THE BLACK CROWES will release a new Amazon Original EP, "1972", on May 4. A tribute to the 50th anniversary of some of the best rock and roll during its prime, the project was recorded at the Sunset Sound in Los Angeles in January 2022 and is a collection of six songs that were specifically selected through a collaboration between the band and Amazon Music. The first single, a soulful cover of "Papa Was A Rollin' Stone" by THE TEMPTATIONS is out today.
"1972" will be available exclusively on Amazon Music digitally. Vinyl and physical CD are also set for release everywhere on May 6 via the band's label Silver Arrow.
THE BLACK CROWES singer Chris Robinson said: "The year 1972 was a watershed moment, some of the greatest rock and roll songs ever made came out of that year. To get our band back together in the studio, it had to be a celebration of rock and roll. This record is about love and devotion to something that makes us feel good. We hope that it makes fans around the world feel the same."
Stephen Brower, global co-head of artist relations for Amazon Music, said: "THE BLACK CROWES have been celebrating their influences for their entire career, and a whole generation of fans (this one included) surely discovered Otis Redding's 'Hard To Handle' and Bob Marley's 'Time Will Tell' through their versions. To work with them to re-visit 1972, a truly magical year in music, was an absolute thrill. I can't imagine another band having the skill and the swagger to take on these songs and pull it off so spectacularly."
Join THE BLACK CROWES on May 4 at 10:00 p.m. EST / 7:00 p.m. PST for a performance of the EP live from the historic Whisky A Go Go in Los Angeles via Amazon Music's channel on Twitch. May 4 also marks the 50th anniversary of a renowned LITTLE FEAT performance at the famed venue in 1972.
"1972" physical albums along with exclusive merchandise will be available for public purchase during the stream. Directed by Joseph Llanes, fans can also watch an exclusive, behind-scenes-look at the group in studio for the first time in over a decade below.
"1972" track listing:
01. Rocks Off (THE ROLLING STONES)
02. The Slider (T.REX)
03. You Wear It Well (ROD STEWART)
04. Easy To Slip (LITTLE FEAT)
05. Moonage Daydream (DAVID BOWIE)
06. Papa Was A Rollin' Stone (THE TEMPTATIONS)
Fans can hear THE BLACK CROWES' covers by simply asking "Alexa, play the Amazon Originals from THE BLACK CROWES" in the Amazon Music app for iOS and Android, and on Alexa-enabled devices. In addition to the new track, Amazon Music listeners can access hundreds of Amazon Originals, featuring both emerging and established artists across numerous genres, available to stream and purchase only on Amazon Music.
As for new original music from THE BLACK CROWES, the plan is for the Robinson brothers to hit the studio in January, with Chris telling Rolling Stone that he has finished his portion of "15 or 20" songs.
THE BLACK CROWES recently announced a 2022 North American tour celebrating their classic 1990 debut album, "Shake Your Money Maker". The 34-date trek will kick off on June 9 and run through July 24 before picking up again on August 13 and concluding on August 27.
The 2021 leg of THE BLACK CROWES' "Shake Your Money Maker" tour ended last September at Bethel Woods Center for the Arts in Bethel, New York.
Joining Chris and Rich in the new BLACK CROWES lineup are longtime bassist Sven Pipien, who played with the band live from 1997 up until the band's hiatus in 2015, along with Brian Griffin on drums, Joel Robinow on keyboards and Isaiah Mitchell on guitar, plus backup singers Mackenzie Adams and Leslie Grant.
Rich told Cleveland.com that he and his brother wanted to re-start THE BLACK CROWES with a clean slate. "There was a strong agenda in the band [previously] to keep Chris and I apart and keep Chris and I fighting," he said. "We just didn't want to have to deal with any of that negative [stuff], so it had to be this way in order for it to be what we want."
"Shake Your Money Maker" was re-released in multi-formats sets in February 2021 through UMe/American Recordings. The album, fueled by singles "Jealous Again", "Twice As Hard", "She Talks To Angels" and a cover of fellow Georgian Otis Redding's "Hard To Handle", has sold over five million copies.
Last month, former THE BLACK CROWES drummer Steve Gorman filed a lawsuit against the paid over unpaid royalties. In his complaint, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court against Chris and Rich and The Black Crowes Partnership, Gorman claimed faulty accounting resulted in him missing out on royalties from THE BLACK CROWES' classic albums.
