No, not just at Slipknot gigs. "We live in a filthy world..."
Slipknot percussionist Shawn ‘Clown’ Crahan has revealed that he’s going to keep wearing a mask in public. Which may not be that surprising of a man who literally wears one to work, but… COVID. He’s talking about COVID.
Speaking to Forbes, Clown said that though some of the band’s working practices have had to change when it comes to wearing a mask (again… he’s talking about COVID), he’s been wearing one to protect himself from our “filthy world” for years anyway.
"The general atmosphere has been very complex as of recently, and the main reason for that is an obvious one, we have been in a very different world with COVID and abiding by government laws,” he said.
“For instance, I think we had it very bumpy because when we were in the studio if we were in the control room and around the engineers that worked for the studio, we had to wear masks. If we were in the live room where we were recording around each other, and we had all been tested, we didn't have to wear masks. But if an employee was in there we'd have to put them on. Now I think about nine months ago and it was even more restrictive, so it's been very challenging to say the least.
"But I'm not ever going to stop wearing a mask, COVID or not," he continued. "I've been in this business 25 years, and people are filthy all over the world. So when I had to be in the studio and I was asked to put on a mask, it didn't bother me, it was business as usual. I mean I'm glad at least the majority of the world has been profoundly open to the idea of, 'Hey, when you're going to be out in public there's a chance you could be around someone with pneumonia, the flu, or just a nasty cough. Why not wear a mask to just protect yourself?'
“We live in a filthy world, and we live in a world where people don't wash their hands, they wipe their nose and they open the door and then you touch it. I have four children and I know what it's like to drop your kid off at school and they come home sick and then you're sick. It's been a highly intense album making process because of COVID. There's been lots of testing, there's been different time frames and different restrictions, and it was business as usual. I don't believe anyone in the band missed a beat.”
READ THIS: The 20 greatest Slipknot songs – ranked
Last week, Slipknot paid tribute to their former drummer Joey Jordison, who passed away aged 46. In a statement, the band said of the man who founded them along with Clown and late bassist Paul Gray, "Joey Jordison’s art, talent, and spirit could not be contained or be held back. Joey’s impact on Slipknot, on our lives, and on the music that he loved, is incalculable. Without him there would be no us. We mourn his loss with the entire Slipknot family. We love you, Joey."
Slipknot have also been working on the follow-up to 2019’s We Are Not Your Kind, and are heading out on tour this September.
Slipknot North American tour 2021
September
25 Des Moines, IA – National Balloon Classic Field
28 Tinley Park, IL – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
29 Milwaukee, WI – American Family Insurance Amphitheater
October
01 Noblesville, IN – Ruoff Home Mortgage Music Center
02 Clarkston, MI – DTE Energy Music Theatre
03 Darien Center, NY – Darien Lake Amphitheater
05 Syracuse, NY – Lakeview Amphitheater
08 Mansfield, MA – Xfinity Center
09 Hartford, CT – XFINITY Theatre
10 Holmdel, NJ – PNC Bank Arts Center
12 Camden, NJ – BB&T Pavilion
13 Bristow, VA – Jiffy Lube Live
15 Burgettstown, PA – S&T Bank Music Park
17 Charlotte, NC – PNC Music Pavilion
19 Tampa, FL – MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre
20 West Palm Beach, FL – iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre
22 Raleigh, NC – Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek
23 Alpharetta, GA – Ameris Bank Amphitheatre
24 Pelham, AL – Oak Mountain Amphitheatre
26 Rogers, AR – Walmart AMP
28 Del Valle, TX – Germania Insurance Amphitheater
29 The Woodlands, TX – Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
30 Dallas, TX – Dos Equis Pavilion
November
01 Albuquerque, NM – Isleta Amphitheater
02 Phoenix, AZ – Ak-Chin Pavilion
05 Los Angeles, CA – Banc Of California Stadium
