The Black Crowes’ Chris Robinson defends on-stage comments amid fan walkout: “I have to speak my mind”
The Black Crowes frontman Chris Robinson has spoken for the first time after his on-stage comments during a recent show in Tampa, Florida, caused controversy.
At the concert, which took place on May 31st as part of their ongoing Southern Hospitality Tour, fans began to get riled up when a visual on the screen behind the group showed the band’s Black Crowe character dressed like Uncle Sam.
In response, before the band could launch into their track ‘She Talks to Angels’, videos from the event show the crowd beginning to chant, “USA! USA!”
Heeding the chant, Robinson addressed the audience, stating bluntly, “Thanks for the geography lesson.” As the chant persisted, the singer added, “I don’t know what you have to be so proud of right now”.
Then, as pockets of the crowd began to exit the venue in response to his comment, he added, “For those of you fucking booing us, some of us are not afraid. And we most assuredly are not fucking ignorant.”
Now, in a new interview, Robinson has defended his right to express his political opinion, telling UCR that the USA was founded on “being able to say whatever you want,” before adding, “And that’s both sides of whatever you pick.”
Robinson is also not losing sleep over any potential backlash, calmly stating, “But be most assured, you know, whatever. It doesn’t matter. In a week, something else will come up that [will stir up] the hornets’ nest.”
However, the singer did use the interview to clarify his prior comments and ensure that they weren’t interpreted as disrespect to veterans, sharing, “No matter what I ever would say or do or feel about things, there’s no way I would disrespect our veterans. I’m a person that I wish we had moved along as a species not to have violence be the way that we resolve conflicts.”
“But for the people who’ve put their lives on the line and made that sacrifice and dedication, I wouldn’t do that,” Robinson continued. “I can see that for exactly what it is. Other than that, you know, I have to speak my mind.”
The frontman also shared that “I don’t have an agenda or anything” and his only mission is “just trying to make a soulful connection with people, and we’ll continue to endeavour to persevere.”
Despite the incident in Tampa, The Black Crowes’ tour has kept on rolling, visiting St Augustine on June 2nd, and will see them perform in Augusta tonight (June 4th).
Later this month, they will arrive in the UK for a performance at the Albert Hall in Manchester on June 25th, ahead of the State Fayre festival in Chelmsford on June 26th, before visiting Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain and Switzerland.
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