Ask the Admin #006: Taking Corey to Task, Proto-Nu Metal, Jumpdafuckups, Piercings and Jiggle Status
It do.
Now that Slipknot has left Roadrunner, do you have any faith that they’ll be able to make music that will please those who aren’t fans of their recent efforts? Or are the current issues with the band at the feet of the guys themselves (especially without Joey, Paul, and Chris)?
I will always have faith that Slipknot can turn it around. I think losing Joey and Paul was a massive blow to their abilities, especially Joey who I’ve argued time and time again was the band’s true engine and spiritual lead singer. The biggest issue I hear in Slipknot’s music now is that nobody is leading the band anywhere - they sound as if they know their best days are being them - and they’re playing to a click. I don’t know if Jay Weinberg is unable or unwilling to take a more creative role in the band but they have got to stop playing to a click and stop snapping songs together piece-by-piece instead of jamming them out. Now I’m making some assumptions here, for all I know they’re not using a metronome and they are jamming their songs, but it doesn’t sound like it at all and for too long you’ve been able to predict the direction every single Slipknot song is going to go in no matter how much they pretend they’ve gotten all “experimental.” And if I feel more bold about going off on their music well it’s because Corey feels bold enough to call us “fucking idiots” who need to “shut up and listen to what we give you.” Hey man. I did. It sucked. You’re the lead singer of maybe the biggest metal band on earth with an approximate net worth of 10 million dollars. You felt bold enough telling Chester Bennington to listen to the fans once. Maybe take the heat? Or, better yet, hear us out? I’m not a hater, I literally consider your debut album to be the greatest nu-metal album of all time, and I’m certainly not asking you to recreate past glories. I know Slipknot is capable of more than this. Do you?
As for the Roadrunner situation I’m skeptical that will have too much of an effect. As I’ve written before the big problem now with Slipknot now is that they are an industry to themselves and have to maintain that industry first. If they wiped their gross online store, ditched the whiskey brand, scrapped all that metaverse shit and hired Ross Robinson again you’d have my attention. Until then, I’ll be forever hopeful but wary.
What proto-nu artist is your favorite and which one appeals to you the least?
This is a tough one because I was born too late to have a true, in the moment appreciation for proto-nu metal bands and now when I listen to proto-nu all I can think is how much I’d rather be listening to the nu-metal bands they influenced. I was a really big Rage Against the Machine fan in middle school but mostly as background music for first person shooters and angsty minivan car rides. So I don’t know if I can point to an artist (if Depeche Mode count then it’s Depeche Mode but they’re a little distant to me) but I will say I love the Helmet and House of Pain team-up “Just Another Victim,” which cuts it so close to being fully nu-metal while also banging off the chain. As for “least appeal,” I cannot get into Faith No More. Tried, will try again, but they’re just too “wacky” for my taste. Totally personal thing. I pray I come to my senses someday.
best jump-the-fuck-up riff?
I’ll try to pick a few: “(sic)” and “People = Shit” by Slipknot, “Show Me What You Got” by Limp Bizkit, “No Hope = No Fear” by Soulfly, “Praise” by Sevendust, “Edgecrusher” by Fear Factory, and (of course!) “Blind” by Korn. Personal favorites: “Tout le monde se lève” by Pleymo, “Reach” by Twisted Method, “BIT CRUSHERRRR” by The Mad Capsule Markets, “No More Faith” by Slaves On Dope and “Down On Me” by No One get me all kinds of fired up.
do you have any piercings?
Yep, eyebrow piercing, the most nu-metal of all piercings. I’d love to get another right next to it and a nose piercing. Someday soon hopefully.
do it jiggle
It do.
RE: the proto-nu one, I'd say my favorite is Tool and the one I can never click with is Ministry.