Life Before Insanity
# Life Before Insanity

Professional ratings :

| Review scores ||
| - | - |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic | |
| The Atlanta Constitution | B |
| Dayton Daily News | B− |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | |
| The New Rolling Stone Album Guide | |
| Spin | 6/10 |

Life Before Insanity is the third studio album by Gov't Mule. The album was released on February 15, 2000, by Capricorn Records.

The album peaked at No. 16 on the Billboard Heatseekers Album Chart.

## Production

The album was produced by Michael Barbiero. Unlike the band's first two albums, Life Before Insanity utilized both overdubbing and multiple guest musicians. It was the last album recorded with founding member Allen Woody, who died in August 2000.

## Critical reception

The Austin Chronicle wrote that "having Ben Harper cameo with Haynes on 'Lay Your Burden Down' is a guitarist's dream, but while the song rolls along, it never takes off—never reaches the pairing's potential." The Washington Post thought that the album "recalls the vintage blues-rock of the early Allman Brothers Band and Clapton's Cream."

## Track listing

All songs by Warren Haynes unless otherwise noted.

## Personnel

* Warren Haynes – guitar, slide guitar, vocals
* Allen Woody – bass, mandolin on "Life Before Insanity", electric upright bass on "Tastes Like Wine", rhythm guitar on "I Think You Know What I Mean", fretless bass on "Far Away", dulcitar on "In My Life"
* Matt Abts – drums, djembe, ashika on "In My Life"

### Additional personnel

* Michael Barbiero – glockenspiel on "Far Away"
* Hook Herrera – harmonica on "Bad Little Doggie" and "I Think You Know What I Mean"
* Ben Harper – vocals and lap steel on "Lay Your Burden Down"
* Johnny Neel – organ, Wurlitzer piano and background vocals

### Production

* Michael Barbiero – producer, engineer, mixing
* Ray Martin – mixing, additional engineering
* Warren Haynes – mixing
* Brodie Hutcheson – mixing, additional engineering
* Dan Jurow – additional engineering
* Greg Calbi – mastering
* Mark Pagliaro- guitar, bass, mandolin, amp, tech
* Daniel Saratec- drum, percussion tech
