The Black Crowes

Martin Cooper checks out the southern boogie sound of The Black Crowes, formed by Georgia brothers Rich and Chris Robinson.

The Black Crowes formed in 1984, and released their debut album Shake Your Money Maker in 1990. The band has had numerous line-up changes over the years, but has always been built around the Robinson brothers, Rich on guitar and vocalist Chris. The band took influence from fellow Georgians REM, plus southern rock acts like Lynyrd Skynyrd, with a healthy nod towards The Rolling Stones and Aerosmith. After turning down initial record label offers, the Crowes eventually signed to A&M, and went into the studio with producer George Drakoulias to record the debut album. By the time Shake Your Money Maker had run its course, it had sold more than five million units, and the band recently announced a 2020 tour to celebrate its 30th anniversary. Follow-up albums didn’t manage to match these sales, but the band has managed to keep a loyal following over three decades.

During their heyday they opened for the likes of ZZ Top, as well as being on the Monsters Of Rock European bill alongside

Queensryche, AC/DC and Mötley Crüe. One of their career highlights was shows in Los Angeles and New York in 1999, where they were joined for the evening by Jimmy Page.

Rich Robinson’s guitar style (along with Marc Ford who has also featured in the line-up over the years) is heavily influenced by The Allman Brothers, and Robinson has also said that Fleetwood Mac legend Peter Green is his favourite guitarist of all time.

The track this month is written in the key of G Major (G-A-B-C-D-E-F#) as far as the chart is concerned, but is built around the G Mixolydian mode (G-A-B-C-D-E-F) for most of the rhythm part, and G Minor

Bb-

Pentatonic (G- C-D-F) for the solo. This generally gives the song a ‘Major’ sound, but combined with a bluesy Southern feel.

It’s not difficult to play, but will involve pick and with fingers, keeping more than one ear on what the other instruments in the arrangement are doing, and also playing with a relaxed feel throughout.

Rich Robinson often plays in open G with the strings tuned D-G-D-G-B-D (low to high), but the track this month was recorded in standard E-A-D-G-B-E tuning.

NEXT MONTH Martin checks out the playing of Scott Holiday and his LA band Rival Sons

RICH ROBINSON IS HEAVILY INFLUENCED BY THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BUT HAS SAID THAT PETER GREEN IS HIS FAVOURITE GUITARIST OF ALL TIME

Rich Robinson with his Gibson signature ES-335 model

Rich Robinson has used classic guitars such as Gibson SG, ES-335, and Fender Telecaster, plus Vox AC30 amps. Effects include tape delay, tremolo and Univibe. Try for that classic southern rock sound, with plenty of fuzzy bite, but not too much saturation. Use the above settings with a light overdrive pedal, or crank the gain to 7, with light delay for some sparkle.