What's on DOWN's Original NOLA Tapes? Pepper Keenan & Kirk Windstein Weigh In, + Their New Studio Album VOLUME V, & More | Ep. 43

Five two-inch reels from the NOLA sessions are sitting in a closet, and nobody in DOWN is sure what else is on them. When we asked Pepper Keenan and Kirk Windstein if any songs were left over, the answer was "It's been so long." Here's what they do remember: studio talk between takes, "Rehab" labeled with its working title "ZZ Top," and "Underneath Everything" coming together on the spot with Phil talking them through it. The reels have to be baked before anyone can play them, and the band wants to get them digitized. Until then, nobody knows what's on them. Hopefully someday we will find out! That's one of the stories in Episode 43 of The Sonic Road Podcast, recorded ahead of Volume V. It's DOWN's first full-length since 2007's Down III, out November 20 on Nuclear Blast Records. Pepper and Kirk walk us through how they made it. They cut their rhythm guitars live in the same room. Jimmy Bower tracked with no click. Phil Anselmo was in the room calling turnarounds as they played. It was produced with Eddie Mapp at Phil's Nodferatu's Lair and mixed by Dave Fortman. We get into King Diamond trading lines with Phil on "Merciful Fate," the story behind "Ozz," open tunings, why they moved to Nuclear Blast, Pepper's possible solo record, and the 28-day, 24-hour-a-day sessions that produced Down II. The record release show is The Great NOLA Trendkill, two nights (Nov 20–21) at Lakefront Arena in New Orleans with Pantera, Black Label Society, Corrosion of Conformity, Power Trip, Crowbar, Eyehategod, and more. If you grew up on NOLA, Crowbar, COC, and Pantera, this one's for you. ⏱️ CHAPTERS 00:00 🎸 Intro: All Them Witches & Emma Ruth Rundle (and the crowd that wouldn't stop talking) 03:12 💿 Attic Records in Millvale, PA 05:34 🗓️ The Sword, Moon Destroyers, Pelican & Hum in 2027 07:12 🔥 Volume V & The Great NOLA Trendkill preview 08:50 📼 Beau's first time hearing NOLA in '95 11:28 🎙️ Pepper Keenan & Kirk Windstein join the show 11:39 🩸 "Blood Oath" debuts in Cleveland and the stripped-down approach 13:34 🔊 Mixing like Back in Black: no reverb, one guitar each 15:20 🎤 Phil in the room calling the turnarounds 16:30 🎸 Tracking two guitars live at the same time 17:09 🥁 Jimmy Bower and no click track 17:52 🏚️ Back at Nodferatu's Lair 20:54 📝 Writing Volume V at Riff City 21:26 🚌 Juggling Pantera, COC, Crowbar & DOWN 24:53 📺 Pepper leaving the NOLA sessions for a TV gig 25:20 🎟️ The Great NOLA Trendkill lineup 26:27 💀 Soilent Green is back 26:57 🌀 "The Myth" and that '70s turn 28:44 👑 King Diamond and Phil Anselmo on "Merciful Fate" 29:50 🦇 "Ozz" and the Ozzy Osbourne connection 31:31 🎶 Open tunings: Open D and DADGAD 32:31 🎛️ Co-producing with Eddie Mapp 33:29 🎚️ Dave Fortman on the mix 33:54 📼 Tape vs. digital 35:52 📼 The NOLA reels: what's still on them? 37:35 📜 "Rehab" as "ZZ Top," "Underneath Everything" on the spot & the original demos 38:52 🏷️ Why Nuclear Blast 39:29 🎸 Pepper's solo album plans 41:08 🎛️ Kirk's solo records 42:11 🔥 The Down II era and the 2002 tour 43:32 ⏳ Down II in 28 days 44:39 🚚 Ron Nevison and mobile-studio recording 45:56 🌊 Underground pick: Blast 48:05 🤘 Underground pick: RĀDE 48:35 👋 Sign-off 🛒 VOLUME V — OUT NOV 20 ON NUCLEAR BLAST 🔴 Pre-order (Nuclear Blast US store): Buy Volume V Here 🎧 Pre-order digital (Bandcamp): DOWN BANDCAMP 🍎 Pre-add (Apple Music): Pre-Add Volume V on Apple 🟠 Decibel exclusive vinyl (limited to 300): Decibel Exclusive VOLUME V Preorder 🎟️ THE GREAT NOLA TRENDKILL — NOV 20–21, LAKEFRONT ARENA, NEW ORLEANS 🎫 Tickets: Purchase Tickets here 🌐 DOWN official site: https://www.down-nola.com 🎙️ THE SONIC ROAD PODCAST ▶️ YouTube: youtube.com/@thesonicroad 🎧 Spotify: The Sonic Road Podcast on Spotify 🍎 Apple Podcasts: The Sonic Road on Apple Podcasts 📘 Facebook: The Sonic Road on Facebook 📸 Instagram: The Sonic Road on Instagram 🐦 X: @thesonicroad 🌐 Website & Newsletter: thesonicroad.com 🔗 All Links: linktr.ee/thesonicroad #DOWN #PepperKeenan #KirkWindstein #VolumeV #PhilAnselmo