BEING a Croweman in England After discovering the Crowes only 3 years ago, it has become more than just a band, but more of a lifestyle. Being only 15 when I first saw 'Remedy' on VH1, I had short hair, designer threads and a no dope smoking policy, little did I know that ones lifestyle and attitude would change dramatically over the coming months. The same day as I saw the 'Remedy' video, I trecked into my local town (Cambridge) and bought 'The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion'. From the moment I placed the CD in the player I knew I was about to hear something special. As soon as Rich strummed the opening chords of 'Sting Me', laced with Ed's glorious Hammond playing, it became clear that this was the sound I had been waiting to hear! At this point I was heavily into music: my CD collection featuring bands such as Led Zeppelin and Humble Pie and artists such as Bob Dylan and Neil Young, so it wasn't like I hadn't heard good music before. Although I loved these other bands, the emotion and relevance the Crowes music had to me was unrivalled. If you are reading this and thinking 'Could you get any more cliché?' then I say to you 'Probably not. But this is the exact way it happened to me, and not doubt how discovering the Crowes happened to you as well'. Within the next weeks I brought the entire Crowes catalogue and adopted a 'Bury me in Crowes records' attitude, which is still relevant to me today. January 18th 1997. The Black Crowes perform at the Cambridge Corn Exchange on their 'Three Snakes and One Charm' tour. This was to be my first Crowes shows, after only discovering them only months before. This show was incidentally one day before my birthday, so it couldn't have come at a better time. I remember arriving and seeing a sea of hair before my eyes. Almost everyone there had long hair, this is again another pivotal moment in my life: I decided to grow my hair. I have been growing it ever since, and don't plan on stopping soon. The show as you probably know was filled with long, musically astounding jams and contained many moments of musically genius, which hopefully the Crowes will recapture someday. Anyway, I have been to a total of 5 UK Crowes shows. The first was the Corn Exchange show mentioned above. The second being the outing the Crowes entitled 'Sho' Nuff'. I saw the Roadmenders show (a club holding about 800 people, with sweat dripping off the ceiling!). The show was full of energy, and although the jamming had seemed to have disappeared the band seemed to be having a real good time, so the show was very enjoyable. A total contrast to the 97 show I had seen but none the less, I was seeing my favourite band again, and I was so close to Chris and Rich, having constant eye contact, which at first was very strange, but I got used to it by the end of the show. The show also offered a great insight into how people perceive the Crowes in England. I overheard a conversation where someone mentioned 'I've come tonight because they remind me of Humble Pie a lot'. This attitude and view is echoed throughout England. If a person has heard of the Crowes at all, they are unlikely to perceive them as their own entity, but of one which is a off shoot from the Rolling Stones or Humble Pie. This attitude is shown in practically every magazine article you read on the Crowes and every person you talk to who isn't a massive Crowes fan (nice!). The other three Crowes shows I have been too in the UK include the Wembley stadium gig (supporting Aerosmith), the London and Nottingham 'Souled Out' shows. I am not going to go into much detail about the former, due to the fact that the article is supposed to be about being a Croweman in England! So now you know the situation which has become, and is. So, what is it like to be a Croweman in England? Well, to be honest not that different to being one in the US I would imagine! The main aspect about being a Crowe fan (to me anyway) is that there really isn't one place that you fit into in society. For example, in England there are many different groups of people: straight, gothic, soap dodgers (people into skateboarding etc), rockers, hippies and others. These groups are usually dictated by society (as we all know society feels the need to label everything). Now, when you get enough of a particular group of people, then that type of group of people becomes main stream. So in actuality these alternative groups aren't actually alternative at all because the viewed is shared by many. This is where there is no clear line to be drawn if you are a Black Crowes devotee, and follow a similar sort of path/view that is followed by the band. So, when people ask me how do I perceive myself, then it is very difficult to answer, because there are very little people who I can actually relate to whom are in the alternative cultures. The best way to describe myself is bohemian, simply because I cannot be put into any of the other categories which have become popularised. Now, whether this is the same in the US or not, is a different matter. In the UK, there is no where to go and hang out with other like minded people who are inevitably into the Crowes. This is quite often why it is hard to be a Black Crowes devotee in England, because there is no one to share your views, experience in life and in music, which may or may not relate to the Crowes. So the thing to remember about being a Black Crowes fan in England is that it can be lonely and it can be difficult. But can also be very rewarding to know that you have the ability to really be individual and too not fit into any mainstream section or otherwise. This is what the Crowes and the Crowe lifestyle is about, feeling what you want to feel and doing what you want to do. This is why the Crowes music attracted me so much. Listening to a Crowes record is really like a mirror image of my life (as CR put it). Without the Crowes, not only would I be lost, but I would also find it much harder to deal with the occurrence of being a little different and having views which only a very small minority can relate to. Peace, Simon Loynes Music is Music Music is Life Life is Music |