Slipknot’s Shawn “Clown” Crahan on We Are Not Your Form, Mastering One’s Craft, and Discovering One’s Self

Slipknot’s Shawn ‘Clown’ Crahan at Shoreline Amphitheatre, picture by Raymond Ahner

With a 20-plus yr profession, Slipknot have turn out to be one of many world’s greatest acts. Taking part in to huge crowds, they’ve constructed their legacy on a mountain of ferocious, emotionally pushed music. From the seething rage of their 1999 self-titled album to the sonic evolution displayed on their brand-new full-length, We Are Not Your Form, Slipknot proceed to seize the ears and hearts of followers.

We Are Not Your Form is a beast of an providing, exuding the craze and feeling we’ve come to know from the band, whereas providing a maturity that displays the band’s progress as musicians and songwriters over the previous twenty years.

Whereas at the moment on the “Knotfest Roadshow” tour, Slipknot founder/percussionist Shawn “Clown” Crahan took a while to speak with us in regards to the new album, Slipknot’s inventive course of, and his personal inventive upbringing, amongst different subjects.

On the album title We Are Not Your Form

While you’re making artwork, and sure issues present themselves, you must levitate to them … I can keep in mind when Corey [Taylor] first got here in to do the primary spherical of vocals for half the album. Once I [heard him say, “We Are Not Your Kind”], I immediately wrote it down. All of us took be aware of it; anyone who was there, that line caught out [to them]. I wished to launch that title once we [put out] the “All Out Life” video. I wished to let the world know that not solely are we right here, right here’s a brand new track, the album can be popping out. I wished to provide them the title of the album. And I couldn’t get anyone to be down with that; I assumed it might be good to simply get it out as a result of I believed in it a lot. However all the pieces has its proper place, and I’m glad we did wait; that was an excellent name. As a result of this title is simply who we’re.

If you wish to reside on this world at the moment — I imply, comedians can barely be comedians anymore due to the tolerance of the human race. You might be supposed to have the ability to go so far as you need as a comic, however now, individuals get instructed they’re going too far. That’s the place a title like We Are Not Your Form [may allude to]. I can’t let you know what the Slipknot’s Shawn “Clown” Crahan on We Are Not Your Form, Mastering One’s Craft, and Discovering One’s Self precisely means, however I can provide you just a little little bit of what it means to me. What it means is, “Hey, I don’t want to listen to that you simply don’t choose it, simply get away, we’re not your sort.” Nevertheless it additionally applies to all the pieces occurring on this planet. So there’s not one definition to it, all of us make it our personal. And it actually did apply to me, and it applies to Corey in another way. It simply goes as effectively with us as our numbers or logos do.

On his and the band’s writing and recording course of

Each brush you select to color with, you hopefully turn out to be a grasp of in direction of the tip of your life. So that you always remember to make use of sure brushes — they’re all the time going to indicate up. I work actually arduous at ensuring we don’t repeat ourselves, that we’re evolving … as a result of evolving is taking probabilities, it’s digging. You may’t depend on these outdated brushes, however you’ll be able to depend on these brushes to get issues began. So there’s all the time going to be a familiarity [in our work] from the 1999 debut [album]. Then when you consider the producer that we work with, Greg Fidelman — you already know, I attempt to inform individuals this, however individuals will sarcastically say, “Oh this album, I prefer it like this album.” Then I’ll be like, “Nicely have you ever ever paid consideration? It’s due to that producer.”

The primary two albums are performed by one producer, the third album is completed by Greg Fidelman, the fifth and sixth album performed by Greg Fidelman. I deliver this up as a result of once we work with Greg, we make certain we deliver all the pieces we’ve performed and all the pieces we’ve discovered to the desk to start with, after which we make certain we add new brushes. We simply do it. Like once I do percussions, we have now a rig I’ve been doing for 2 earlier albums with him, so there’s a set quantity of percussion rigs that want to come back in. This time we added stuff, we added issues to the palette.

Improvising is sweet, however improvising often comes when the preparations are performed. Somebody could have an thought and get in there and attempt to work that concept; however truly, it will get them to really feel a distinct method proper then and there, and that’s when the magic occurs. So improvising is there, but it surely often is available in when there’s extra of a suggestion.

On what track he’s actually happy with off We Are Not Your Form

I’m actually happy with the track “My Ache”. I’ve had it for some time, and what Corey Taylor delivered to it … that’s like out of the Wizard of Ozor one thing. It’s so stunning to be in a band that may discover these entities, to discover these processes within the mind; to not be completely different to be completely different, however to essentially permit your self to go there and have one thing to indicate for later. That’s a extremely massive factor that track, it’s going to be actually massive for everybody.

On what conjures up him and the band to pursue a track as distinctive as “Spiders”

Nicely artwork is subjective, proper? So all the pieces we do comes from the guts. So “Spiders” for instance, you’re completely proper, there’s by no means been a tune by us that’s even near that track. Satirically sufficient, although, that track is in sevens [regarding time signature]. So individuals are going to listen to it and they’re gonna go, “Oh this is sort of a rock track, it’s so completely different for Slipknot.” The track is in sevens, that’s out of right here; it’s already twisted and turned on its again. It’s not four/four, it’s not [AC/DC’s] “TNT”. There’s a well-known quote we all the time say — it’s simple to make one thing sound loopy, but it surely’s so arduous and nearly not possible to make one thing loopy sound simple. While you take heed to “Spiders”, you initially could start it [and are] on it, however then try to determine it out. See in case you can work out when it begins and stops, comes and goes [in different] locations.

If we write [a song] and we adore it, we proceed it. You bought to recollect there have been like 22 songs and 26 artwork items written for this album, so every kind of songs went away … “Spiders” might have simply gone to the wayside with the opposite what number of ever songs, but it surely didn’t, it stored going.

I’ve all the time believed our followers love us a lot as a result of we make ourselves blissful first; I don’t give a f**okay what anybody thinks on this world, by no means have and by no means will, I reside my life. That’s why you’ve a track like “Spiders”. I imagine our followers will embrace it as a result of they actually anticipate us to face tall in what we imagine; in a world that’s wishy washy, in a world of music that folks go for fame or ego or no matter.

I’m not anxious about individuals going “Are they nonetheless a steel band?”, that’s all silly discuss. It’s all shit we get caught up into, it’s all brainwashed formulation. I’m right here to be me. We’ve prided ourselves within the truth of what number of genres we fall into; we obtained bizarre, thrash, components of black and dying steel, we obtained this and that. It’s attention-grabbing as you become old to attempt various things. We don’t exit to do these items. I assume all [I’m trying to say] is that we don’t say, “Hey lets intentionally make one thing completely different.” We simply don’t try this. We await what conjures up after which we get it.

On his inventive upbringing and the themes that fascinate him

I’ve a really hardcore upbringing with artwork, however not one such as you suppose; [there was no] faculty, however [I was supported in my pursuit of the arts]. My dad and mom noticed one thing in me, and so they actually surrounded me with my very own creativeness; I reside in my very own creativeness, I all the time have since I used to be just a little child. My mother acknowledged that and she or he fed me issues I gravitated in direction of. One of many issues I gravitated in direction of once I was 10 — my mother put a bunch of masters’ books in entrance of me: Rembrandt, Van Gogh, Pablo Picasso, Warhol, no matter. I usually didn’t learn any of this, I simply downloaded the imagery.

I additionally went to non-public faculty, Catholic-religion based mostly. I’m not non secular I’m non secular, however I spent 12 years of my life in fairly strict environments. I’ve all the time cherished the Heaven and Hell, I’ve all the time cherished the start. It doesn’t imply I’m making an attempt to push something, however I’m all the time forcing individuals to have a look at themselves; to have a look at their very own free will, to acknowledge the darker sides, the belongings you query and should be answerable for. Like I do have a direct level behind the artwork I make, but it surely’s often fairly imprecise as a result of I’ve to make it for everybody. I can’t make it exact [regarding] my imaginative and prescient, that wouldn’t be proper, I share a band with eight different guys. We exit and provides this factor referred to as Slipknot to the world, so I gotta make it for everybody.

On what he’s most happy with undertaking in regard to We Are Not Your Form

What I’m most happy with is that I discovered rather a lot about myself. I’ve performed loads of behavioral well being restoration. I’ve been in an outpatient program for despair. I’ve performed my time and issues to assist my mind and I imagine in that; I imagine that everyone must ask for assist in the event that they do. I’ve wanted that typically, [whether in regards to my] dad and mom, Paul Grey, [my] spouse being within the hospital, all issues coming down directly. So I’m most proud that I’ve performed loads of work on myself. I’ve performed loads of work to understand the sorts of issues that I did which will have interfered with the power to have a relationship with different human beings. So I’ve chosen to wish to have a relationship with different human beings, so I’ve taken a extremely good take a look at me. [In order] to vary your self for my part, you’ve got to have the ability to acknowledge you’re doing one thing when you’re doing it; to really go, “Okay this the factor everyone says I do and I acknowledge it.” And it’s even more durable to acknowledge it and cease it proper then and there.

What I obtained [out of this new album is] my new self; and I believe these closest to me, whereas making the album, would let you know that. I’m a distinct individual all the best way round. I’m not discrediting who I used to be, I wouldn’t change it, I’m not sorry, I’m identical to everyone [and] studying. I wish to be the most effective man I will be. I attempted to deliver essentially the most selfless human being to the method of scripting this new album that I may very well be; no I or me, simply making an attempt to make artwork and doing my due diligence to ensure I contain everybody and all the pieces, so it may be “we” as an alternative of “me.” I’m solely talking for me, I can’t communicate for everyone else. However I’m most happy with with the ability to deliver that new self I labored on to [the album]; I really feel it, see it, hear it, and I do know others will … I lastly have the loudest voice I’ve ever had as a result of I removed my voice.

On his emotions about the place he and the band are actually of their profession

Proper now I’m simply having fun with being within the band, the brand new set, the brand new masks, the [new] album, and being again in America [after touring in] Europe. I’m proud to be right here and nonetheless be in a band [that’s] larger than ever. This new album is a masterpiece; I imply it’s actually a masterpiece. I’m simply blessed and blissful to be right here. The band is doing nice and issues are superior in the meanwhile.

I wish to thank all of the Maggots for sticking with us, being there. We’re actually excited in regards to the new album. Can’t wait for everybody to listen to it. Take into consideration you guys on a regular basis. Peace, and everybody be secure.

Our because of Shawn “Clown” Crahan for taking the time to talk with us. Decide up Slipknot’s We Are Not Your Form album at this location, and see remaining dates on their “Knotfest Roadshow” North American summer time tour.