SLIPKNOT Frontman: 'I Definitely Think We've Got At Least One More Pivotal Album To Make'

October 20, 2009

Mike Devlin of The Vancouver Sun recently conducted an interview with SLIPKNOT forntman Corey Taylor. A few excerpts from the chat follow below.

On the fact that SLIPKNOT, while still a commercial force, might come to an end sooner than most think:

"I definitely think we've got at least one more pivotal album to make. After that, it's anybody's guess. I know myself and I know the mentality of a lot of guys in the band. We don't ever want to get to the point where we're making albums as an excuse to tour. If we're not saying something new or we're not trying to at least branch out musically, then what's the point?"

On "Slipknot", the band's Roadrunner Records debut, which was the first platinum sales certification in history for the label which currently has NICKELBACK, MEGADETH and KILLSWITCH ENGAGE on its roster:

"A lot of bands had been building towards that and for some reason they just couldn't get over that hump. We were on a label with so many great bands so we really had no expectations. Out of the gate we were like, 'Let's go out and just do our thing.' We were ready to just be one of those underground bands. When the album took off, it really took everybody by surprise. Nobody was prepared for it."

On critics who disregard SLIPKNOT's abilities based solely on their wardrobe:

"Everything about us hindered us a little bit with a lot of people. There was an instantaneous wave of fans, but then there were the people who didn't want to give us a chance. They saw the coveralls and they saw the masks and thought we sucked right out of the gate, without even hearing the band. As time has gone on, our message hasn't changed and our music has evolved and gotten better. That has turned a lot of people around."

"One of the reasons we are still here is because we don't sell our values for a dollar. We don't give up the artistic way of thinking just so we can get over with the [radio] crowd."

On SLIPKNOT's live performances:

"There's a certain chaotic vibe that you expect from a SLIPKNOT show, but you can do that without bringing out baseball bats and killing each other."

"I think that's where we've kind of evolved. You always feel better about the hubris of youth if you know you're accomplishing something. There was no way we were going to keep doing it like that and not only feel healthy but be taken seriously. You can probably get away with that for two or three years before people are like, 'Okay, we get it. You beat each other up.'

"You've got to evolve. And, luckily, this band is talented and artistic enough that we found the happy balance."

On SLIPKNOT's injuries on the road:

"I was getting scratches on my eyes and my legs were getting covered in burns [during the band's shows to support 'Iowa']. I put my shoulder out really badly, but they were able to just pop that back in. It was nuts. If we weren't hurting ourselves, we were hurting each other. I half-joke that we spent more on bandages and Band-Aids than we did washing our coveralls back then. We had so much back pain and antibiotic ointment. Dude, we were getting messed up."

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