The Black Crowes would rise to promincnec in the early 90’s thanks to the one two
hit of 1990’s Shake Yer Moneymaker and 1992’s The Southern Harmony & Musical Companion,
but along the way they also created some bad blood with the band’s they toured with.
That’s what we’re going to explore in today’s video.
Early on in their career the Black Crowes would establish themselves as an anti-establishment
band.
It was in January of 1991 the band was supposed to open for ZZ Top all the way until may of
the same year.
The Black Crowes weren’t happy that Miller Brewing were one of the corporate sponsors
behind the tour.
In March of 1991 trouble started when frontman Chris Robinson quipped during one concert
according to the LA Times “This is live rock ‘n’ roll being brought to you commercial
free.”
It would be ZZ Top’s management Houston-based management company, Lone Wolf Productions,
who warned Robinson to stop making comments during the band’s set about corporate sponsorship
of the tour.
The band’s management went as far as to threaten to fire the group from the tour which
they did when Robinson didn’t stop criticizing Miller’s involvement.
The band was booted two nights into a three night stop in what was supposed ot be their
homecoming shows in Atlanta, Georgia.
Lone Wolf Production would put out a statement to the LA Times revealing “This decision
was arrived at entirely within this organization and not as has been suggested as a result
of corporate pressure,”.
“Miller Brewing has been a partner in this tour since its inception and has been very
accommodating to ZZ Top and has asked absolutely nothing of the opening acts which have appeared.
It is out of a sense of common decency and courtesy coupled with a moral and ethical
obligation that this action has been taken.”
Robinson would appear on rockline and gave his version of events telling MTV “I can
understand them being defensive about corporate sponsorship.
But we’re not sponsored by anyone.
We’re the Black Crowes.
We’re sponsored by ourselves.”
Aerosmith Another band the Black Crowes toured with
on their first record was Aerosmith who were experiencing a career resurgence.
As part of the Pump tour the Black Crowes opened up a series of show for the band.
But the band was quickly fired from the tour after the first show as Chris Robinson stated
here.
That wasn’t the
only issue as frontman Chris Robinson was disappointed to learn that Aerosmith frontman
Steven Tyler who was one of his heroes growing up used backing tapes during live shows.
Robinson would tell Rolling Stone "If you're an entertainer and you take it seriously,
you entertain with your natural abilities,"You go onstage and take a chance like everyone
else.
People say to us, 'Man, I heard some bad notes in your set tonight.'
Well, fucking-A right you heard some bad notes.
You saw a real band tonight, didn't you?"
The band was initially fired from the tour after the opening night as Chris Robinson
stated here.
His brother Rich would defend Chris telling Rolling stone "All Chris said is, he’s disappointed
because great bands he’s loved all his life were made to resort to using tapes in concert,"
Rich told Rolling Stone, "and it bums him out because he feels they’re better than
that.
It didn't come off sounding that way, but it disappointed him and made him look at the
world and think, 'Man, things are fucked up; the music industry is just for shit.'"
But things seemed to be patched up years later when Robinson revealed he had run into Joe
Perry in Boston when they were staying at the same hotel.
Robinson would end up playing on Perry’s solo record at the time Sweetzerland Manifesto.
Blues Traveler This is perhaps one of my favourite feuds.
This one dates back to teh mid 90’s when the Black Crowes were touring with Blues Traveler
as part of the Horde Festival.
The festival was started by Blues Traveler as a sort of answer to Lolapalooza, and it
ran from 1992 to 1998..
It was the 1995 incarnation of the festival that the Black Crowes headlined the festival
and while the band’s initially seemed ot get along, their dirty laundry would be aired
years later on the howard stern show when both Blues Traveler and Black Crowes were
booked teh same morning.
Popper would appeared on the air first and.
A lot of the interview dealt with Popper’s recent weight loss after undergoing a stomach
stapling operation.
Towards the end of Popper’s appearance Stern mentioned that the Black Crowes were coming
on next and asked Popper about the reported feud between the two parties.
Popper would claim he didn’t know why Chris Robinson hated him and brought up an incident
where they were both sitting in with warren haynes at the fillmore and haynes would take
popper to the side and tell him Robinson was in and i quote “a real mood” and told
Popper he won’t come on stage until he leaves.
Popper would go on to say that Chris Robinson was and i quote “the only real dick he’s
ever met in rock n ‘roll.”
band.
Stern’s producer Baba Booey would shuffle back and forth between the green room where
the Black Crowes were waiting and the studio where Popper was talking to Stern.
After Popper left Robinson would come into the studio and tell Howard’s producer baba
booey that Blues Traveler were and i quote “a novelty act.” and then Popper started
to throw some insults Robinson’s way
as you can see here.
It seemed like it was all water under the bridge years later as John Popper appeared
on sirius xm and talked about running into Chris
at
the airport.
That does it for todays video guys thanks for watching.
Be sure to hit the like button and subscribe and we’ll see you again on rock n’ roll
true stories.