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List of Slipknot members

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List of Slipknot members

Slipknot is a metal band formed by vocalist and percussionist Anders Colsefini, guitarists Donnie Steele and Josh Brainard, bassist Paul Gray, drummer Joey Jordison and percussionist Shawn Crahan, in Des Moines, Iowa.[1] Since its inception in 1995, the band has gone through multiple line-up changes, all occurring before the release of their debut album Slipknot, in 1999. The band is known for its large line-up, which consists of nine members; including a vocalist, two guitarists, a bassist, two percussionists in addition to a primary drummer, a sampler, and a turntablist.[2]

In 1996, during the mixing stage of the band's demo album Mate. Feed. Kill. Repeat., Slipknot saw its first line-up change when guitarist Donnie Steele left the band and was replaced by Craig Jones. Shortly after, drummer Jordison suggested they would need a full-time sampler and Jones fit the position as "he liked doing that anyway."[3] Mick Thomson was brought in to fill the open position on guitar. After the release of Mate. Feed. Kill. Repeat. the band were working on new material which required more vocal melody and vocalist Colsefini struggled with this.[4] In 1997, Corey Taylor was recruited from local band Stone Sour and after practicing with Slipknot "everything just clicked."[5] As a result of this Colsefini was moved to backing vocals and percussion. However, Colsefini became unhappy with his new role and left the band a month later.[6]

Wanting to retain their percussive edge, Greg Welts joined the band as Colsefini's replacement. Towards the end of 1997, each band member chose an individual number as their alias.[7] In 1998, Welts became the only member who has been asked to leave the band and he was replaced by Chris Fehn. Slipknot's members considered including a DJ in their line-up, but had difficulty finding one because "the people [they] knew who were DJs all sucked!"[8] Sid Wilson approached the band after seeing them live. He proceeded to impress the band with his ability and his antics; Wilson was considered "Slipknot material" and his hiring brought the band's line-up to nine members.[9] The final change in the band's line-up came at the latter stages of the recording process of the band's debut album, Slipknot, in 1999. While the band took a break from recording the album, Brainard decided to leave the band and was replaced by Jim Root.

Current members

Corey Taylor (#8)
Active: 1997–present
Instruments: lead vocals
Release contributions: all Slipknot releases from Slipknot Demo (1998) to present
Taylor was recruited from fellow local band Stone Sour in 1997; Slipknot's music required more melodic singing which vocalist Anders Colsefini struggled to accomplish. The initial idea was to have the vocalists share duties, however it was decided that Taylor would take over the majority of the vocals and Colsefini was moved to backing vocals.[10]
Mick Thomson (#7)
Active: 1996–present
Instruments: guitar
Release contributions: all Slipknot releases from Slipknot Demo (1998) to present
Shortly after Craig Jones entered the band as a guitarist it was decided that he would move to samples, Thomson was brought in to fill the position on guitar and has remained in the line-up since.[3]
Jim Root (#4)
Active: 1999–present
Instruments: guitar
Release contributions: all Slipknot releases from Slipknot (1999) to present
Jim Root joined the band in 1999 towards the end of the recording process of Slipknot. He was brought in as a guitarist following Josh Brainard's departure and is the last member of the band's current line-up to have joined.[11]
Paul Gray (#2)
Active: 1995–present
Instruments: bass, backing vocals
Release contributions: all Slipknot releases
Paul Gray was a member of the original band formed in 1995.[1]
Joey Jordison (#1)
Active: 1995–present
Instruments: drums
Release contributions: all Slipknot releases
Joey Jordison was a member of the original band formed in 1995.[1]
Shawn Crahan (#6)
Active: 1995–present
Instruments: custom percussion, backing vocals
Release contributions: all Slipknot releases
Shawn Crahan was a member of the original band formed in 1995.[1]
Chris Fehn (#3)
Active: 1998–present
Instruments: custom percussion, backing vocals
Release contributions: all Slipknot releases from Slipknot (1999) to present
Following the departure of Greg Welts, Chris Fehn was brought in to fill the position left on percussion and backing vocals.[12] Previously Fehn had asked the band is he could roadie for the band, reportedly Fehn's initiation was said to have resembled the vetting process from the film Fight Club. However after a month of "[seeing] if he would fit into Slipknot", Fehn joined and has remained in the line-up since.[13]
Craig Jones (#5)
Active: 1996–present
Instruments: samples, media, guitars
Release contributions: all Slipknot releases from Slipknot Demo (1998) to present
Craig Jones was first brought in to the band to fill the spot on guitar after Donnie Steele's departure.[14] It occurred to Joey Jordison that they were incorporating an increasing amount of samples in their recordings and couldn't produce them live, as a result Jones moved to full-time sampler.[3]
Sid Wilson (#0)
Active: 1998–present
Instruments: turntables
Release contributions: all Slipknot releases from Slipknot (1999) to present
The band were interested in adding a DJ to their line-up but were reluctant because they didn't know any that they considered good enough. After seeing the band live, Sid Wilson proclaims "I knew I was born to be in this band."[9] Wilson contacted the band to show his interest in joining the band. After attending rehearsals and an incident before a show in which he head-butted all the band members he was considered "Slipknot material" and has remained in the line-up since.[9]
  • Vocalist Corey Taylor
    Vocalist Corey Taylor
  • Guitarist Mick Thomson
    Guitarist Mick Thomson
  • Guitarist Jim Root
    Guitarist Jim Root
  • Bassist Paul Gray
    Bassist Paul Gray
  • Drummer Joey Jordison
    Drummer Joey Jordison
  • Percussionist Shawn Crahan
    Percussionist Shawn Crahan
  • Percussionist Chris Fehn
    Percussionist Chris Fehn
  • Sampler Craig Jones
    Sampler Craig Jones
  • Turntablist Sid Wilson
    Turntablist Sid Wilson

The members of Slipknot performing on the Mayhem festival in 2008

Former members

Donnie Steele
Active: 1995–1996
Instruments: guitar
Release contributions: Mate. Feed. Kill. Repeat. (1996)
Donnie Steele was a member of the original band formed in 1995.[1] In February 1996, during the mixing process of Mate. Feed. Kill. Repeat., Steele decided to leave the band. Steele was a "devout Christian" and realized that the band was no longer a project he could be a part of.[14]
Anders Colsefini
Active: 1995–1997
Instruments: lead vocals, custom percussion, backing vocals
Release contributions: Mate. Feed. Kill. Repeat. (1996)
Anders Colsefini was a member of the original band formed in 1995.[1] In 1997, Corey Taylor joined the band to share the lead vocalist position. However it was decided that Taylor would replace Colsefini and he was subsequently moved to backing vocals.[10] Unhappy with his new role in the band Colsefini decided to leave the band shortly after.[6]
Greg Welts (#3)
Active: 1997–1998
Instruments: custom percussion, backing vocals
Release contributions: Slipknot Demo (1998)
After the departure of Colsefini, Greg Welts was recruited to fill the spot left on percussion and backing vocals.[15] In 1998, prior to the band signing with Roadrunner Records, Welts was asked to leave the band becoming the only band member to be ultimately fired from the band.[16] The reasons behind this are unclear.
Josh Brainard (#4)
Active: 1995–1999
Instruments: guitar
Release contributions: Mate. Feed. Kill. Repeat. (1996), Slipknot Demo (1998), Slipknot (1999)
Josh Brainard was a member of the original band formed in 1995.[1] Brainard left the band during the recording stages of Slipknot in 1999. The reasons for his departure are unclear, it was widely thought to have been because of family constraints however Brainard dispels these rumours, explaining that; "some decisions were made that I wasn't particularly happy with."[11]

Timeline

References

  • Arnopp, Jason (2001), Slipknot: Inside the Sickness, Behind the Masks, Ebury, ISBN 0091879337
  • McIver, Joel (2003). Slipknot: Unmasked (Again). Omnibus. ISBN 0711997640.

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Arnopp 2001, p. 40–42
  2. ^ "Allmusic Slipknot biography". Allmusic. Retrieved 2008-07-16.
  3. ^ a b c Arnopp 2001, p. 57
  4. ^ Arnopp 2001, p. 70
  5. ^ Arnopp 2001, p. 74
  6. ^ a b McIver 2003, p. 44–45
  7. ^ Arnopp 2001, pp. 80–81
  8. ^ McIver 2003, p. 50
  9. ^ a b c Arnopp 2001, p. 91–93
  10. ^ a b McIver 2003, p. 41–42
  11. ^ a b McIver 2003, p. 61–63
  12. ^ McIver 2003, p. 57
  13. ^ Arnopp 2001, p. 78–79
  14. ^ a b Arnopp 2001, p. 50–51
  15. ^ McIver 2003, p. 47
  16. ^ McIver 2003, p. 54
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