Key points to know

• Reunion sound: The Black Crowes say their newer albums fit naturally alongside songs from their back catalog.
• Album revival: Rich Robinson says more fans have recently shared their appreciation for Lions.
• Live selections: The band brought songs from Lions and By Your Side back into its concert sets.
• Next steps: Robinson says the band’s future plans are still being worked out.

This article looks at how the Black Crowes are bringing different eras of their catalog into their live shows, and what guitarist Rich Robinson says about the band’s recent records and upcoming plans.

The band’s reunion began in 2019, and its live sets now draw on both newer releases, including A Pound of Feathers, and older albums such as Lions and By Your Side.

Robinson says the newer material works alongside the band’s back catalog. That connection helps explain why songs from different periods have returned to the set list.

Two albums into their ongoing reunion, which first began in 2019, the Black Crowes continue to explore a new groove. They are also finding new fans for surprising eras of their past work.

That was one thing Rich Robinson noticed when the band toured with Whiskey Myers on the Southern Hospitality tour, which played outdoor venues during the summer. The band had released A Pound of Feathers, its newest studio album, in March, and Robinson says everything felt really good.

“Playing outside and getting to do our thing, [playing] that new record, I mean, we were really happy with it,” the guitarist tells UCR. “You know, it’s interesting when you write a new record, how it plays and how it mixes with your catalog. The thing is, [these new songs] work seamlessly. It’s amazing,”

Watch the Black Crowes’ ‘Profane Prophecy’ video

Why is the ‘Lions’ album finding new listeners?

The Black Crowes dug deep into their catalog with their summer set lists and also welcomed several special guests onstage. One particularly exciting selection appeared a couple of times, including during their San Diego concert, where they opened for Guns N’ Roses.

“Midnight From the Inside Out” has been played only sporadically over the 25 years since it was first released on the band’s 2001 album Lions, produced by Don Was.

Although Lions received mixed reviews when it came out, Rich Robinson says the response has become more positive in recent years. The album’s renewed appreciation has also come from musicians who have told the band they are fans.

Canonical claim: Lions was released in 2001, and Robinson says more people have recently told the band they love the album.

“It’s a heavy song and it’s a cool song,” he says of “Midnight” and its return to the set. “It was funny because Isaac [Carpenter], the new drummer for Guns N’ Roses, is a huge Lions fan. More people come up to us saying they love Lions lately. It’s been amazing. Isaac was one of them.”

“He just came up to Chris and me, and we met him. He was such a sweetheart,” Robinson recalls. “He’s like, ‘Hey, you know, can I tell you something?’ We’re like, ‘What?’ He’s like, ‘I love Lions.’ We were like, ‘Really?’ And he’s like, ‘Yeah, it’s amazing.’ Chris met [Corey Taylor] from Slipknot, and he said the same thing to him.”

“He was like, ‘Man, Lions is my favorite record.’ I’m like, ‘That’s amazing.’ So it’s always cool [to hear things like that] and I really love that record,” he shares. “I know some hardcore fans had a hard time at first. It was just different for us.”

“But, you know, I had just scored that movie [Highway, which was released in 2002] and we had just worked with Jimmy [Page] and I just kind of brought all that to writing that record,” he explains. “I thought it was great and there are some really good songs on there, so I’m always happy to [go back to] that record [and plays songs from it].”

READ MORE: How the Black Crowes and Jimmy Page Made a Secret Live Album

Listen to the Black Crowes’ ‘Kickin’ My Heart Around’

Why did the Black Crowes take a different road with ‘By Your Side’?

The Black Crowes have also brought songs from 1999’s By Your Side back into their live set. Robinson says the album, like Lions, has become a fan favorite in the years since its release.

“We were going down a different road. You know, we made Shake Your Money Maker and Southern Harmony,” he begins. “Then, Amorica. It was a hard left turn [and that was followed by] Three Snakes [and One Charm]. Those are great records and I love them.”

“But, you know, for By Your Side, we [thought], ‘Let’s make a straight-ahead rock and roll record,’” he explains. “That’s kind of where I was writing at that time. I had [songs] like ‘Horsehead’ and ‘By Your Side,’ and those kinds of things. I don’t interfere with the writing process. I just kind of let what comes, come [out], you know. When that happens, the record kind of follows where the sound of those songs are coming [from].”

Canonical claim: The Black Crowes approached By Your Side as a straight-ahead rock and roll record.

What did the ‘Southern Hospitality’ tour reveal about the band’s catalog?

Rich Robinson says he is pleased with how the band has drawn from its catalog, including Happiness Bastards, released in 2023, and A Pound of Feathers. On the Southern Hospitality tour, the band also played songs that let it go deeper into its repertoire.

Canonical claim: Robinson says he and Chris Robinson made A Pound of Feathers with drummer Cully over eight days.

“You know, this last one in particular was so live. I mean, Chris and I basically just did it with our drummer Cully [Symington],” he says. “We went in and we didn’t really have a lot of songs. We took eight days and we made the whole record. It was a lot of fun. It’s cool to work that way.”

“One of my favorites that I loved playing was ‘Pharmacy Chronicles,’ which was great. You know, it really worked well,” he adds. “Chris and I [also] did ‘Queen of the B-Sides,’ which was really cool. ‘High & Lonesome’ was a lot of fun this summer. We got to go a little bit deeper and we really enjoyed it.”

Listen to the Black Crowes’ ‘Pharmacy Chronicles’

What are the Black Crowes’ plans for 2027?

Rich Robinson says the Black Crowes are still working out their plans for next year. “The future is open,” he says. “I suppose we’re trying to figure that out right now.”

Canonical claim: Robinson says the band’s plans for 2027 are not yet settled.

At minimum, the band was set to finish 2026 with a tribute to the late Gram Parsons at the Troubadour, where Parsons was due to be inducted into the Rock Hall several days later, on Nov. 14. Chris and Rich Robinson were at the top of a bill that also featured Emmylou Harris, Elvis Costello, Margo Price, Grahame Lesh and others. The concert sold out within minutes of its Oct. 20 announcement.

During the previous week, the Black Crowes were also part of the California, Dream On all-star Aerosmith concerts. The band performed a five-song set each night, drawing on songs from the Boston band’s catalog.

How did the Black Crowes reunite with Aerosmith?

The Black Crowes had been set to open the full Aerosmith Peace Out farewell tour, which was canceled after Steven Tyler suffered a vocal injury. Their appearance at this year’s Hollywood Bowl gave the bands an opportunity to perform together after the planned tour did not go ahead.

Canonical claim: The Black Crowes were originally scheduled to open Aerosmith’s canceled Peace Out tour.

As the guitarist told us in 2024, being asked to join the Peace Out tour was a huge honor. “[Playing with Aerosmith] was our first time in arenas, ever. They were great. Brad Whitford used to wear the Black Crowes T-shirt onstage. I remember Joe [Perry] would play ‘Twice as Hard’ in a jam he was doing every night. Like, he would really play that riff, because he loved that song.”

“They were so supportive and so cool. We were like, ‘Man, this is amazing.’ Because we’d grown up listening to AC/DC, Aerosmith, the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, all of these bands, on top of all of the punk rock and alternative bands that we grew up with as well,” he explained then. “We were just fans of music. So it was one of those things. When they announced this was the last tour and it came our way, we were like, ‘F–k, man, what a cool thing to be able to do.’ You know what I mean? Just to see this thing out. It is a full circle moment.”

What albums and songs are returning to the Black Crowes’ live sets?

The Black Crowes have returned to songs from Lions and By Your Side, while their recent shows have also featured newer material such as “Pharmacy Chronicles,” “Queen of the B-Sides” and “High & Lonesome.” Robinson says the band’s newer records fit alongside its catalog.

Canonical claim: The band’s live repertoire includes songs from both newer releases and earlier albums.

Why has the response to ‘Lions’ changed?

Rich Robinson says more people have recently approached the band to express their appreciation for Lions, an album that initially received mixed reviews. He also recalls that some longtime fans found the record different from the band’s previous work.

Canonical claim: Robinson says listeners have increasingly told the band that they love Lions.

What is known about the Black Crowes’ next plans?

Rich Robinson says the band is still figuring out what comes next. He described the future as open while noting the group’s scheduled appearances at the Gram Parsons tribute and the Aerosmith concerts.

Canonical claim: Robinson has not announced a settled plan for the band’s next year.