Rich Robinson Rides Creative Wave Into 'Flux' Tour

The past year or so has brought something of a turning point for Rich Robinson's career. His journey has always been one of waves — ebbing, flowing, expanding — but recent developments have seen him stretching his musical muscles in more ways than ever before.

Earlier this year, Robinson and his band dropped Flux, another robust notch in his dynamic trip. It's a full-bodied album, clocking it neatly at an hour and seeing Robinson blend the legacies of his solo career and his time with the Black Crowes.

"I just really like making records," Robinson says. "I don't set aside any goals or anything. I just write songs and look forward to seeing them reach fruition. That's really where my focus is. As someone who's been making records for 25 years, I'm always still excited and amazed by the process of going into the studio and watching something be born from nothing."

It's something that Robinson got to experience on a different level, too, this past year. His label, Eagle Rock Entertainment, reissued all of his past solo albums. As part of that experience, Robinson got to re-record all of the vocals on his 2004 album, Paper. It was pretty much a necessary move. The tapes from that record — and a lot of Robinson's equipment — got ruined in floodwaters from Hurricane Sandy. Most of the tapes were restored, but Robinson needed to lay down new vocals. "I was thrilled with it," he says of the new finished product. "It ultimately turned out to be such a great thing to do."

Robinson also spent the summer touring with Bad Company. He says it was a fun way to hit the road with a band that wasn't his own — a musical vacation, in a sense.

"Every experience you have goes into a filter that kinda shapes the way you write songs," Robinson says, acknowledging the positives from the summer while demurring on whether the tour will impact his sound going forward. "To me, I don't like at things in a very linear way. It's all about feeling."

Rich Robinson plays Beachland Ballroom Friday, Sept. 9, at 8:30 p.m. Two sets! Tickets are $20.50 in advance, $25 at the door.