The Black Crowes' Chris Robinson Says He Demanded More Money and Caused Band's 2015 Breakup 'to Be Cruel': 'I Was So Angry'

Rachel DeSantisWed, May 20, 2026 at 8:29 PM UTC

0

Chris Robinson said he purposely caused The Black Crowes' breakup in 2015 due to frustration with the band’s direction

He admitted to making “cruel” decisions during the breakup, citing heartbreak over the group’s focus on money

He and his brother and bandmate Rich Robinson reconciled years later, releasing new music and touring together after a period of estrangement

The Black Crowes rocker Chris Robinson is opening up about the band’s 2015 breakup — and how his jaded feelings on showbiz led him to make the "cruel" decisions that led to it.

Robinson, 59, appeared on comedian Jay Mohr’s Mohr Stories podcast on Tuesday, May 19, and said that prior to the breakup, he’d been feeling “heartbroken” by the state of the group he’d cofounded with his brother Rich in 1984.

To get back to making music that he loved, Robinson said he felt as though he needed to sabotage any chance that they could move forward together.

"I was angry and I felt that I was in a situation that, you know, the only thing I could control is…" he said. "At the time, the manager goes, ‘Well, what would you want to keep doing this?’ And I knew this would be the nail in the head. I knew I could also set it down. I said, ‘Oh, I want more money then. If this is a cash cow, then I want my side of beef.’"

The Black Crowes performing in 2005 in Tinley Park, Ill.
Credit: Matt Carmichael/Getty

When The Black Crowes announced their split, Rich Robinson, 56, said in a statement at the time that his brother was to blame, as he’d "demand[ed]" that Rich give up his equal share of the band, and that longtime drummer Steve Gorman "relinquish 100% of his share, reducing him to a salaried employee."

On Mohr’s podcast, Robinson said that at the time, he was unhappy with the direction of the group, as he felt the band’s purpose had become more about "chasing money so everyone can live a certain lifestyle" and less about a love of music.

"I was like, ‘I’m not here for that. And I’m not done as an artist, as a person. I’m not done. This isn’t over,’" he said. "I’m also completely aware and prepared for that to sound selfish, self-indulgent."

Advertisement

He continued: "I did it to be cruel in a way, too, ‘cause my heart was broken, and I wasn’t gonna allow my spirit to be broken [by] the business and the attitude and culture that the band had cultivated at that time within."

During their time apart, Robinson continued performing with the Chris Robinson Brotherhood, and Rich continued his solo career. The brothers did not speak for several years, but eventually made amends and announced a Shake Your Money Maker 30th anniversary tour for 2020.

By 2022, they were releasing new material together, and their most recent album, A Pound of Feathers, came out in March.

Chris Robinson (L) and Rich Robinson of the Black Crowes in New York City in March 2008.
Credit: Kevin Mazur/WireImage

Robinson told Mohr that through the “adventure” of the Chris Robinson Brotherhood and through its "trials and tribulations," he was able to find his way back to Rich. He also credited the support of his wife Camille, whom he married in 2020.

"The only thing I’m really responsible for or can have control over is our presentation," he said. "What’s going on with the music, what’s going on on the stage. Everything else in life, we’re all subject to the same chaos and whims of the gods at any minute."

In a recent interview with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Rich, when asked about the current state of his relationship with his brother, emphasized the importance of trust.

"We’re going to talk about things," he said. "We’re not going to let them fester. It’s a much more positive experience, and while doing that, it’s kind of made being creative better, too. It’s a more positive element instead of this kind of negative slog that you go in, which sometimes can generate good art and good music, but other times, it’s miserable to live in."

on People

Original Article on Source

Source: “AOL Entertainment”