Slipknot Lyrics

Slipknot Info:

From:
Des Moines, Iowa, U.S.

Genres:
Heavy metal, nu metal, alternative metal

Years active:
1995-present

Associated acts:
Stone Sour
Murderdolls
The Black Dots of Death
Scar The Martyr
To My Surprise

Name Origin:
In 1995, the band made their live debut playing a benefit show using the name "Meld". In late 1995, Joey Jordison suggested changing the band name to "Slipknot" after their song of the same name. ("Slipknot" the song)

Members:
Sid Wilson - turntables
(1998-present)

Chris Fehn - custom percussion, backing vocals
(1998-present)

Jim Root - guitars
(1999-present)

Craig "133" Jones - sampling, media
(1996-present), guitars (1996)

Shawn "Clown" Crahan - custom percussion, backing vocals
(1995-present)

Mick Thomson - guitars
(1996-present)

Corey Taylor - lead vocals
(1997-present)

Past Members:
Anders Colsefni - lead vocals, custom percussion
(1995-1997)

Greg "Cuddles" Welts - custom percussion
(1997-1998)

Brandon Darner - custom percussion
(1998)

Josh "Gnar" Brainard - guitars, backing vocals
(1995-1999)

Paul Gray - bass guitar, backing vocals
(1995-2010)

Joey Jordison - drums, percussion
(1995-2013)

Trademark:
members wear matching uniform jumpsuits (most of which have UPC barcodes printed on them) and each has a unique mask

Slipknot Quotes:
It came about as our "anti-image" message. You know, we're not really worried about what cool hairstyle we have or what cool clothes we're wearing. We're about our music first. With the coveralls and the masks it takes the emphasis off of a "cool-guy," "rock-star" image.
-Paul Gray

Yeah, it's a little more. It's our way of becoming more intimate with the music. It's a way for us to become unconscious of who we are and what we do outside of music. It's a way for us to kind of crawl inside it and be able to use it. There's a little aspect of, I guess, our personality in them, but in a way, it's almost like wearing the music. That's the way it is for us. The music for us is so tangible that you can wrap it around yourself and feel safe. You can get inside it and explore it. You know what I mean?
-Corey Taylor

The songs are totally different every night because we are comfortable enough to be able to just do anything we want. It's one of the best things about it.
-Corey Taylor

Basically, I was saying that we don't give a @#$%& about the media; we don't give a @#$%& about the record industry; we don't give a @#$%& about MTV, radio, any of that shit. We play this for us and for the kids who believe in us. They really got behind it.
-Corey Taylor

You can only stare at a clown mask so long. After a few minutes it's no big deal anymore. So people start paying attention to the music instead of what the clown is doing, or what he is wearing, or how cool his spikey hair is.
-Paul Gray

We built the band that we wanted to hear. We added members until it sounded right. In the beginning, we had the idea around the three percussionists. We got the two guitar players, bass player, singer. We used sampling, so we got a sampler, and a DJ. We built the band that we wanted to hear and see live. It was all for us. If it was a band that required twenty members, and we thought we needed it... or two members.... We never had any set plan. We just kept doing it until it sounded right.
-Paul Gray

Well, I'm not really from Des Moines. I'm the only one who is not. I'm from Los Angeles, but I moved to Des Moines nine years ago. I had never really gone anywhere besides LA and Des Moines, so it's amazing. It's the best thing in the world. To get to come to a different country and play your music and actually have people there wanting to see you and hear your music. It's just mind blowing to me. I'm totally thankful to every kid that comes out to see us.
-Paul Gray

"He was everything that was wonderful about this band and about this group of people. The only way I can sum up Paul Gray is 'love'."
-Corey Taylor, on the death of Paul Gray


Slipknot Awards:
2005
Grammy Award - Metal Performance: Before I Forget

Tour Dates: