Kirk Windstein: Difference between revisions - Wikipedia

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~~{{Infobox musical artist ~~

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Kirk Windstein

~~| image = Kirk Windstein Wacken Open Air Crowbar 2017 (cropped).jpg~~

| ~~caption~~image = Kirk Windstein ~~performing~~Wacken ~~with~~Open Air Crowbar in 2017 (cropped).jpg

| caption = Windstein performing with Crowbar in 2017

~~| background = solo_singer~~

| birth_name = Kirk Michael Windstein

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1965|4|14}}

| birth_place = Unknown U.S. Air Force base<ref>{{cite web|last=Kirk Windstein|url=https://www.facebook.com/kirk.windstein/posts/10205365360159545 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/facebook/1415061443/10205365360159545 |archive-date=February 26, 2022 |url-access=limited|title=Facebook post from January 7, 2016|website=Facebook.com|accessdate=January 20, 2019}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

| origin = [[New Orleans, Louisiana]], U.S.

| instrument = Guitar, vocals

| genre = [[~~Heavy~~Sludge metal]], ~~music|Heavy~~[[stoner metal]], [[~~sludge~~southern metal]]

| occupation = Musician~~, singer~~, songwriter

| years_active = 1985–present

| label =

| ~~associated_acts~~current_member_of = [[Crowbar (American band)|Crowbar]], [[Down (band)|Down]], [[Kingdom of Sorrow]]

}}

'''Kirk Michael Windstein'''<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rosen |first=Steven |date=2012 |title=UG Special: Exclusive Interview With Phil Anselmo And 'Down' |url=https://www.ultimate-guitar.com/news/interviews/ug_special_exclusive_interview_with_phil_anselmo_and_down.html |access-date=2024-06-19 |website=[[Ultimate Guitar]]}}</ref> (born April 14, 1965) is an American ~~guitarist and singer~~musician. He is athe ~~founding~~frontman, vocalist, rhythm guitarist, and sole constant member of the [[sludge metal]] band [[Crowbar (American band)|Crowbar]]. ~~and~~He is also a founding member of the [[heavy metal music|heavy metal]] [[Supergroup (music)|supergroup]] [[Down (band)|Down]], playing guitar with them from 1991 to 2013 and later rejoining the band in 2020. In 2005, Windstein formed [[Kingdom of Sorrow]] with [[Jamey Jasta]] of [[Hatebreed]]. Their debut album was released in 2008. Windstein began his musical career in 1985 as a guitarist for a [[cover band]] called Victorian Blitz, and in 1988 joined a [[hardcore punk]] band called Shell Shock as a vocalist and guitarist.

== Life and career ==

===~~Victorian~~ ~~Blitz~~Early work ===

Windstein played guitar for the [[cover band]] Victorian Blitz in 1985.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=Loudwire|author-link=Loudwire|date=August 13, 2014|title=Crowbar's Kirk Windstein -– Wikipedia: Fact or Fiction?|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-Y3uxuC2Bo |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/w-Y3uxuC2Bo |archive-date=~~2021-12-~~December 21, 2021 |url-status=live|access-date=December 3, 2020|publisher=[[YouTube]]}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Other members included Sid Montz, (with whom Windstein would play again in [[Crowbar (American band)|Crowbar]]~~, Valüme Nob~~), Kevin Noonan, and ~~bassist~~ Danny Theriot.

Having left Victorian Blitz, Windstein joined the New Orleans' [[hardcore punk]] band [[Shell Shock (band)|Shell Shock]] as their guitarist and vocalist.<ref name=":0" /> With Windstein in the band, they began to play more of a [[crossover thrash]] style rather than straightforward hardcore punk, as it better suited Windstein's vocal style and a two-~~guitarists~~guitarist ~~line-up~~lineup. After finishing the recording of a new album called ''No Tomorrow'', ~~the band's~~ guitarist Mike Hatch committed suicide.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://paranoizenola.com/thewayitwas/shellshock-notomorrow.html |title=Shellshock – No Tomorrow excerpts |publisher=Paranoizenola.com |accessdate=June 3, 2014}}</ref> Kevin Noonan replaced ~~Hatch~~him for the final Shell Shock show in 1988, and the band became what is now Crowbar.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.myspace.com/shellshocknola |title=Shell Shock | Gratis muziek, tourneedata, foto's, video's |publisher=Myspace.com |accessdate=April 2, 2013}}</ref>▼

~~===Shell Shock===~~

▲Having left Victorian Blitz, Windstein joined the New Orleans' [[hardcore punk]] band [[Shell Shock (band)|Shell Shock]] as their guitarist and vocalist.<ref name=":0" /> With Windstein in the band they began to play more of a [[crossover thrash]] style rather than straightforward hardcore punk, as it better suited Windstein's vocal style and a two-guitarists line-up. After finishing the recording of a new album called ''No Tomorrow'', the band's guitarist Mike Hatch committed suicide.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://paranoizenola.com/thewayitwas/shellshock-notomorrow.html |title=Shellshock – No Tomorrow excerpts |publisher=Paranoizenola.com |accessdate=June 3, 2014}}</ref> Kevin Noonan replaced Hatch for the final Shell Shock show in 1988, and the band became what is now Crowbar.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.myspace.com/shellshocknola |title=Shell Shock | Gratis muziek, tourneedata, foto's, video's |publisher=Myspace.com |accessdate=April 2, 2013}}</ref>

=== Crowbar ===

After the collapse of Shell Shock in 1988 due to the suicide of 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 Wrequiem when bassist Mike Savoie (who would later direct music videos for Crowbar, Down, and [[Pantera]]) left the band and was replaced by [[Todd Strange]]. In 1990, they renamed themselves The Slugs, and after a demo in mid-1990, the band collapsed. Windstein considered becoming the guitarist for [[Exhorder]]. But he and Strange reformed the band, with [[Craig Nunenmacher]] as the drummer, and Kevin Noonan on guitar. The band renamed themselves to Crowbar in mid-1991.

In 1990, they renamed themselves The Slugs, and after a demo in mid-1990, the band collapsed. Windstein considered becoming the guitarist for [[Exhorder]] but he and Strange reformed the band, with [[Craig Nunenmacher]] as the drummer and Kevin Noonan on guitar. The band renamed themselves to Crowbar in mid-1991.

Crowbar was originally signed by Mark Nawara to Pavement Music and released their debut album ''[[Obedience thru Suffering]]'' in 1991. Windstein's childhood friend [[Phil Anselmo]] (who at the time was with Pantera) produced their next effort, a [[Crowbar (album)|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]]'s "[[No Quarter (song)|No Quarter]]". MTV's ''[[Headbangers Ball]]'' began to play the music video for "Existence Is Punishment", which was also featured on ''[[Beavis and Butt-Head]]''. Following that success, the band toured with Pantera. Together, they partied heavily, and footage of these events appears on [[3 Watch It Go|Pantera's third home video]] and Crowbar's "Like Broken" video, in which Windstein dressed up as [[Hulk]]. In 2001, Crowbar went on hiatus, because Windstein concentrated on other bands. Upon Windstein's return, Crowbar released ''[[Lifesblood for the Downtrodden]]'' in 2005, and two years later released a live DVD called ''Live: With Full Force''. The band released ''[[Sever the Wicked Hand]]'' in 2011, ''[[Symmetry in Black]]'' in 2014, and their latest album, ''[[The Serpent Only Lies]]'', in October 2016.▼

▲Crowbar was originally signed by Mark Nawara to Pavement Music and released their debut album, ''[[Obedience thru Suffering]]'', in 1991. Windstein's childhood friend [[Phil Anselmo]] (who at the time was with Pantera) produced their next effort, a [[Crowbar (album)|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]]'s "[[No Quarter (song)|No Quarter]]". [[MTV]]'s ''[[Headbangers Ball]]'' began to play the music video for "Existence Is Punishment", which was also featured on ''[[Beavis and Butt-Head]]''. Following that success, the band toured with Pantera. Together, they partied heavily, and footage of these events appears on [[3 Watch It Go|Pantera's third home video]] and Crowbar's "Like Broken" video, in which Windstein dressed up as [[Hulk]]. In 2001, Crowbar went on hiatus, because Windstein concentrated on other bands. Upon Windstein's return, Crowbar released ''[[Lifesblood for the Downtrodden]]'' in 2005, and two years later released a live DVD called ''Live: With Full Force''. The band released ''[[Sever the Wicked Hand]]'' in 2011, ''[[Symmetry in Black]]'' in 2014, and their latest album, ''[[The Serpent Only Lies]]'', in October 2016.

~~===Down===~~

[[file:Down 19.jpg|thumb|upright=0.8|Windstein (right) and [[Rex Brown]] performing with Down in 2009]]▼

In 2001, Crowbar went on hiatus because Windstein concentrated on other bands. Upon Windstein's return, Crowbar released ''[[Lifesblood for the Downtrodden]]'' in 2005, and two years later released a live DVD called ''Live: With Full Force''. The band went on to release ''[[Sever the Wicked Hand]]'' in 2011, ''[[Symmetry in Black]]'' in 2014, ''[[The Serpent Only Lies]]'' in 2016, and their latest, ''Zero and Below'', in March 2022.

[[Down (band)|Down]] released their debut album ''[[NOLA (album)|NOLA]]'' via [[Elektra Records]] in 1995 with Windstein on guitar and bass, Anselmo on vocals, [[Pepper Keenan]] on guitar, and Jimmy Bower (Crowbar, [[Superjoint Ritual]], and [[Eyehategod]]) on drums. The band played a 13-show tour with [[Todd Strange]] 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 reunited to release ''[[Down II: A Bustle in Your Hedgerow]]'' in 2002. Following the release, Down toured on the second stage at [[Ozzfest]], and then continued to tour on the "An Evening With... Down" tour. Afterward, both Windstein and Keenan returned to their main bands, thereby allowing Windstein to record Crowbar's ''[[Lifesblood for the Downtrodden]]'' with [[Rex Brown]] on bass, [[Craig Nunenmacher]] ([[Black Label Society]] and original Crowbar member) on drums and Down producer Warren Riker in early 2005. In 2007, Down released the album ''[[Down III: Over the Under]]''. They released an EP titled ''[[Down IV – Part I]]'' in September 2012. In late 2013, Windstein announced that he is leaving Down to concentrate on Crowbar 'full-time', as the band has its 25 anniversary in 2014.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/kirk-windstein-why-i-left-down/ |title=Kirk Windstein: Why I Left Down |publisher=Blabbermouth.net |date=October 14, 2013 |accessdate=June 3, 2014}}</ref>

===~~Kingdom~~ ofDown ~~Sorrow~~===

▲[[~~file~~File:Down 19.jpg|thumb|upright=0.8|Windstein (right) and [[Rex Brown]] performing with Down in 2009]]

In 2005, Windstein teamed up with vocalist [[Jamey Jasta]] of [[Hatebreed]] to form a new side venture called [[Kingdom of Sorrow]]. The band's [[Kingdom of Sorrow (album)|self-titled debut album]] was released on February 19, 2008 through [[Relapse Records]]. It debuted at No. 131 on the US Billboard charts and sold 6,000 records in its first week of release. The album was recorded at Planet Z with producer Zeuss, known for his work with [[Shadows Fall]] and many others.▼

===Solo work===▼

Crowbar recorded three albums before Down reunited to release ''[[Down II: A Bustle in Your Hedgerow]]'' in 2002. Following its release, Down toured on the second stage at [[Ozzfest]], and then continued to tour on the "An Evening with... Down" tour. Afterward, both Windstein and Keenan returned to their main bands, thereby allowing Windstein to record Crowbar's ''[[Lifesblood for the Downtrodden]]'' with [[Rex Brown]] on bass, [[Craig Nunenmacher]] ([[Black Label Society]] and original Crowbar member) on drums and Down producer Warren Riker in early 2005.

In 2007, Down released the album ''[[Down III: Over the Under]]''. They released an EP titled ''[[Down IV – Part I]]'' in September 2012. In late 2013, Windstein announced that he is leaving Down to concentrate on Crowbar full-time because of the band's 25th anniversary in 2014.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/kirk-windstein-why-i-left-down/ |title=Kirk Windstein: Why I Left Down |publisher=Blabbermouth.net |date=October 14, 2013 |accessdate=June 3, 2014}}</ref> In 2020, he rejoined Down.

=== Kingdom of Sorrow ===

▲In 2005, Windstein teamed up with vocalist [[Jamey Jasta]] of [[Hatebreed]] to form a new side venture called [[Kingdom of Sorrow]]. The band's [[Kingdom of Sorrow (album)|self-titled debut album]] was released on February 19, 2008, through [[Relapse Records]]. It debuted at No. 131 on the [[US Billboard charts]] and sold 6,000 records in its first week of release. The album was recorded at Planet Z with producer [[Zeuss]], known for his work with [[Shadows Fall]] and many others.

▲=== Solo work ===

In January 2020, Windstein released his first solo album, ''Dream in Motion''.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|date=November 8, 2019|title=Crowbar's Kirk Windstein Debuts Title Track From First Solo Album|url=https://loudwire.com/crowbar-kirk-windstein-solo-album-dream-motion-song-lyrics/|access-date=December 3, 2020|website=[[Loudwire]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.revolvermag.com/music/hear-crowbars-kirk-windstein-go-solo-sludgy-soulful-new-dream-motion|title=Hear Crowbar's Kirk Windstein Go Solo With Sludgy, Soulful New "Dream in Motion"|date=November 8, 2019|website=Revolver}}</ref>

== Personal life ==

Windstein is married Robin Windstein in 2013 and has a daughter from a previous marriage.<ref>{{Cite web|date=May 21, 2020|title=Crowbar's Kirk Windstein: "Your friends have been calling and freaking out, you've been on some cartoon called Beavis And Butt-Head"|url=https://www.kerrang.com/features/crowbars-kirk-windstein-your-friends-have-been-calling-and-freaking-out-youve-been-on-some-cartoon-called-beavis-and-butt-head/|access-date=~~2021-05-~~May 11, 2021|website=[[Kerrang!]]}}</ref> He is a [[Christians|Christian]].<ref name="New Noise">{{cite web|url=~~http~~https://newnoisemagazine.com/interviews/interview-crowbars-kirk-windstein-talks-album-love-family-relationship-3/|title=Interview: Crowbar's Kirk Windstein talks about the new album, love for his family and relationship with Down|publisher=New Noise Magazine|author=Shrum|date=July 1, 2014|accessdate=November 18, 2016}}</ref>

== Equipment ==

[[~~file~~File:KirkWindstein.jpg|thumb|upright|Windstein performing with Down at [[Download Festival]] 2009]]

=== Guitar ===

*Ibanez DT520 Destroyer ~~(currently with Crowbar)~~

*ESP Viper (Black)

*ESP Viper Baritone

*ESP Viper Custom (Red)

*ESP Eclipse Ambery Cherry Sunburst

*Gibson SG VooDoo (2005 with Crowbar)

*Gibson SG Standard Black (2005 with Crowbar)

Line 63 ⟶ 71:

*Gibson Explorer White (Down)

*Solar E1.6 Jensen

*Solar E1.6KW (Signature model)

*Solar X1.6 Purple Sparkle Custom (Main touring guitar with Crowbar 2024)

=== Amplification and effects ===

*Randall RG100ES (Crowbar, used from 1988–2013)

*Randall RG3003 (Crowbar, used since 2013)

*Randall Cyclone (Crowbar, used briefly around 2000–2001)

*Dean Dime D-100 (Crowbar, used briefly during 2010–2011)

*Orange Thunderverb 50 (he and [[Pepper Keenan]] are both endorsers since 2010)<ref>[http://www.orangeampstore.com/news/4/Gear-Interview%3A-Pepper-and-Kirk-of-DOWN-Discuss-Their-Love-For-The-Thunderverb-50.html] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110830150148/http://www.orangeampstore.com/news/4/Gear-Interview%3A-Pepper-and-Kirk-of-DOWN-Discuss-Their-Love-For-The-Thunderverb-50.html |date=August 30, 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNV0U_6Yc6Q |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/VNV0U_6Yc6Q |archive-date=~~2021-12-~~December 21, 2021 |url-status=live|title=Orange Amplifiers – DOWN |publisher=YouTube |date=February 25, 2010 |accessdate=April 2, 2013}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

*Marshall Amplification

*Marshall JCM800 2203X 100W Head (Down)

Line 80 ⟶ 90:

*Boss Metal Zone MT-2 pedal (Used for boost with Crowbar, EQ all at noon, level cranked, drive at 0)

== Discography ==

=== Crowbar ===

{| class="wikitable"

Line 88 ⟶ 98:

!Title

!Label

~~!US sales~~

|September 26, 1991

|''[[Obedience thru Suffering]]''

|rowspan="6"|Pavement Music

|▼

|October 12, 1993

|''[[Crowbar (album)|Crowbar]]''

~~(produced by [[Phil Anselmo]])~~

~~|100,000{{Citation needed|date=May 2021}}~~

|March 29, 1994

|''Live +1'' (EP)

|May 23, 1995

|''[[Time Heals Nothing]]''

|October 29, 1996

|''[[Broken Glass (album)|Broken Glass]]''

|July 7, 1998

|''[[Odd Fellows Rest]]''

|March 7, 2000

|''[[Equilibrium (Crowbar album)|Equilibrium]]''

|rowspan="2"|[[Spitfire Records]]

|August 8, 2001

|''[[Sonic Excess in Its Purest Form]]''

|February 9, 2005

|''[[Lifesblood for the Downtrodden]]''

~~(produced by Warren Riker)~~

|[[Candlelight Records]]

|February 8, 2011

|''[[Sever the Wicked Hand]]''

|[[Housecore Records]]

|May 27, 2014

|''[[Symmetry in Black]]''

~~(produced by Duane Simoneaux and Kirk Windstein)~~

|rowspan="2"|[[E1 Music]]

|October 28, 2016

|''[[The Serpent Only Lies]]''

▲|-

~~(produced by Duane Simoneaux and Kirk Windstein)~~

|March 4, 2022

|''[[Zero and Below]]''

|[[MNRK Music Group|MNRK Heavy]]

=== Down ===

{| class="wikitable"

Line 154 ⟶ 151:

!Title

!Label

!US Billboard peak<ref name="billboard1">{{cite ~~web~~magazine|title=Down Chart History – Billboard 200|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/down|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171012004458/https://www.billboard.com/music/down|archive-date=October 12, 2017|~~work~~magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]}}</ref>

|September 19, 1995

Line 167 ⟶ 164:

|September 25, 2007

|''[[Down III: Over the Under]]''

|rowspan="2"|[[Roadrunner Records]] (Europe)

| style="text-align:center;"|26

|September 18, 2012

|''[[Down IV – Part I~~|Down IV – Part I~~]] (The Purple EP)]]''

| style="text-align:center;"|35

=== Kingdom of Sorrow ===

{| class="wikitable"

Line 193 ⟶ 190:

=== Solo ===

{| class="wikitable"

Line 203 ⟶ 200:

|January 24, 2020<ref name=":1" />

|''Dream in Motion''

|rowspan="2"|[[eOne Music]]

| style="text-align:center;"|N/A

== Music videos ==

* 1991: [[Crowbar (American band)|Crowbar]] – "Subversion"

* 1993: Crowbar – "All I Had (I Gave)"

Line 231 ⟶ 228:

* 2016: Crowbar – "Falling While Rising"

* 2019: Kirk Windstein – "Dream in Motion"

* 2021: Crowbar – "Chemical Godz"

* 2022: Crowbar – "Bleeding From Every Hole"

== References ==

== External links ==

*[http://www.crowbarnola.com/ Crowbar official webpage]

*[http://www.down-nola.com/ Down official webpage]

*[http://www.lambgoat.com/features/interviews/down.aspx Kirk Windstein interview (~~Nov.~~November 2007)]▼

*[https://web.archive.org/web/20060623102241/http://www.valumenob.com/ Valume Nob official webpage]

▲*[http://www.lambgoat.com/features/interviews/down.aspx Kirk Windstein interview (Nov. 2007)]

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[[Category:American heavy metal singers]]

[[Category:American male guitarists]]

~~[[Category:American male singer-songwriters]]~~

[[Category:American rock songwriters]]

[[Category:Guitarists from Louisiana]]

[[Category:Living people]]

[[Category:Musicians from New Orleans]]

[[Category:~~Rhythm~~American rhythm guitarists]]

~~[[Category:Singer-songwriters from Louisiana]]~~

[[Category:20th-century American guitarists]]

[[Category:20th-century musicians from New Orleans]]

[[Category:Crowbar (American band) members]]

[[Category:Down (band) members]]