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Down (band)
Encyclopedia
Down is an American heavy metal
supergroup
that formed in 1991 in New Orleans, Louisiana
. The band's current lineup consists of vocalist Phil Anselmo
, guitarist Pepper Keenan
, guitarist Kirk Windstein
, bassist Pat Bruders
and drummer Jimmy Bower
. Since their formation, Down has gone on hiatus twice. To date, Down has released three studio albums, NOLA
(1995), Down II: A Bustle in Your Hedgerow
(2002), and Down III: Over the Under
(2007). Since 2008, the band has been working on new material, which will result in four separate EPs instead of an album.
Down formed in 1991 with vocalist/songwriter Phil Anselmo
of Pantera
, guitarist Pepper Keenan
of Corrosion of Conformity
, second guitarist Kirk Windstein
and bassist Todd Strange
of Crowbar, and drummer Jimmy Bower
of Eyehategod
. All of the band members were longtime friends, and shared interest in bands such as Black Sabbath
and Saint Vitus
, which would significantly influence the music they made. The band made a three-track demo for underground trading. In an effort to build a fan base, the band would ask heavy metal fans if they had ever "heard of this band, Down" and hand them copies of the tape without telling the person that they were in the band. Eventually, the tape was distributed throughout the United States and Down played a small concert in its hometown. A record executive from Elektra Records
was attending the show. When he found out who the members of the band were, he signed Down to a recording contract.
Down released its debut album, NOLA
, on September 19, 1995. Debuting at number 55 on the Billboard 200
, the album was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America
.Allmusic reviewer David Reamer gave the album a nearly perfect 4.5 out of 5 stars, praising the songs "Temptations Wings", "Stone the Crow", and "Bury Me in Smoke". Reamer stated that "this is a landmark album that combines the talents of dedicated rock musicians, and should be included in any collection of heavy metal music." NOLA was supported by a 13-date tour, and afterward the band went on hiatus in order to return to their respective bands.
In 1999, while Down was on hiatus, Strange left the band and was replaced by Pantera bassist Rex Brown
. In 2002, Down came back from hiatus to make another record. The band wrote and recorded Down II: A Bustle in Your Hedgerow
in 28 "drug and booze induced" days in a barn called "Nödferatu's lair." The album was released on March 26, 2002, but was not received with the same positive reviews as NOLA. Blabbermouth.net
reviewer Borivoj Krgin stated, "Down II appears to have been thrown together more haphazardly, with much of the material falling short of the standard set by the Down's classic debut offering." Despite poor reviews, the album debuted at number 44 on the Billboard 200. To support the album, Down toured on the second stage of Ozzfest
in 2002. Afterward, the band once again entered an indefinite hiatus to focus on their respective bands.
Newly signed to Warner Bros. Records
, Down once again reformed in 2006. The band wrote an album over the course of a year. The lyrical content of Down III: Over the Under
covers subjects such as the breakup of Pantera, the murder of ex-Pantera guitarist Dimebag Darrell
, the band's anger at the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina
, and Anselmo's recovery from back surgery and drug addiction. Debuting at number 26 on the Billboard 200, the album was released on September 25, 2007, and receive generally positive reviews. Kirk Miller of Decibel Magazine
said of the album, "for almost an hour, it’s like the metal world was set right again."
The release of Down III was preceded by a tour with Heaven & Hell and Megadeth
. To further support their album, Down headlined a tour starting at the end of September 2007.
On April 22, 2008, the BBC Radio 1 Rockshow broadcast a new session of Down recordings featuring alternate versions of "NOD", "Beneath the Tides", and "Jail", along with a cover of "When The Levee Breaks
" (written by Kansas Joe McCoy
and his wife Memphis Minnie
, and famously covered by Led Zeppelin
).
On July 8, 2008, Metalunderground.com reported rumors that Down was planning their fourth album, likely to be called Down IV. Although Down has said little more about their next album, they will write it while they take a break after touring.
On July 24, 2008, frontman Phil Anselmo
mentioned in a post on the band's Myspace blog that Down had been "fucking around with some new material" and had "enough material already recorded"--at least six new songs in addition to those that did not make the final cut on Over the Under. Just what or how much will be included on the tentative Down IV is uncertain, but according to Anselmo, there is "definitely enough for an awesome EP, with some surprises within."
Asked in November 2008 what the current status of the new album was, bassist Rex Brown
told Billboard.com
that Down had been "writing constantly on the road. We still have all these ideas, and we play a lot of new stuff at sound check, just to feel it out. Hopefully, we can get back in the studio in the fall and work on something."
On February 3, 2009, Down was announced—and later removed from—the lineup for the 2009 Bonnaroo Music Festival
in Manchester, Tennessee
, currently the largest annual outdoor music festival in the U.S. On February 18, 2009, Down was announced in the lineup for the 2009 Roskilde Festival in Denmark. Following these live dates, the band toured the USA and Canada during August and September 2009. On March 30, 2009, Down posted a statement on their message board indicating that they will be back in the studio from October through November writing and recording what will eventually become Down IV.
In the summer of 2009, Down began a US tour without Rex on bass, who had developed acute pancreatitis.
Kirk commented on on the Down website, “He’s [Rex] doing much better. He’s gaining a little weight back. Rex is one of my best friends in the world. I love him to death. He’ll be all right. Everybody’s not Lemmy (from Motörhead). I tell him that sometimes. It got to the point where his body just started giving out from 25 years on the road – drinking every day and what not. Most people do it on the weekend. Add that up to every day for 25 years and that’s what happens. By no means is he out of the band. Fortunately for us, my friend Danny (Theriot) who I played with in VICTORIAN BLITZ, my first metal band in the early ‘80s, helped us out. Obviously I prefer Rex to be there. But in a weird way, it is nice, 25 years later, to put my head on Danny’s shoulder while I’m doing a lead, ‘cause we used to do it when we were kids. But, I would prefer to put my head on Rex’s shoulder.”
On January 27, 2010, it was announced that Brown had nearly fully recuperated from his fight with pancreatitis. Says Brown, "After two major surgeries to close out 2009, I have recovered from pancreatitis and am looking forward to getting back to work with Down."
Down had discussed reconvening in New Orleans sometime after the 2010 Super Bowl to begin work on a new album. With a release date yet to be announced, the new album will be the band's fourth studio offering.
After legal issues with Warner Brothers Records regarding the rights to the music, Down released Diary of a Mad Band: Europe in the Year of VI CD/DVD on October 5 via Roadrunner Records. The title is a reference to Diary of a Madman
, an Ozzy Osbourne
album.
On 2011, Phil stated:
"Man, there will be a time for Down. Matter of fact we had a meeting this past week, and I know Jimmy's gotta go do an Eyehategod tour in February. But after that, I think we're looking to do some shows starting in March. Maybe local around here, maybe even some Mardi Gras gigs. But yeah, last week we sat around and they played me some new stuff they're working on, and it sounds good. Sounds like it's got a lot of promise, and really they just need me in the fuckin' practice room. So all this is going to happen this year. It has to happen. I know there's a responsibility here. Down has a fanbase and they are very very very loyal. So I don't want to let those people down. They deserve some new music, we have it. We've demoed other songs, there's songs that haven't even been released that people have never heard, so there's always Down there. For all you people out there, don't you stress. We got the Down coming."
Down have recently been added to the Download Festival
line-up, and will be playing the Saturday 11 June 2011. They will be playing alongside System of a Down
, Avenged Sevenfold
and Alice Cooper
.
Rex did not tour again with Down during their spring 2011 shows. Crowbar bassist Pat Bruders
has been filling in for Rex for the 2011 shows so far. Unfortunately, on this tour at least, former Pantera bassist Rex Brown will be absent on-stage.
“Rex is not gonna be with us,” said Keenan. “He’s got things he needs to deal with, and we gave him an ultimatum and he’s trying to work things out. We’ve got Pat (Bruders) from Crowbar playing bass, and he’s ass-kickin’ in the same way. He plays with his fingers — which is really cool; he’s got the whole Geezer Butler thing going on.”
When asked whether or not Brown was still considered a part of the band, Keenan was hopeful but hesitant.
“I don’t know what to really say on that; he’s not out of the band, but he’s not playing with us live.”
On May 11, 2011, Down announced on their Facebook
page that they "demoed a brand new tune." Since then, the band has been regularly updating their Facebook page after recording sessions.
On June 22, 2011, Jimmy Bower announced that Rex Brown would not be returning to Down, and that Pat Bruders is his replacement.
The band recently said on their Facebook page they started recording the new record on October 20.
Former
Live
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
supergroup
Supergroup (music)
In the late 1960s, the term supergroup was coined to describe "a rock music group whose performers are already famous from having performed individually or in other groups"....
that formed in 1991 in New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
. The band's current lineup consists of vocalist Phil Anselmo
Phil Anselmo
Philip Hansen "Phil" Anselmo is an American musician who is best known as the lead singer for the heavy metal band Pantera. He is currently the frontman for the Louisiana-based metal act Down. He is also the owner of Housecore Records....
, guitarist Pepper Keenan
Pepper Keenan
Pepper J. Keenan , is an American vocalist and guitarist, best known for his work with heavy metal bands Corrosion of Conformity and Down. He joined Corrosion of Conformity in 1989, but did not become the lead singer until the recording of Deliverance in 1994...
, guitarist Kirk Windstein
Kirk Windstein
Kirk Windstein is an English-American sludge metal singer and guitarist for the New Orleans bands Crowbar, Down, and Kingdom of Sorrow....
, bassist Pat Bruders
Patrick Bruders
Patrick Bruders is an American musician. He is best known for having been the bassist of the blackened death metal band Goatwhore from 1997 to 2004....
and drummer Jimmy Bower
Jimmy Bower
Jimmy Bower is an American sludge/heavy metal guitarist and drummer who has played with six bands, most notably Eyehategod, Crowbar, Down, and Superjoint Ritual....
. Since their formation, Down has gone on hiatus twice. To date, Down has released three studio albums, NOLA
NOLA (album)
- Band members :* Phil Anselmo - vocals, guitar on "Pray for the Locust", mandolin on "Jail"* Pepper Keenan - guitar* Kirk Windstein - guitar, bass* Jimmy Bower - drums- Guest musicians :...
(1995), Down II: A Bustle in Your Hedgerow
Down II: A Bustle in Your Hedgerow
*The song "Ghosts Along The Mississippi" takes its title from a book by photographer Clarence John Laughlin, whose photographs were used extensively in the booklet art for NOLA....
(2002), and Down III: Over the Under
Down III: Over the Under
-Notes:*Track 13 is a bonus track included with the UK version of the album. On the packaging of the UK album, however, the song is not mentioned, and is thus effectively a hidden track. It was also available on the Japanese pressing through Roadrunner Records Japan....
(2007). Since 2008, the band has been working on new material, which will result in four separate EPs instead of an album.
Formation and NOLA (1991–1998)
Phil Anselmo
Philip Hansen "Phil" Anselmo is an American musician who is best known as the lead singer for the heavy metal band Pantera. He is currently the frontman for the Louisiana-based metal act Down. He is also the owner of Housecore Records....
of Pantera
Pantera
Pantera was an American heavy metal band from Arlington, Texas. Formed by the Abbott brothers, Vinnie Paul and Dimebag Darrell in 1981, bassist Rex Brown would join in late 1981 with vocalist Terry Glaze. Looking for a new and heavier sound, Pantera had Terry replaced in 1987 with Phil Anselmo as...
, guitarist Pepper Keenan
Pepper Keenan
Pepper J. Keenan , is an American vocalist and guitarist, best known for his work with heavy metal bands Corrosion of Conformity and Down. He joined Corrosion of Conformity in 1989, but did not become the lead singer until the recording of Deliverance in 1994...
of Corrosion of Conformity
Corrosion of Conformity
Corrosion of Conformity is an American heavy metal band from Raleigh, North Carolina formed in 1982. For almost the majority of its existence, the band has consisted of guitarist Woody Weatherman, bassist Mike Dean , drummer Reed Mullin and vocalist and rhythm...
, second guitarist Kirk Windstein
Kirk Windstein
Kirk Windstein is an English-American sludge metal singer and guitarist for the New Orleans bands Crowbar, Down, and Kingdom of Sorrow....
and bassist Todd Strange
Todd Strange
Todd Strange is the bassist who played on the first Down album NOLA and with Crowbar. Forming Crowbar with Kirk Windstein , Matt Thomas and Craig Nunenmacher , they released the best-selling albums of the band's discography...
of Crowbar, and drummer Jimmy Bower
Jimmy Bower
Jimmy Bower is an American sludge/heavy metal guitarist and drummer who has played with six bands, most notably Eyehategod, Crowbar, Down, and Superjoint Ritual....
of Eyehategod
Eyehategod
Eyehategod is an American sludge metal band from New Orleans who formed in 1988. They have become one of the most well known bands to emerge from the NOLA metal scene...
. All of the band members were longtime friends, and shared interest in bands such as Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath are an English heavy metal band, formed in Aston, Birmingham in 1969 by Ozzy Osbourne , Tony Iommi , Geezer Butler , and Bill Ward . The band has since experienced multiple line-up changes, with Tony Iommi the only constant presence in the band through the years. A total of 22...
and Saint Vitus
Saint Vitus (band)
Saint Vitus is an American doom metal band from Los Angeles, formed in 1978. They consist of founding members Dave Chandler and Mark Adams , alongside sporadic singer Scott Weinrich and recently added drummer Henry Vasquez...
, which would significantly influence the music they made. The band made a three-track demo for underground trading. In an effort to build a fan base, the band would ask heavy metal fans if they had ever "heard of this band, Down" and hand them copies of the tape without telling the person that they were in the band. Eventually, the tape was distributed throughout the United States and Down played a small concert in its hometown. A record executive from Elektra Records
Elektra Records
Elektra Records is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group. In 2004, it was consolidated into WMG's Atlantic Records Group. After five years of dormancy, the label was revived by Atlantic in 2009....
was attending the show. When he found out who the members of the band were, he signed Down to a recording contract.
Down released its debut album, NOLA
NOLA (album)
- Band members :* Phil Anselmo - vocals, guitar on "Pray for the Locust", mandolin on "Jail"* Pepper Keenan - guitar* Kirk Windstein - guitar, bass* Jimmy Bower - drums- Guest musicians :...
, on September 19, 1995. Debuting at number 55 on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
, the album was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
.Allmusic reviewer David Reamer gave the album a nearly perfect 4.5 out of 5 stars, praising the songs "Temptations Wings", "Stone the Crow", and "Bury Me in Smoke". Reamer stated that "this is a landmark album that combines the talents of dedicated rock musicians, and should be included in any collection of heavy metal music." NOLA was supported by a 13-date tour, and afterward the band went on hiatus in order to return to their respective bands.
A Bustle in Your Hedgerow and Over the Under (1999–2008)
Rex Brown
Rex Robert Brown is an American heavy metal bassist. A former member of Down, he is most famous as the longtime bassist for the Grammy-nominated, platinum-selling band Pantera.-Pantera:...
. In 2002, Down came back from hiatus to make another record. The band wrote and recorded Down II: A Bustle in Your Hedgerow
Down II: A Bustle in Your Hedgerow
*The song "Ghosts Along The Mississippi" takes its title from a book by photographer Clarence John Laughlin, whose photographs were used extensively in the booklet art for NOLA....
in 28 "drug and booze induced" days in a barn called "Nödferatu's lair." The album was released on March 26, 2002, but was not received with the same positive reviews as NOLA. Blabbermouth.net
Blabbermouth.net
Blabbermouth.net is a website dedicated to heavy metal and hard rock news, as well as album and music DVD reviews. Blabbermouth.net was founded and is run by Borivoj Krgin. The first version of the website was officially launched in March 2001...
reviewer Borivoj Krgin stated, "Down II appears to have been thrown together more haphazardly, with much of the material falling short of the standard set by the Down's classic debut offering." Despite poor reviews, the album debuted at number 44 on the Billboard 200. To support the album, Down toured on the second stage of Ozzfest
Ozzfest
Ozzfest is an annual festival tour of the United States featuring performances by many heavy metal and hard rock musical groups. It was founded by Ozzy Osbourne and his wife Sharon Osbourne, both of whom also organize each yearly tour with their son Jack Osbourne...
in 2002. Afterward, the band once again entered an indefinite hiatus to focus on their respective bands.
Newly signed to Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies...
, Down once again reformed in 2006. The band wrote an album over the course of a year. The lyrical content of Down III: Over the Under
Down III: Over the Under
-Notes:*Track 13 is a bonus track included with the UK version of the album. On the packaging of the UK album, however, the song is not mentioned, and is thus effectively a hidden track. It was also available on the Japanese pressing through Roadrunner Records Japan....
covers subjects such as the breakup of Pantera, the murder of ex-Pantera guitarist Dimebag Darrell
Dimebag Darrell
Darrell Lance Abbott , also known as Diamond Darrell and Dimebag Darrell, was an American guitarist. He was best known as a founding member of the heavy metal bands Pantera and Damageplan. Abbott also contributed to the album Rebel Meets Rebel, a collaboration between Pantera and David Allan Coe...
, the band's anger at the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
, and Anselmo's recovery from back surgery and drug addiction. Debuting at number 26 on the Billboard 200, the album was released on September 25, 2007, and receive generally positive reviews. Kirk Miller of Decibel Magazine
Decibel magazine
Decibel is a monthly heavy metal and extreme music magazine published by the Philadelphia-based Red Flag Media. Since October 2004, Decibel has featured a plethora of extreme metal bands and musicians. Its sections include Upfront, Features, Reviews, Guest Columns and the Decibel Hall of Fame...
said of the album, "for almost an hour, it’s like the metal world was set right again."
The release of Down III was preceded by a tour with Heaven & Hell and Megadeth
Megadeth
Megadeth is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California which was formed in 1983 by guitarist/vocalist Dave Mustaine, bassist Dave Ellefson and guitarist Greg Handevidt, following Mustaine's expulsion from Metallica. The band has since released 13 studio albums, three live albums, two...
. To further support their album, Down headlined a tour starting at the end of September 2007.
On April 22, 2008, the BBC Radio 1 Rockshow broadcast a new session of Down recordings featuring alternate versions of "NOD", "Beneath the Tides", and "Jail", along with a cover of "When The Levee Breaks
When the Levee Breaks
"When the Levee Breaks" is a blues song written and first recorded by husband and wife Kansas Joe McCoy and Memphis Minnie in 1929. The song is in reaction to the upheaval caused by the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927....
" (written by Kansas Joe McCoy
Kansas Joe McCoy
Kansas Joe McCoy was an African American Delta blues musician and songwriter.-Career:McCoy played music under a variety of stage names but is best known as "Kansas Joe McCoy". Born in Raymond, Mississippi, he was the older brother of the blues accompanist Papa Charlie McCoy...
and his wife Memphis Minnie
Memphis Minnie
Memphis Minnie was an American blues guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter. She was the only female blues artist considered a match to male contemporaries as both a singer and an instrumentalist.-Career:...
, and famously covered by Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
).
Diary of a Mad Band, departure of Rex Brown and future new material (2008–present)
On July 24, 2008, frontman Phil Anselmo
Phil Anselmo
Philip Hansen "Phil" Anselmo is an American musician who is best known as the lead singer for the heavy metal band Pantera. He is currently the frontman for the Louisiana-based metal act Down. He is also the owner of Housecore Records....
mentioned in a post on the band's Myspace blog that Down had been "fucking around with some new material" and had "enough material already recorded"--at least six new songs in addition to those that did not make the final cut on Over the Under. Just what or how much will be included on the tentative Down IV is uncertain, but according to Anselmo, there is "definitely enough for an awesome EP, with some surprises within."
Asked in November 2008 what the current status of the new album was, bassist Rex Brown
Rex Brown
Rex Robert Brown is an American heavy metal bassist. A former member of Down, he is most famous as the longtime bassist for the Grammy-nominated, platinum-selling band Pantera.-Pantera:...
told Billboard.com
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
that Down had been "writing constantly on the road. We still have all these ideas, and we play a lot of new stuff at sound check, just to feel it out. Hopefully, we can get back in the studio in the fall and work on something."
On February 3, 2009, Down was announced—and later removed from—the lineup for the 2009 Bonnaroo Music Festival
2009 Bonnaroo Music Festival
The 2009 Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival was held June 11–14, 2009 at a farm in Manchester, Tennessee, . There were roughly 75,000 people in attendance....
in Manchester, Tennessee
Manchester, Tennessee
Manchester is a city in Coffee County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 10,102 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Coffee County...
, currently the largest annual outdoor music festival in the U.S. On February 18, 2009, Down was announced in the lineup for the 2009 Roskilde Festival in Denmark. Following these live dates, the band toured the USA and Canada during August and September 2009. On March 30, 2009, Down posted a statement on their message board indicating that they will be back in the studio from October through November writing and recording what will eventually become Down IV.
In the summer of 2009, Down began a US tour without Rex on bass, who had developed acute pancreatitis.
Kirk commented on on the Down website, “He’s [Rex] doing much better. He’s gaining a little weight back. Rex is one of my best friends in the world. I love him to death. He’ll be all right. Everybody’s not Lemmy (from Motörhead). I tell him that sometimes. It got to the point where his body just started giving out from 25 years on the road – drinking every day and what not. Most people do it on the weekend. Add that up to every day for 25 years and that’s what happens. By no means is he out of the band. Fortunately for us, my friend Danny (Theriot) who I played with in VICTORIAN BLITZ, my first metal band in the early ‘80s, helped us out. Obviously I prefer Rex to be there. But in a weird way, it is nice, 25 years later, to put my head on Danny’s shoulder while I’m doing a lead, ‘cause we used to do it when we were kids. But, I would prefer to put my head on Rex’s shoulder.”
On January 27, 2010, it was announced that Brown had nearly fully recuperated from his fight with pancreatitis. Says Brown, "After two major surgeries to close out 2009, I have recovered from pancreatitis and am looking forward to getting back to work with Down."
Down had discussed reconvening in New Orleans sometime after the 2010 Super Bowl to begin work on a new album. With a release date yet to be announced, the new album will be the band's fourth studio offering.
After legal issues with Warner Brothers Records regarding the rights to the music, Down released Diary of a Mad Band: Europe in the Year of VI CD/DVD on October 5 via Roadrunner Records. The title is a reference to Diary of a Madman
Diary of a Madman (album)
Diary of a Madman is the second studio album by Ozzy Osbourne. It was recorded from the 9th of Feb to the 23 of March 1981 inclusively - the end of winter in the UK and recording ending just into spring equinox. It was released on November 7, 1981, and re-issued on August 22, 1995. An altered...
, an Ozzy Osbourne
Ozzy Osbourne
John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne is an English vocalist, whose musical career has spanned over 40 years. Osbourne rose to prominence as lead singer of the pioneering English heavy metal band Black Sabbath, whose radically different, intentionally dark, harder sound helped spawn the heavy metal...
album.
On 2011, Phil stated:
"Man, there will be a time for Down. Matter of fact we had a meeting this past week, and I know Jimmy's gotta go do an Eyehategod tour in February. But after that, I think we're looking to do some shows starting in March. Maybe local around here, maybe even some Mardi Gras gigs. But yeah, last week we sat around and they played me some new stuff they're working on, and it sounds good. Sounds like it's got a lot of promise, and really they just need me in the fuckin' practice room. So all this is going to happen this year. It has to happen. I know there's a responsibility here. Down has a fanbase and they are very very very loyal. So I don't want to let those people down. They deserve some new music, we have it. We've demoed other songs, there's songs that haven't even been released that people have never heard, so there's always Down there. For all you people out there, don't you stress. We got the Down coming."
Down have recently been added to the Download Festival
Download Festival
The Download Festival is a three day rock music festival held annually at Donington Park, England . It usually takes place in June...
line-up, and will be playing the Saturday 11 June 2011. They will be playing alongside System of a Down
System of a Down
System of a Down, also known by the acronym SOAD and often shortened to System, is a rock band from Southern California. The band was formed in 1994. It consists of Serj Tankian , Daron Malakian , Shavo Odadjian and John Dolmayan...
, Avenged Sevenfold
Avenged Sevenfold
Avenged Sevenfold is an American heavy metal band from Huntington Beach, California. Formed in 1999, the group consists of vocalist M. Shadows, lead guitarist Synyster Gates, rhythm guitarist Zacky Vengeance, bassist Johnny Christ....
and Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper is an American rock singer, songwriter and musician whose career spans more than four decades...
.
Rex did not tour again with Down during their spring 2011 shows. Crowbar bassist Pat Bruders
Patrick Bruders
Patrick Bruders is an American musician. He is best known for having been the bassist of the blackened death metal band Goatwhore from 1997 to 2004....
has been filling in for Rex for the 2011 shows so far. Unfortunately, on this tour at least, former Pantera bassist Rex Brown will be absent on-stage.
“Rex is not gonna be with us,” said Keenan. “He’s got things he needs to deal with, and we gave him an ultimatum and he’s trying to work things out. We’ve got Pat (Bruders) from Crowbar playing bass, and he’s ass-kickin’ in the same way. He plays with his fingers — which is really cool; he’s got the whole Geezer Butler thing going on.”
When asked whether or not Brown was still considered a part of the band, Keenan was hopeful but hesitant.
“I don’t know what to really say on that; he’s not out of the band, but he’s not playing with us live.”
On May 11, 2011, Down announced on their Facebook
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
page that they "demoed a brand new tune." Since then, the band has been regularly updating their Facebook page after recording sessions.
On June 22, 2011, Jimmy Bower announced that Rex Brown would not be returning to Down, and that Pat Bruders is his replacement.
The band recently said on their Facebook page they started recording the new record on October 20.
Studio albums
| Year | Album details | Peak chart positions | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
AUS ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... |
FIN |
FRA Syndicat National de l'Edition Phonographique The Syndicat national de l'édition phonographique is the inter-professional organization which protects the interests of the French record industry... |
GER Media Control Charts The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie... |
IRL Irish Recorded Music Association Irish Recorded Music Association is the Irish record industry association. IRMA is a non-profit association set up to manage and control the music industry in the Republic of Ireland.-Goals and activities:... |
SWE Sverigetopplistan Sverigetopplistan, earlier known as Topplistan and Hitlistan and other names, is since October 2007 the Swedish national record chart, based on sales data from Swedish Recording Industry Association .... |
UK UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... |
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| 1995 | NOLA NOLA (album) - Band members :* Phil Anselmo - vocals, guitar on "Pray for the Locust", mandolin on "Jail"* Pepper Keenan - guitar* Kirk Windstein - guitar, bass* Jimmy Bower - drums- Guest musicians :...
|
57 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 68 |
| 2002 | Down II: A Bustle in Your Hedgerow Down II: A Bustle in Your Hedgerow *The song "Ghosts Along The Mississippi" takes its title from a book by photographer Clarence John Laughlin, whose photographs were used extensively in the booklet art for NOLA.... |
44 | 45 | — | — | 67 | — | — | 80 |
| 2007 | Down III: Over the Under Down III: Over the Under -Notes:*Track 13 is a bonus track included with the UK version of the album. On the packaging of the UK album, however, the song is not mentioned, and is thus effectively a hidden track. It was also available on the Japanese pressing through Roadrunner Records Japan.... |
26 | — | 30 | 114 | 65 | 42 | 45 | 46 |
| "—" denotes a release that did not chart. | |||||||||
Live albums
| Year | Album details | Peak chart positions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| FRA |
GER |
||
| 2010 | Diary of a Mad Band: Europe in the Year of VI
|
147 | 93 |
Singles
| Year | Song | Album | Music video |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | "Lifer" | NOLA | No |
| "Stone the Crow Stone the Crow "Stone the Crow" is the debut single by heavy metal band Down off their 1995 debut album, NOLA. It peaked at #40 on the US Mainstream Rock Charts. A video was also produced for the song.-Structure:... " |
Yes | ||
| "Temptations Wings" | |||
| 1996 | "Bury Me in Smoke" | No | |
| 2002 | "Beautifully Depressed" | Down II: A Bustle in Your Hedgerow | |
| "Ghosts Along the Mississippi" | Yes | ||
| 2007 | "On March the Saints" | Down III: Over the Under | |
| "I Scream" | No | ||
| 2008 | "Mourn" |
Band members
Current- Phil AnselmoPhil AnselmoPhilip Hansen "Phil" Anselmo is an American musician who is best known as the lead singer for the heavy metal band Pantera. He is currently the frontman for the Louisiana-based metal act Down. He is also the owner of Housecore Records....
- vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, studio guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
(1991–present) - Jimmy BowerJimmy BowerJimmy Bower is an American sludge/heavy metal guitarist and drummer who has played with six bands, most notably Eyehategod, Crowbar, Down, and Superjoint Ritual....
- drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
(1991–present) - Pepper KeenanPepper KeenanPepper J. Keenan , is an American vocalist and guitarist, best known for his work with heavy metal bands Corrosion of Conformity and Down. He joined Corrosion of Conformity in 1989, but did not become the lead singer until the recording of Deliverance in 1994...
- guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
(1991–present) - Kirk WindsteinKirk WindsteinKirk Windstein is an English-American sludge metal singer and guitarist for the New Orleans bands Crowbar, Down, and Kingdom of Sorrow....
- guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
(1991–present) - Pat BrudersPatrick BrudersPatrick Bruders is an American musician. He is best known for having been the bassist of the blackened death metal band Goatwhore from 1997 to 2004....
- bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
(2011–present)
Former
- Todd StrangeTodd StrangeTodd Strange is the bassist who played on the first Down album NOLA and with Crowbar. Forming Crowbar with Kirk Windstein , Matt Thomas and Craig Nunenmacher , they released the best-selling albums of the band's discography...
- bass (1991–1999) - Rex BrownRex BrownRex Robert Brown is an American heavy metal bassist. A former member of Down, he is most famous as the longtime bassist for the Grammy-nominated, platinum-selling band Pantera.-Pantera:...
- bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
(1999–2011)
Live
- Danny Theriot - bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
(2009)