For the final segment of the Mosh Talks feature, clown shares his musical pedigree and explains how such great artists paved the way for Slipknot.
The sixth and final segment of the extensive Mosh Talks feature with clown of Slipknot details the musical pedigree of the veteran and offers some insight into the quality of art that moves him.
The conversation kicks off by framing Slipknot’s success as a festival headlining mainstay many years – a feat few artists have ever accomplished for so long. Dissecting that longevity, clown explains that because he grew up with a healthy grasp of artistic integrity, he figured out very early who he was as an artist. During the interview, clown would rattle of a myriad of artists ranging from The Beatles, Zeppelin, The Who, to more contemporary forces like Radiohead, Placebo, and Deftones to better illustrate who he feels moves the needle.
Further explaining that while there are a handful of artists that continue to tap into that legacy of greatness, there are newer artists that are making important strides. clown shares his love for bands like Genghis Tron that are paving their own lane and asserting their own identity.
The conversation would also touch on clown’s growing optimism about the resilience of people and how after this extended time apart, humanity will come back and be much more appreciative of things like concerts and mosh pits and the kind of connection that affords us.
Closing out the at length discussion, clown offered a cryptic tease in sharing with fans, “There is a storm coming and we are that storm.” Watch the final segment of the Mosh Talks interview the one and only clown below.
:06 – In the context of top billing for festivals, Slipknot has managed to up their peak for many years now. Beez attributes that to the “fuck ’em all” gene that a just a select few of artists truly live by. Pooled Slipknot with the likes of Metallica and Tool, the host asserts that these artists didn’t pull their punches and asks for clown’s assessment.
1:25 – clown admits that there are just handful of artists that are doing it at the level that Slipknot is. He goes on to share that there could be more but he feels like some artists aren’t allowed to reach their full potential.
2:07 – Referencing the great bands that paved the way for Slipknot, clown used the evolution of the pterodactyl as a way to explain how things can come back bigger, better, and stronger. “The pterodactyl was gone for thirty years but it showed back up… when it showed up it took your kids.”
2:59 – Sharing his musical pedigree, clown shared that grew up on artists like The Beatles, The Who, and Jimi Hendrix. Realizing the historical talent of the era, clown says that that caliber of artists never had anyone that was second best. Back then, if you couldn’t play, you didn’t get into a recording studio.
3:51 – Within a cultural context, clown attributes the cultivating of such talent to an era when people sang while they worked. People used to sing while they worked and because we live in an era where manual labor has been handed over to automation, that element of humanity has been lost. “Machines don’t sing while they work.”
4:25 – Rattling off a huge list of artists he loves, clown goes from Pink Floyd, Zeppelin, Black Flag, Killdozer, Soundgarden, Korn, Deftones, Placebo, Radiohead, and Johnny Cash as just a few examples of the kind of broad stylistic spectrum that moves him.
5:19 – Bringing the point full cycle, clown reiterates that there is a handful of artists that are tapping into that legacy of greatness by maintain tradition, adhering to the idea of true artistic integrity, and remembering where rock and roll came from.
6:38 – Offering some healthy optimism for the culture, clown emphasized that there are plenty of great bands in the universe right now, they may just be existing under the radar that most people have. Referencing Genghis Tron, clown spoke about his love for the band’s ‘Board Up the House’ album.
9:00 – Getting the the nucleus of Slipknot, clown explains that the ethos of the band comes from love. He goes on to explain that love comes from pain, hate, and anger. That’s the kind of emotion that drives the band and makes for compelling art.
9:14 – Revisiting the topic of livestreaming performances again, clown confides that people are doing it for the right reasons. They want to get back to sharing their art in a way that’s safe and responsible. They want to be able to connect again.
10:18 – Doubling down on the idea of connecting and finding release in music, clown shared that there is nothing better than losing your self in a mosh pit. There is a level of freedom and celebration that happens when you get lost in a pit that defies explanation.
11:18 – clown shares his personal belief that when the world gets back to some kind of normalcy, everyone will appreciate more. He goes onto to share that he feels at least part of the reason this all happened was because we got away from that level of appreciation and connection in the first place.
12:35 – Beez brings up the 20th anniversary of Iowa again and asked clown if there are any plans for the summer. clown responds with a smile and utters just one word, “recording”.
12:58 – Closing out the conversation, clown shares that the band misses the fans and he hopes that everyone is taking care of one another during this trying time. He punctuates the discussion in sharing, “There is a storm coming and we are that storm”.
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