With the COVID-19 Pandemic still wreaking havoc on the world, musicians like Crowbar frontman Kirk Windstein are striving to make it back onto the road. For many musicians, touring is where they make a lot of their living, so potentially not being able to tour because of the pandemic is a serious matter.
In a conversation with Aftershocks, Windstein talked about how the pandemic could affect the band’s upcoming tour with Sepultura and Sacred Reich. As transcribed by Blabbermouth, he said, “It seems… They’re starting to talk — and they’re not just talking about Louisiana or the New Orleans area; they’re talking about the whole U.S. — where they think it’s about to hit a plateau. It’s spreading so fast, it’s so fucking contagious that… It’s one of two things — either we literally shut down the entire country or people get their fucking vaccines, whether they like it or not.”
After so many shows have been cancelled and postponed due to COVID-19, many venues (and bands) are requiring proof of vaccination to even attend shows now. Acknowledging the dangers of COVID-19, the Crowbar frontman spoke to his stance on vaccinations.
“I was not a big fan of it — I’ll admit — but I am fully vaccinated and I am fully proud of it. And I caught COVID — and so did my drummer — on tour with Municipal Waste. It’s not those guys’ fault, but we did catch it. And it wasn’t a picnic, I’ll tell you that; it was no fun. But that’s done.”
He continues, “It’s one of them things — wear your mask, do your social distancing, keep your fucking hands clean. If you don’t feel good, stay home.”
According to Windstein, he says he had “no choice” but to get vaccinated against COVID-19 if he wanted to travel and perform. Regarding the matter of travel, he says, “If I worked at the corner grocery [store] or something and that was my job and I never wanted to travel or go anywhere, who knows? But guess what? I love to travel. And I love to travel around the world; I love to play. You tell me to get fucking two shots, I’ll get two shots. You tell me to get three, I’ll get three. Whatever it takes. That’s just the reality. Whatever it takes to protect myself and others around me, I’m gonna do what I can do.”
Crowbar’s new album, Zero And Below, will be released on March 4th.
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Words by: Michael Pementel
