quote unquote Corey Taylor S l ip k n o t a n d St o n e So u r ’s f r o nt m a n o n m a s k s, A bba a n d n i nja s w o r d s ...

Hi, Corey. Where are you right now? Your favourite bands at the moment? Slipknot seemed to have mellowed out I’m in Des Moines, Iowa. I just picked my kids I’ve really come to dig Airbourne while we over the years, only to drop All Hope Is up from school. were out on the Mayhem Festivals with them. Gone, and it’s seething with outrage. So you’re on a break from touring? It Also, The Red Chord and Underoath. How do you turn the anger back on? must be hard being away from home all A dude in our office rocks Bon Jovi. Do I’d love to say that there’s a process, but I’m the time. you have any guilty musical pleasures? just inherently angry! Ha, ha! I hate to say it, Yeah. It’s kind of few and far between, but you Ha, ha! I kind of wear my music out there for but there’s a lot of stuff that pisses me off, and just try to make the most of that time. If you everybody to see. Like, I’m a big Abba fan. I I’m enough of a loud-mouthed extrovert that I spend too much time at home, you waste that challenge anybody to put on Abba and not refuse to sit on it. I guess I have reserves of time. So I try to get as much out of it as pos- wanna shake your ass! That’s a true story! animosity. At least I’m not just sitting there sible. It could be less, you know... Not very Lord-Of-Metal-ish, Corey. going, “The world is screwed!”. You took off the mask when Stone Sour I don’t believe in guilty pleasures. Your heart People in SA tried to blame Slipknot for released. Did you suffer any repercus- knows better than your head what kind of a high-school kid who killed another kid sions with your anonymity gone? music you like. So I like everything from Slayer with a ninja sword. What are your For me, the mask was never about holding on to Sarah McLachlan. thoughts on that? to some kind of anonymous thing. It was Do you know that Slipknot is massive I think that ignorance always breeds a scape- always about expression, about tapping into here in South Africa? goat. People need to take a look at the person that primal side – really being able to embrace I’ve heard whispers, but I’ve never really who did the harm, wonder what was wrong it and have fun with it. Stone Sour was a band assessed to what extent, to be honest. with him and not worry about what music he before Slipknot and I didn’t wear a mask then. We’re stoked to be the ones to tell you. was listening to. I’m telling you right now, the Does your mentality change when you Well, we’re gonna try get there as soon as we day a country-music listener kills someone will jam in Slipknot, with the mask? can. Things are in the works. be a day when they go, “Oh, well... that person I can definitely open up more as far as the darker side goes. I think everybody has that Do you have any guilty musical pleasures? side, and we choose to either control or stifle it. I’ve always chosen to control it. It’s definitely I’m a big Abba fan and I challenge anyone to put easier to tap into that when you’re strapping a on an album and try to not shake your ass! crazy mask on. Then again, it’s such great therapy. I had a discussion with a psychiatrist was obviously crazy.” But if someone’s listen- who’s actually thinking about using masks on ing to a metal album, it’s automatically the people to get them to open up in sessions. music that inspired them. Never mind the fact Do you wear different masks, and do that he was allegedly on drugs. Never mind you get involved in the design? the fact that he obviously had a mental condi- We design all our masks ourselves. I’ve always tion. No, it was the music. We’re not the first been very hands-on, just trying to capture band to get blamed for it, and we’re definitely what I’m seeing in my head. With everything, not gonna be the last. So, to anyone who there’s an evolution. Our music has evolved, so wants to say that – prove it. our masks have evolved. Mine and Clown’s There are nine guys on stage when Slip- have probably taken the biggest steps. knot perform, and the shows are pretty Your new one is, erm... lovely. intense. Have you sustained any serious

It’s kind of a reaction to the “pretty-boy” thing injuries over the years? icture net that I was getting with Stone Sour. I was like, Well, yeah. We had some serious injuries on “Oh, really? Well, check this out!” It’s been very the last tour. Sid [Wilson – turntablist] broke effective. People say it’s unsettling. both his heels. Joey [Jordison – drummer] Any other musical projects going on? turned and broke his ankle. It was insane. But, I’ve got my cover band – The Dumb F**ks – everybody’s healing. It’s just another casualty. made up of some friends back home, that I Have you ever personally done yourself

play with every New Year. And there’s JBKB severe harm on stage? images,hs: G allo/getty p (The Junk Beard Kidnap Band). We play funk/ Oh yeah! Sid and Clown used to set my legs rock/stoner/disco – we call it “junk funk”. Have you ever been physically threat- on fire! I’ve even played shows with scratched Okay... We heard rumours you’ve also ened by religious conservatives? corneas. I’ve had staples in my head. You had a Tenacious D cover band? I tend to get into theological debates, but I know, the list goes on. It’s almost like being in Yeah, it was called Audacious P! We (my haven’t been physically threatened. I’ve had a football team, dude. It’s pretty insane. friend Josh Brainard and I) did some charity death threats, though. There’s obviously a What’s your pizza topping of choice? events and stuff. It was a lot of fun. We haven’t problem when you threaten in the name of Any kind of chicken. That, or bacon. done it in a while, but we’re talking about get- “God”. You can’t speak to somebody like that. Lastly, tell us your favourite joke.

ting it back together and doing a little one-off! All they know is weird, fundamental revenge. I can’t, man! Ha, ha! I got kids in the car! FHM words: gordon Photogra laws. p

42 january 2009 www.fhm.co.za