Chris and Rich Robinson find common ground
The Black Crowes founding brothers Chris and Rich Robinson have had massive success along with their share of well-documented infighting.
Their career-long drama was captured perfectly in a statement: “Following decades marked by sex, drugs, fights, breakups, and divorce, ‘Happiness Bastards' finds the brothers leaving their bull---- behind and leaning into their creative common ground to deliver their most compelling work to date.”
With the release of “Happiness Bastards,” their 10th studio album and their first original release in 15 years, Chris Robinson says the brothers are in a good place – and it shows. The album is full of tunes charged with the same energy as the band's 1990 smash debut album, “Shake Your Money Maker.”
“We've been through so much, and the last couple of years have been fantastic personally and professionally,” Chris Robinson told The Tennessean. “To be in the swing of things with the band that Rich and I started in 1985 in Atlanta is amazing.”
He added that with time and perspective comes acceptance and availability to others.
“I think egos and money and all those things, it's hard to see them when you're in the storm of it,” Robinson said, “but once you get some time past it, or a different perspective, then it means it starts to mean something else.”
Reunited and it feels so good
The brothers reunited in 2019 after a second several-years-long hiatus to perform more than 150 shows in celebration of the 30th anniversary of “Shake Your Money Maker.” Revisiting their first album would provide the creative fuel for their latest project.
Rich Robinson said that after the band made “Money Maker,” they almost missed how profound and impactful that project actually was.
“Once we made ‘Shake Your Money Maker' we kind of put it under our belt and kept going,” Robinson told The Tennessean from his home in Franklin. “We almost ran away from it, but we love that record. So after all this time, to focus on that record and play it in its entirety every night was eye-opening. It struck a chord with us and we brought that into this album. It kind of made us refocus, and there's something so cool about that.”
10 tracks, including a duet with Lainey Wilson
Both brothers agree the name of this album is meant to be “cheeky” but is telling of the state of the brothers' relationship. “We're happy now, but we're still bastards,” Rich Robinson says.
“Happiness Bastards” has everything a Black Crowes fan would want. Wellwritten songs, soulful, bluesy riffs, energy-laden guitars, harmonicas, rich backing vocals and an overall festive vibe. The opening lick of “Bedside Manners” immediately sets the tone that the brothers aren't messing around.
“We finally got to a place where we're surrounded by a great team of people who really want to help facilitate Rich and I's relationship,” Chris Robinson said. “It's just a way more positive environment than where we were. We both know we're capable of negativity, and we both know we're capable of being positive, and being positive is giving us so many more gifts.”
Rich Robinson added that while the end result digs deep into the band's roots, it isn't the result of a plan to make that happen.
“I like to write, and I write what comes” he said. “I don't limit myself to trying to write a type of song, or a song that sounds a certain way, I just literally write. And if something moves me, I'll kind of finish it and send it to Chris. So that's all I did. He would listen to it and be like, ‘Oh, this is cool. I'm gonna write something to this.' But none of it was formal and none of it was for any reason.”
One track on the album, “Wilted Rose,” features Grammy-winner Lainey Wilson. The feature was the product of a decades-long relationship with fellow ‘90s rocker-turned-country artist Darius Rucker.
Rich Robinson said the Black Crowes grew up with Rucker as Hootie & the Blowfish rose to fame at the same time as the Crowes.
“We were in the same regional music scene,” he said. “They were in Charleston and we were in Atlanta. But we did the CMT Awards with Darius and it was cool to reconnect with him. Lainey was there and she was just a sweetheart and incredibly talented, so when the idea came up, listening to the voice she brings makes it work really well. It feels really special to have her.”
“Happiness Bastards” was released March 15 and band is set to embark on an extensive tour that kicked off in Nashville at the Grand Ole Opry House on April 2.