Only two weeks left to the beginning of Slipknot European Tour which will also take place in Ergo Arena in Gdańsk on 24 January 2016 (tickets). Thanks to Live Nation Polska one of our editorial Maggots got an unusual phonecall from the Man Behind The Mask, Corey Taylor. Mateusz 'Mate’ Sendecki joining forces with another of our journalist, hardcore Suicidal Tendencies and Slipknot fan Rafał 'RaV’ Stempień, prepared a quick interview with Corey, from which we can learn a little about his musical influences, how much he respected Lemmy Kilmister, what future stands in front of young bands and what we can expect from upcoming gigs with Cyco Miko guys. Enjoy, listen to Slipknot and Suicidal Tendencies and stay Negative Maggots!
Hell-o it is Mateusz 'Mate’ Sendecki from DeathMagnetic.pl and thank you for your time, Corey! First of all – how was your Knotfest both in Mexico and San Bernardino?
Well it was good man, you know? Both of them were… huge! It was second time doing that festival in San Bernardino and it was bigger than the year before. If it comes to one in Mexico city, we have never played there before and seeing 40,000 people was just breathtaking, it was just amazing. So both of those gigs were just incredible experiences and shown us that we did Knotfest right way – making festival that is a destination and people for people to come and see.
Yeah I can imagine that and just like you’ve said in another interview, the atmosphere coming from Latin American fans, namely during Rock in Rio, is just great! So next question is somehow connected with that – recently you stated that you do believe that Slipknot can follow Deep Purple and Black Sabbath footsteps in respect of popularity, range and influence that your music have over the people. Do you think that it is still reachable for younger, starting up musicans to reach such status?
I think so, yeah. You know, for a while I was thinking that the younger bands will never get same opportunities such as older generations had, that it kind of overrun, but then I remembered that even if heavy metal, rock and punk music were all part of mainstream, they really come from the underground. Even us – even when we had so much exposure, we are still underground band. And because all of that was built on the fanbase and multiple generations, there will be always people who will find THAT next big band, move them up and take them to where they want to go. I think there is a handful of bands right now which are starting to feel that and making their way to reach the next level – so don’t worry about it. If you will take a closer look at it you will say: 'Hey wait a minute… we were never pop-star children and a part of this commercial bullshit!’ I think thanks to that underground music always get response, it reaches out to a certain group of people who will find a way to promote the next new and big band.
That are great words to hear especially from you Corey and speaking about older generations – does the success of Knotfest in San Bernardino helped you in making decision with whom you should play on the European stages during the upcoming tour, namely Suicidal Tendencies?
Yeah, that’s right. They are probably one of my favourite bands all the time! We were lucky enough to be able to do show with them last year in San Bernardino and it was such a treat, such a pleasure just watching them playing. They are such a great guys that we [Slipknot] kind of look on each other and said: 'Fuck, we should take them to Europe with us!’ We always have been a band that tried to payback to the bands that inspired us over the years. We have always paid respect for the music that made us want to make our music, to the bands that learned us how to be the band and we always tried to show our fans who inspired us. Sucidal Tendencies is one of those bands. We are very fortunate to be in that position to be able to bring up the bands we want to play with.
I’m also a big fan of Suicidal Tendencies and it’s great that you are bringing up them in front of your maggots! Speaking again about your inspirations and our inspirations, I really liked what you’ve recently wrote in “The Guardian”. In my opinion it was the greatest memorial recalling Lemmy Kilmister. You’ve mentioned that Lemmy told you once the most hardcore joke you ever heard. If you still remember it, we will surely publish it.
Thanks and yeah that was a great joke (laugh). You know, I think there is a video of me telling that joke on YouTube during one of my solo shows. People are asking me all the time who were some of me favourite people to hang out with and I remember that one night I mentioned about Lemmy and told that joke. It was so funny at that moment that we’ve laughed for probably solid 10 minutes (laugh). It was so good! And that’s one of the things I miss the most about Lemmy. He had such a funny way of looking at all of this. That man we are talking about is a guy who really lived , the guy who’ve done it all, seen it all and have done it from both sides up on the stage. He worked with Hawkwind, came with his own Motörhead, he was a songwriter… he was the guy who really done it all. But to me he was the nicest guy I’ve ever met. He had a lot of respect to other people and when you’ve earned Lemmy’s respect it was real deal respect. I’ve loved that about him. I think there will never ever be another Lemmy, let’s put it that way.
Yeah, you have right. Lemmy was unique and just unreapetable. The end of last year was rather tragic for music industry if it comes to number of funerals – Scott Weiland, Phil Taylor and then Lemmy. Those sad events made me think about the coffin which occurs in Slipknot video clip to 'XIX’ from “.5: The Gray Chapter”. Is there any particular person or idea buried and burned inside that coffin?
That’s something that you have to ask Clown about, because that was his concept. He really see something particular in that. I know what that coffin means to me but I’m not sure if it is the same thing that means to Clown. I think it is one of reasons why the art is so important, because it is not going to mean the same thing to everyone. This is really important – it can’t be the same, it has to be different, it has to be opened to other interpretations.
Both video clip and the song are surely piece of an art and I guess we have to find out our own meaning of it like you and Clown do. One more question about interpretations – I came across this sentence that “Slipknot made perfect things which were firstly created by Sepultura”, namely those tribal-like percussive sounds. Did the Cavalera brothers really had that influence on Slipknot music?
Yeah, I think in a certain way they had. Obviously the “Chaos A.D.” and “Roots” albums. There was something so primal and heavy about what they were doing musically, the way it fit with that sludgy riffing that was being written. In my opinion it was one of the reasons why we put together the sounds that we did and why we’ve continued to do it. Of course I wasn’t in the band from the beginning so I can’t say specifically what it was, but for me that was one of things that attracted me in Slipknot – that playable percussive vibe, which was taking the band to the whole different level. It’s definitely one of the reasons why I wanted to join Slipknot, because I’ve seen the potential in what they were doing, it just had that Sepultura vibe. Sepultura is definitely a band that gets overlooked when it comes to influances, but to me they are right up there for us with Slayer, Metallica and all other bands that influanced Slipknot. They are right up there at the top.
I fully agree with you Corey, that Sepultura is often underestimated. What about Joey Jordinson? Do you have any contact of information how is he doing with his solo project?
I have not spoke with Joey since the day we parted with.
Ok, so as always the last words belongs to you Corey – what Polish and European Maggots can expect from Slipknot-Suicidal Tendencies crossover in the January?
I’m really excited for this tour! Not only for singing for Slipknot but also for watching Suicidal Tendencies every night again which is awesome. They change their set up almost every night which is so rad. For us it is almost like starting from scratch. We have completely reimagined the stage setting and we’ve put together completely different setlists. It’s gonna be visually stimulating, sonically assaulting and will have everything that you come to, want and expect from our shows.
We just can’t wait to experience it in the January! Thank you again for your precious time Corey and stay heavy!
Thanks bro and I hope you’ll have a good time!
