Chris Robinson Finally Discusses Black Crowes Breakup

On January 16, Rich Robinson issued a statement that essentially marked the end of The Black Crowes after a near 25-year career. We’ve been waiting for Chris Robinson, who Rich accused of trying to take away his equal share in the band and to force longtime drummer Steve Gorman into a salaried role, to discuss Rich’s statement and that time has finally come.

Billboard spoke with Chris Robinson about Rich’s statement and while Chris mostly took the high road, he did share a few thoughts…

“It’s way more complicated than Rich’s public outburst. I’m going to keep my personal, private family business personal and private and I’ll focus on all the other things that are important. The ideas, I think, are more important than the drama. I have too much stuff going on that’s progressive and positive to dig through sordid family history and stuff. I don’t think that’s interesting at all –maybe in a tabloid kind of culture we live in, but I’ve never been part of that. I’ve never dealt with my personal, private life in a public forum, so I’m not going to drag myself though the mire now. The Black Crowes is so much time and it’s so complicated, and then you mix family and whatever that is into it. … To me it’s just sad and it’s disappointing and it’s unfortunate that on the 25th anniversary, whether the band is working or not, that it’s not about the songs and the good times people had at those concerts,” Chris explained while declining to elaborate on the first part of his quote about “Rich’s public outburst.

Billboard also reports that the CRB will continue to perform some Crowes material, though he added “the (Chris Robinson Brotherhood) definitely has an identity of its own.” Chris went on to say, “I haven’t asked any Black Crowes fans to come to a CRB show to sing ‘She Talks to Angels’ to them, you know what I mean?”

Chris also revealed that The CRB won’t enter the studio until next year, but that a live album is due in May. Betty’s Blend Volume 2: The Best From the West will be a double vinyl set recorded at shows in California, Colorado and other locations. As with Volume 1, Betty’s Blend Volume 2 was recorded by Grateful Dead recording engineer Betty Cantor-Jackson of Betty Boards fame. While Billboard mentions Chris had a “heavy heart” regarding the end of the Crowes, his focus is squarely on The CRB. “(The CRB) is my future, you know what I mean? That’s really the only way I can put it. I think it’s been leading this way for a while that the CRB is really where we all want to be and really where we want to put our collective focus. We want to see where that continues.”