Down (band)

Down
Down live in Toronto in 2009
Background information
Origin	New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
Genres	Heavy metal, sludge metal, southern metal, groove metal
Years active	1991–present
Labels	Elektra, Warner Bros, Roadrunner
Associated acts	Arson Anthem, Corrosion of Conformity, Crowbar, Eyehategod, Kingdom of Sorrow, Pantera, Superjoint Ritual
Website	www.down-nola.com
Members	Phil Anselmo Jimmy Bower Pepper Keenan Pat Bruders Bobby Landgraf
Past members	Kirk Windstein Todd Strange Rex Brown

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 (Pantera), guitarist Pepper Keenan (Corrosion of Conformity), guitarist Bobby Landgraf (Honky), bassist Pat Bruders (Goatwhore), and drummer Jimmy Bower (Crowbar, Eyehategod, and Superjoint Ritual). Since their formation, Down has gone on hiatus twice and they have released five studio albums. The first three were LPs entitled NOLA (1995), Down II: A Bustle in Your Hedgerow (2002), and Down III: Over the Under (2007). In 2008, the band began working on additional material, which resulted in two EPs entitled Down IV – Part I, released in September 2012 and Down IV – Part II, released in May 2014.

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, Trouble, 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.