The band played as a quartet in New York City clubs such as "Drums" and CBGB in 1988. In 1989 the band - which had stabilized as a five-piece including the Robinsons, Gorman, Johnny Colt and Jeff Cease - met George Drakoulias who signed the band at Def American. Drakoulias turned the band on to music it had not heard before like The Faces and Humble Pie. Under Drakoulias' influence, the band began covering Rolling Stones and Rich began playing in open-G tunings for Mr. Crowe's Garden songs. At this point, the band also changed their name, and considered ideas such as "The Heartless Crowes" and the "Stone Mountain Crowes" before settling on "The Black Crowes".