Singer/songwriter Ben Harper formed the Innocent Criminals to act as his supporting band for 1999's Burn to Shine, his fourth album and first to focus heavily on his rock side. From that point on, the Innocent Criminals were a semi-regular concern, the group that Harper returned to whenever he wanted to underscore his funky, fuzz-guitar side.
The Innocent Criminals featured bassist Juan Nelson, drummer Dean Butterworth, and percussionist David Leach, all showcased on Burn to Shine. That album started to increase Harper's exposure -- it inched up to 67 on the Billboard Top 200...