Since that story broke, several metal websites have related the story to their readers and some more facts have come to light.  Before we get into that, Adema drummer Kris Kohls reportedly denied that the incident took place, according to a report from the nu-metal music site The Digital Noise Network. Interesting enough, Kohls was never mentioned as having been on the scene when the incident occurred. But predictably, he says that it didn’t happen.  Digital Noise quoted him as saying,  "That's kinda fucked up! No nothing happened, it's just rumors."

However, other reports have surfaced which confirmed that the incident did take place. One un-credited report from indie metal site Wolfie’s Metal News stated that the person who landed the punch was Kirk Windstein from Down. 

This week’s tour diary from Neurotica also briefly described the incident which frontman Kelly Shaefer explained most likely occurred because people on the tour had a pretty short fuse after the sudden death of Dave Williams of Drowning Pool a few days before, that coupled with alcohol appeared to be a violent mix and something was bound to happen. “… everyone was drinking heavily today… it was a wild night,” said Kelly in his tour diary. “The guitar player from Adema was exiting [the Down tour bus] with a bloody mouth and he threw a glass bottle across the parking lot, we were all watching wondering what had happened … all of the sudden all the guys in Adema came racing across the parking lot looking for who punched there boy in the mouth, they looked pissed and frankly I thought it was quite ‘ballsy’ of them to come over and challenge the guys in DOWN, the guys in DOWN are a large group of guys with a lot of friends out here on the tour.” 

According to Kelly the minor skirmish soon ended when cooler heads prevailed and each band went their separate way. “I think it was just too much alcohol, and the fact that Dave Williams has passed has maybe caused a bit more drinking than normal,” said Kelly. “But at the end of the day it all worked out without anyone getting to fucked up. It was an interesting scene to say the least, I remember Otep saying, ’its about time this tour saw some carnage, its getting a bit tame out here.’”  Kelly then ended his weekly tour diary by saying.. “Much respect to ADEMA and DOWN for working out the differences, cheers to you both, we roll on again as one big happy metal family!!!!!!!!” 

You can read Kelly’s full description of the incident and find out what other mayhem is happening on the tour this summer on the latest Neurotica Ozzfest tour diary. 

We have also had unconfirmed reports of members of Otep talking about the incident as well. 

Wolfie’s Metal News report on the incident goes into more detail, however it does not give a source for the story. 

Here is what they had to say about the incident: (their report is in bold). 

DOWN vs ADEMA? Yep, it happened at OZZFEST 2002 in St. Louis. What really happened? It goes like this: 

DOWN members KIRK WINDSTEIN and PEPPER KEENAN were talking with several backstagers long after DOWN had performed their 2nd stage set that evening. Kirk then entered the Down tour bus. 

A few moments later, the guitarist from ADEMA comes storming out of the bus, bleeding profusely from the mouth/nose area saying he wants to 'Kill Kirk'. The Adema guitarist is a drunken mess and starts talking trash very loudly, all the while bleeding and now crying. 
As the guitarist yells more obsceneties [sic] towards the Down bus, OTEP comes out to talk some sense into the Adema band member. It doesn't work very well, so then Pepper comes up to him talking rationally and making the situation somewhat calmer. 

By this time, most of the band and crew from Adema has come over to the Down bus... but not to fight. Adema lead vocalist Marky Chavez is trying his best to get his drunken/beaten/bleeding guitarist away from the Down bus as quickly as possible before anything else happens. 

PANTERA/DOWN frontman PHIL ANSELMO steps off the bus, basically telling the guy to shut up and leave before he gets his ass kicked. The drunken guitarist starts talking trash. Phil then starts heading his way and the guitarist starts apologizing... he knows another beat down is sure to happen if he doesn't shut up. 

By this time, JIMMY BOWER, REX BROWN, BIG VAL, and Kirk have all come off the Down bus to check everything out along with the gathered backstage crowd. It was at this point that everything calmed down for the evening and cooler heads prevailed. Adema and their crew headed in the opposite direction of where Down was parked at. 

That’s the latest on this story. The Neurotica tour diary did have this interesting tidbit though, it seems the next day both bands seemed to have buried the hatchet, Kelly said, “ the guys from Adema and the guys from Down were all eating together at catering”, the day after the incident took place. So it appears it was just a minor incident attributed to a little too much alcohol on the road and there is no lasting animosity between the two bands. 

It still goes to show you, that you just don't mess with Down. 

Click here to read the original report. 

Kelly's full version of the story can be found on the Neurotica Ozzfest tour diary. 

more on Down, Adema and Neurotica

Rant or Rave? Your turn, post you comments and thoughts on this news item. But hey keep it clean, we wouldn't want to have to wash your mouth out with Old Spice.

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