Kirk Hammett

BIOGRAPHY – Kirk Windstein

Kirk Windstein was born in 1965 in Middlesex England but grew up in New Orleans Louisiana. He started his musical career in 1987 playing in a Judas Priest and Iron Maiden covers band called Victorian Blitz. Kirk Windstein left this band to join local New Orleans favourites, Shell Shock a hardcore trash metal punk band. After fellow band member guitarist Mike Hatch committed suicide in 1988, the band went through a period of change, changing personnel and the band name.

Eventually in 1991, they settled on Crowbar, signed to Pavement records and released “Obedience through Suffering” later the same year. The album achieved international success and Phil Anselmo of Pantera, a long-standing friend of Kirk Windstein produced their second album “Crowbar “in 1993.

Crowbar toured with Pantera and indulged in some legendary partying. After the tour, the band went on hold for a few years while band members worked on other projects reforming in 2005 to record “Lifesblood for the Downtrodden”.

Kirk Windstein joined Down in 1995 and played on the debut album NOLA -the title is the abbreviation for New Orleans (N.O.), Louisiana (La.),  along with old pal Anselmo plus Crowbar band member bassist Todd Strange and Jimmy Bower of Eyehategod. Down have released three albums and are supposedly working on a fourth although this has been delayed by health problems.

Kirk Windstein also plays in the band Kingdom of Sorrow, a project with Jamey Jasta of Hatebreed. The self-titled debut album was released in 2008 and sold 6000 copies in the first week.

Kirk Windstein was supposed to be playing at Ozzfest 2010 with Kingdom of Sorrow but has pulled out, replaced by Type O Negative guitarist Kenny Hickey. The partying finally caught up with Kirk Windstein and he missed Ozzfest due to being in rehab for his alcohol addiction. He aims to be back with Kingdom of Sorrow in the future.

Kirk Windstein favours ESP guitars but also plays a Gibson SG and a Fender Stratocaster.