Despite currently touring as a solo artist, Slipknot’s Corey Taylor has recently confirmed that he plans to be “a part of [Slipknot] until I hang the mask up.”
In September, Taylor released his second solo album, CMF2. The Slipknot frontman is currently in the United Kingdom to play a series of shows to promote the record, with performances scheduled in Leeds, Wolverhampton, Manchester and Glasgow before the run draws to a close at the Eventim Apollo in London on November 14th.
In a new interview with Mary Anne Hobbs of BBC Radio 6 Music, Taylor was asked: “Slipknot or solo?” In response to the question, Taylor explained: “Slipknot is something that can never be replaced in my heart, can never be replaced in my life, and I sincerely hope that I’m a part of it until I hang the mask up.”
He continued: “I’ve said it since day one — if I didn’t want to do Slipknot, I wouldn’t do it. And I think I’ve proved that. The reason I stick around is because I want to do it. There’s still something in my heart and my soul that needs it. I don’t know if that’s good or bad. Obviously, psychotherapy will help me out with that shit. But at the same time, it’s… it’s once in a lifetime, man.”
Despite feeling a strong, unwavering connection to the band, Taylor also expressed no sense of delusion when it came to its appeal, along with the fact that it’s not always smooth sailing. “I don’t expect [the fans] to [always] be there,” he said. “I mean, there are songs that they love; there are songs they don’t love. There are times I love this band; there are times I don’t love this band.”
When asked if his bandmates feel the same way about the hypothetical end of the band as he does, Taylor said: “If they wanted to continue and I wanted to retire, I would help them find somebody, to be honest. This band has always been bigger than the sum of its own parts.”
Despite his enduring commitment to Slipknot, Taylor has also recently discussed having only five years of touring left due to being in “constant pain”.
Meanwhile, earlier this week, Slipknot parted ways with drummer Jay Weinberg. He had been a member of the band for almost a decade.
In a statement, the band wrote: “We would like to thank Jay Weinberg for his dedication and passion over the past ten years. No one can ever replace Joey Jordison’s original sound, style or energy, but Jay honoured Joey’s parts and contributed to the last three albums, and we, the band, and the fans appreciate it.”
