Complex sentence: In the early 1970s, Levy was at the wrong end of a mob war and he advised James to leave New York for a while to avoid a mob hit which explained why he recorded an album in Nashville in 1972.
Split into simpler sentences: In the early 1970s, Levy was at the wrong end of a mob war. James had to leave New York for a while to avoid a mob hit, which explained why he recorded an album in Nashville in 1972.