Jimmy Bower - Down (12/02/2014)
Eleven days out from their first Soundwave appearance, we caught up with Down drummer Jimmy Bower to chat about the band’s origins, their upcoming sidewaves with Alice In Chains, and playing the festival itself.
“We were all friends from the same town that all had different bands and all that. And we just wanted to do something different, you know? I think it was a respect thing; everybody had respect for everybody, about what everybody had done. And I think the general consensus was how cool it would be to get all of us together and just jam."
“I remember the first practice, we played “Temptation’s Wings”, “Losing It All” and “Bury Me In Smoke” all in one day, and we were like, ‘This is cool.’ And I think it still stands true today, that there’s that same sense of respect amongst everybody.”
Founded in New Orleans, Louisiana, Down has been around since its inception in 1991, the brainchild of members of Pantera, Corrosion of Conformity, Crowbar, and Bower’s first band, Eyehategod. Twenty-three years later, the band are preparing for the release of their fifth album, the follow-up to 2012’s Down IV Part I – The Purple EP.
“We just finished recording the second EP, and it’s got our new guitar player, Bobby Landgraf. He wrote with us, ‘cause Kirk [Windstein] is no longer in the band. So he brought some new blood into it. It was a really fun writing process, and I’m really looking forward to the fans hearing it. It came together really cool.”
Bower tells us that he’s excited to see his friends in Mastodon when they play Soundwave, but was unable to tell us if there were any other bands he was excited for.
“I don’t really know what bands are on the bill. I’m embarrassed to say it, but I don’t. But I’m sure we’ll know a few. I’ve never heard Walking Papers, but I’m definitely a fan of Alice In Chains, so [playing their sideshows] should be really cool."
“I was saying earlier, I think Alice In Chains and Down are two bands that are unique and can be really heavy, but can also be really mellow if they want to. So that should be cool.”
Although Bower was here with Eyehategod in 2012, Down haven’t been to our shores since they supported Heaven & Hell on their tour in 2007. Bower already has a few plans for when he has a day or two off between shows.
“I’m gonna wake up late,” he laughs. “I’m gonna sleep late. And while we’re in Brisbane, we’re gonna go see the kangaroos and the koala bears at that... I forgot the name of it. The sanctuary out there. And hopefully, maybe get to see a beach or two. Soundwave sounds like a really fun festival, so I think days off will be good for resting, to have another good time at the next show.”
Bower and wife Dana became first-time parents last March when they welcomed daughter Maddie Rae into the world, and there is evident pride in his voice as the conversation turns to her.
“I have a ten-month-old daughter, so. My second job is being a dad. It was a great change. You know, obviously I’m not the perfect dad, so I’m learning something new every day. But she’s beautiful. I really enjoy my family. And I enjoy the fact that I still get to play music.”
With so many years of experience between them, Down are a definite force to be reckoned with. Bower is certain that he will be playing music until the end of his days, and not even the changing music industry is going to stop him.
“It probably depends on how you look at it, you know? You can dwell on the negative, or you can just be positive. I think at the end of the day it comes down to what your band has to say and staying true to that – and if you do that, you’re timeless.”
Renée Shantel
“We were all friends from the same town that all had different bands and all that. And we just wanted to do something different, you know? I think it was a respect thing; everybody had respect for everybody, about what everybody had done. And I think the general consensus was how cool it would be to get all of us together and just jam."
“I remember the first practice, we played “Temptation’s Wings”, “Losing It All” and “Bury Me In Smoke” all in one day, and we were like, ‘This is cool.’ And I think it still stands true today, that there’s that same sense of respect amongst everybody.”
Founded in New Orleans, Louisiana, Down has been around since its inception in 1991, the brainchild of members of Pantera, Corrosion of Conformity, Crowbar, and Bower’s first band, Eyehategod. Twenty-three years later, the band are preparing for the release of their fifth album, the follow-up to 2012’s Down IV Part I – The Purple EP.
“We just finished recording the second EP, and it’s got our new guitar player, Bobby Landgraf. He wrote with us, ‘cause Kirk [Windstein] is no longer in the band. So he brought some new blood into it. It was a really fun writing process, and I’m really looking forward to the fans hearing it. It came together really cool.”
Bower tells us that he’s excited to see his friends in Mastodon when they play Soundwave, but was unable to tell us if there were any other bands he was excited for.
“I don’t really know what bands are on the bill. I’m embarrassed to say it, but I don’t. But I’m sure we’ll know a few. I’ve never heard Walking Papers, but I’m definitely a fan of Alice In Chains, so [playing their sideshows] should be really cool."
“I was saying earlier, I think Alice In Chains and Down are two bands that are unique and can be really heavy, but can also be really mellow if they want to. So that should be cool.”
Although Bower was here with Eyehategod in 2012, Down haven’t been to our shores since they supported Heaven & Hell on their tour in 2007. Bower already has a few plans for when he has a day or two off between shows.
“I’m gonna wake up late,” he laughs. “I’m gonna sleep late. And while we’re in Brisbane, we’re gonna go see the kangaroos and the koala bears at that... I forgot the name of it. The sanctuary out there. And hopefully, maybe get to see a beach or two. Soundwave sounds like a really fun festival, so I think days off will be good for resting, to have another good time at the next show.”
Bower and wife Dana became first-time parents last March when they welcomed daughter Maddie Rae into the world, and there is evident pride in his voice as the conversation turns to her.
“I have a ten-month-old daughter, so. My second job is being a dad. It was a great change. You know, obviously I’m not the perfect dad, so I’m learning something new every day. But she’s beautiful. I really enjoy my family. And I enjoy the fact that I still get to play music.”
With so many years of experience between them, Down are a definite force to be reckoned with. Bower is certain that he will be playing music until the end of his days, and not even the changing music industry is going to stop him.
“It probably depends on how you look at it, you know? You can dwell on the negative, or you can just be positive. I think at the end of the day it comes down to what your band has to say and staying true to that – and if you do that, you’re timeless.”
Renée Shantel