Tune in, Turn On, Drop Out

As a young man, Chris Robinson experienced overnight success with his band The Black Crowes. The Crowes had a major hit in the late ’80s with their album Shake Your Money Maker, led by the Rolling Stones-esque single “Hard To Handle.”

“I had a lot of people who could say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ about my life,” Robinson explains to EW. “It’s cool when people say ‘no.’ It’s really dangerous when people say ‘yes.’”

“The Black Crowes didn’t get to have a trajectory.”

“The Black Crowes didn’t get to have a trajectory,” he continues. “We were shot out of a cannon.”

These days, Robinson’s focus is on Chris Robinson Brotherhood (CRB), playing a mellower brand of cosmic California boogie-rock. CRB returns to Eugene behind If You Live Here, You’d Be Home By Now, a companion EP of sorts to the band’s 2016 full-length Anyway You Love, We Know How You Feel.

Robinson says , that at his age, CRB’s contemplative pace and ability to work outside the corporate, mainstream music business suits him well. “Everyone’s older now,” he says. “We’ve been through a lot of positive things. We’ve been through a lot of negative things.”

“Overall,” he adds with a knowing wink, “we have this incredible opportunity to tune in, turn on and drop out.”

Chris Robinson Brotherhood plays 8 pm Sunday, Dec. 4, at Hi-Fi
Music Hall; $25 adv., $30 door. All ages. — William Kennedy

A Note From the Publisher

Dear Readers,

The last two years have been some of the hardest in Eugene Weekly’s 43 years. There were moments when keeping the paper alive felt uncertain. And yet, here we are — still publishing, still investigating, still showing up every week.

That’s because of you!

Not just because of financial support (though that matters enormously), but because of the emails, notes, conversations, encouragement and ideas you shared along the way. You reminded us why this paper exists and who it’s for.

Listening to readers has always been at the heart of Eugene Weekly. This year, that meant launching our popular weekly Activist Alert column, after many of you told us there was no single, reliable place to find information about rallies, meetings and ways to get involved. You asked. We responded.

We’ve also continued to deepen the coverage that sets Eugene Weekly apart, including our in-depth reporting on local real estate development through Bricks & Mortar — digging into what’s being built, who’s behind it and how those decisions shape our community.

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None of this happens by accident. It happens because readers step up and say: this matters.

As we head into a new year, please consider supporting Eugene Weekly if you’re able. Every dollar helps keep us digging, questioning, celebrating — and yes, occasionally annoying exactly the right people. We consider that a public service.

Thank you for standing with us!