Jimmy Page & The Black Crowes Revisit ‘Live At The Greek’ With Additional Crowes Songs Added

Way back in 1999 Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin fame went on a small tour with the Black Crowes to play Zeppelin tunes, old blues/blues rock chestnuts and naturally Black Crowes tunes. In order to capture the experience they recorded the two shows they did at the Greek Theater in Los Angeles. Eventually in 2000 they released a live album from those shows, Live At The Greek, which was a “download” only. That was indeed all the rage at the turn of the millennium, the downloadable album. A few months later they released a 2-CD version of the live album but with the tunes in a different running order and an additional song included, “Mellow Down Easy,” a great old Willie Dixon tune made famous by the Paul Butterfield Blues Band (among others). The download version had the words Excess All Areas added to the title, a play on the backstage pass phrase, “Access All Areas.” To complicate matters further, the Japanese version had two bonus tracks not on either of the other versions, “Misty Mountain Hop,” and “In The Light.” And to further complicate things, due to contractual reasons none of the Black Crowes’ songs the guys performed in October of 1999 at the Greek could be included… damn those record companies. They’re almost as bad as insurance companies… almost.

To clean up this rather messy situation, and to celebrate it’s 25th anniversary, Jimmy Page and the Crowes have revisited this great live album and released what amounts to a “deluxe” version of the album which now includes not only the two Japanese Bonus Version songs but now also includes all the Black Crowes’ songs that this unlikely pairing of artists performed on the tour. They’ve also included half a disc’s worth of tunes performed and recorded at the soundchecks for the two shows at the Greek. This is about the most complete version of these wonderful performances you’re going to get. With Jimmy Page on guitar and the Black Crowes (at the time: Chris Robinson, vocals; Rich Robinson and Audley Freed, guitars; Sven Pipien, bass; Steve Gorman, drums and the late Eddie Harsch, keyboards) what’s not to love? This release helps rectify the rather muddled original release(s) which I think hurt the original album’s reach.

It’s been a bit of a Zeppelin-esque year here at B&V, and that is always a good thing. We did a look back at Zeppelin’s phenomenal old school double album, Physical Graffiti, as it turned 50 this year (what a year 1975 was!). And of course I’m still smiling about the new Zeppelin documentary, Becoming Led Zeppelin about those early days of the legendary band. I remember thinking at the time that it was weird for Jimmy Page to be going out with a current rock band to tour. But Dylan recorded an album and toured with the Band in ’74 after they’d made their own way in the world and then later did the same thing (toured) with Petty & the Heartbreakers. Bowie did an album with Trent Reznor and N.I.N. behind him. If vocalists can do this, why can’t a guitar player? And at the time, since Page Plant had run it’s course, Jimmy was at loose ends. Why not grab a band and go tour on his spectacular catalog?

I mentioned this was an odd pairing and I think that’s mostly because it was the Crowes he chose to work with. They’d always been compared more to the Stones and the Faces – both bands steeped in the blues and blues rock – than they were Zeppelin. My buddies and I used to say in the 90s we had our new Sabbath (Soundgarden), our new Zeppelin (GnR, after the Use Your Illusions albums), and our new Stones (the Black Crowes). Turns out the band and Page paired very, very well. Although after the tour, Jimmy was so jazzed about it he asked if they wanted to go in the studio and Rich Robinson turned him down flat, saying, in essence, “We’ve got our own album to do…” That turned out to be Lions, which I’m lukewarm about. I mean, jeez, you couldn’t duck into the studio with a legendary producer/guitarist? A bit shortsighted if you ask me (no one did). As for Chris Robinson, he’s quoted as saying he was bored with the whole thing, “it was just a job.” He said he wasn’t into Plant or his lyrics. I get that Plant’s lyrics can be idiosyncratic (what is “a spring clean for the May Queen,” anyway?) but dude, this is Zeppelin we’re talking about. I think only the Gallagher Brothers in Oasis are better at pissing on the leg of opportunity than the Robinson Brothers. When brothers form bands… sigh. Although they did get their shit together last year for Happiness Bastards.

I absolutely love this album, especially in this new format. It also sounds a lot better to me now, I can really hear Page’s guitar in the updated mix. Having the Crowes songs they played included alongside the Zeppelin and old blues/blues rock songs helps round this out. It feels like you’re hearing a complete concert more than a collection of tracks recorded live over two nights. Jimmy’s playing here is even better than the second Page Plant tour and he was pretty exceptional on that one. Page sounds like he’s having an absolute blast playing these tunes. The Crowes really bring it. They just rock this material. Chris Robinson claims he was bored but I have to say it’s impressive how fiercely he sings these songs. He brings an energy and intensity to the vocals that you wouldn’t expect. I mean, nobody is going to replace 20-something Robert Plant, even Robert Plant can’t sing like that anymore, but Chris rawks these songs on the microphone. Even his harmonica playing – which is sporadic – is ferocious. If this was really “just a job,” the guy is a real pro. I’ll admit Scott Gorman on drums is serviceable but he’s not John Bonham…it’s more like Kenny Jones replacing Keith Moon in the Who. And finally, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the great keyboard work from Eddie Harsch.

This is a blistering performance of some of the greatest rock n roll ever recorded. And I don’t just mean the Zeppelin tunes. These are prime Black Crowes tunes and I love the blues covers they chose to do. I absolutely love the song selection. They touch on every Zeppelin album save for Houses Of The Holy and In Through The Out Door. They don’t just do the obvious stuff, they dig deep on some of these albums. The only track from Zeppelin IV is “Misty Mountain Hop,” which I wouldn’t have predicted. Along with that we get some greatest hits from the Crowes. Where these guys really shine as a unit is on the older blues/blues rock tracks. They hit on Jimmy’s old band the Yardbirds’ song “Shape Of Things To Come” (which includes Jimmy playing a snippet of “Beck’s Bolero”), the aforementioned “Mellow Down Easy,” and Peter Green‘s Fleetwood Mac’s “Oh, Well.” They also hit on B.B. King’s “Woke Up This Morning,” Jimmy Rogers’ “Sloppy Drunk” and Elmore James’ “Shake Your Money Maker.” Those blues tracks are worth the price of admission! They swing, they sway, they rock, they roll…”cats living with dogs, mass hysteria…”

The concert opens with “Celebration Day,” which I think Zeppelin used as an opener for a while. Then they launch into one of my favorite riffs of all time, “Custard Pie.” Then it’s another great riff rock song from Physical Graffiti “Sick Again.” Off to a roaring start indeed! When they launch into the Crowes’ “No Speak No Slave” they are cooking. I love that they’ve included the Black Crowes songs this time around. “The Wanton Song” sizzles.  Later they dig deep for the Presence track “Hots On For No One.” Everything that Page throws at these guys they handle. I really like the version of “Wiser Time” they lay down from the Crowes here.

Disc 2 starts off with “In My Time Of Dying” one of the most epic blues songs ever. Dylan did a version on his first album that was…uh… quite a bit different. Page’s slide kills on that song. I love that they didn’t choose the obvious stuff from Zeppelin’s debut and instead played “Your Time Is Gonna Come,” the Rock Chick’s new Zeppelin fav. Nice organ lead-in to that one from Eddie Harsch. “Remedy” is practically unhinged. My god, they play “The Lemon Song”! The inclusion of “In The Light” is a wonderful surprise and it’s beautifully executed. Chris’ vocals are spot on for that one.

Disc 3 features some more obscure tracks like “Hey Hey What Can I Do,” one of those wonderful B-sides that never found a home on an album. Then they do “You Shook Me,” a track first covered by The Jeff Beck Group. Jimmy’s slide again comes to the front on that track. Then, one of the more obscure Zeppelin tunes, “Out On The Tiles” gets a muscular workout. The second half of Disc 3 is taken from the soundchecks of the two shows. They’re really well done but for the most part they show, in relief, how the live versions with the lights on and a crowd in front of them, how the band took it up another notch. There is a jam that might have developed into something had the Crowes not blown Jimmy off after the tour… sigh, what might have been?

I’m so happy to see this great live album finally get a proper treatment. If you’re fan of Jimmy Page (or by extension Led Zeppelin), the Black Crowes, blues rock, or great live albums, you’ve got to hear this one. Passionate rock n roll, turned up to 11, played joyfully is almost more than I can ask for these days. It’s hard to believe 25 years has passed since this gem of a performance first came out. I highly recommend this one to all rock fans, everywhere.

Cheers!