Indiependence

Metal Hammer: 10 Little-Known Facts About Slipknot

Check out this list of ten things you (probably) didn’t know about Slipknot’s self-titled album from Metal Hammer

1. There have been 13 members in the various incarnations of Slipknot including a bloke who dressed as a baby. History doesn’t recall who changed his diapers.

2. Slipknot played their first official gig on April 4 1996 at the Safari in Des Moines, Iowa. Given that Clown owns the bar we imagine they got a decent soundcheck.

3. The newest member of Slipknot is guitarist Jim Root who joined after they had already started recording their debut album. He replaced Josh Brainard who would like to know if you want fries with that. Probably.

4. It took Slipknot three days to drive 1,466 miles from Iowa to the Indigo Ranch recording studio in Malibu, California. Which is 488.666 miles per day. When they arrived they spent several hours stuck in LA traffic, which moves slightly faster than the speed of smell.

5. Slipknot was the first album ever to go platinum on Roadrunner records. Ironically Roadrunner had passed on the band with their previous singer Anders Colsefini, who’s also keen to know if you’d like any potato based products. We suspect.

6. The voice sampled at the start of Slipknot is Corey Hurst, a then 19-year-old girl who was busted for having a joint and ended up being a cell mate to Manson Family member Susan Atkins. Seems a bit harsh for a ‘herbal woodbine’.

7. Producer Ross Robinson was so impressed with Slipknot that he offered to produce them with or without label backing and he even paid for their food while they were recording. He did throw plants at them too, mind.

8. Before embarking on Ozzfest 99 frontman Corey Taylor blew out his vocal chords and was forbidden to speak for more than half an hour a day. He used up his half an hour on stage and carried a pen and paper for the whole tour.

9. Before settling on today’s line up Shawn Crahan was the drummer before moving to percussion, Craig Jones was guitarist before moving to samples and Chris Fehn wanted to be Joey Jordison’s drum roadie, while both Corey Taylor and Jim Root moved over from Stone Sour. It’s like musical chairs with exploding chairs.

10. Slipknot’s debut single Wait And Bleed was voted 36th greatest metal song of all time by VH1. If you add 3 and 6 you get 9, the number of members of Slipknot! Coincidence? Well, probably now you mention it.