Crowbar has spent much of 2014 touring behind their tenth full length record titled Symmetry In Black (out now via EOne Music). Already headlining a tour with Revocation, Havok, Fit For An Autopsy and Armed For Apocalypse; the Symmetry In Winter tour with Unearth and Black Crown Initiate, and appearing at Maryland Death Fest and the Scion AV Rockfest, they have kept themselves busy and also celebrating 25 years of the band in the meantime.
Photo By Keith Chachkes
One thing frontman and guitarist Kirk Windstein did was bow out of his long time “other” band Down in 2013, which the decision helped with him focus on Crowbar instead of balancing multiple bands.
He admits that leaving Down allowed him to put all of his time into Crowbar without juggling schedules. “I do have a clearer vision but it’s not that I have another band to worry about. It’s just that Down is a democracy and so is Crowbar. The difference is, and when I told Phillip [Anselmo], he understood me. ‘You’ve always been in charge of your career. You did what you wanted to do. If you wanted to stop doing Down and do Superjoint [Ritual], you did it. If you wanted to stop that and concentrate on a record label, you did it. Stop that and do a solo record, you did it.’ He was very cool about it, of course. He is my brother. I love him until the day I die. He was very cool about everything.”
“The situation for me in my life had changed to simplify my life was the smartest thing I’ve ever done. Now I’m in control. Now as in an arrogant asshole – I’m in control of when I tour, where I tour, how long I tour. My wife does merchandise. To us, Crowbar is a family business. So if we’re not on the road doing Crowbar, we’re at home being a family. To me, it was a logical, perfect step for us as a family. You saw what you saw and this band kicks ass. I put us against anybody. I ain’t scared of nobody. We don’t need bells and whistles, explosions, dragons, demons, light shows or none of that bullshit. I’m proud of what we do and I believe in what we do. That’s why I’m doing it.”
He said he likes how things are moving along with Crowbar and has regained control of his career. “Now I call my own shots. At my age…not to sound like a dick but I deserve to be in control of my own life and my career. With Crowbar, I do that.”
Interview By Rei Nishimoto