'The whole thing, I think it's sick': The origin of Slipknot's iconic sample

There are a handful of samples that are infamous in rock and metal, but few if any could ever match up to the sample at the core of 742617000027, the intro track to Slipknot's 1999 debut, released 20 years ago today. The opener begins with a low rumble and unsettling whirr, which leads into a woman saying, 'The whole thing, I think it's sick.' Then her voice begins speeding up and slowing down, its changes in pitch suggesting a descent into madness upon which the album quickly delivers.

But where did the sample come from? In interviews, former Slipknot drummer Joey Jordison had previously claimed that the voice was that of Corey Taylor, manipulated to create the strange, unsettling vocals that launched the band's musical career. In fact, the sample actually comes from a 1973 documentary called Manson, which focuses on the Charles Manson family killings and their cultural impact.

The line in question is spoken by one Corey Hurst, a former cellmate of Charles Manson 'family' member Susan Atkins. Though busted for mere marijuana possession, Corey found herself briefly locked up with the diabolical Susan – known within the Manson crew as 'Sexy Sadie' long before The Beatles' tune came to prominence – who bragged about her participation in eight homicides, including the most infamous Tate murders. In her on-camera interview for the Manson doc, Corey is noticeably disgusted by the actions of Susan and the Manson family.

"Like they, they think it's right to murder," she says in the extended version of the clip. "They want to murder. Look at all the people – and they get a kick out of it, a sexual kick out of it. The whole thing, I think it's sick. I mean, I don't know…"

The completed track – as it's heard on the album – was created by Craig Jones, Slipknot's 'pin-headed' samples engineer. That Craig is fascinated by the Manson killings is unsurprising, given his reputation among the band; guitarist Jim Root once said of him, "He even scares me. I kind of feel I'm doing a service to the community by knowing where Craig is from day to day."

Watch the footage of Corey Hurst's now-iconic line below:

You can pre-order Slipknot's new album We Are Not Your Kind through Roadrunner Records right now, and catch the band live at the following dates this year.

June

29 Madrid, Spain @ Download Festival

July

1 Nîmes, France @ Amphitheatre Nîmes
4 Lisbon, Portugal @ VOA
5 Viveiro, Spain @ Resurrection Fest
8 Quebec City, Quebec @ FEQ
26 Mountain View, CA @ Shoreline Amphitheatre
27 San Bernardino, CA @ San Manuel Amphitheater

August

1 Salt Lake City, UT @ USANA Amphitheatre
3 Albuquerque, NM @ Sleta Amphitheater
4 Phoenix, AZ @ Ak-Chin Pavilion
6 Denver, CO @ Pepsi Center
8 Lincoln, NE @ Pinnacle Bank Arena
10 Des Moines, IA @ Iowa State Fairgrounds
11 Tinley Park, IL @ Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
12 Clarkston, MI @ DTE Energy Music Theatre
14 Virginia Beach, VA @ Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater
16 Noblesville, IN @ Ruoff Home Mortgage Music Center
17 Bonner Springs, KS @ Providence Medical Center Amphitheater
18 Maryland Heights, MO @ Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
20 Toronto, ON @ Budweiser Stage
21 Saratoga Springs, NY @ Saratoga Performing Arts Center
23 Burgettstown, PA @ KeyBank Pavilion
24 Scranton, PA @ The Pavilion at Montage Mountain
25 Darien Center, NY @ Darien Lake Amphitheater
27 Mansfield, MA @ The Xfinity Center
28 Wantagh, NY @ Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater
30 Holmdel, NJ @ PNC Bank Arts Center
31 Camden, NJ @ BB&T Pavilion

September

1 Bristow, VA @ Jiffy Lube Live
3 Alpharetta, GA @ Ameris Bank Amphitheatre
4 Tampa, FL @ MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre
6 Austin, TX @ Austin 360 Amphitheater
7 Dallas, TX @ Dos Equis Pavilion
8 The Woodlands, TX @ The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion

October

17 Perth, AUS @ Optus Stadium
20 Adelaide, AUS @ Adelaide Oval
22 Melbourne, AUS @ Marvel Stadium
24 Melbourne, AUS @ Marvel Stadium
26 Sydney, AUS @ ANZ Stadium
29 Brisbane, AUS @ QSAC
31 Auckland, NZ @ Mt. Smart Stadium

November

2 Auckland, NZ @ Mt. Smart Stadium
30 Mexico City, Parque Deportivo Oceanía @ Knotfest

December

6 Bogota, Colombia @ Knotfest

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• Here are the most commonly-used words in Slipknot's lyrics
• 9 before-they-were-famous performances that'll make you rethink your favorite bands