Slipknot's Jim Root: I've Been Dreaming About Paul Gray

Slipknot guitarist Jim Root has revealed that the late Paul Gray has been showing up in his dreams, almost a decade on from the bassist's passing.

One of the founding members of the ’Knot, Paul was found dead in Iowa on May 24, 2010, with the band's 2014 album .5: The Gray Chapter addressing this tragic loss in both the lyrical content and with its name. Now, though, in a new interview with i-D, Jim ponders that he maybe "hasn't fully grieved Paul being gone", admitting that his friend and bandmate has recently been appearing in his dreams.

"I’ve been having a lot of bizarre dreams about deceased people lately," he says. "Paul has been showing up in my dreams a lot."

When the interviewer responds, "That must be hard," Jim continues: "It’s a little bit weird; maybe I haven’t fully grieved Paul being gone, maybe I shoved that somewhere deep down inside. But in the dream, he had come back to life. He had passed on but he was alive and with his wife, his widow, and they were in this blue sports car. He was typical old Paul, but he was a reanimation of himself, like a zombie. So it stirs up a bunch of weird emotions and I’m thinking that maybe it ties into the situation I’m in now. Because I know there’s a person inside there, but I think they have some narcissistic, possibly sociopathic tendencies. Maybe that’s what that dream meant… because it’s Paul but it’s not really Paul, you know?"

Read this next: Remembering Paul Gray, in pictures

On the five-year anniversary of Paul's passing, Slipknot frontman Corey Taylor penned an emotional tribute about the bassist for Kerrang!, writing: "I know the other guys in Slipknot miss him as much as I do. Sometimes it’s hard for us all to talk about him, because it feels like it happened yesterday. Maybe that’s how you judge the impact a person has on your life: by the power that your loss has over your emotions. Paul was one of the few people to try to keep the peace in this shit-crazy band. That’s because he loved it, and us, with all his heart.

"Without him, we all do our best to fill the void, but it’s a void of massive proportions," Corey continued. "How do you make up for the loss of someone who was so many things to so many people? That’s the thing about Paul – I’m still meeting people who he helped, or he touched in a certain way in their lives. It’s like I never fully appreciated my friend until he was gone, and now I can’t say it to him."

Last week, Slipknot announced the second annual Knotfest Roadshow tour of North America with A Day To Remember, Underoath and Code Orange.

“We set a precedent last year – Knotfest is a showcase where you never know what to expect,” said Corey. “This year is no exception. The bands we have represent all corners of our musical world, just like we do. And they’re exciting as hell. I can’t wait to watch and enjoy them along with the rest of the fans.”

Catch Slipknot live this year at the following dates:

February

11 Milan, Italy – Mediolanum Forum
12 Zurich, Switzerland – Hallenstadion
14 Vienna, Austria – Stadthalle
16 Hamburg, Germany – Barclaycard Arena
17 Berlin, Germany – Mercedes-Benz Arena
18 Dortmund, Germany – Westfalenhalle
20 Copenhagen, Denmark – Royal Arena
21 Stockholm, Sweden – Ericsson Globe
22 Oslo, Norway – Telenor Arena
24 Helsinki, Finland – Hartwall Arena

March

20 Tokyo, Japan – Knotfest Japan
21 Tokyo, Japan – Knotfest Japan
24 Singapore – Singapore Rockfest
27 Jakarta, Indonesia – Hammersonic Festival
29 Manila, Phillipines – Amoranto Stadium

May

30 Syracuse, NY, St. Joseph’s Health Amphitheater at Lakeview*
31 Mansfield, MA, Xfinity Center

June

2 New York, NY, Madison Square Garden
4 Quebec City, QC, Centre Videotron
5 Montreal, QC, Centre Bell
6 Toronto, ON, Budweiser Stage
8 Clarkston, MI, DTE Energy Music Theatre
10 Nashville, TN, Bridgestone Arena
12 Memphis, TN, FedExForum
14 Orlando, FL, Amway Center
15 West Palm Beach, FL iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre
17 Charlotte, NC, PNC Music Pavilion
18 Alpharetta, GA, Ameris Bank Amphitheatre
20 Birmingham, AL, Oak Mountain Amphitheatre
22 Dallas, TX, Dos Equis Pavilion
23 Austin, TX, Germania Insurance Amphitheater
25 The Woodlands, TX, The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion

July

31 Cologne, Germany – Stadium

August

1 Wacken, Germany – Wacken Open Air
7 Berlin, Germany – Waldbühne
10 Barcelona, Spain – Knotfest at Sea
22 Milton Keynes, United Kingdom – Knotfest UK