Crowbar mainman Kirk Windstein says interacting with fans around the world helps him focus on giving the best performances he can.
The singer/guitarist has overcome long-standing problems with alcohol abuse and says he realises how important it is for fans to see a good show and for it not to be ruined by drunken mistakes.
He says in the latest episode of FreqsTV’s Ghosts Of The Road series: “It’s important for me – not to sound like Bono from U2 – but it’s important to see how excited these people are that we came to their country to play, how long they’ve been waiting and how crazy they go at the show.
“A kid gave me a postcard from the town he was from, it was 330 kilometres from Sofia in Bulgaria and he had to work the next day. He’s like, ‘You can read it later, it’s kind of a cliche but I wanted to give it to you.’ I read it the next morning and I’m like, ‘This is great.’
“He was just saying how, even though he had to take a train at 12.30am for a few hours and get up early to go to work, being able to go to the show was what was keeping him going. He had been waiting so long to see the band. That means a lot to me. That the music I make can change somebody from across the world’s life in a positive way.”
He continues: “I’m just as excited to hit the stage tonight as I was when I was 19-years-old doing Judas Priest cover songs. If you don’t still have that same good, nervous, butterfly feeling when you’re getting ready to play, then you’re just going through the motions.
“It’s about the desire to get up and give 110% regardless of what equipment you’re working with or how many people are there. None of that shit matters.”
Crowbar released their 10th album Symmetry In Black last year.