Looks like a crime scene photo doesn’t it? Slipknot shows off its new masks
Masked alt-metal outfit’s bassist talks Gretzky Slayer and night sweats
This is going to be one hell of a show.
While alterna-metal brigade Slipknot is compelling on any given day thanks to its shocking masks overall grizzly appearance and furious bombastic music a quick 20-minute conversation with bassist Paul Gray (a.k.a. “2”) proves that there are a lot more tricks up those jumpsuit sleeves than any of us previously thought possible. Taking a moment out from his day the horrifically under-the-weather Gray apologizes profusely for tardiness thanks to having to plug a parking meter. He’s been out of it all day apparently thinking he’s late for a doctor’s appointment that isn’t until the next morning.
“I was sweating so much I had to have the hotel change the sheets halfway through the night” he admits. “Maybe it’s that swine flu that’s going around. It’s hard to write new music when you feel like you’re about to pass out constantly.”
Interestingly Gray notes that while the band’s upcoming stop at the Calgary Corral on October 20 is in support of the band’s fourth chart-topper 2008’s All Hope is Gone and the 10th anniversary reissue of its eponymous debut Slipknot is already in the midst of creating tunes for a new album.
It’s of note because usually the crew (completed by turntablist Sid “0” Wilson drummer Joey “1” Jordison percussionist Chris “3” Fehn guitarist Jim “4” Root sampler Craig “5” Jones percussionist Shawn “6” Crahan guitarist Mick “7” Thomson and vocalist Corey “8” Taylor) doesn’t get around to approaching a followup until a solid three years have passed. There’s no time to question Gray about it though. He’s already onto an unprompted 10-minute tirade about his love for hockey and how he feels it’s his “secret Canadian side.”
“I played from when I was three until I was about 13 or 14” he says. “Because it was down in Los Angeles I got a chance to skate around with some of the greats. I started off as offence but moved over to defence and then eventually tried out for goalie. Man I loved goal. I once had Wayne Gretzky shoot at me in net and I caught it. Well I know he had to shoot it at me so I could even catch it but I got to go around saying ‘Yeah I stopped Gretzky.’”
So what killed off Gray’s dreams of the NHL and Stanley Cups and turned him into a member of one of the weirdest yet most successful heavy metal acts in modern rock history?
“It was Slayer.” The words fall with a heavy thud punctuating their importance. It’s the first breath he’s taken in minutes and a clear indication of where he and Slipknot draw their main influence. As if there was ever any doubt.
“I saw them on the Hell Awaits tour and man that was it” he continues. “All of a sudden I didn’t care about hockey anymore. I just wanted to play guitar. I can’t believe how it turned out though. I was destined to be a concrete worker — and was for many years — but eventually I got to live a new dream. I never thought I’d be in the same arenas I was at as a kid doing this. Back then it was practising hockey. Now with Slipknot we’ve played them all and I see them in a very different light. Life can give you what you want but not always as you expect it.”
At that it’s time to wrap up. Gray becomes horrified that we’ve spent 20 minutes talking about nothing (well nothing related to his music at least) offering what he can in consolation. It’s not necessary. After all other than All Hope is Gone (already into its second year of release and well-documented by the press) and the aforementioned re-release and its inevitable bonus materials there’s not much to report on in the Slipknot world. As far as interviews go this one has been refreshing compared to the stale “We’re thankful for everything” stock band banter that many musicians fall back on. Suffice to say if Gray’s enthusiastic babbling represents Slipknot’s current level of hyperactivity by the time they hit town we’d best be prepared for one hell of an assault.
