When it comes to American rock music, you’d be hard-pressed to find a more talented and sonically important act than The Black Crowes. Thankfully, in recent years, the Robinson brothers (Chris and Rich) have patched things up and put their storied music right back where it belongs — in front of a raucous live audience. 

Formed in Atlanta in 1984, the Crowes became a juggernaut rock outfit through the end of the 20th century — a heady blend of southern rock and the blues — only to parlay that into a legacy of poignant lyrics, razor-sharp guitar licks and thunderous drums-n-bass that has stood the test of time for over 40 years and counting.

And in a modern era where playing actual instruments and rockin’ out at a mainstream level seems all but lost, it is the Crowes that remain the inspiration (the ways and means) by which current and future generations of rock-n-rollers will embrace and set their own course through that same template of melodic blood, sweat and tears.

With the Crowes touring again, The Smoky Mountain News is looking back at some conversations we’ve had with the siblings over the years. This includes in-depth interviews with Rich (2014) and Chris (2016), with both interactions talking about their solo projects at the time.

Smoky Mountain News: With the current popularity of EDM (electronic dance music), what do you think about an audience that is focused more on gimmicks than on real musicianship?

Rich Robinson: It doesn’t worry me — kids are going to like what they like. You can’t force anyone to like something. The bummer is that they’re missing out on something that is far more authentic and sincere. For me, and this is just my opinion, these people get up there and take other people’s music and speed it up or slow it down and add really shitty beats and bad lighting to it.

SMN: And the audience can lose that sense of musicianship, where the beauty of live performance is patience and tension as you watch a band jam out.

RR: There’s no such thing as musicianship [with EDM]. There was this DJ playing after a show recently and I’m like, “This is what you’ve chosen to do?” 

By quantizing the beats per minute, it’s just becoming mathematical and there’s no ebb and flow. They’re not picking any deep songs, and even if they did they’d mess it up by putting some shit over it. You’re not exposing anyone to anything greater than yourself. It’s just really the lowest common denominator.

In some ways, I think rock and roll is becoming rebellious again. That getting up there and playing a loud guitar is offensive again. It’s really interesting to see that the most rebellious music, which was rock and roll on a worldwide scale, when that music came out it created a huge shift, then it became bought out and “Who cares?” and was in kid’s shows and in commercials, and it now has slid into this niche market where nobody really gets it but “Who cares?” 

But, there are some rock and roll bands out there, like Rival Sons and Blackberry Smoke, and it is coming back and it is rebellious again.

SMN: It feels like you’re in a place where folks are either on the Chris Robinson Brotherhood train or they’re not, and you’ll keep doing what you’re doing, regardless.

Chris Robinson: I’m the luckiest person in the world to have had any commercial success early. But, yeah, you’re right, I didn’t set out in my life to build a wooden ship. We’re at the end of five years touring, and now that we have our rhythm section down, I think we feel we did build a table, and now we need to get the tablecloth, the candles and the chairs.

With this new [CRB] record, we kind of discussed it being a little more laid back, acoustic and earthy. But, it’s funny, because I think the more-earthy we go, the more outer space we get. And I’m always writing or working on some song. If you stop paying your due respect to the muse, the muse will leave you, and you’ll have nothing to say. 

SMN: It’s like that Steve Prefontaine quote, “To give less than your best, is to sacrifice the gift.”

CR: I totally hear you. At the end of the day, I don’t take it lightly. And what I mean by that is, I respect and I understand and listen. I like songwriting and it’s important to me. Being a musician, being part of this tradition, is a deep humbling experience because of the people who have moved me in great times of joy, and in great times of pain. That continues to be part of my life, which is besides making music, I also continue to be inspired by it. 

SMN: And with The Black Crowes, the band did slowly shift more towards to the jam scene as it went along. But now, with CRB, it seems you have been completely embraced by that scene…

CR: For me, it was about more music. I could see as I was getting older, I didn’t feel like that person I was in my 20s, or even in my 30s, with what I wanted to do with my music.

You know, one of the main things that inspired me about the Grateful Dead was the ability to exist outside the mainstream. They were like a tribe that had good relationships with the conquering people. But, they made their own decisions and did it their own way. It was a place they invented — in the physical world and in their minds.

Their music and message was a way to get away from those depressing things, and for me back then it was living in big suburban Atlanta. 

SMN: What has a life immersed in music taught you about what it means to be a human being?

CR: To me, it has taught me about being full circle. It reinvigorates my initial belief that we’re all part of the same sort of cosmic consciousness. We’re all part of this living organism that is the surrounding universe. Even on a rainy night in Davenport, Iowa, with not many people there at the show, you can have your own moment of sweet bliss.

Want to go?

Rock legends The Black Crowes will hit the stage at 9 p.m. Friday, July 25 at the Harrah’s Cherokee Resort Event Center in Cherokee.

Tickets start at $72.45 per person. For more information and/or to purchase tickets, visit caesars.com/harrahs-cherokee/shows.