Slipknot’s Clown Explains Why the Band Will Never Take Off the Masks
Slipknot figurehead and percussionist Shawn "Clown" Crahan recently spoke about the band's — and his own — enduring connection to the masks that all nine members wear. Indeed, the musician said he "couldn't fathom" a circumstance in which the band would perform without its signature disguises.
That's how Crahan laid it out to Fred Minnick of The Fred Minnick Show podcast earlier this spring. Appearing on the broadcast sufficiently maskless to promote Slipknot No. 9 Whiskey, the musician had a few interesting responses when asked about Slipknot members' devotion to their masks.
"There's not a day that doesn't go by that every member wishes we didn't have to wear that stuff," Crahan explained. "Especially since it was my idea in the sense of, like, I brought it to the table. For all I know, maybe some of the guys think it's the worst thing ever. They went with it because of our love for each other and our dream and our brand, but secretly, some people could be just like, 'Ah, I can't believe I signed up my whole life for this.' … So I never forced it on anyone. It seems like it's what we wanted to do. It's helped, and it really is who we are."
The Slipknot member continued, "People ask me all the time, 'Are you gonna take off the mask?' And I say, 'Why do I need to do that?' You're only asking me because of behavior. You're only doing that because you have a hypothesis of all the other artists, some way or not. But I'm not a part of that … hypothesis."
However, Crahan did indicate that he occasionally chooses not to wear his Clown mask — if he wants to give a situation a more personal touch. (After all, the musician appeared barefaced during the interview.) But that doesn't mean he's considering setting the mask aside when it comes to Slipknot.
"For me, it's pure religion," Crahan added in the portion of the talk transcribed by Blabbermouth. "It's my life. And I can't ever fathom going in so personal because of laziness or stress or just the will to not wanna put it on anymore. I signed the deal we did in the beginning, and there's just never been any [thought] of anything else. I really couldn't fathom us any other way."
Crahan's bandmate, Slipknot singer Corey Taylor, previously echoed the percussionist's loyalty to the masks in a 2019 interview with Overdrive. "I think things like that have kept Slipknot relevant, it’s kept the music vibrant, it’s kept the live shows different and it’s kept us from stagnating," the vocalist said.
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