?: What are some of the more personal things that have happened to you perhaps? Jimmy: In 2005 my girlfriend passed away. She was from Grand Rapids and I actually met her here at the Orbit Room. She overdosed. For me that really sucked. It also woke me up and I've gotten clean since then. 2005 was a really bad year with that happening in March. After that summer came and with that the storm happened [Hurricane Katrina]. With all that happening after Dimebag got shot, it was just a lot to swallow in one year. This record proves you can get out of those adversities and do something with them. It is about staying positive and standing tall despite sh*t happening.

Thrashpit: Both Down and many of your bands (particularly Eyehategod) deal extensively with the subject of substance abuse. What are the most important things you've learned about alcohol and drugs over the years? Jimmy: You don't need drugs to be yourself. It took me years to figure that one out. It is sad how kids get mixed up in the drugs. It all starts at home---if you're looking for drugs or doing drugs, you're looking for something you never got, a feeling you never got. If people nowadays gave their kids that sense of love when they're young, maybe they wouldn't find it in a tinfoil bag of drugs or a bunch of pills. If you know what love is, you probably have it. I don't regret all those years with drugs---it was a great learning experience---but I can write great music when I'm not loaded on them as well. My playing now is like night-and-day different since getting clean. I'm more focused and better at getting things started too. - Read the full interview

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