Former CROWBAR bassist Jeff Golden spoke to House Of Tortured Souls about the circumstances that led to his exit from the band less than three years after he first joined the New Orleans-based group. He said: "It wasn't a surprise at all. I actually knew it was going to happen, and I actually knew that's what that phone call was about. There was a phone call first, then we said it was all going to be worked out, and then I get a text message five minutes later saying I was fired. So, no, it wasn't a surprise at all. I heard rumors about three months ago that the original guy [Todd 'Sexy T' Strange] was back, and when I brought it up, they [CROWBAR] said it was just a rumor and it wouldn't happen and they definitely wouldn't do that to me. But, yeah, I could tell something was up, and it was said in one of the comments that it was told to me, but it was never told to me. I found out through Facebook." Asked what reason CROWBAR gave him for wanting him out of the band, Golden said: "Ah, they gave me a few reasons, none that really were enough to — that I would think — to be let go, and I'll just leave it at that. I was told a few reasons. I'm still friends with one of the guys in the band. He and I always got along and will keep that friendship going. You know, it's like Kirk [Windstein, CROWBAR frontman] said on his post, 'A band is like being in a relationship. Sometimes it doesn't work out.' It's like sometimes business is business, and friendship is friendship. I just think the way it was handled was poor. I mean, only one of the guys and I remain friends, and that's just the way it is for now. Maybe later everything will be cool, but for now it's... I'm just going to focus on my new music thing. And they've got Todd, so it's going to work out for everyone in the long run." Golden joined CROWBAR in September 2013. The 34-year-old musician hails from Bolton, Connecticut, but lived in Estero, Florida prior to hooking up with CROWBAR and moving to Louisiana. CROWBAR's follow-up to 2014's "Symmetry In Black" album is due later in the year. The CD was recorded at OCD Recording And Production in Metairie, Louisiana with engineer/producer Duane Simoneaux. Windstein recently stated about the musical direction of the new CROWBAR material: "It's more of meat and potatoes. On the last few records, we brought a lot of new elements into the band a little bit without deviating too far from what CROWBAR's about. But this is more like… I went back and started listening to early CROWBAR, and it's more of that attitude, but more mature — every bit as angry, every bit as heavy, every bit as depressed… doomy, whatever you wanna call it. But doing it this many years later, I really like what we've got going on." "Symmetry In Black" sold around 3,900 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 68 on The Billboard 200 chart. CROWBAR photo credit: Robin Windstein
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