Heavy metal outfit Slipknot is one of the most recognizable bands of their time. Though they have been active since their formation in 1995, there are still some things that most people don’t know about the band. Here, we present our list of 15 things you probably didn’t know about Slipknot. Check out part one below, and stay tuned for part two, coming soon!
Number Fifteen: They Refer to Their Fans as Maggots. Drummer Joey Jordison was the first to coin the term. He started using it when he observed fans “feeding off the music.”
Number Fourteen: Paul Gray Defended the Clown Masks Until the End. Gray, who died in 2010, was a huge proponent of Slipknot’s clown masks. He said, “You can only stare at a clown mask so long. After a few minutes it’s no big deal anymore. So people start paying attention to the music instead of what the clown is doing, or what he is wearing, or how cool his spiky hair is.”
Number Thirteen: Shaun Crahan Liked Smelling Crows. Crahan would keep a dead crow in a jar behind his drum kit while he played. He apparently did this to keep the hardcore vibe going throughout the show.
Number Twelve: They Did Not Wash Their Masks on Tour. The band infamously refused to wash their clown masks throughout the course of their tour so they could carry the “spirit” of the tour with them wherever they went. The masks would have sweat, spit and sometimes vomit on them.
Number Eleven: Sid Wilson Was Not Afraid of Fire. In its younger days, Slipknot’s Sid Wilson liked to make a name for himself by going up in flames – literally. He would set himself on fire during live shows.
Number Ten: There Have Been a Lot of Members. Since its inception in 1995, there have been 13 members of Slipknot in total. One member even dressed as a baby.
Number Nine: Shawn Crahan Wears Gloves to Meet Fans. Shawn “The Clown” Crahan started wearing surgical gloves to meets fans after he began noticing how dirty some fans could be. Apparently, the other band members thought that was rude of him, but his gloves would get so dirty that he felt his behavior was justified.