Slipknot is an American heavy metal band from Des Moines, Iowa. Formed in 1995, the group was founded by percussionist Shawn Crahan and bassist Paul Gray.
Slipknot is well known for its attention-grabbing image, aggressive music style, and energetic and chaotic live shows.
-Wikipedia
Members:
(#6) Shawn "Clown" Crahan - percussion, backing and occasional lead vocals (1995-present), drums (1995)
(#7) Mick Thomson - guitar (1996-present), bass (2011-2014)
(#8) Corey Taylor - lead vocals (1997-present), bass (2011-2014)
(#0) Sid Wilson - turntables (1998-present), keyboards (2008-present)
(#4) Jim Root - guitar (1999-present), bass (2011-2014)
(V) Alessandro Venturella - bass (2014-present), keyboards (2018-present)
Michael Pfaff - percussion, backing vocals (2021-present; 2019-2021 as touring member)
Eloy Casagrande - drums (2024-present)
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)
From: Des Moines, Iowa, U.S.
Genre(s):
Heavy metal,
nu metal,
alternative metal
Active From: 1995-present
Associated Acts:
Stone Sour,
Murderdolls,
The Black Dots of Death,
Scar The Martyr,
To My Surprise
Trademark: members wear matching uniform jumpsuits (most of which have UPC barcodes printed on them) and each has a unique mask
Awards:
2005
Grammy Award - Metal Performance:
Before I Forget
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