Rich Robinson: In His Own Words
An interview about his art and music
Photo by Joshua Black Wilkins
For well over 20 years, Rich Robinson has been one of the creative forces and guitarist for the now legendary Black Crowes. Through ups and downs, Rich and his brother Chris Robinson have lead a creative relationship that turned out such hits as “Jealous Again,” “She Talks To Angels,” and “Remedy.” In 2011, Rich released his second solo album entitled “Through A Crooked Sun,” which is a heartfelt and personal collection of songs with Rich handling lead vocals once again. I recently had the opportunity to talk with Rich via telephone and we discussed everything to his love for art to the liberating feeling of being a vocalist on his own material.
Rich thanks so much for taking the time to do this interview.
No problem. Thank you.
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I saw my first Black Crowes show back in 1990 at Center Stage Theater. Did you ever think back then, walking onto those small stages, that you would have such an inspired and inspiring career?
Wow, that was a while ago. Well, I don’t think anyone really thinks about it. I think we just made the music and couldn’t imagine where it was going to end.
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These days, I see a whole generation of young bands like Taddy Porter and Rival Sons embracing and sharing the spirit of that classic rock n’ roll sound. Do you ever kinda smile knowing that you had a hand in inspiring such a movement?
I think it’s great that people are into it and I think it’s great that people are starting to, through our music, get into that kind of music and just go from there.
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Paper was a great departure from the Crowes and an introduction to Rich Robinson, and the new album is such a great step forward for you. Vocally and musically, it sounds like you’ve found your voice.
Yeah, I think so. The first split up of the band (the Black Crowes) was pretty unexpected and all of this just kind of happened. I think I was just trying to figure out where my place was, and that’s what I was doing on that record (Paper). I had these songs, I was trying to put a band together, trying out singers and I just wound up doing it myself. On this record, I feel like I understand my voice a lot more and I feel like I had a more cohesive solid vision for the whole thing. I really like Paper, and I thought it was a cool record, but I agree; I feel like with this record I understood my voice a lot more.
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We’ve heard you sing lead on a few songs in the Crowes live show, but Paper and now with Through A Crooked Sun, we have Rich Robinson, lead vocalist. How does it feel to step up to the mic and know that you are now the front man? Is there a sense of freedom? Nervousness?
I feel more comfortable about it now. I feel like it’s something that I can do and it’s not as much of a struggle. This time I really feel like I have far more of a handle on it, and I feel like I understand it more. When I go play, now, I feel comfortable, and it’s definitely something that feels good and the band feels great.
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Since the Black Crowes more recent “come back,” we really got to see you stepping up to the mic a bit singing lead on songs like “Song of Love” by Mannassass, and “Fearless” by Pink Floyd. Did singing lead on these songs help to set the tone and pace for what you were going to do on this album?
Well, I’ve always been a big Stephen Stills fan and I love David Gilmour. I try to pick covers that I could, at least, do some justice. I think it helped getting up there for the last six years and singing a couple of songs a night; seeing what works and what doesn’t helped.
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This new album really feels like a person endeavor for you. When you were writing for Through The Crooked Sun, was there more of a sense of artistic release that you felt writing for yourself as opposed for writing for the Black Crowes?
It’s definitely a more personal thing because with the Crowes it’s me and my brother (Black Crowes singer Chris Robinson). So, if it’s just me writing these songs and letting one play off the other…. It definitely was more personal and it felt that way too.
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The lyrics on the album are really quite personal, and I feel like you were really opening up and letting people in to see a side of you we don’t normally get to see.
What you write about in music comes from more of a subconscious place instead of a literal place and I think that lyrically it just comes from a place that’s just a little closer to the surface. I think that’s cool and that it can be a release but it can also be a little “Oh, do I really want to say that?” Lyrically, this record is more about getting through something and moving forward, love and the new relationship, and what these things can kind of take of you. That’s what it’s really about.
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As a singer/songwriter myself, I find it to be both liberating and scary. It’s like leaving your personal journal opened on a coffee table in a coffeehouse.
Yeah, it totally can be. There’s definitely that element to it.
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Musicians involved with art is something we’ve seen from everyone from Bob Dylan to Paul Stanley of KISS. How and when did you first start doing art yourself?
Well, I’ve always loved art, and I remember that early on Johnny Colt (former Black Crowes bassist) bought me my first easel and paint as a Christmas present over 20 years ago. Maybe he had noticed my interest in art because when we’d travel I’d buy art books and stuff like that. He really just hooked me up with anything I needed to start painting, which was a real gift. It’s something that brings me a lot of peace. I kind of sat around looking at the stuff for a little while because I felt really intimidated, and because I’d never done it before. One day I just said, “Well fuck it,” and just started doing it. I’m not trained, obviously, but I just paint what makes me feel good. It’s kinda of like the way I write; I have these ideas of what I want to convey, and that’s what I put down. It’s a kind of therapeutic form of creation for me. I love to do it and it’s just me and canvas. It just feels really good.
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So, have you done any art shows or gallery openings?
I did a couple of them up in Connecticut. I’ve had a couple of private art showings, but I haven’t had a show per se. I’ve been busy touring or making records.
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Is seeing your art displayed a similar rush to the one you get performing live?
I think it’s a little more vulnerable because it’s not like a sound or anything like that. It’s definitely a different thing. You’re just kind of hanging your stuff out there to see if people like it. It’s cool, but it’s a little unnerving.
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You moved back to Atlanta not too long ago to be closer to your father who had fallen ill.
Yeah. I moved back here last July.
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Is your father doing better these days?
Yeah, he’s doing well, thanks.
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Has being back in the city where you grew up brought you some new found inspiration?
I actually haven’t really been here that much — to kind of assimilate. We got here in July, and then I went to Europe for a tour. Then toured for two months, and then I was in L.A. until Christmas, so I really haven’t been here that much — to kind of feel that yet. I’m always coming in and out to be near my father, but that’s really what it is. I’m sure that after a while I’ll maybe feel that way.
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As I get older, I find myself looking back on former relationships with people and I try find some peace where there might not have been. There have been some well-documented rifts with former band mates over the years. As time passes, do you look back and maybe try and find some peace with those former mates?
Yeah. I don’t really hold any grudges. Whatever happened, happened, and it was meant to be. It’s just kind of like “let it go,” you know? If we ever cross paths, I’m sure we would be civil and just say, “Hey man, that sucked. Let’s move on.”
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With the Black Crowes, you toured with everyone from Robert Plant and Aerosmith. Was there a particular lesson you learned touring w/ the greats that stays with you?
Back then, when we were touring with those bands, I was 19 or 20 years old. You’re not really going to learn much when you’re 19 or 20. I was really young, and we were all young. To me, I think there would be a much different outcome or lesson learned if I did it today.
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You had the opportunity to share a tour and album w/ the legendary Jimmy Page. Is there anyone else that you would love to work with in the future that you haven’t?
I would love to work with Neil Young, Stephen Stills, Bob Dylan. The Jimmy Page thing was amazing; he was cool, but it’s something you can’t really fathom while you’re in it. You have to step away from it to really take it all in, and that was something that was literally your idol on stage playing with you, his songs and your songs. It was a great thing.
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Looking back on over 20 years of music, is there anything you ever look back on and say, “I wish I would’ve done this differently?”
I kind of feel like we took what came our way and handled it the best way we knew how and that’s really all it is. I don’t believe in regrets. I think things happen and you can learn from them, and that’s just where I am. Hopefully, I will learn from them.
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Rich, what does the rest of 2012 have in store for you?
I’m going to Europe and will be gone for a month playing Germany, Scandanavia, France, Holland, Denmark, Belgium and the UK. Then I come back, and, on March 1st, I start a three week tour of the states starting in Nashville. The 2nd show is here in Atlanta at Smith’s Olde Bar. After that I’ll just be figuring it out.
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Rich, thanks so much for taking the time to talk to me today. It was a real pleasure, and the best to you and your family.
Thank you. I really appreciate it. See you soon.
For more on Rich Robinson, head over to http://richrobinson.net/.
