Down (band)

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Down

Background information
Origin	New Orleans, LA, USA
Genre(s)	Sludge metal Groove Metal Stoner Metal
Years active	1991-1995 2001-2002 2006-
Label(s)	Elektra
Associated acts	Pantera, Superjoint Ritual, Corrosion of Conformity, Crowbar, Eyehategod
Website	http://www.down-nola.com/
Members
Phil Anselmo Pepper Keenan Kirk Windstein Rex Brown Jimmy Bower
Former members
Todd Strange

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), Kirk Windstein (Crowbar guitarist), Rex Brown (ex-Pantera bassist), and Jimmy Bower (Crowbar drummer; Superjoint Ritual and Eyehategod guitarist). Todd Strange (Crowbar bassist) participated in the recording of the first album, NOLA.

The first release was NOLA (short for New Orleans, Louisiana, and also a common blanket term for the local doom metal scene) in 1995, an album combining the typical New Orleans "sludge doom" sound with distinct blues and country overtones. A short tour of 13 dates was undertaken shortly after the album's release. Following the tour, Down was put on hold to allow its members to return to their respective bands. The band regrouped in 2001 to record the more diverse album entitled Down II: A Bustle in Your Hedgerow (taken from a line in the Led Zeppelin song "Stairway to Heaven"). Another tour was undertaken, both on their own and as part of Ozzfest in the summer of 2002. The band was then once more put on hold, as lead singer Anselmo wished to focus his efforts on Superjoint Ritual, which also featured Bower on guitar.

Bower has recently stated that a new Down album will hopefully appear in 2006 after their first European tour. Keenan has stated that the new album is indeed in the writing stage. Anselmo is understood to be one of the major driving forces behind the new album and is quoted as saying "I want my band back" in reference to Down. In a recent statement from bassist Rex Brown, Down will be re-releasing their debut album Nola with Rex playing the bass tracks. He has also stated that both Down albums are going to be remastered and re-released. According to Rex, the band has numerous acoustic songs written and some material recorded which will hopefully appear on their next full length album. He has mentioned the album will hopefully appear as soon as January of 2007.