Shawn Crahan

Shawn Crahan

Michael Shawn "Clown" Crahan (born September 24, 1969), also known as Clown, Kong, or by his number #6, is an American musician known as one of the two custom percussionists of the Grammy winning Heavy Metal band Slipknot, and the drummer of To My Surprise and Dirty Little Rabbits. At 40, Shawn Crahan is the oldest member of Slipknot. (The youngest member is turntablist, Sid Wilson).

Personal life and career

Crahan was born Michael Shawn Crahan in Des Moines, Iowa. He once performed in bands such as Heads on the Wall, One Cup Fat and Quan. By the early 1990s, Crahan was an alcoholic, which was made worse by his purchase of a local bar in Des Moines, called The Safari. Frustrated by his lack of success, he says he would have turned to suicide had he not met his future wife, Chantel. He married Chantel in June, 1993, in Des Moines, Iowa. They have four children, Alex, Gage, Gabrielle, and Simon.

As well as lending his percussion talents to the band, Crahan has also sung backing vocals on a number of songs Slipknot has both recorded and performed live. He also wrote the original draft of "Tattered & Torn", which appeared on the band's early demo, Mate. Feed. Kill. Repeat.. Outside Slipknot, Crahan has founded Big Orange Clown Records, a vanity label within Sanctuary Records, which has so far signed the metalcore band Gizmachi. He also acted as director for, and assembled Slipknot's 2006 DVD, Voliminal: Inside the Nine, while the band engaged a brief hiatus.

He also performed with To My Surprise, recording drums and vocals for the band's self-titled debut. The band received little interest due to their album being released amidst the success of Slipknot members Corey Taylor, James Root and Joey Jordison's side projects, Stone Sour and the Murderdolls, respectively. To My Surprise was later dropped by Roadrunner Records. In 2007, Crahan began performing as drummer for Dirty Little Rabbits. The band was a supporting act for Stone Sour during their North American tour in Summer 2007, and have released one EP, titled Breeding. They have since signed a deal with The End Records as of November, 2008.

In 2009 he contributed to Bring Me the Horizon's remix album, Suicide Season: Cut Up!, by remixing the track "Sleep With One Eye Open". Also in 2009 Shawn remixed a Suicide Silence track on their Wake Up (EP) entitled "Wake Up (Clown of Slipknot Remix)".

In 2010, he contributed to Escape the Fate's This War Is Ours deluxe edition, by remixing the track "This War Is Ours (The Guillotine Part II)".

After the death of fellow Slipknot founding member Paul Gray, Shawn is now the only original member left in the band (Joey Jordison joined just before the band changed their name to Slipknot).

He is the director of many of Slipknot's videos, dvds, and other artistic projects.

Clown Crahan, to his nickname, wears clown-style masks while performing with Slipknot. He also wears a death mask made from a cast of his own face when performing the song "Vermillion".

Equipment

• Gretsch drums with Bubinga shells and Remo heads- two 20 kick drums, 15 tom, 16 tom
• 15" Pearl Competitor FFX-style Marching Snare
• Pearl Campionship RMALTS Marching Snare Carrier
• Drum Mallets
• Vic Firth American Classic 7A Nylon Tip Drumsticks
• 2 Empty Beer Kegs (one on each side) played with a baseball bat
• Audio Technica AEW-T6100 Wirless Handheld Microphone and system
• Two cameras mounted on the rig which he uses to record himself, the band, and the audience
• Shawn usually wears Franklin batting gloves when performing. He sometimes also wears black Mizuno vintage pro G2 batting gloves
• Shawn's percussion set-up is miked with Audio-Technica AT-23 mics

Discography

Main article: Slipknot discography

With Slipknot

• 1996: Mate. Feed. Kill. Repeat.
• 1999: Slipknot
• 2001: Iowa
• 2004: Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses)
• 2005: 9.0: Live
• 2008: All Hope Is Gone

With To My Surprise

• 2003: To My Surprise

With Dirty Little Rabbits

• 2007: Breeding
• 2009: Simon
• 2010: Dirty Little Rabbits

Albums produced

• 2000: L.D. 50 - Mudvayne
• 2001: Invitation to the Dance - 40 Below Summer
• 2003: To My Surprise - To My Surprise
• 2005: The Imbuing - Gizmachi
• 2008: The American Nightmare - Dirtfedd

Filmography

• 1999: Welcome to Our Neighborhood
• 2002: Disasterpieces
• 2002: Rollerball
• 2006: Voliminal: Inside the Nine
• 2008: Nine: The Making of "All Hope Is Gone"

Trivia

• Crahan performed vocals on parts of the full length version of Danger - Keep Away from Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses). The full length version is found on the special edition of the album.
• Crahan performed percussion on the Repo! The Genetic Opera Soundtrack.
• Crahan also remixed the Coheed and Cambria song "Welcome Home" during Slipknot's American leg of the All Hope Is Gone Tour.
• Despite his musical commitments, Crahan quite possibly has the most solid family life of the band. He is married and a proud father{{.
• In 2010, Crahan also remixed the Escape the Fate song "This War Is Ours". This remix, titled "This War Is Mine", features in Escape the Fate's deluxe edition of their album "This War Is Ours" and received mainly negative reviews from fans.
• Crahan remixed Mindless Self Indulgence's Pay For It. It is named Pay For It [The Son of a Clown Remix]