Like anything else, it's about dynamics. When you're young, all you want to do is get deeper and deeper into your expression and music. After a while, people get on different pages. Their egos change, people change - all sorts of stuff. To me, I felt Lions was the last Black Crowes album, because I wasn't happy. Then, when we decided to get back and do the Crowes, I was glad I had walked away from the band when I did and took those years to do some things and relearn some things. As Miles Davis said, "Let the music change me."

Your approach in releasing Warpaint is unorthodox. For one thing, you decided not to make any of the music available to journalists - including me - or anyone else prior to the official March 4 album release. Why?

We want everyone to hear it. But in the nature of the way technology has changed stuff, I think you want to be able to control your presentation as much as possible. We may be sort of antiquated in that thinking, but that's the reality of it. We want to try to have the biggest splash we can since we haven't had any new music in a long time. And, of course, it means we don't trust you.

You've also announced plans for a series of live shows this month where you'll play Warpaint, and only Warpaint, in its entirety. Really? A whole show without singing "Jealous Again"?