Let’s just say that Corey Taylor has a lot of stories.
The frontman for masked metal icons Slipknot and the softer edged Stone Sour has released four platinum albums, won a Grammy, battled with drugs, alcohol and depression, and lost a dear friend in Slipknot bassist Paul Gray to a drug overdose. The current tour, which coincides with Taylor’s book Seven Deadly Sins: Settling The Argument Between Born Bad And Damaged Good, seems to be the embattled singer’s method of coming to grips with all that he has seen.
The set was certainly unique, starting with Taylor reading selections directly from his book. Taylor’s writing style, combined with his infectiously charismatic on-stage demeanor, created an enthralling atmosphere as he relived some of the most intimate moments of his life.
Following the reading, Taylor took questions from audience members, who ran the gamut in age and style from disheveled young Slipknot fans to weathered older women wearing custom-ripped Stone Sour T-shirts and everything in between. The questions ranged from poignant (Taylor discussed his opportunity to try out for Velvet Revolver and how the rejection of not being selected was dwarfed by the honor of sharing a rehearsal space with 2/5 of Guns N’ Roses) to humorous (Taylor saying that if he could punch one musician in the face it would be Cher for her role in bringing about the auto-tuning age), but every question was answered with an honesty and gratitude that were incredibly refreshing. Oh, and there were a lot of f-bombs.
Finally Taylor picked up his acoustic guitar and launched into an hour-long acoustic set. The first half of the set featured several Stone Sour songs along with a hilarious version of Slipknot’s “Spit It Out,” during which Taylor was so taken by the audience participation that he yelled out, “That’s the Wisconsin I want to put myself inside!” For the second half of the set, Taylor enlisted the help of a friend as he launched into a series of cover songs ranging from Elvis to Nine Inch Nails to Pink Floyd. And though some of the more hardcore Slipknot fans gradually moved toward the seats along the periphery of the Rave basement, the bulk of the audience was enraptured by Taylor’s subdued, honest portrayal of a man trying to make peace with a chaotic, but ultimately blessed life.
