As Slipknot celebrates the 25th anniversary of its self-titled debut album, Mr. Shawn Crahan, aka Clown, the group’s co-founder and percussionist, shared his feelings on the absence of two legendary members, Paul Gray (bass) and Joey Jordison (drums). ). In an interview with VultureClown spoke about the difficulty of commemorating the milestone without them, calling their loss a “huge hurt.”
Indelible memories of his “brothers”
When asked about the songs that particularly remind him of Paul and Joey, Clown recalled some deeply moving memories. “Every time we play Vermillion, I think of Paul. He worked on this song for weeks, he was a genius,” he shared. Regarding Joey, Clown confides: “It’s almost every song. Scissors is an example: you can only perform this song with your talent. He was like a conductor, everyone followed him.” His words are a reminder of how fundamental their contribution was to the sound identity and soul of Slipknot.
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Departures marked by tragedy
The loss of Joey Jordison and Paul Gray left an indelible mark on the group. Joey, who died in 2021, left Slipknot in 2013 under difficult circumstances. During the Metal Hammer Golden Gods Awards in 2016, Joey revealed that he had been fired by email, which had a profound impact on him. “They thought I was on drugs, which was not the case. It was unfair after everything I had been through with them,” he confided. As for Paul Gray, who died in 2010 of an overdose, his loss remains painful for his loved ones. His wife, Brenna Gray, had testified to the lack of support from the members of Slipknot during Paul’s difficult times. The latter had agreed to seek treatment the day before his death, making this tragedy even more poignant.
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