Huge stadiums, 30 million albums sold, desert drug excesses, but also two divorces and children for whom he has no custody: Chris Robinson experienced all the ups and downs of the Showbiz brand - and came to a momentous conclusion: He simply has no desire anymore for all the hustle and bustle that goes along with a successful rock band like the Black Crowes. That's why he now lives in Marin County, in the mountainous north of San Francisco, in very modest, rural conditions.
"I've got a cabin, a studio, a woman and a lot of whales swimming outside the bay. Plus a lot of hippies and deadheads in the neighborhood. It's a freaky community." Their influence is also reflected in his music. Because Robinson, who lives off the royalties of the Crowes years, no longer makes a conventional, mass-produced skirt.
On "Servants Of The Sun", the new work of his full-bearded Brotherhood, he rather serves sounds in the manner of Steely Dan, Little Feat or Gino Vannelli. "We're all getting older," says the 52-year-old. "And as much as I love the Stones, Free and Led Zeppelin, you can't always do the same thing. You also have to add some new elements and develop yourself as an artist. Today I listen to Ash Ra Temple, Incredible String Band, Jazz and World Music. I definitely have a different taste than I used to."
