In the spring of 1994, The Black Crowes were putting the finishing touches to their third album in Conway studios in Los Angeles, with brothers Chris and Rich Robinson producing the sessions. The album, the follow-up to the Atlanta, Georgia band's brilliant second record, The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion, was to be titled Tall, and frontman Chris Robinson promised that the record would have "more atmosphere" than its predecessor, but also feature "some rock 'n' roll and funkiness."
Seasoned Black Crowes observers would not have been surprised to learn that the making of the record had not been entirely drama-free, owing to the fractious nature of the Robinson brother's relationship.
"It was pretty bad around January," the singer confessed to Kerrang! "It was a power struggle, fighting over little things, which is bullshit. I always love writing songs with Rich - that part of it we've never found a hassle. It was getting along on a personal level that was really rough."
As if this wasn't enough turmoil to contend with, the 1994 Northridge earthquake hit Los Angeles on January 17.
"Our studio, Conway on Sunset, collapsed," Robinson told MOJO magazine. "The ceiling dropped ten feet, and we had to postpone recording. That really freaked everyone out: no-one could get any sleep because of the aftershocks and all that."
The time out did have one positive outcome, however, in that it got the Robinson brothers communicating again.
"Rich and I sat down and started talking," Chris told Kerrang!, "and it was like, Wow, this is our life, and this is the most important thing to us... You gotta hit rock bottom to move somewhere else."
