WHEN YOUR LOST
I AM FOUND
WHEN YOU SLIP
I HOLD MY GROUND
By Your Side
is the fifth
studio album
by American Rock band
It was released on
January 12, 1999
on Columbia Records,
following the band's move
from
American Recordings,
after second guitaris
t Marc Ford
and bassist
Johnny Colt
had left the band
in 1997.
It is the only album
to be released
on that label.
Audley Freed
and
Sven Pipien
were hired as
the new guitarist
and bassist,
respectively,
although
Rich Robinson
played all the guitar parts
on the album.
By Your Side
was recorded in
New York City
during the
second quarter
of 1998
and produced by
Kevin Shirley.
It comprised songs
written in the studio,
revised songs
from pre-production
and
re-recorded songs
from the abandoned
1997 album
Band.
The Black Crowes
promoted
By Your Side
by performing on
numerous television programs
in North America
and Europe.
The album debuted
at its peak position
of number 26
on the
Billboard 200
and generally received
positive reviews.
While some critics
depreciated
By Your Side
for its similarity to
albums by
Rod Stewart
and
The Rolling Stones,
most reviewers lauded
The Black Crowes' return
to the straightforward
approach of their
debut album,
Shake Your Money Maker
(1990).
Chris Robinson's singing
and
Rich's guitar playing
also won praise
from critics,
though reviews of
the lyrics were mixed.
Beginning in February 1999,
the band toured
North American theaters
for two months
in support of the album.
Setlists
from the tour,
known as the
"Souled Out Tour",
typically included more
than half the
albums songs
Background
Personnel changes
and
label interference frustrated
The Black Crowes' attempts
to follow up their
1996 album
Three Snakes and One Charm.
During May and June 1997,
they recorded an
album called
Band,
but it was rejected
by their label.
Lead singer
Chris Robinson
said American
"couldn't go with the vibe"
and wanted something more
"safe".
In August,
guitarist
Marc Ford
was fired due to a
heroin habit
that impaired
his performances.
Guitarist
Rich Robinson said,
"We would be onstage playing
'Remedy',
and he would be playing
a completely different song....
We told him to
clean up or get out.
We assumed,
since he loved music
and the band,
that he would clean up."
Bassist
Johnny Colt
had been losing interest
in the band
since the recording of
Three Snakes and One Charm;
his contributions
to that album were minimal,
as Rich played bass
in his stead
on all but one track.
Colt quit in October
to become a
yoga instructor.
Sven Pipien
was hired in December
to replace Colt.
Pipien had previously
played with
Mary My Hope
and had been a
housemate of Chris.
Audley Freed
was hired as
the second guitarist
before a
1998 tour in support
of the band's
Sho' Nuff box set.
Recording sessions for
By Your Side
were well underway
at this point,
and continued after
the tour,
but Freed
did not contribute
to the album.
Chris said of the new members,
"It's great.
These guys want to be here
and we feed off of that.
And that will become
obvious when you
see us on the road."
American Recordings
was partially absorbed by
Columbia Records
in early 1998.
Though the arrangement
preserved the
American label,
The Black Crowes
transferred to
Columbia after
privately expressing their desire
to disassociate themselves from
American Recordings
founder
Rick Rubin.
Despite working
under a larger label,
the band felt they
had more freedom
and support
under Columbia;
Chris remarked,
"At American,
I never knew what a
record company did.
We never had an
A&R guy.
Now we have a
product manager....
It's like ...
I didn't know what
the music business was."
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