KIRK WINDSTEIN Is ‘Very Excited’ About DOWN’s ‘NOLA’ 25th-Anniversary Shows

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Kirk Windstein spoke to Games, Brrraaains & A Head-Banging Life about his participation in DOWN's upcoming 2020 shows to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the group's debut album, "NOLA". A founding member of DOWN, Windstein left the band in 2013 in order to focus on CROWBAR and his family life. He was replaced by Bobby Landgraf, DOWN's former guitar tech who was previously in GAHDZILLA MOTOR COMPANY, a 1990s outfit also featuring Jason McMaster (DANGEROUS TOYS, WATCHTOWER), and HONKY. Asked how he is feeling about the opportunity to reconnect with his former bandmates for the first time in seven years, Windstein said: "I'm very excited. I like to think I've been a very big and important part of the band's history, and certainly the 'NOLA' record. So, for them to ask me to come back and do these 'NOLA' shows, I think it's a great thing. And we'll see, down the line, if anything else happens. I really don't know. I don't know where everybody's heads are at with it. But it will be fun, and it will be an honor to celebrate the 25th anniversary of one of the greatest hard rock records out there, in my opinion. I think it's just a classic, and I'm just very proud to be part of it." Pressed about whether it feels to him like it has been 25 years since the release of the "NOLA" record, the CROWBAR frontman quippedd: "To my back and knees, it does. And my neck occasionally." He continued: "People always say, 'Time flies.' I mean, when I break it down, it was 25 years ago, and it does seem like forever ago, but then again, like I said, time does fly. I'm glad we're doing something to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the record, 'cause it's too classic and too good of a record to just let that opportunity go away." Windstein recently told Revolver that he was back in DOWN for good, explaining: "DOWN is back to what it started out as, which is a 100 percent complete side project. Everyone's other bands are the priority and that's that." DOWN has several shows scheduled in 2020 so far, including appearances at this year's editions of the Graspop Metal Meeting festival in Dessel, Belgium, at the Copenhell festival in Copenhagen, Denmark, and at the Psycho Las Vegas festival in Las Vegas, Nevada. DOWN was forced to cancel a number of shows in 2016 after singer Philip Anselmo was filmed giving a Nazi salute and shouting "white power" at a California concert. Guitarist Pepper Keenan later offered his take on what transpired, telling Metal Wani that DOWN was "far from done" after the controversial incident. "You know, DOWN didn't do anything wrong," he said. "I mean, we were just guilty by association on that one. That was Phil's mistake. I've spoken to Phil and told him to get his shit together, and he is. He knows he made a mistake and was being stupid." He continued: "I've known the guy [most of my life]. He's not what that whole thing framed him to be at all. But, yeah, there's definitely a future for DOWN. I wouldn't throw all the shit we've done, beautiful music we've done on one stupid moment that was caught on camera, and he apologized for. [So we are] far from done." DOWN's last live appearance took place in August 2016 at the Psycho Las Vegas festival in Las Vegas. Windstein released his debut solo album, "Dream In Motion", on January 24 via Entertainment One (eOne).