Music: Rich Robinson

The Black Crowes guitarist talks to Jeff Hemmings about flying solo

Formed in 1989 and with 35 million album sales under their belt, southern rockers The Black Crowes have taken something of a hiatus it seems, with no action since the summer of 2013.

So, what’s happening with The Crowes? “No plans, uh-uhh,” offers Rich Robinson, Crowes founder and guitarist. He’s either,

a) sick of being asked,
b) doesn’t know, or
c) isn’t telling. Maybe all three combined. Whatever the case, it doesn’t matter for he seems quite happy to be doing his own thing, maybe having more fun than of late …

The Ceaseless Sight is his most recent solo album and it’s a beauty; southern rock meets psychedelia via the bywayd of acoustic-style Led Zep, Little Feat and The Rolling Stones. Not so much rocking as you’d get with the Black Crowes, but there is melody and soul aplenty, and of course some magnificent musicianship that steers a course the right side of muso. “It’s really my drummer and myself,” says Robinson, “who lay down guitars, bass, percussion. We have a friend, Marco Benevento, who put down keyboards. He’s phenomenal.

“With this record I wanted to use the energy of the studio to see what happened. I didn’t want to go in overly prepared. I wrote about four songs on the spot, had parts here and there. It worked out really well, I really liked what came of it. Writing songs is almost like play time,” laughs Robinson, “you get to be as creative as you want, and do whatever you want.”

And the album is full of positivity.

“The Ceaseless Sight is about moving forward, not living in this past, not speeding down the road looking in your rear-view mirror. I’m normally not a positive person, but for whatever reason – going though what I go through – and shifting, as we all hope to do, I became a more positive person. Ceaseless sight on the horizon. It’s definitely evolutionary. It’s not ‘f*** off’, it’s just it’s time to move on, man.”

Having never played Brighton before he’s looking forward to it: “Our old tour manager is from Brighton (as is their current guitar tech). From everything I’ve heard, it’s a really cool town.”
Coalition, Fri 21 Nov, 7pm, £20 (this show has been moved from Concorde 2, all tickets valid)