I have my issues with Southern metal supergroup Down, but there’s no denying they kill it live. Do I remember the first time I saw them? No I do not. It’s that kind of epic.

Documenting their first European tour (which they booked to escape from the wrath Hurricane Katrina had recently wrought on their New Orleans home) and beyond, Diary of a Mad Band is slated for release next month, but you can preorder it now at the band’s webstore. The PR wire has the goods on the tracklist and whatnot:

New Orleans, LA’s Down is pleased to announce three killer pre-order bundles, available for purchase now in preparation for their upcoming three-disc (2CD plus DVD) release, Diary of a Mad Band, hitting stores on Oct. 5, 2010. All pre-orders include an instant MP3 download of “Stone the Crow” live in Dublin.

Diary of a Mad Band features a 2CD full concert, live in London! The DVD highlights documented footage marking the 2006 return of Down from the practice room through their first European tour, and a bonus behind-the-scenes featurette, Tyrades and Shananigans. The DVD closes in at a blistering 130 minutes! See below for a complete tracklisting of the set:

DVD: Diary of a Mad Band
w/ Bonus featurette Tyrades and Shananigans
1. Lysergic Funeral Procession
2. Lifer
3. Losing All
4. Rehab
5. New Orleans is a Dying Whore
6. Ghosts along the Mississippi
7. Learn from this Mistake
8. Underneath Everything
9. Temptation’s Wings
10. There’s Something on My Side
11. Hail the Leaf
12. Lies
13. The Seed
14. Eyes of the South
15. Jail
16. Stone the Crow
17. Bury Me in Smoke

2CD: Live in Europe
1. Losing All
2. Lifer
3. Lysergic Funeral Procession
4. Rehab
5. Temptation’s Wings
6. Ghosts along the Mississippi
7. Learn from this Mistake
8. Hail the Leaf
9. New Orleans is A Dying Whore
10. Lies, I Don’t Know What They Say But…
11. Underneath Everything
12. The Seed
13. Eyes of the South
14. Jail
15. Stone the Crow
16. Bury Me in Smoke

If that isn’t enough for a rabid fan, a 180 Gram triple vinyl version with a bonus DVD will be available on Oct. 26.

Like many afternoons at 3pm, today, I was downstairs making myself a sandwich, carefully pressing down the panini grill to be sure none of the Swiss cheese comes out between the slices of bread. I had an orange juice ready and some cashews (roasted, unsalted; death to false flavors) set to accompany. Then the phone rang and the caller ID says, “HSE CRE RECORDS.”

Ah hell.

So much for my 3:30 interview with Down singer Philip Anselmo, who in the days of fronting Pantera was able to give voice to my teenage angst in a way few others could match. I asked Kate, the pleasant-sounding young woman on the other end of the phone who would connect me with Phil, if she could call back in two minutes so I could run upstairs, plug in my recorder and switch. She said no problem.

Then, two minutes into the interview, the call is dropped.

But fear not, intrepid attendees, the interview with Philip Anselmo did happen. We talked about his label, Housecore Records, the bands he’s working with, and about plans for the next Down album, which is apparently set to be recorded at the end of this year. The actual interview will be posted probably sometime in the next two weeks, but because I was so damn relieved to actually get it done, I thought I’d celebrate with this video of “Underneath Everything” from 1995.

While the thought of another Down tour saddens me because it means we’re that much less likely to see a new Crowbar or (gawd forbid) C.O.C. album anytime soon, I’m glad long-running North Carolina dirtball sludgers Weedeater are going to get the exposure of a major corporate tour. Should be pretty funny to see how the dudes in the denim BLS vests react when Dixie Dave starts puking all over the stage. Not to mention what’ll happen if some gets on Danava‘s $400 shoes. Yeah, they should fit in just fine. Here’s the PR wire news and the dates:

That is right, sound the alarms: North Carolina‘s sludge pillagers Weedeater have been confirmed as support for a full-on North American Down tour! The lineup changes throughout the routing; The Canadian dates feature secondary support from Voivod, while the bulk of the American dates feature The Melvins. Other opening support for the tour will be Danava for the first half and Evil Army for the latter half of the dates.

Weedeater will play several shows in North Carolina and Tennessee on the way to the opening and after the closing of the tour, and will headline sporadically in chunks throughout the main tour. And of course they will do what they do best: sonically reduce every venue they enter to a resin-coated heap of rubble.

Weedeater live:

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Say what you will about the new era of New Orleans supergroup Down — I know I will; that last album blew goat ass — but when these five dudes get on a stage and start blasting out their old tunes, it’s worth taking notice. To wit: the following live video from the Download Festival that Blabbermouth put up with a story about how they’re getting ready to record a fourth LP. Can’t say I’m looking forward to that since it means we won’t get new Crowbar anytime soon, but even with Phil Anselmo‘s yowling clean vocals and weak-ass screams, “Lifer” rules all.

Blabbermouth posted an update from Down/Crowbar?guitarist/vocalist Kirk Windstein, in which he had the following to say:

“Got a good bit of good news to announce. Crowbar?will be rereleasing the majority of the back catalog through Housecore Records?[Philip Anselmo's record label]. These releases will be the only official rereleases that myself and the band have agreed to.

“There are countless unauthorized rereleases out there [Metal Mind?walks by and waves]. These were never OK’ed by me and are basically screwing the band. Most of these will be released on vinyl for the first time. We will also be putting out a limited-edition box set as well as a new live record and a CD of new material. Please check TheHousecoreRecords.com for frequent updates. Also,?Crowbar?and Goatwhore?will be playing a show Friday, May 29 at Grant Street in Lafayette, Louisiana.”

Quick question: is a “CD of new material” the same thing as a new album? I sure as hell hope so, because if there’s one thing that wasn’t at all worth trading time that could have been spent making a new?Crowbar?record?for, it was Down, Over the Under. Hate to be the one to say it, but it’s true. I still get a headache every time I think about how dumb “Pillamyd” was.