| Crowbar | |
|---|---|
| Origin | 
Louisiana, United States |
| Genre(s) | Doom metal Sludge metal Sludgecore |
| Years active | 1989–present |
| Label(s) | Zoo |
| Associated acts |
Down, Eyehategod, Superjoint Ritual, Mystick Krewe of Clearlight, Corrosion of Conformity, Black Label Society, Acid Bath, Valume Nob, Pantera |
| Website | www.crowbarmusic.com |
| Members | |
| Kirk Windstein Steve Gibb Patrick Bruders Tommy Buckley |
|
| Former members | |
| Todd "Sexy T" Strange Craig Nunenmacher Kevin Noonan Matt Thomas Jimmy Bower Sammy Duet Sid Montz Tony Costanza Jeff Okoneski Rex Brown |
|
Crowbar is an American doom / sludge metal band from Louisiana, characterized by their extremely slow, low-keyed, heavy and brooding songs that also contain fast hardcore punk passages. Beavis & Butt-head once described their music as being slow and fat.
History
Starting in 1989 and taking its name from the Crowbar group in NOLA (New Orleans), Kirk Windstein went on to pioneer slow and heavy music with a unique vocal style and hardcore punk influences that resulted in fast passages uncharacteristic of traditional doom metal. Their first album, Obedience Through Suffering was released in 1991, but failed to achieve notoriety. By 1993's self-titled (Crowbar) album, personal friend Phil Anselmo (Pantera, Down and Superjoint Ritual) produced the record, which eventually led to national promotion on MTV's Headbanger's Ball. Phil sang back up on a few tracks and sang background on "Broken Glass" which rounded out the songs "All I Had (I Gave)," "I Have Failed" and "Existence is Punishment" along with a new take on the Led Zeppelin song "No Quarter". Following this success the band went on to record music videos, embark on major tours with Pantera, and record more albums. Their stage antics, immortalized in the Pantera "Home Video 3" and Crowbar's "Like Broken" home video, became infamous.
As time moved on the band lost its founding members with the exception of vocalist and guitarist Kirk Windstein. After Todd Strange left the band, the trademark 300 pound + band members slimmed down, leaving the heaviness in the music only. The band continues to perform, borrowing members from NOLA metal bands like Goatwhore and Acid Bath. In their recent 2005 release, Lifesblood for the Downtrodden, Pantera bassist Rex Brown lent his bass skills and keyboard playing. Down's producer, Warren Riker, assisted in production.
Current members
- 1989 - Current Kirk Windstein - vocals and guitars (Down and Valume Nob)
- 2005 - Current Steve Gibb (son of Barry Gibb) - guitars and backing vocals
- 2005 - Current Patrick Bruders - bass (Goatwhore)
- 2005 - Current Tommy Buckley - drums (Soilent Green and Christ Inversion)
Former members
- 1989 - 2000 Todd "Sexy T" Strange - Bass
- 1989 - 1995, 2005 Craig Nunenmacher - Drums (Black Label Society)
- 1992 - 1993 Kevin Noonan - Guitars
- 1993 - 1997 Matt Thomas - Guitars
- 1996 - 1998 Jimmy Bower - Drums (Eyehategod, Down, Superjoint Ritual, Mystick Krewe of Clearlight and Corrosion of Conformity)
- 1996 - 1998 Jay abbene - Guitars (live) Wrathchild america
- 1998 - 2002 Sammy Duet - Guitars (Acid Bath)
- 2000 Sid Montz - Drums (Valume Nob)
- 2001 Tony Costanza - Drums
- 2001 Jeff Okoneski - Bass
- 2005 Rex Brown - Bass , acoustic guitar ,keyboard(Pantera, Down)
Trivia
- The videos for "All I Had (I Gave)" and "Existence is Punishment" appeared on Beavis and Butthead. Butthead commented that Kirk Windstein's face looked like he was sitting on the toilet. "Existence" appears on the Beavis and Butt-Head: The Mike Judge Collection #3 DVD.
- The band was notorious for redefining the word "heavy": During Sexy T's and Jimmy Bower's time in the band, the mass weight of the band members was well over 800 pounds (close to half a ton).
- In the Pantera video for the song 'I'm Broken' Philip Anselmo wears a Crowbar / Eyehategod t-shirt.
- Crowbar covers Gary Wright's, "Dream Weaver", on their Equilibrium album and Iron Maiden's "Remember Tomorrow" on "Odd Fellows Rest"
Discography
Albums
| Date of Release | Title | Label | Chart positions | US sales |
| September 26, 1991 | Obedience Through Suffering | Pavement Records | ||
| October 12, 1993 | Crowbar
(Produced by Phil Anselmo) |
Pavement Records | 100,000 | |
| March 29, 1994 | Live +1 (EP) | Pavement Records | ||
| May 23, 1995 | Time Heals Nothing | Pavement Records | ||
| October 29, 1996 | Broken Glass | Pavement Records | ||
| July 7, 1998 | Odd Fellows Rest | Pavement Records | ||
| March 7, 2000 | Equilibrium | Spitfire Records | ||
| August 8, 2001 | Sonic Excess in its Purest Form | Spitfire Records | ||
| February 8, 2005 | Lifesblood for the Downtrodden
(Produced by Warren Riker) |
Candlelight Records |
Music videos
- 1991 Crowbar - "Subversion"
- 1993 Crowbar - "All I Had (I Gave)"
- 1993 Crowbar - "Existence Is Punishment"
- 1995 Crowbar - "Like Broken" (Full Length Home Video)
- 1995 Crowbar - "The Only Factor"
- 1996 Crowbar - "Broken Glass"
- 2005 Crowbar - "Dead Sun" (Filmed in Miami, Florida around August 2004 and directed by John-Martin Vogel and Robert Lisman)
- 2005 Crowbar - "Lasting Dose"
- 2005 Crowbar - "Slave No More" (Filmed in Miami, Florida on June 21, 2005 and directed by John-Martin Vogel and Robert Lisman)
Home Videos
| Date of Release | Title | Label | Chart positions | US sales |
| 1995 | Crowbar Like Broken (VHS) (90 minutes)
(European tour and recording sessions for "Broken Glass") |
Pavement Records | Only sold at concerts | |
| 1997 | Pantera (VHS)
Crowbar appearances and Kirk as the incredible Hulk |
Elektra Records | ||
| 1999 | Pantera's 3 Vulgar Videos from Hell (DVD)
Crowbar appearances and Kirk as the incredible Hulk |
Elektra Records |
External links
- Crowbar Official site
- Candle Light Records Current Label
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