SPOTLIGHT ARTIST - DOWN

Band Name: Down Band Website: www.down-nola.com Band Members: Phil Anselmo, Pepper Keenan , Kirk Windstein, Rex Brown, Jimmy Bower Band Biography: Down is an American southern heavy metal supergroup formed in 1991. The band is composed of Phil Anselmo (ex-Pantera and Superjoint Ritual vocalist), Pepper Keenan (Corrosion of Conformity guitarist and vocalist), Kirk Windstein (Crowbar guitarist), Rex Brown (ex-Pantera bassist), and Jimmy Bower (Crowbar drummer and Superjoint Ritual and Eyehategod guitarist). Ok, so let's get this straight. Five guys originally from New Orleans, in four different bands, got together many moons ago and started a little side project called "Down". Seemed innocent enough, just a couple of freaks who were into bands which were into Sabbath -- before it was cool to be into Sabbath. They would jam and blow our heads off in this little garage then something started to happen. They weren't just blowing off steam and "Sabb-ing out"; they were coming up with some serious shit. The reason they say that is because they can still remember the moment Phil threw down some vocals on this sludged-out, heavy riff I had. Ten minutes later, they were in a Monte Carlo cranking a cassette of a jam that would become the song "Bury Me in Smoke." Down knew we were onto something. So now, six years later, this "Down" swamp creature they created will not kick the ol' bucket. All of them, over the six years, have been constantly asked by press and fans alike, from Christchurch, New Zealand to Kansas City, "What's up with Down?" It seems to have taken on a life of its own, purely supported by freaks who kept listening to it and asking for it. Very little radio, even less promotion, and still even fewer live shows. It spread like some kind of yellow fever to basically become a staple heavy metal record. The damn thing sold close to half a million copies worldwide not bad for a band that only played thirteen (yes, 13) shows, and can't even remember the color of their tour bus. Down is not the kind of band that can be confined to a studio. So they came up with a genius idea to isolate themselves in a barn (later to be christened "Nodferatu's Lair") in an undisclosed swamp somewhere in South Louisiana. Slept upstairs and rocked downstairs. Shipped in enough gear to get their point across (loudly), and got two Yankees with their heads half screwed on to turn the knobs. With enough booze, food, and "miscellaneous" items for no one to need to crawl out until it was done. Which was going to be in twenty-something daze. All this combined with an old chest they found full of freaky 70's porno mags they had basically created a modern-day Sodom. Five freaks, all well-versed in the school of hard rock, banging heads at 120 decibels, surrounded by sin, swamps, and mosquitos, with modern-day society a tank of gas away. This is the way rock records should be made. When they emerged from the haze of smoke, the stench of alcohol, and the buzz of yellowjackets, they were sitting on top of umpteen jams. They passed out by the burn pit in the wee hours of the morning, listening to this Down sound on the jam box, and came to the conclusion that nobody in our generation of music had ever attempted to make a record this way. Raw, unbridled, from the heart, and most importantly, devoid of the rest of the world pure. One of the coolest things about Down is the fact that they don't have any preconceived notions about what is to come. When Down is in the "Lair," candles lit, ice chest packed, puffin' and passing, all fired up, they have no clue what's going to happen, which is a beautiful thing. Review Of This Band By Mistress Malice: I first saw Down play in New Orleans and I have been fan ever since. Since Hurricane Katrina I have found Myself missing New Orleans with a passion but I truly miss the down home grown underground metal bands of the bayou even more!

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