Following his departure from All after the group's first two albums under that name, vocalist/guitarist Dave Smalley (also formerly of Dag Nasty) put together Down By Law in 1991 with ex-Clawhammer guitarist Chris Bagarozzi and the former Chemical People rhythm section of Ed Urlik (bass) and Dave Nazworthy (drums). This lineup remained together only for Down By Law's debut album, 1992's Blue; when the follow-up, 1994's Punkrockacademyfightsong, appeared, Smalley had reconstituted the band with guitarist Sam Williams III (ex-Balance and Slap of Reality), bassist "Angry" John DiMambro (ex-Clay Idols and Leonards), and drummer Hunter Oswald. This lineup remained stable, save for the drum chair, which was occupied by Danny Westman on 1996's All Scratched Up! and Chris Lagerborg on 1997's Last of the Sharpshooters. In 1999, the group issued their fifth album for Epitaph, Fly the Flag. Split followed a year later. When Windwardtidesandwaywardsails dropped in 2003, original drummer Nazworthy was back in the fold.