the black crowes
i was first introduced to (the music of) the black crowes in 1990. a sophomore at SDSU, i vividly remember driving to earth day / balboa park, with my college buddy devon thaggard, BLASTING “the crowes” in my 86 fiero (mullets flowing).
emerging in the midst of the hair-metal movement (winger / warrant / stryper), the black crowes offered something different: gritty, blues-injected rock-n-roll. reminding me of early stones, i was instantly hooked on this marietta / georgia band.
soon after the release of their first record, shake your money maker, i caught a black crowes show at the coach house / san juan capistrano. they blew my 19 yr old mind. following the encore, the band rushed upstairs to their dressing room. an ambitious buck, i needed to meet them …
knowing the robinson brothers hailed from marietta / georgia, i grabbed the tour manager and concocted the following: “my grandma lives in marietta, and wanted me to say hi to the guys”. a kind chap, he ducked into their dressing room (for 5 mins), and returned with “come on in !” i nervously entered the room …
once inside, (singer) chris robison jumped up off the couch and offered me a beer. i accepted.
his younger brother (guitarist) rich offered me a seat and asked: “so, your grandma knows us ?”
i replied with “yeah, she lives in marietta and i guess she knows your family or something …” actually, no. my granny resided in long island / new york.
obviously not buying it, i quickly changed the subject: “so, how’s the tour going ?”
he (rich robinson) graciously answered my question, and included a story about meeting one of his idols, jimmy page (a HUGE deal for the 21 year old guitarist).
i finished my beer, grabbed their autographs (on a coach house menu), extended a warm thanks, and exited.
that was 1990, TODAY the black crowes are playing house of blues / san diego in support of their eighth studio album, before the frost…until the freeze (recorded in front of a LIVE studio audience).
Mama Mary
Friday, 4th December 2009 at 11:11 pm
Here you are, the man on the scene!
Okay, I am so excited to read this post. First of all, I didn’t know you had this site up and I just found it today via SD Bargain Mama on twitter. I was a fan on 91.X and was beyond bummed when I tuned in one day and you were gone. I have been out of the loop for awhile since I’ve been a SAHM for the past 1.5 years so I had no idea that you had resurfaced here.
Secondly, I friggin’ LOVE the Black Crowes. I am emotionally tied to the Shake Your Money Maker album as I was a freshman at UCSB when it came out and we had is on repeat 24/7. We saw them play at the outdoor amphitheatre in SB that year, which was a highlight of that year, what I remember of it at least.
So bummed I didn’t know they were here recently, not that I get out that much anymore.
So glad to have found your site.