Flying and being a Black Crowe must really be difficult for certain members of the ?Hard to Handle? band.

Leaving the nest on the eve of the band?s gigantic fall tour, guitarist Marc Ford left just after a week veteran keyboardist Eddie Hawrysch was ?released? from the rock band due to ?personal issues?.

Health issues were cited by Ford?s spokesperson as the reason Ford called it quits this time around. ?All the difficult work he has done to gain his longest period of sobriety ever was in jeopardy while touring."

However, Crowes? manager Pete Angelus publicized in the band's official website that Ford's speedy departure Wednesday-- the day before the Georgia rockers were set to kick off their tour in Richmond, Virginia -- was less than good-natured.

According Angelus, Ford?s lawyer faxed the band?s attorney a letter notifying them that the guitarist was ?immediately terminating his agreement" with the Crowes without providing 12 weeks notice mandated by his contract.

Angelus said that he is not going to comment on the timing of this announcement or the way Marc has chosen to manage his personal and work affairs with the Black Crowes. "However I will state as a matter of fact that this is not the first time that Marc Ford has reached his agreement with the Black Crowes,? Angelus said.

For the time being Ford will be replaced by Paul Stacey and the Crow frontman Chris Robinson and his guitarist brother, Rich, are currently speaking with other guitarists about rotating in.

The Crowes? camp verifies that the Robinson brothers have been spending time in studios in New York and Los Angles working on the band?s first new album of original compositions in six years.

"From the inception of their reunion, Chris and Rich have written a substantial amount of material which they have been sorting through recently with friend and producer Paul Stacey", Angelus said. "We expect to continue recording at the conclusion of the fall tour and are planning for a 2007 release."

The tour was supposed to coincide with the release of The Lost Crowes , a highly expected double-album of rarities but the album was postponed due to a "discovered manufacturing error."