Multi-talented drummer Jimmy Bower will be in Australia soon with his band Down to play at the 2014 Soundwave Festival. It’s safe to say that the experienced southern-rock general is pumped to be out on the road again.
“I’ve heard a lot of good things about Soundwave, so we’re looking forward to it. I know Mastodon is playing, but there’s like a hundred bands or something. We can’t wait.”
With the onset of a hectic three-week festival – and Down’s once formidable reputation to enjoy a few drinks – Bower and his crew are hoping to add some recreational time to the schedule.
“Depending on how much time we have, but we’re not 25 years old anymore either. Sometimes we’ll just lay down all day or go for a walk. Australia is a chilling place, so I’m looking forward to getting to the beach. That sounds like a good day to me, man.”
The band’s most recent release, 2012’s Down IV Part I – The Purple EP, was the first in a series of four expected EPs. Rumours of the next instalment release date have circled the music industry for the past year, however Bower’s response to this is emphatic.
“The EP is done. New guitarist Bobby Landgraf has recorded with the band for the first time since Kirk’s [Windstein] departure, and new blood always brings new ideas. Soundwave will be his first tour, so we’re keen to seeing what a brother can do.”
Landgraf was drafted into the band late last year following the departure of original guitarist Windstein, who left to concentrate his efforts on his other band, Crowbar.
“Landgraf has been with Down for five or six years [as guitar tech]. He’s a great guitar player, so to have that calibre of musician on board, we’re looking forward to watching him shine,” Bower explains.
“It’s like a new band now, new dudes. It’s exciting”“The new EP was all done with Bobby. We didn’t use any old riffs. When you have a band like Down, everybody writes. It’s like a new band now, new dudes. It’s exciting,” the drummer adds.
With the The Purple EP offering a more heavy sound similar to Nola – the band’s debut album that was released in 1995 – Bower was keen to divulge further information on the release.
“This EP will be the second of four. For a band like Down, where we’ve got so many different styles, we can play heavy stuff to mellow, so that was the whole idea behind these EPs. This album will be really heavy – the fans are going to like it. It’s a sad heavy vibe. The writing process was really fun. We had a really good time.”
Frontman Phil Anselmo creates the setlists for Down when touring. That said, Bower is unsure as to what fans in Australia will see at Soundwave, however he is adamant that whatever is played, Down will be the life of the party.
“It’ll be a mix of everything. We’re fortunate to have a bunch of different records to choose from, but a lot of people really like Nola, so we’ll play a lot of stuff from that album and just have a good time.”
Formed in 1991, Down’s initial attraction to the world of metal was having former Pantera vocalist, Anselmo, fronting the band. With the frontman’s history of drugs, alcohol, and occasional manic behaviour, Bower was keen to add his take on the iconic singer.
“He’s nuts! The dude’s crazy and one of my best friends. Phil is an extremely talented person. A great songwriter, a great friend, and I’m honoured to be in a band with him. I know people have a lot of preconceived ideas of the guy, but that’s my boy, a great person.”
Anselmo is seemingly almost as maniacal when it comes to the Australian music scene – in particular, about a certain extreme death metal band from Queensland.
“Portal. He loves Portal more than he loves himself,” Bower exclaims, before adding, “Personally I’m into AC/DC, Airbourne, anything with groove.”
Though the Black Sabbath similarities and references throughout Down’s history are clear, it’s been the injection of a rock-funk element into some tracks that have surprised the audience.
“We’re inspired by all kinds of stuff, from Stevie Wonder, Black Sabbath’s Volume 4, Sleep, Hank Williams Jnr. People ask me what type of music do you listen to before your shows. I just say we just put on good tunes and vibe out, whatever,” Bower explains.
“We’re inspired by all kinds of stuff, from Stevie Wonder, Black Sabbath’s Volume 4, Sleep, Hank Williams Jnr”As well as playing drums for Down, Bower is also a guitarist with sludge metal band Eyehategod, who were recently left stranded at a US airport just prior to boarding on a planned Australian tour. Bower was coy in his explanation of events.
“We’ll be back over, it just didn’t work out. It’s all good. You live and learn, man, you live and learn.”
As part of the Soundwave Festival, Down will also be playing sideshows supporting Alice In Chains along with Duff McKagan’s new band, Walking Papers in one of the abundant ‘sidewaves’.
“I didn’t even know Duff was in a new band, so that’ll be awesome. We toured with his band Loaded in South America and he was hanging out in his dressing room and I swear he was listening to The Allman Brothers Band, and he says ‘no, this is Prince’s first record’, and I was blown away. We’ve got much respect for Duff, that’ll be awesome to catch up,” the musician exudes.
This year is set to be a big year for Down, with a new EP and a stretch of dates with Zakk Wylde’s band Black Label Society scheduled.
Touring has become an integral part of Bower’s life for the last 25 years now. The drummer reminisced about his favourite tour of all time.
“The tour with Pantera in ‘97 was great. I played with Eyehategod, and that tour also had White Zombie on it. I’ve never had as much fun in my life as that. They took a chance on us and took us out on tour and for them to treat us as like normal human beings, where everyone was cool, we couldn’t ask for more than that,” Bower reveals.
If you were asked to conjure up a picture of the Down members in your head, you’d likely think, ‘southern rock ‘real’ men with beards chiselled from metal’. With that in mind, Bower concluded with, “I’m trimming my beard tomorrow. I have a 10-month-old daughter and she likes to pull on it. That shit hurts.”
Perhaps Down are mortals after all.
Down Soundwave 2014 Sidwaves
Supporting Alice In Chains
TUESDAY 25 FEBRUARY – SYDNEY, ENMORE THEATRE – Licensed All Ages
Tickets: www.ticketek.com.au
THURSDAY 27 FEBRUARY – MELBOURNE, THE PALACE – 18+
Tickets: www.ticketek.com.au
Also performing at:
Soundwave 2014
Saturday 22nd February – Brisbane, RNA Showgrounds
Sunday 23rd February – Sydney, Olympic Park
Friday 28th February – Melbourne, Flemington Racecourse
Saturday 1st March – Adelaide, Bonython Park
Monday 3rd March – Perth, Claremont Showgrounds
Tickets on sale via: soundwavefestival.com, oztix.com.au & other outlets
