POP/ROCK - May 9, 1991

Nothing to Crowe About: The Black Crowes, removed from their opening spot on ZZ Top’s concert tour in a flap over ZZ Top’s sponsorship deal with Miller Beer, have now booted their own opening act over the same issue. Chris Robinson, leader of the Atlanta-based rock band, opposes links between rock bands and corporate sponsors, so when he heard a radio commercial for Miller Beer performed by Maggie’s Dream--the Crowes’ current opening act--he asked the band to leave. Maggie’s Dream responded by saying that while the band did provide a song for a Miller radio spot, it “is not financially supported or sponsored by Miller Beer not any other corporation,” and accused Robinson of “hypocrisy” because of the Crowes’ associations with corporate-sponsored video channels and radio stations.