Slipknot’s Clown: ‘We’re the Greatest Band in the World’

Slipknot percussionist Shawn "Clown" Crahan recently offered his unfiltered opinion of the band and its naysayers, as well as explaining how he transitions from married father of three to masked madman behind the kegs.

With a headlining stint on the Rockstar Mayhem Festival already on the books for this summer, Shawn "Clown" Crahan of Slipknot is already getting his game face on-- which technically is a clown mask. As the elder of the Des Moines, Iowa heavy metal giant, Clown naturally speaks about his band's work with a certain gravitas.''We give you everything,'' Clown tells The Age. ''We're the greatest band in the world as far as I'm concerned."

Slipknot has become one of the biggest names in metal over their 17 year career, but there are still skeptics who write them off because of their on-stage attire. ''I always laugh when bands say, 'You know, without the masks they'd be nothing.' OK, try playing one of our songs, try playing my drummer's parts, try playing my guitar player's parts. Now put on a mask and all this other s--- and run around like you're in a rugby game - then I might start listening," Clown says before considering the alternative.''Otherwise, why don't you take your shirt off and tell everybody how hot you are and how you've gotta slow things down for a minute. We have never had to pretend what we are - what we are is intense.''

Slipknot reunited on stage for the first time since the tragic passing of bassist Paul Gray in 2010 during a series of overseas festival appearances last year and are set to tour North America extensively this summer. "We're not a band, we're a culture and it's only going to get bigger. When we're on tour, all I want to do is see all of them…we're a special thing, we're our own entity," says Clown. ''Don't get me wrong, when I get home from tour I don't want to see any of them. [laughs]''

When the Slipknot percussionist does get home, he makes the transition from Clown to Shawn Crahan, a married 42-year old with three children -- two of which were born prior to him forming the band. "I don't want to brag but I have duality, I have yin and yang, and I'm very proud to be able to go out and work hard to support my family," Crahan says of his double-life. "I'm a pro at it now, I really do enjoy coming off the road and just doing nothing and being with my kids and my family. I'm a Renaissance man.''

In addition to his music career, Crahan recently created a film and television production company with bandmate Corey Taylor called Living Breathing Films and will star in the upcoming film 'The Devil's Carnival.'