Three Remedies

An instant rush of cold chill sweeping up your spine.

All it takes is the split second between plectrum striking
guitar string and unholy howl screaming from the amp.

We're talking about guitar solos. And not just any guitar solos.

Definitely not bland solos. Or careless ventures up and down the
pentatonic scale embodied by cheesy, ripped off blues riffs
that would fit perfectly with a 16-bar break in the
middle of an equally ripped off three-chord shit show of a
drunken barroom romp.

We're talking about something altogether more electric and
expressive, something that tugs at the most vulnerable
points of our souls without ever verbalizing it.

Now those are truly great guitar solos.

In my previous blog post I wanted to discuss the three different lead
guitarists I've seen play with The Black Crowes.

Since the band's inception in 1989 The Crowes have had five different
guitarists, and like many people who repeatedly get married, The
Crowes have been married to a particular lead guitarist twice (and twice
broke up with him because of his "drug problems").

The first ill-fated leadman, Jeff Cease, was booted from
the band after the first album because his playing wasn't
up to snuff. Paul Stacey had a recent stint but wasn't much
more than a touring utility player.

Then there was Marc Ford, the man whose distinctive style added layers to the
band's music, seamlessly weaving the rhythm and lead guitar parts together.

I saw him during his second stint with the band (marriage #2) at
the McDowell Mountain Music Festival in 2006. His soloing was
something that borders between primal and majestic, bending notes more
than 1 1/2 steps and striking the strings like an electric charge was
emanating from his body.

He draws influences from the likes of Hendrix and expands upon the conventions of
the dreaded pentatonic, the fallback for every lead guitarist in
rock 'n roll. But for whatever reason, Ford's playing is something
more tasty and delicately flawed than the rock player's scale of choice
can confine.

Marc's a player who's all about feel. It's the feel that's endearing.

It's impassioned playing, sometimes to the point of being "noodly,"
but nonetheless it's distinct and adds a very raw yet precise element
to the music that takes it beyond what it would be with a single
guitar player and no solos. In a sense the songs are better for his
playing.

Three albums go by and The Crowes get rid of Marc. They make "By Your
Side" with Rich Robinson doing lead and rhythm parts. Not bad, but not
great solo work.

Enter Audley Freed, ex-lead guitarist from Cry of Love.

I saw him play with The Crowes at The Aragon Ballroom in Chicago in
2001, my first ever Black Crowes concert. Audley's style is
markedly different than Marc Ford's, but it's impressive nonetheless
(listen to "Highway Jones" by Cry of Love and tell me
he isn't masterful).

But Freed abandoned much of the quick-fingered fiery blues soloing
that became his trademark in Cry of Love when he joined The Crowes.
His interpretations of Marc Ford solos were pretty decent and he
played well weaving his parts with Rich Robinson, yet it felt at times
like he was purposely trying not to "overplay."

You see, "overplaying" was a point of contention during Ford's
later days.

(Rich Robinson claims Ford would be so drugged out of his mind during
his final tour with the band that he often would just start spacing
out and playing the wrong songs.)

Needless to say, seeing Audley Freed play with The Crowes was a good
experience. Seeing Marc Ford play with The Black Crowes was the
equivalent to turning back a page of history and reliving it.

Ford always felt more like a full-time member. Freed always had the
vibe of a touring musician.

During last week's concert at The Riviera in Chicago I had a chance to
check out Luther Dickinson during my third Crowes concert.

Three concerts, three lead guitarists...

Dickinson is best known for his playing and singing with the North
Mississippi Allstars.

I have to say his country-blues slide guitar work fits in with The
Crowes' latest two albums, and it should, because he played on them.

Yet it's limited and lacks a certain gritty quality that's become
associated with "the most rock 'n roll band in rock 'n roll."

Dickinson plays a Gibson SG, uses slide most of the time
and plucks with his right-hand fingers. It's called the
Duane Allman book of soloing.

And it's fantastic (when Duane Allman played it in the early
1970s).

The Crowes have been called derivative too much in
the past and fought that misnomer fist and nail for two decades. To
regress because of a new lead guitarist's desire to emulate the past
would be shameful.

Marc Ford's guitar playing organically meshed with Rich Robinson's to
give The Crowes a distinctive sound that worked like a perfect
marriage.

Bring him back. Now.