Kirk Windstein
Encyclopedia
Kirk Windstein is an English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

-American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 sludge metal
Sludge metal
Sludge metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that melds elements of doom metal and hardcore punk, and sometimes incorporates influences from southern rock, stoner rock and grunge. Sludge metal is typically abrasive; often featuring shouted vocals, heavily distorted instruments and sharply contrasting...

 singer and guitarist for the New Orleans bands Crowbar, Down
Down (band)
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...

, and Kingdom of Sorrow
Kingdom of Sorrow
Kingdom of Sorrow is an American heavy metal band which features Kirk Windstein of Crowbar and Down, along with Jamey Jasta of Hatebreed.- History :...

.

He currently plays guitar for both Crowbar and Down
Down (band)
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...

. He also played bass for Valume Nob
Valume Nob
Valume Nob are a metalcore band consisting of a number of veteran musicians who have been in some of New Orleans' heaviest underground bands. Following a 2004 EP, they put out their debut full length album in 2006 entitled "Residue and Bones"...

, but resigned in 2006, citing he was unable to commit the time needed to give it full justice . In February 2005, Windstein formed Kingdom of Sorrow
Kingdom of Sorrow
Kingdom of Sorrow is an American heavy metal band which features Kirk Windstein of Crowbar and Down, along with Jamey Jasta of Hatebreed.- History :...

 with Jamey Jasta
Jamey Jasta
Jamey Jasta is an American musician from New Haven, Connecticut, best known as the lead vocalist of the hardcore band Hatebreed and sludge metal band Kingdom of Sorrow...

 of Hatebreed
Hatebreed
- History :Hatebreed was formed in 1994 in Bridgeport, Waterbury and New Haven. They began by recording a three song demo and selling it to locals. Those three songs would eventually be released on a split seven inch with New York's Neglect in 1995...

. Their debut album, including guest artists, was released on February 19, 2008. Windstein began his musical career in 1987 as a guitarist for a Judas Priest
Judas Priest
Judas Priest are an English heavy metal band from Birmingham, England, formed in 1969. The current line-up consists of lead vocalist Rob Halford, guitarists Glenn Tipton and Richie Faulkner, bassist Ian Hill, and drummer Scott Travis. The band has gone through several drummers over the years,...

 and Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in east London, formed in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Since their inception, the band's discography has grown to include a total of thirty-six albums: fifteen studio albums; eleven live albums; four EPs; and six...

 cover band
Cover band
A cover band , is a band that plays mostly or exclusively cover songs. New or unknown bands often find the cover band format marketable for smaller gigs, and these bands may be known as a wedding band, party band and function band. A band whose covers consist mainly of songs that were chart hits is...

 called Victorian Blitz, and in 1988 joined a hardcore punk
Hardcore punk
Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...

 band called Shell Shock as a vocalist and guitarist.

Victorian Blitz

Windstein played guitar for the Judas Priest
Judas Priest
Judas Priest are an English heavy metal band from Birmingham, England, formed in 1969. The current line-up consists of lead vocalist Rob Halford, guitarists Glenn Tipton and Richie Faulkner, bassist Ian Hill, and drummer Scott Travis. The band has gone through several drummers over the years,...

 and Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in east London, formed in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Since their inception, the band's discography has grown to include a total of thirty-six albums: fifteen studio albums; eleven live albums; four EPs; and six...

 cover band
Cover band
A cover band , is a band that plays mostly or exclusively cover songs. New or unknown bands often find the cover band format marketable for smaller gigs, and these bands may be known as a wedding band, party band and function band. A band whose covers consist mainly of songs that were chart hits is...

 Victorian Blitz in 1987. Other members included Sid Montz, with whom Windstein would play again in Crowbar and Valume Nob; Kevin Noonan, guitarist from 1989 to 1993; and bassist Danny Theriot of Metairie, Louisiana.

Shell Shock

Having left Victorian Blitz, Windstein joined the New Orleans' premiere hardcore punk
Hardcore punk
Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...

 band Shell Shock as their guitarist and vocalist. With Windstein in the band they began to play more of a crossover thrash
Crossover thrash
__FORCETOC__Crossover thrash, often abbreviated to crossover, is a form of thrash metal that contains more hardcore punk elements than standard thrash. The genre lies on a continuum between heavy metal and punk rock...

 style rather than straightforward hardcore punk, as it better suited Windstein's vocal style and a two-guitarists lineup. When the band was recording a new album called "No Tomorrow", their guitarist Mike Hatch committed suicide. Kevin Noonan replaced Hatch for the final Shell Shock show in 1988, and the band became what now is Crowbar.

Crowbar

After the collapse of Shell Shock in 1988 due to the suicide of guitarist Mike Hatch, the band enlisted Kevin Noonan and carried on as Aftershock, which played a mixture of hardcore punk and doom metal. Under that name they released a demo in mid-1989, but then renamed themselves WREQIUEM when bassist Mike Savoie (who would later direct music videos for Crowbar, Down, and Pantera) left the band and was replaced by 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...

. In 1990 they renamed themselves to The Slugs, and after a demo in mid-1990, the band collapsed. Windstein considered becoming the guitarist for Exhorder
Exhorder
Exhorder is an American thrash/groove metal band from New Orleans, Louisiana. They are credited as the purveyors of the groove-oriented thrash sound later made famous by bands such as Pantera, White Zombie, and Machine Head. Initially active from 1985 to 1992, they have since reformed in...

. But Windstein and Strange reformed the band, with Craig Nunenmacher
Craig Nunenmacher
Craig "Louisiana Lightning" Nunenmacher is best known as the former drummer for Black Label Society and Crowbar. He joined Black Label Society in July 2000 while playing for Crowbar, who were touring with BLS at the time...

 as the drummer, and Kevin Noonan on guitar. The band renamed themselves Crowbar in mid-1991.

Crowbar was originally signed to Pavement Music and released "Obedience Through Suffering" in 1991. Windstein's childhood friend 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....

 (who at the time was in 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...

) produced their next effort, a self-titled album released in 1993. The album went on to achieve international success with songs such as "All I Had (I Gave)", "Existence is Punishment", and a cover of 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...

's "No Quarter
No Quarter (song)
"No Quarter" is a song by Led Zeppelin that appears on their album, Houses of the Holy, released in 1973. It was written by bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, guitarist Jimmy Page and singer Robert Plant.- Overview :...

". MTV's Headbangers Ball
Headbangers Ball
Headbangers Ball is a music television program consisting of heavy metal music videos airing on MTV2, MTV Australia, MTV Two , MTV Adria , MTV Brand New, MTV Portugal, MTV Finland, MTV Arabia, MTV Norway, MTV Sweden, MTV Denmark, MTV Greece, MTV Türkiye, MTV...

 began to play the music video for "Existence Is Punishment", which was also featured on Beavis and Butt-head
Beavis and Butt-Head
Beavis and Butt-head is an American animated television series created by Mike Judge. The series originated from Frog Baseball, a 1992 short film by Judge. After seeing the short, MTV signed Judge to develop the concept. Beavis and Butt-head originally aired from March 8, 1993 to November 28, 1997...

. Following that success, the band toured with Pantera. Together, the bands partied heavily, and footage of these events appears on Pantera's "Home Video 3" and Crowbar's "Like Broken" video, in which Windstein dressed up as the Hulk. In 2001, Crowbar went on hiatus, because Windstein concentrated on other bands. With Windstein's returned, Crowbar released Lifesblood for the Downtrodden in 2005, and two years later released a live DVD called "Live:With Full Force". Their latest album, entitled Sever the Wicked Hand
Sever the Wicked Hand
Sever the Wicked Hand is the ninth studio album by American sludge metal band Crowbar, which was released on February 8, 2011 on E1 Music, February 14, 2011 on Century Media in the UK...

, was released on February 8, 2011.

Down

Down released their 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 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....

 in 1995 with Windstein on guitar and bass, Anselmo on vocals, 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...

 on guitar, and 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....

 (Crowbar, Superjoint Ritual
Superjoint Ritual
Superjoint Ritual was an American heavy metal band formed by Phil Anselmo, Joe Fazzio, and Jimmy Bower in the early 1990s, later to be joined by Hank Williams III, and Kevin Bond. Their style can be considered a mix of Pantera's style of groove metal and hardcore punk. A small trace of black metal...

, and 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...

) on drums. The band played a 13-show tour with 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...

 on bass, and the album was certified gold by the RIAA. Following the tour, each member returned to their respective bands. Crowbar recorded three albums before Down
Down (band)
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...

 reunited to release "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 2002. Following the release, Down toured on the second stage at 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...

, and then continued to tour on the "An Evening With... Down" tour. Afterward, both Windstein and Keenan returned to their main bands, thereby allowing Kirk to record Crowbar's "Life's Blood for the Downtrodden" with 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:...

 on bass, Craig Nunenmacher
Craig Nunenmacher
Craig "Louisiana Lightning" Nunenmacher is best known as the former drummer for Black Label Society and Crowbar. He joined Black Label Society in July 2000 while playing for Crowbar, who were touring with BLS at the time...

 (Black Label Society
Black Label Society
Black Label Society is a heavy metal band formed by Zakk Wylde, with nine studio albums, one live album, two compilation albums, one EP, and three video albums released since formation of the band.-Formation and Sonic Brew :...

 and original Crowbar member) on drums and Down producer Warren Riker in spring 2005. In 2007 Down released the album 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....

. They now have a fourth album in the works.

Kingdom of Sorrow

In 2005 Kirk teamed up with Jamey Jasta
Jamey Jasta
Jamey Jasta is an American musician from New Haven, Connecticut, best known as the lead vocalist of the hardcore band Hatebreed and sludge metal band Kingdom of Sorrow...

 of Hatebreed
Hatebreed
- History :Hatebreed was formed in 1994 in Bridgeport, Waterbury and New Haven. They began by recording a three song demo and selling it to locals. Those three songs would eventually be released on a split seven inch with New York's Neglect in 1995...

 to form a new side venture called Kingdom of Sorrow
Kingdom of Sorrow
Kingdom of Sorrow is an American heavy metal band which features Kirk Windstein of Crowbar and Down, along with Jamey Jasta of Hatebreed.- History :...

. The band's self-titled debut album
Kingdom of Sorrow (album)
Kingdom of Sorrow is the self-titled debut album by Kingdom of Sorrow, a group featuring Jamey Jasta of Hatebreed and Kirk Windstein of Crowbar and Down...

 was released on February 19, 2008 by Relapse Records
Relapse Records
Relapse Records is an independent record label based in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania. It was founded by Matthew F. Jacobson in 1990.-History:The label was started by Matthew F. Jacobson in August, 1990 in his parents' basement in Aurora, Colorado...

. It debuted at #131 on the U.S. Billboard charts and sold 6,000 records in its first week of release. The album was recorded at Planet Z studios with producer Zeuss B. Held, known for his work with Shadows Fall
Shadows Fall
Shadows Fall is an American heavy metal band from Springfield, Massachusetts, formed in 1995. They are one of the few contemporary metal bands who take their lyrical influence from Eastern philosophy and some references to the Rastafari culture...

.

Guitar

  • ESP Viper (Black)
  • ESP Viper Baritone
  • ESP Viper Custom (Red)
  • ESP Eclipse Ambery Cherry Sunburst (Down 2009-2011)
  • Gibson SG VooDoo (2005 With Crowbar)
  • Gibson SG Custom Black (2005 With Crowbar)
  • Gibson SG Gothic (Down 2002, Crowbar 2005, Kingdom of Sorrow 2008)
  • Fender Stratocaster White (2009 Tour With Down)
  • ESP Viper Custom Purple Le Fleur-de-lis (2010 crowbar)
  • Maxon Effects Pedals

Amplification

  • Orange Tunderverb 50 (he and Pepper Keenan are both endorsers since 2010)
  • Marshall Amplification
  • Marshall JCM800 2203X 100W Head
  • Marshall 1960B straight front 300W 4x12 cabinets that use 75W Celestion speakers.
  • Orange Rockerverb 100 (Down)
  • Randall RG100ES (Crowbar 2011)
  • Now uses -and endorses - DimeAmps made by the Dean guitar company.

Crowbar

Date of Release Title Label US sales
26 September 1991 Obedience Thru Suffering Pavement Music
12 October 1993 Crowbar
Crowbar (album)
Crowbar was recorded in New Orleans in 1992 by Crowbar. The album went on to sell 100,000 copies on the independent label Pavement Music . The singles "All I Had " and "Existence Is Punishment" propelled the band on MTV and achieved international attention...


(Produced by Phil Anselmo)
100,000
29 March 1994 Live +1 (EP)
23 May 1995 Time Heals Nothing
Time Heals Nothing
Time Heals Nothing is the third album by Crowbar, which was released on May 23, 1995.-Track listing:#"The Only Factor" #"No More Can We Crawl" #"Time Heals Nothing" #"Leave It Behind" #"Through A Wall Of Tears"...

29 October 1996 Broken Glass
7 July 1998 Odd Fellows Rest
Odd Fellows Rest
Odd Fellows Rest is the fifth album released by Crowbar on July 7, 1998.-Track listing:*All Songs Written By Crowbar .#"Intro" - 1:24#"Planets Collide" - 4:38#".....

7 March 2000 Equilibrium Spitfire Records
Spitfire Records
Spitfire Records was a subdivision of Eagle Rock Entertainment located in New York, United States.In September 1998, Paul Bibeau founded, launched and rapidly developed Spitfire Records Inc. from a two-man operation located in his home bedroom in suburban Long Island, New York, to one of the...

8 August 2001 Sonic Excess in its Purest Form
Sonic Excess in its Purest Form
Sonic Excess in its Purest Form is the seventh studio album by New Orleans-based sludge metal band Crowbar.-Track listing:#"The Lasting Dose" - 4:12#"To Build a Mountain" - 3:58#"Thru the Ashes " - 4:43#"Awakening" - 3:36...

9 February 2005 Lifesblood for the Downtrodden
(Produced by Warren Riker)
Candlelight Records
Candlelight Records
Candlelight Records is an independent record label based in Europe founded by former Extreme Noise Terror bassist Lee Barrett, though it has had a division in the United States since January 2001. Candlelight Records specialises in black metal and death metal, having bands such as Emperor,...

February 2011 Sever the Wicked Hand
Sever the Wicked Hand
Sever the Wicked Hand is the ninth studio album by American sludge metal band Crowbar, which was released on February 8, 2011 on E1 Music, February 14, 2011 on Century Media in the UK...

Housecore Records

Down

Date of US Release Title Label US Billboard Peak
19 September 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 :...

Elektra
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....

57
26 March 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
25 September 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....

Roadrunner Records (Europe) 26
TBA Down IV

Kingdom of Sorrow

Date of US Release Title Label US Billboard Peak
19 February 2008 Kingdom of Sorrow
Kingdom of Sorrow (album)
Kingdom of Sorrow is the self-titled debut album by Kingdom of Sorrow, a group featuring Jamey Jasta of Hatebreed and Kirk Windstein of Crowbar and Down...

Relapse Records
Relapse Records
Relapse Records is an independent record label based in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania. It was founded by Matthew F. Jacobson in 1990.-History:The label was started by Matthew F. Jacobson in August, 1990 in his parents' basement in Aurora, Colorado...

131
8 June 2010 Behind the Blackest Tears
Behind the Blackest Tears
- Special edition bonus tracks :# "Soldiers of Hell" – 3:29 # "No Class" – 2:39 - Personnel :* Jamey Jasta - vocals* Kirk Windstein - guitar, vocals* Charlie Bellmore - guitar, bass* Nick Bellmore - drums...

Relapse Records
Relapse Records
Relapse Records is an independent record label based in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania. It was founded by Matthew F. Jacobson in 1990.-History:The label was started by Matthew F. Jacobson in August, 1990 in his parents' basement in Aurora, Colorado...

N/A

Music videos

  • 1991 Crowbar - "Subversion"
  • 1993 Crowbar - "All I Had (I Gave)"
  • 1993 Crowbar - "Existence Is Punishment"
  • 1994 Down
    Down (band)
    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...

     - "Stone the Crow"
  • 1995 Crowbar - "The Only Factor
  • 1996 Crowbar - "Broken Glass"
  • 1997 Crowbar - "Like Broken" (Full Length Home Video)
  • 1997 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...

     - "Home Video 3" (Full Length Home Video) (Kirk as The Incredible Hulk)
  • 2000 Crowbar - "I Feel the Burning Sun"
  • 2002 Down - "Ghosts along the Mississippi"
  • 2005 Crowbar - "Dead Sun" (Filmed in Miami, Florida around August 2004 and directed by John-Martin Vogel and Robert Lisman)
  • 2005 Crowbar - "Lasting Dose"
  • 2005 Crowbar - "Slave No More" (Filmed in Miami, Florida on June 21, 2005 and directed by John-Martin Vogel)
  • 2007 Crowbar - "Live: With Full Force" (Full Length DVD)
  • 2007 Down - "On March the Saints"
  • 2008 Kingdom of Sorrow
    Kingdom of Sorrow
    Kingdom of Sorrow is an American heavy metal band which features Kirk Windstein of Crowbar and Down, along with Jamey Jasta of Hatebreed.- History :...

     - "Lead into Demise"
  • 2008 Kingdom of Sorrow
    Kingdom of Sorrow
    Kingdom of Sorrow is an American heavy metal band which features Kirk Windstein of Crowbar and Down, along with Jamey Jasta of Hatebreed.- History :...

    - "Lead the Ghosts Astray"
  • 2011 Crowbar - "Cemetery Angels"

External links

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