or The
Strokes; if anything, I appreciate what they’re trying to do. Now, where they
go from here, will be the litmus test.

            I think, on the other hand, you’ve
got really corporate bands, so busy trying to please, calling themselves
alt-rock or metal or whatever, and they’re doing Pepsi commercials. When
everything is validated by its commercial success, then there’s no content.

            When you talk about the things I
aspire to, my ambitions lie in selling millions of records. I want to be successful,
but what I think separates me is my desire for my independence.

            I read an article in Mojo recently where Carlos Santana said,
“You just can’t make a record and tell them to deal with it.” And I’m like,
“Maybe you can’t, because look at
your last two records. Granted, you sold billions of records, but you lost the
respect of anyone who ever really loved what you did.”

            So, now you
have all these kinda fair-weather fans. If you need to go get some teenage girl
who’s made one album to validate your 20-, 30-year career, man, that’s sad. I’m not taking anything away from
these kids who are starting off, it’s just sad that’s the way we live. You
can’t water down soul, but you can fool people where unreal things seem real
for a while. That’s why these bands come and go so quickly.

            Kids don’t go to concerts any more,
and to be honest, I don’t see why they would. I mean, if a DJ can hold your
attention — that and bad drugs. That’s coming from me, someone who, in my
day, was very drug-oriented. Man, if ecstasy makes techno music sound good, I
want nothing to do with it. That’d be like taking acid and wanting to be a
Republican. I don’t get it. It doesn’t compute

            City:
Did the New Earth Mud band exist
already?

            Robinson:
Paul
[Stacey, New Earth Mud guitarist and producer] and I had been discussing it for
a couple of years, and we just kinda got this group together. It’s a lucky
thing for me, where I’ve met these people over the years. I know how talented
they are, and everyone can bring something unique to the table. We have such a
good vibe. We rehearsed last November in Malibu and it just clicked. I couldn’t
have been happier.

            City:
The Rochester show is going to be a
full electric show?

            Robinson:
Yeah, this is the full electric band. The big blues, country, psychedelic,
jazz-odyssey machine that we have going on. We play a little over three hours.

            City: How much effect has marriage had on your
image or perspective? You know, the cult of celebrity?

            Robinson:
To me, celebrity is about as uninteresting as anything. What’s interesting
to me is the work. The same thing goes for my wife [actress Kate Hudson]. For
us, it’s just a byproduct of something we love to do. My wife is incredibly
talented and a special, special person, so she’s going to garner that
attention. But the most interesting thing about her professional life is her
work.

            You know, it’s funny, ’cause it gets
back to these bands: “You make a lot of money and you’ll be famous and your
life will change.” Well, that comes and goes like the wind.

This article appears in Feb 19-25, 2003.