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Slipknot (band)

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Slipknot
File:SlipKnot-Volume3 New Look.jpg
Background information
Years active1995 – present
MembersSid Wilson,
Joey Jordison,
Paul Gray,
Chris Fehn,
James Root,
Craig "133" Jones,
Shawn "Clown" Crahan,
Mick Thomson,
Corey Taylor

Slipknot is a nine-piece alternative metal group from Des Moines, Iowa. Aside from their real names, members of the band are also referred to by numbers 0 through 8.

Slipknot is currently one of the more popular musical groups of the Contemporary music scene, with their extreme music and violent stage performances. Their albums and home videos have achieved Platinum-sales status, with Grammy nods in the Best Heavy Metal and Best Hard Rock categories for songs from all three of their albums.

The band is also well-known for its peculiar image: the members wear matching uniforms (some of which have UPC barcodes printed on the them) and each has a unique mask.

History

The band found its initial roots in the 1992 "Basement Sessions", conducted in the basement of Anders Colsefini, co-founder of the band. Many of the songs on Mate.Feed.Kill.Repeat and some that made it through to the newer albums were written during these sessions.

The group formed in 1995, and released a demo album called Mate.Feed.Kill.Repeat in 1996. The album was well-received, and several major record labels became interested in the group. At that time, there were only 5 members. Slipknot eventually signed to Roadrunner Records, and released their self-titled debut album in June of 1999. Despite receiving little airplay, the album was successful, due mainly to word-of-mouth. Regarding the album, one reviewer wrote "You thought Limp Bizkit was hard? They're the Osmonds. (Slipknot) are something else entirely. And it's pretty impressive." [1]

Heavy touring (including an Ozzfest stint in 1999) greatly enhanced the band's fanbase.

2001's Iowa, the follow-up to their debut album, was widely anticipated and debuted at number three on the Billboard Magazine album charts and at number one on the UK album chart. They again toured heavily to promote the record.

After an almost two-year hiatus, the band regrouped in late 2003 and began writing and recording with world-renowned producer Rick Rubin, who has worked with artists ranging from Johnny Cash to the Beastie Boys to Slayer.

The band released their third album, Vol. 3 (The Subliminal Verses) in May 2004. Reviews were mostly positive. New Musical Express noted, "At least two thirds of it is still comprised of head-spinning speed metal, but there are signs of genuine progression -- not to mention progressive rock -- from the off." It debuted at #2 on the Billboard albums chart.

Several members of the band have been photographed without masks: Vocalist Corey Taylor and guitarist James Root with their band Stone Sour, drummer Joey Jordison with his side-project the Murderdolls, percussionist Shawn Crahan with To My Surprise, Sid Wilson as DJ Starscream, guitarist Mick Thomson in Total Guitar magazine, and bassist Paul Gray in a police mugshot leaked through The Smoking Gun. In the video for "Before I Forget" they performed without their masks, with cameras facing only under the heads. (but as the video progressed, details of the faces were shown in brief moments.)

A live album recorded from shows in Las Vegas, Osaka, Singapore & Tokyo is slated for release in November titled "9.0: Live".

Several members of the band also colaborated with other artists on the Roadrunner All Star Sessions CD released in October 2005.

Debate on categorization

File:SlipKnot-Corey Taylor.jpg
Corey Taylor on-stage

The critics are in discord as to where Slipknot's music fits, if in nu metal / mallcore or other genres.

Those who consider Slipknot to be nu-metal argue that the lyrical themes and instrumental styles of Slipknot (most notably the rarity of guitar solos), the use of turntables and sampling, and rap-style vocals are definitely similar to those of typical nu-metal bands. On the contrary, those who do not consider Slipknot's music to be nu-metal note that the majority of their music does not have a rap-based lyrical structure (although the influence of rap is evident in some of their earlier music). Additionally, most of their instrument settings are not typical of nu metal (scooping of the mid range is not common in Slipknot's music).

With the release of Slipknot's latest album, "Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses)", advocates felt that the presence of solos on their albums would silence debates on the genre with finality. However, it can be argued that this is simply another financially conscious move given the mid-2000s "retro-metal" renaissance, and that the style of vocals still have more in common with hardcore music than metal. Some others think that the presence of solos in their latest album is only due to the change of the producer, pointing to the presence of solos in songs released before they signed with Roadrunner. Following that hypothesis, producer Ross Robinson should have denied to Slipknot the use of guitar solos at all, to align them to the musical tendencies of late 90's. The debate goes on.

Detractors

Some detractors accuse Slipknot of not being sincere in their music, to show violence on stage and to scream only to sell better and not because they are really angry with the world. As one detractor of their music says: "Slipknot are intense the same way your little sister screaming is intense. It's loud and angry, but also very annoying and not the least bit menacing".

The band is also frowned upon by many critics due to their appearance which many attribute to shock marketing and are described as "gimmicky". Some argue that this is no different to other nu-metal bands and that image is promoted in all mainstream bands.

Another detractor is that many fans of the band Mushroomhead claim that Slipknot copied them. (The rumor has it Roadrunner Records, Slipknot's record label, offered Mushroomhead a record deal around '95. Mushroomhead declined, and a year later Slipknot was signed.) But the fans of Slipknot says otherwise, along with Mushroomhead and Slipknot. And then there are people who are fans of both bands and say that they both came out around the same time, in different states, so neither band copied the other.

Other methods of shock marketing that the band incorporates are epitomized in songs like The Heretic Anthem suggest Satanic undertones. The lyrics "If you're 555 then I'm 666! What's it like to be a heretic?" imply the dark purpose strongly, but the band members say otherwise, agreeing that it is part of the shock marketing.

Slipknot is also accused of creating positions within the band for the sole purpose of increasing the total number of members in the band; for example, no other popular bands hold a position for a sampler, even if samples are included in the music. The band and fans claim that they have these extra members to create a unique sound, such as their two extra percussionists to add drum fills. However many critics argue that the extra members add little to the music, especially in a live setting.

Members

Current members

Former members

Discography

Albums

Unreleased Discs

Singles

Year Title Chart Positions Album
US Modern Rock US Mainstream Rock UK Singles Chart
2000 "Wait and Bleed" - #34 #27 Slipknot
2000 "Spit It Out" - - #28 Slipknot
2001 "Left Behind" - #30 #24 Iowa
2002 "My Plague" - - #43 Iowa
2004 "Duality" #6 #5 #15 Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses)
2004 "Vermilion" #17 #14 #31 Resident Evil: Apocalypse [Soundtrack]
2005 "Before I Forget" - #11 #35 Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses)
2005 "The Nameless" - #35 - Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses)

Fansites

Fan Forums

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