I get there about 7 and Phil is backstage with guitarist Kirk Windstein, talking NFL draft and stuff. Phil does some pushups and back and core exercises to get pumped up. We listen to his playlist, some Tears For Fears is about all I can recognize. Pepper Keenan, the guitarist comes in and they watch some Australian death metal group with really bizarre costumes which includes a clock on the head of one member and what looks like an armoir on another. Pepper and Phil and Dave Sabo, Down’s manager and former Skid Row member, watch this group in admiration and respect, pointing out little details which impress them.

Then Phil pulls up a You Tube of a group of the past called Siege, which is performing in what looks like an old high school class room with white floors and walls. Yet, despite the unusual stage, they perform with a ferocious intensity. Pepper remarks how the youthful members of Siege keep up the their energy and passion despite what looks like no audience. The Down guys watch this video very closely and clearly admire what they are seeing. It reminds me of a boxer watching another great boxer’s videos, to inspire and motivate their performance, which is just a couple of hours away.

Ray Pop, aka Ray Poplawski, a long time friend of Phil from 1996, arrives from Penn Station. Phil loves Ray, a dear friend, who has supplied him with boxing videos and DVD’s for almost two decades.

haarp hits the stage first and Phil really loves these guys who are on his label Housecore Records. haarp’s lead vocalist Shaun Emmons has an unbelievably powerful voice. The web site says haarp “beats the shit out of you with their music” and that’s not an inaccurate statement. Phil is totally fired up as we watch from sidestage, reciting lines before they come and really getting down to their beats. He absolutely adores these guys.

After this spirited performance by haarp we head back to the dressing room which is just about ten yards to stage left. Phil again checks the Saints draft results on the internet and he is thrilled by the Saints maneuvering to get first-round draft picks Cameron Jordan, a DE from Cal, and Mark Ingram, a RB from Alabama. Phil thinks this means goodbye to Reggie Bush.

Another friend, Sean Sullivan, the editor of Boxing Digest, arrives. But boxing promoter Lou DiBella can’t make it as he is out to dinner. Sean puts Phil on the phone with Lou.

Some of Phil’s family arrives too, his aunt and uncle and cousins. Phil is so happy to see them all and they are to see him too.

An artist by the name of Krusher came to the show all the way from England and is with us backstage. He has created art work for some major groups of the 70s and 80s.

Phil’s girlfriend and assistant Kate Richardson reminds Phil he has to do an interview with High Times. Bobby Black enters the dressing room and does the video interview which we all listen to intently as Phil is always 100% honest and sincere and is not afraid to make revelations.

After the interview which was nothing short of fascinating, I ask Black how he feels about it and he is obviously extremely happy. “Ecstatic,” he says, adding that Phil is a “powerhouse.”

A few minutes later and it’s time. We walk out and the crowd is now in a frenzy. When Phil hits the stage, wearing jeans and a black haarp shirt, it’s like a volcanic eruption of love.

When Phil performs, it’s so much more than a guy singing, so much more. He gives everything he has, like Rafael Nadal playing tennis or Manny Pacquiao boxing. This is what makes them all special. You get the sense these Down fans would follow Phil into a burning house.

The audience is a diverse mix too, in the front rows, I see young kids, all the way to people in their 40’s and even a few in their 50s. There are more girls than usual too, even a small share of blacks are in the crowd and when they roll up on the human waves, Phil acknowledges them and gives them his love.

Early in the show Phil gets clobbered by a very amped up Pepper’s guitar which causes a pretty bad cut on the top of Phil’s head. He bleeds down the sides of his head but he barely seems to notice it and keeps on doing his thing.

A couple of high quality Saints jerseys are passed up to the stage and given to Phil who collects NFL jerseys. One is a white Pierre Thomas #23 that looks like it’s game-worn quality.

I’m amazed at the way Phil turns into a different person almost, and how he can arouse this crowd into a such a feeling of elation and joy. They are so happy to be with Phil and share in this performance. Just as much as they are loving the show, so is he.

Phil once told me this when I asked him what brings him joy? “What brings me joy is zeroing in on my first love of my life which is music. Where I am at most home. And I find myself at most peace when I’m writing music or involved in writing music. However the most joy or the biggest payoff is the reaction to the hard work. That’s the big payoff – is all the hard work known by all the kids, singing all the words of the songs I wrote so carefully and with so much heart. And honestly, being on stage, I am absolutely at home. I’m at the most peace I could ever be when I’m on that stage. It wouldn’t matter if that ceiling fell in and crushed me on the spot – I would be proud to go out that way. Because I would have been on my stage, at my pulpit, in my element, spreading the word. I’ve made a lot of money and everything. There’s no way I can take this money and glory to the grave with me. So I’ve always given, given, given. I’ve bought houses and cars for family and friends. The materialistic makes no difference. It’s what you give to people that accumulates joys in your life. And brings you joys. And the more you put out and help people, the more joy you get back. Call it karma. A reporter recently asked me what’s the most rewarding part of the new album? Nothing…until I hear that crowd enjoying it. That’s the payoff. Using the universal language of music. And connecting all over the world.”

They save the best for last, “Stone The Crow” and “Bury Me In Smoke.” I never used to like this kind of music but after attending a half dozen Down shows over the past five years, I have come to the realization that these are two incredible songs to listen to. Anybody, I mean anybody, from Celine Dion to Wynton Marsalis to Paul Simon to Elvis Presley would be inspired and moved if they were able to witness Down play these two songs live.

After the show, the band relaxes for a while. A girl named Rachel is with us, she flew in from Boston. Scott Earnhardt, head of security and right hand man to the band, takes care of the cut on Phil’s head as best he can. There is a choice of whether to visit world renowned tattoo artist Paul Booth’s compound just a few blocks away on 33rd Street, or go to the hospital to get stitched up.

Before we depart, another dude gets brought in to the dressing room to meet Phil at the very end of the night. He is a black guy in his 20’s, clearly thrilled to meet Phil and quickly tells him “Five Minutes Alone” is my favorite song of all time. Phil is just as happy to meet him and the two make a friendly connection for a couple of minutes. It’s quite touching to see this kind of genuine, loving interaction. Music is such an awesomely powerful tool to inspire and bring people together.

We, about ten of us, take a van and a car and arrive at Booth’s crib at just before two and wow is this place incredible. All of us are in awe to see all the artwork and horror artifacts, a theater which is showing the old classic “Devil Doll” and the man himself Paul Booth. I am lucky to get a Biofile with him. And just listening to them talk about a potential horror house compound theme park. Even Lou DiBella arrives and spends some time with Phil. Lou says Sergio Martinez is the best fighter he has ever worked with.

We finally leave at almost 4. Our van gets back to the tour bus and there is one fan still waiting to see Phil. He’s a young fella from Ecuador, and he says Hi to Phil and politely asks him to sign his Down CD. Phil, of course, acknowledges the devoted kid and spends a few moments with him. That’s one thing I really like about Phil, he is so inspiring and such a positive influence to just about everyone that enters his sphere. Like a world champion of boxing he has the natural ability to uplift and make people just feel better.

The band’s bus will roll on to Philadelphia for a Friday show at Trocadero, then head back north to the Starland Ballroom in Sayreville for Saturday. The last stop is in Nashville on Monday.

Saturday’s show in Sayreville has some music legends in attendance – Danny Shuler of Biohazard, Parris Mayhew of hardcore punk, crossover thrash Cro-Mags. As Down performs it’s third show in three nights, everyone watches in awe at the power and intensity and passion of Phil Anselmo and Down.

After the show, one of the guy entertains the dressing room with card tricks and on the bus we watch some boxing, two of Phil’s favorite heavyweight fights, Foreman-Lyle and Darroll Wilson-Courage Tshabalala. We gotta leave at 3, as team Down and the crew depart for Tennessee.

Playing perhaps the finest match of his career, a spectacularly precise Andrew Murray pummeled defending Australian Open champ Rafael Nadal for three sets and scored an impressive technical knockout. At 0-3 down in set three, Nadal retired from the contest citing a knee injury.

From the first point this hotly-anticipated night match between the two tennis titans in Rod Laver Arena stunned observers with dazzling shotmaking and furious action. It more than lived up to all expectations. TV commentator Justin Gimelstob said, “this feels like a heavyweight championship fight.” Indeed it may have been.

It was a dramatic duel between two high class champions at contrasting points in their careers. Murray attempting to win his first Grand Slam after two years of frustration and Nadal frantically trying to maintain his status as a kingpin.

The Mighty Spaniard has won six career Slams but came up short in Paris and New York last year. He also missed Wimbledon but did help Spain win the Davis Cup. Against Murray, Nadal appeared threatened, like a man who knew his fate but would fight it till the end. He wore an uneasy expression of ferocious intensity through the first set, often talking to himself and snarling animatedly, sometimes even baring his teeth at Murray, like a wild animal, before service returns.

Nadal was defeated by Murray in Rotterdam a year ago and seemed to sense the crucial importance of trying to subdue Murray now. The big bull of Mallorca was sharp early. He played some miraculous shots and went up a break. But Murray never wavered. The Scot broke back to level the first set at 2-2, but then quickly fell down 0-40 on his next service game.

This was the key point of the battle. Murray utilized his big, new serve and scored three successful serve and volleys to take the pivotal game.  The whole flow of the match changed. Murray knew he just mastered an important test. Nadal felt the urge to force the issue and became more offensive than he typically likes to be.

“Every point is a mini-war out there,” noted Gimelstob. “It’s out of respect for Murray’s game that he’s pushing his game to it’s most aggressive limits.”

While Nadal seemed to portray the role of the feisty warrior, Murray stayed calm and poised throughout this classic duel. Murray’s magnanimous demeanor conjured the image of the experienced hunter/predator, calmly stalking and chasing down his desperate target. Nadal and his Australian Open trophy were the prey to be captured.

After winning the first set 6-3, Murray continued his relentless assault. Nadal engaged in some fantastic toe-to-toe exchanges, but his expression did not carry the same snarl now. The two champions punched it out all the way to a second set tiebreak. Just like in the previous set, Murray asserted his dominance when he needed to and took a 6-1 lead. “Murray, once again, in the big moments, is the aggressor,” noted Gimelstob.

It was evident now: Nadal’s power and intensity were no match for the majesty of Murray on this night. Nadal seemed to know it too. He called for the court doctor at 0-1, 15-all in the third set. Nadal told the doctor that the right knee pain started in the previous set, though there were no clear signs of an injury or limp. After the brief respite, Nadal the warrior decided to enter the fray once again, to try to work his magic and turn the tables as he has so many times in his extraordinary career. There would be one last, desperate surge to save his status as the defending champ and world #2.

But it was not to be. Murray won the next two games and on the way to sit at the changeover at 3-0, Nadal decided to inform his conqueror that he was retiring from the battle. Murray contained his reaction and moments later told interviewer Jim Courier that “Nadal is my favorite player to watch on the tour, the energy he brings to the court.”

Looking like a champion who fully understands that he has unfinished business to take care of on this court, the stoic Murray added, “I got through a few tough moments in the beginning. I played really well tonight.” Next it will be the Croatian Marin Cilic who upset him in New York last September. “He beat me at the U.S. Open. I’m looking for some revenge there,” he said with a smile.

The defending champion is now out of the tournament and there are still two more matches to be contested. But in the psychological aspect of the tournament, where many historic battles are won before the physical, the title might have actually changed hands. In every way, Murray looked like a man who is ready to win his first Grand Slam major win. He handled the pressure and nerves with elegant maturity and pugilistic spirit. It was a performance so impressive that the vanquished former champion would not discredit it in any way.

“Well, I think for sure he has a big chance. I think is a very good chance for him,” the always classy Nadal said. “First thing, he’s playing really well. And second thing, he’s already in semifinals. So (he)is only two matches away. Every Grand Slam is special and every Grand Slam is important to win. For Andy, I think he deserve to win his first Grand Slam, and he gonna do it.”

Photo Credit:  Andy Chung

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