Edwin would be leaving the band

In April 1997, IME’s management company announced that Edwin would be leaving the band. From that point on, the band mentioned that Jag Tanna wrote the majority of its music (during jams with his brother and Gordon), that Chris Tanna wrote all of the lyrics, and that Edwin had no control whatsoever. This and musical differences prompted the vocalist to leave. Citing unmanageable tension, the band and Edwin mutually agreed to part ways. The remaining members insisted that they would carry on under the I Mother Earth name, and announced they would be searching for a new lead singer. IME also publicly criticized a show by Franz Masini’s new band, which was advertised as “featuring members of I Mother Earth”, as a blow to its own name and image. Edwin fulfilled all his contractual obligations with the band, including the Edgefest ’97 tour, and left in mid-1997. IME itself ended up in disputes with both EMI and the band’s management (Capitol had inexplicably dropped the band prior), and subsequently broke ties with both after their recording contract expired in December 1996.