Guesting for a special evening in London, the veteran songwriter and accomplished frontman previewed his forthcoming album and confided how the fans truly gave him something to live for.
En route to the September 15th release of his eagerly-awaited sophomore release, CMF2, renaissance man Corey Taylor guested at Kingston’s Prizm in London for an ‘Evening with’ event that saw the songwriter hold court in front of a room full of lucky fans.
in association with Banquet Records, the presentation was moderated by Kerrang Radio and On Wednesdays We War Black Podcast fixture Sophie K. The memorable evening saw Taylor perform stripped down renditions of tracks from his pending full length and concluded with an exclusive interview with Taylor. The festivities offered fans the opportunity to ask Taylor a litany of questions ranging from the professional to the especially personal.
Among the highlights from the exchange included Taylor’s illuminating wishlist of collaborators. While Taylor shared his unwavering praise for the likes of David Bowie and the earnest Mid-West roots of Prince, his list of contemporaries was the stuff co-op dreams are made of. Taylor shared that he would love to work with Trent Reznor, has been trying to do something with Eminem for years and has always wanted to connect with Ice Cube – though confiding, “He scares the shit out of me…that man, is one of the baddest fuckers on the planet.”
Taylor also revealed that he is working on a non-fiction book to add to his catalog of publishings. Though he kept the details close to the chest, CT did share that the sci-fi work-in-progress explores body-swapping and discussed how he might take the Tarantino route and opt for a non-linear storyline for that extra layer of mindf*ck.
The veteran songwriter also spoke candidly when asked what has been his most difficult record to complete. Revisiting the turbulent time of Vol. 3: The Subliminal Verses, Taylor confided the fragile state he was in, gripped in a then losing battle with alcoholism. Taylor shared a moment of clarity he had during that time, where producer Greg Fidelman was playing back music Taylor had written while inebriated. It was a moment that Taylor revealed made him embarrassed as an artist, such that he opted to scrap all of it and start from scratch.
He framed the moment as the beginning of a complete revamp in lifestyle, one that forced him to confront his past rather than medicate to sidestep it – a decision that made his life all the better since. Taylor shared that he marked thirteen years since pivotal moment, to which the audience heaved their support in the form of a standing ovation, complete with a ‘Corey Taylor” soccer chant that shook the house.
The shared moment underscored just how beloved Taylor is – a sentiment that Taylor reciprocated, as he got emotional confiding a heartfelt message to the crowd. “For the longest time, I didn’t have a lot of reason, in my heart, to live. But, as my life has gone on, you guys have been there for me. You have no idea, what it means.”
Taylor punctuated the evening with a sincere pledge, “I promise you this. As long as you are here, I will; always be here for you.” The powerful moment consumed the room and further asserted the kind of impact Taylor has well beyond his music.
Check special episode of the On Wednesdays We Wear Black Podcast, live from London with Corey Taylor below.
Along with September 15th arrival of CMF2, Taylor will embark on an uextensive North American headlining tour, slated to begin late this month. The run will include supporting sets from Wargasm, Oxymorrons and Luna Aura on select dates and will feature several festival appearances including Rocklahoma, Blue Ridge Rock Festival, Louder Than Life and will culminate with a set at Aftershock in Sacramento this October.
Closing out the year, Taylor will then make his live return to Europe and the UK. Throughout November, Taylor will headline a stretch of live dates touching down in the UK, France, Germany and The Netherlands in a hotly-anticipated succession of tour stops.
A full list of live dates can be found below.
Tickets can be purchased – HERE
CMF2 lands September 15th via Taylor’s own label, Decibel Cooper.
Pre-order the album – HERE
Corey Taylor CMF2 U.S. Tour Dates
w/ support from Wargasm, Oxymorrons & Luna Aura on select dates
8/25 – Denver, CO – Fillmore Auditorium *
8/27 – Kansas City, MO – Uptown Theater *
8/28 – Minneapolis, MN – The Fillmore *
8/30 – Milwaukee, WI – The Rave/Eagles Club – Eagles Ballroom *
8/31 – Chicago, IL – Riviera Theatre *
9/2 – Chesterfield, MO – The Factory *
9/3 – Pryor, OK – Pryor Creek Music Festival Grounds (Rocklahoma) ***
9/5 – Detroit, MI – The Fillmore Detroit *
9/7 – Cleveland, OH – House of Blues *
9/9 – Cincinnati, OH – The Andrew J Brady Music Center *
9/10 – Alton, VA – Virginia International Raceway (Blue Ridge Rock Festival) ***
9/12 – Montclair, NJ – The Wellmont Theater *
9/13 – Boston, MA – House of Blues *
9/15 – Wallingford, CT – The Dome at Oakdale **
9/16 – Huntington, NY – The Paramount **
9/18 – North Myrtle Beach, SC – House of Blues **
9/19 – Orlando, FL – House of Blues **
9/21 – Huntsville, AL – Mars Music Hall **
9/22 – Louisville, KY – Kentucky Exposition Center (Louder Than Life) ***
9/24 – Houston, TX – House of Blues **
9/25 – Dallas, TX – House of Blues **
9/27 – Albuquerque, NM – Revel **
9/28 – Tempe, AZ – Marquee Theatre **
9/29 – Henderson, NV – The Dollar Loan Center ***
10/1 – San Diego, CA – House of Blues **
10/3 – Riverside, CA – Riverside Municipal Auditorium **
10/5 – Los Angeles, CA – The Wiltern **
10/7 – Sacramento, CA – Discovery Park (Aftershock Festival) ***
* w/ Wargasm & Oxymorrons
** w/ Wargasm & Luna Aura
*** Festival / Radio show
Corey Taylor CMF2 European Tour Dates
8/11 – UK, Leeds | O2 Academy Leeds
9/11 – UK, Wolverhampton | Wolves Civic
11/11 – UK, Manchester | Manchester Academy
12/11 – UK, Glasgow | O2 Academy Glasgow
14/11 – UK, London | Eventim Apollo
19/11 – France, Paris | Le Trianon
20/11 – Germany, Cologne | Palladium
22/11 – Germany, Berlin | Verti Music Hall
24/11 – The Netherlands, Tilburg | Tilburg 013
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