Corey Taylor On Slipknot's Journey: "With The Exception Of Having Paul Gray Back, I Wouldn't Change A Thing"

In a new interview with Zane Lowe on Apple Music, Corey Taylor looks back on the ups and downs of Slipknot's career, admitting that he wouldn't change a thing – bar the loss of late bassist Paul Gray, who passed away in 2010.

The frontman reveals that he was recently discussing the Iowa titans' career with founding member Clown "the other day", enthusing how Slipknot "beat not only the odds, but expectations" with every album.

"There are very, very few things that I would change about my trajectory," he continues. "For the most part, I wouldn't change any of it. With the exception of having Paul back, I wouldn't change a thing, man.

Read this: Freaks unleashed: The story behind Slipknot’s debut album

"We went through exactly what we needed to go through, and it's one of those things where, when you try to figure it out, it's like playing Go with seven people. There's no way you're going to be able to figure that out. But when it comes down to it, all you can do is just embrace it and be very grateful for what you got to do. Because there are a lot of people who would have shoved their mom into traffic to be where I was."

As well as looking back fondly over the metallers' inimitable career, Corey details an "empathetic" nature about their music, explaining how, "There is a voice inside that message that is going, 'I'm not the only one who feels this way. I know that you feel this way and it's okay because it's natural.'"

He continues: "And there's a certain point in the music where it allows the listener to identify that and go, 'Okay, now that I've embraced that, now that I know that I'm not so disenfranchised, I can feel normal. I can feel okay, like I'm not completely ostracised from everything. There is a group of people who understands what I feel like and can identify with it and that allows me to take a deep breath and get through the next day.'"

Relating that to his own headspace, Corey adds, "It's the reason why I do so much work with organisations against teen suicide, opioid addiction. It's because I understand the mindset and I want people to know that it's okay. It's okay to feel damaged. It doesn't mean you're broken. It means you're damaged. And to be able to stand back up and do work and identify and not feel alien is an important message. No matter who you are."

Recently, Corey teased that Slipknot have already been thinking about a new LP – the follow-up to last year's 5K-rated sixth album We Are Not Your Kind.

He revealed of Clown's thoughts towards record number seven: "He’s in this trippy place, dude, which is rad. I love it when he’s in this crazy mindset, because I know I’m gonna hear stuff that I’ve never heard before.

"He’s so goddamn creative, and that inspires Jim [Root, guitar]. And all the tumblers really start to fall. So it’s pretty rad. I can’t wait."

Last week, Corey Taylor unveiled his awesome debut solo record CMFT – grab your copy here.

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