Dear Jason,
More bootlegs, more bootlegs, more bootlegs.
We're seeing how to have a section where fans can tape.
We only get to make a record every couple of years, and we
tour to reach for that space every night, and if you want
a copy of that, be my guest.
I did write some songs and those guys did play with me,
but I don't think anything is going to come out of it. It
was mostly just having fun in the studio for three days.
Andy Sturmer is one of the most talented people I ever
met. He sang a couple of backup things and played percussion
and was basically just around-- a good person to bounce
ideas off of.
Lenny Kravitz-- no.
Thanks,
Chris

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To: ALL
From: ANRH40B VICKI COADY

Hi! I just wanna say I love your music and I love
the dark lips! I also want to know how you feel about some
stores selling the "nicer" cover version of Amorica. Also is
there any bands or singers that you feel are really great?
Vicki

To: ANRH40B VICKI COADY Date: 11/30
From: ROCK99B CHRIS ROBINSON Time: 3:35 AM

As for the album cover, I think it's beautiful, and I think
it's a very positive image-- a woman's body. I knew some people would be offended, but ...good. As for the
substitute cover, I don't have time in the day to change the music business. And the way I thought of it was that some of these stores that didn't want to carry the original were the only stores in some towns where kids could get the record--and I wanted Black Crowes fans to be able to get it.
Thanks,
Chris

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To:  ALL
From:  CJHP39A JEFFERY BOGGIS

What was going through your head when you
wrote "Wiser Time"?

To: CJHP39A JEFFREY BOGGIS
From: ROCK99B CHRIS ROBINSON

Dear Jeff,
That was about being in the band and living with twelve
people in that little condominum called the bus. And it's
also about the touring experience.
Thanks, Chris

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To: ALL
From: PDHT99A CHRISTOPHER WALSH

Chris,
I have been a fan of the Doors for many years, and cannot
help to see a comparison in the way The Crowes are treated
by the media. It seems that you, like Jim Morrison, are
elevated by the media as to be above the rest of the band.
Does this lead to any conflicts among yourselves or do Rich,
Steve, Marc, Johnny and Ed prefer it that way ? Chris

To: PDHT99A CHRISTOPHER WALSH
From: ROCK99B CHRIS ROBINSON

There are no rules to the Black Crowes, it's just sort
of the way it is. Rich and I put the band together, and I
guess if we ever ran out of ideas the balance would
change.....but so far, we haven't.
Thanks,
Chris

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To: ALL
From: KJFV93B ALLYSON FORSYTHE

Hi Chris. Let's be candid... over the past few years, you've
developed a reputation as being quite outspoken and blunt
with your opinions. Do you ever worry that your "big mouth"
may land you (or your band) in hot water one day? Just
curious.

ALLYSON in NYC

To: KJFV93B ALLYSON FORSYTHE
From: ROCK99B CHRIS ROBINSON

I used to have a worse temper, I think I've mellowed out
more. I'm just more positive. I mean, I'm still very
emotional and wear my emotions on my sleeve, but I'm not all
wrapped up in that I'm right, you're wrong stuff so much
anymore. It's the same with critics-- I can't handle all
the spitfire.....
Thanks, Chris

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To: ALL
From: CDVY71A KELLY MURPHY

In a recent Rolling Stone article, you said that, due to
various influences, the South and the southern traditions
that you know are disappearing. Could you elaborate on
this? Is there any one thing that you feel has changed in
particular?
**Kelli

To: CDVY71A KELLY MURPHY Date: 11/30
From: ROCK99B CHRIS ROBINSON Time: 3:39 AM

It's just that the music that comes from the South, or the
traditions like rock and roll, blues, bluegrass,
country...that's harder music to fake, and so less people
can do it.
Thanks,
Chris

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To: ALL
From: CDVY71A KELLY MURPHY

Chris,
Did you know from childhood that you wanted to be a musical
artist? Were you always artistic? Might you have been a
writer or in some other such career field if music didn't
work out? Did your parent's experience influence your
decision? **Kelli

To: CDVY71A KELLY MURPHY Date: 11/30
From: ROCK99B CHRIS ROBINSON Time: 3:13 AM

Well, my parents influienced me in telling me that I
couldn't do music. I have no idea what I would do if I
hadn't done this. Some sort of bohemian existence that would justify what I do....
Thanks,
Chris

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To: ALL
From: CDVY71A KELLY MURPHY

What do you think of this whole Ticketmaster fracas, most
recently joined by R.E.M. What methods will you employ on
this tour to again insure that more front row and choice
seats will get to your fans?
**Down in Front! * Kelli

To: CDVY71A KELLY MURPHY
From: ROCK99B CHRIS ROBINSON

We haven't worked any of that out yet. But I think the only thing that makes anybody's band intriguing at a certain level is the connection you have with your audience. You can love music and have all the integrity in the world, but if you don't go and play for your audience, then it's just selfish. I don't know if I can change the music business, but I do know I don't buy that "I don't want to be a rockstar" syndrome. The only way you can learn to be a better musician is to go out and play every night.
Thanks, Chris

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To: ALL
From: CJHP39A JEFFREY BOGGIS

Chris,

How do drugs play a part in recording and/or touring?
By the way, what's your frame of mind right now while on
Prodigy?

Jeff Boggis in Little Rock, Arkansas

To: CJHP39A JEFFREY BOGGIS
From: ROCK99B CHRIS ROBINSON

I've never said that all drugs should be legal, I have
said that I think there should be more sympathy and
compassion and less judgement. I don't think drugs are for
everyone, and I would never tell anyone to do drugs, nor
would I tell them not to. I think less judgement in the
world would make things better.
Thanks, Chris

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To: ALL
From: MVDA71B MARGARET SNYDER

Chris,
While reading your interview in Rolling Stone I couldn't
help but notice you were wearing a "Steal Your Face" ring
and a "Psycle Sam" belt buckle in one picture. You also
mentioned Jerry Garcia as an influence. As a long time Dead
fan, I'd appreciate it if you'd expand on your comment.
Peace, Margaret

To: MVDA71B MARGARET SNYDER
From: ROCK99B CHRIS ROBINSON

I really love their music. I like the records and the songs
and stuff, and I'd go to the shows and like them, but after
I went more and more, I was like...wow, every night is
different and they never fail to blow me completely away.
Thanks, Chris

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To: ALL
From: XRPT06B KATHY MCTAGUE

Chris,
Have you given any thought about having Rich sing
more lead in the future??? You do harmonize smooth together!
By the way, how is Rich doing?? I've heard you bro.'s have
been fighting during the making of the album, but isn't that
kinda normal?? Well, I hope you're on good terms now!!!
Kat

To: ALL
From: ROCK99B CHRIS ROBINSON

Well, me and Rich have a pretty long relationship besides
the five years we've been in the band....we definitely were close to breaking up during the recording of the album. I guess if I had to do it over again, maybe we wouldn't have formed a band together. We never really have talked about it. One day he just came over and sat down and we started playing together and that was how we started....We're very different people; he's much more inward. We live our lives differently.
Thanks,
Chris

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To: ALL
From: KPKT13B MARK PROMISLO

Hi Chris,
I'm a big fan of the Black Crowes and your commitment to
the music. My question is, do you think that the real rock
'n' roll spirit is mostly dead?
I look at once-great bands like the Stones with their beer
company sponsorship, and I start to get very disillusioned
about the music. I feel much better when I hear bands >>>>
like the Crowes, but still the whole situation bothers me.
The sky-high ticket and CD prices, the corporate
sponsorships -- is it all just big business now? What
happened to the FEELING in the music? A lot of times now I
just can't hear it. I can't help feeling that somehow the
music was a lot more honest and more pure in the 60's and
70's.
Hope you can respond, and thanks for all the great music
that you've given us!
Mark

To: KPKT13B MARK PROMISLO
From: ROCK99B CHRIS ROBINSON

There's been great music and bad music in every decade. For us, now, what's important is the creative experience and digging deeper for more soul. We're just in a very positive space and I think you just try and see how far you can go.
Thanks,
Chris

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To: ALL
From: WRNA02B JOHN CAFARO

Chris

I read some where that you and Rich don't talk unless you
are writing music or playing. Is that true, and if so, why.
Also what is your favorite kind of Erb?

John

To: WRNA02B JOHN CAFARO
From: ROCK99B CHRIS ROBINSON

We're just very different types of people and live our
lifestyles differently. But our roles as songwriters have
changed a bit; it used to be pretty cut and dried where
Rich would write all the music and I'd do the lyrics and
melodies, but now we both write music, so it's a little
different.'
Thanks, Chris

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To: ALL
From: NEWV54A THOMAS THORNTON

Chris,
I'd like to know if the rest of the tracks recorded during
the Amorica sessions will be released as another album next
year (this seems to be the rumor). Also, if there's going to
be a '95 tour, when would it hit Texas or New Mexico. Thanks
for the music... -Tom

To: NEWV54A THOMAS THORNTON Date: 11/30
From: ROCK99B CHRIS ROBINSON Time: 3:24 AM

We don't know yet....but the tour starts in the U.S, around mid-February, and I don't know all the dates yet.
Thanks,
Chris

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The following is an interview conducted by Lisa Robinson, Prodigy Music Board Leader, just prior to the above Q&A session.

I asked Chris about his well known arrogance, and he said:

"Part of that is protecting yourself. Because you write songs, and they're so personal, and then people who interview 500 bands a year talk to me for five minutes and make judgments...it was hard to deal with. The only way I could deal with that at the time was to be arrogant. When you hold out a song, people can either spit on it or help you with it, and it hurts your feelings when someone tells
you that you have to justify yourself."

I asked Chris how the band felt when they hit it big, and he said:

"To us, being popular was the weirdest thing, and in a way, the worst thing. because to us, any music that was platinum, or popular, had to be manipulated by the coporate machine. We were very wary of anything mainstream. When "Shake Your Money Maker" sold four million copies, we went, what? We didn't mean for that to happen. We were just doing what we did at the time, knowing full well that you're only as good as your last show and your next album."

I asked Chris if he didn't think he was an amazing front man, and he replied:

"To be honest with you, I really don't know. I can be having a conversation with you, and then walk in front of the amp line and I really don't know what's going on. It's not a religious thing, but it's almost a spiritual thing that goes on. It's trust. I trust that everyone in my band is going to be in that headspace so that music becomes the answer, notthe question."

I asked Chris how the Crowes figure out their parts for the songs, and he said:

"It's different all the time, but you know, I'm not going to tell Mark Ford what to play. The guy is awesome. And I'm not going to ytell Eddie what to play, unless I say I think we should have a Fender Rhodes on this song instead of a Hammon organ. People are not in the Black Crowes because they have to be. We all want to enchance the sound, and everyone throws in ideas. If I sit down with Rich and I play the drums and we write a song, I play drums different than Steve does. But
when Steve sits down and plays, it all fits together."