Chris Robinson, brother Rich Robinson and their band The Black Crowes have been slapped with a lawsuit by the band’s original drummer Steve Gorman.
According to legal documents, Gorman is suing over unpaid royalties in connection to past tours as a member of the band, although he doesn’t know exactly how much he may be owed.
Gorman maintains he has repeatedly asked to see the band’s financial records to assess what monies may be owed to him but has been rejected, as reported by TMZ.
Chris Robinson and brother Rich Robinson and The Black Crowes were slapped with a lawsuit from original drummer Steve Gorman over unpaid royalties; the brothers are pictured performing in August 2021, just over two years after reforming the band
Band members Chris Robinson, Rich Robinson, Steve Gorman and Johnny Colt formed The Black Crowes Partnership back in 1991, according to Rolling Stone. The legal partnership was tasked with collecting royalties for the band since that time.
Having had his efforts to look over the financial records rebuffed, Gorman, 56, feels he’s missed out on royalty payments and has thus claimed breach of contract.
‘For more than five years, my attorneys and I have made repeated requests to review the Partnership’s books to confirm the accuracy of royalty payments and my share, but Chris and Rich have consistently ignored my rights under the Partnership Agreement,’ Gorman explained in a statement issued to Rolling Stone.
He added, ‘I regret that it has come to this, as I remain incredibly proud of the music we created as a band, but their conduct has left me with no choice but to ask a court to order them to give me this information, which I’m entitled to under our partnership agreement and the law.’
Legal action: Gorman (top right) claims he has repeatedly asked to see the band’s financial records to assess what monies may be owed to him but has been rejected; the band is pictured in June 1991, clockwise from top: Chris Robinson, Steve Gorman, Rich Robinson, Jeff Cease and Johnny Colt
Gorman originally hooked up with the Robinson brothers and played with them during the band’s first incarnation as Mr. Crowe’s Garden in the late 1980s.
By 1989, as a five piece, the group changed the name to The Black Crowes and signed a record deal with Def American.
The band would go on to release their debut studio album, Shake Your Money Maker (1990), which peaked at number four on the Billboard 200 chart, and eventually received platinum certification, selling more than five million copies.
The Black Crowes, with Gorman behind the drums, released five more studio albums until 2001: The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion (1992), Amorica (1994), Three Snakes and One Charm (1996), By Your Side (1999), and Lions (2001), which were each supported with extensive tours.
Breakout success: The band’s debut studio album – Shake Your Money Maker (1990) has sold over five million copies, which is their most successful of their eight albums
On the road: Gorman (seen on drums) played with the band since its inception in 1989 until 2014, although there was a seven-year hiatus in between albums from 2001 to 2008
After a seven-year breakup and hiatus, the group reformed with Gorman to release the studio albums: Warpaint (2008) and Before the Frost…Until the Freeze (2009).
The band would eventually go on another hiatus and announce their final breakup in January 2015 due to a disagreement between Chris and Rich Robinson over an alleged proposal regarding ownership of the band.
By 2019, the Robinson brothers resolved their differences and reunited the band, although the subsequent tour was greeted with mixed reaction from fans, considering no other former band members were apart of reunion with the exception of the Robinson brothers.
Chris and Rich Robinson were the sole writers of the band’s music, with the exception of the occasional cover song that was recorded by the band for an album.
Gorman last performed with The Black Crowes in 2014.
Back together: After their last breakup in 2015, Chris and Rich Robinson reformed The Black Crowes but the group did not include any other former members other than themselves
Originally posted 2022-04-01 00:28:18.