With all the recent outrage regarding the National Football League and its decision to use replacement refs instead of reaching a deal with the normal referees during their lock out, a lot of fans were very upset. Well for New Orleans Saints fans this is nothing new. After NFL Commissioner suspended current and former Saints players plus their head coach and General Manager hard core Saints fan Phil Anselmo of Pantera and Down fame had some choice words.
It’s a great metal news day, kids.
First up: Metallica have confirmed that the Orion Festival will return in 2013. Drummer Lars Ulrich says “”We had a great experience in New Jersey, and as we look to 2013, we’re definitely looking to keep it in New Jersey or to keep it on the East Coast.”
With Metallica set to headline at the upcoming Outside Lands fest, Ulrich expressed his love for the festival experience and how much he enjoys Outside Lands each year. “As a Bay Area resident and as a music fan, going to see Outside Lands every year is a huge thing,” he says. “Not only for me but also my family. Getting a chance to play it and to headline is obviously a huge thing for us. If I’m not going to play it, I’m going to go and I’m going to take my kids. It’s sort of the concert highlight of their year . . . So it works on all fronts.”
Ulrich had plenty of dish to share, including an update that the band will begin working on their new album very soon. We’ll be waiting somewhat patiently.
Now, let’s move on to Down.
Anselmo, Keenan and crew are set to release a new EP, the first of four planned releases, on September 18th. The EP is labeled EP ONE and luckily, we can hear a bit of it right now, courtesy of Rolling Stone. They’ve got the exclusive song premiere for “Witchtripper,” which by name alone, is automatically bad ass.
Anselmo tells the magazine that similar to the well-known Pantera songs “Fucking Hostile” and “Psycho Holiday,” “Witchtripper” was a song title required a little bit of convincing on his part, before he accepted it. “Somebody would suggest to me, ‘Hey, man, that might make a killer song title.’ And at the time I’m like, ‘You’re out of your f–king mind. There’s no way I’m gonna call a song ‘Witchtripper’”
But the riffs took control and Anselmo gave in. ”I was like, ‘OK, check this out, you dicks. ‘Witchtripper’ you want, ‘Witchtripper’ you will get,’” he says. “I laid it on them, and sure enough, they were right – it worked, as usual. So there goes the genius of Phil Anselmo. Always doubting, and I’m the last one to get it!”
Today is already off to a great start with the news that Philip Anselmo, Pepper Keenan and the rest of the boys from Down will be back on the road this fall.
Metal Insider shared the initial tour dates, which will likely be paired with a new EP release tentatively titled Down IV, which is set to be the first of four EPs that the band plans to release.
9/18 Fort Worth, TX – Ridglea Theater
9/19 Tulsa, OK – Cain’s Ballroom
9/21 Sauget, IL – Pop’s
9/22 Chicago, IL – House Of Blues
9/23 Pontiac, MI – Crofoot Ballroom
9/25 Boston, MA – House Of Blues
9/26 Philadelphia, PA – Electric Factory (feat. Pentagram)
9/28 New York, NY – Best Buy Theater (feat. Saint Vitus)
9/29 Sayreville, NJ – Starland Ballroom
10/2 Charlotte, NC – Tremont Music Hall
And in case you have to be out of the country this coming October, here are a few overseas shows Down have scheduled so far:
10/19 Manchester, UK – O2 Academy
10/20 Birmingham, UK – HMV Institute
10/21 London, UK – Roundhouse
10/25 Amsterdam, NET – Melkweg
10/27 Luxembourg, LUX – Den Ateller
Image from Down Official Facebook