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In the realm of heavy metal and hard rock, few voices have resonated with as much power and emotion as that of lead vocalist of Slipknot, Corey Taylor. Shrouded in mystery and adorned with several differently distinctive masks over the years, Taylor has captured the hearts and minds of countless fans worldwide, inspiring the two generations of future metal singers, as well as pissing off just about everyone else alongside him or inside the business. Taylor has earned a reputation for his commanding stage presence and his ability to convey raw emotions through his music. With a unique blend of aggressive screams and melodic vocals, he has carved out a distinct sound that sets him apart in the world of metal.
Corey Taylor has been labeled by many as the greatest rock/metal vocalist of our generation. He has also been labeled by those same many as egotistical, selfish, an asshole, prick, overexposed, overrated, a narcissist and even a thief to some. All by which are subjective except for narcissism. That is a real definitive mental disorder. People use the word out of context more than it is used in pop culture correctly in today’s culture. Taylor is known for his outspoken nature and sometimes, a lot of the times, controversial statements. He has been involved in public feuds with other musicians, made provocative remarks, and expressed strong opinions on various subjects. This outspokenness can polarize opinions and lead to dislike from those who disagree with him or find his attitude abrasive. This last part here is important if he actually is a narcissist or not.
I agree with his musical tastes and even a lot of opinions about music in general that he will share for the most part. I do not dislike him for his style, his singing or even his contributions to the metal community as a whole. However, much like the late 90s and early 00s Phil Anselmo, vocalist of the legendary metal band, Pantera; where all of a sudden Phil would get extremely outspoken and say either disrespectful and/or outrageously incorrect things just to trigger either other people, groups of people (minorities), other bands or the media. I suppose some believed that is what metal was/is? To be an asshole 111% of the time, all-of-the-time.
At some point after “IOWA,” officially Slipknot’s second and heaviest record from 2001, Corey Taylor began to adapt these same traits. Much like in the movie Billy Madison where the Principal tells Billy after a long rant; “Mr. Madison, what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.” That just because Corey Taylor is this big figure in metal, music, and will say something that sounds polished, articulate and intelligent, mind you he writes songs, that just because he will use witty banter doesn’t mean that banter is correct, rational, respectful and we should all bow down to the God of Metal Vocals.
Context and Intentionality go very far with me. So I will think about what Taylor says in whatever quote of the week is and ask, what was the intention of that and in what context was this in? Most of the time I just find what he has to say as just triggering garbage, even if some of it has merit. That, he isn’t trying to make a point or answer the question, but just to be egotistical about it. That his opinion is not an opinion, it is fact and if anyone doesn’t agree we are shit for asking. That is how I have always seen the man, as a man and not just the singer for Slipknot. Musically, well, vocally, what he has done for the industry has set the standard for metal vocals for the next 25-50 years. That can be debated. However, unlikely to be matched or proven to be untrue. I have never felt anything humble coming from the man. He doesn’t seem at all thankful for his good fortunes in music. I have always felt like all us fans are just dollar signs to him. That he doesn’t care about the community parts, he only cares about the industry parts. Those are the parts that enable his ability to keep making money.
Slipknot came on the scene with two crazy albums followed by watered down versions of their style, gaining more popularity with most, but losing some along the way. I was never a Stone Sour fan. I just didn’t care for what they were doing. It sounded like watered down Slipknot with no samples and more traditional percussion work. Would have been fine with an E.P. here/there, but to make this a real side project or band with records and touring completely turned me off. Slipknot, as previously stated, love the first two records. “IOWA,” from 2001, is probably one of the most influential metal records to come out, ever… Are their heavier records? Are their better records? Are there more famous metal records? Yes to all three, but “IOWA” is timeless. We are talking modern day metal. What is happening now, right now, in the now. “IOWA” sounds just as much 2023 than it does 2001. One or even many cannot say that about a lot of rock or metal records that people will call “most influential.” Even Black Sabbath’s “Paranoid.” As great as it is. It sounds the time period. Metallica’s “Black Record.” Same, deal… Even Pantera’s “Vulgar Display of Power” all sound the time period it was released in.
After “IOWA” I could not find another Slipknot song I could like till "Psychosocial," 2008. “The Devil in I,” from 2014. After that "All Out Life," 2018. The last record from the band where just about every song was a banger was "We Are Not Your Kind," 2019. Between all that and after this there is nothing I like from the band. Considering the man is a vocal legend in both music and specifically metal music one would think there would be more out there that I would find favorable. Nearly a 30-year career and only a fraction of what the man has created I can give praise about. Where the rest of it in my opinion is [insert whatever Corey Taylor rant/quote talking shit about someone else and ad almost no context to it just to get a reaction.]
I have been saying all this for 20+ years now. I like the singing talent, but can do without the egotistical tough guy in a metal band attitude. My inflated expectation of the man is I thought he would be more humble. More trying to help local bands or help other really heavy bands that may have trouble getting people to listen due to that heaviness. I expected Corey Taylor to be more positive considering this is the man’s career aka luxury in life. Some of the things he has done to hurt other artists, even fellow band members will never be ignored by people who care and pay attention to things like that.
This Whole Blog is Subjective Here.
It is my opinion based on what I have read, seen, over the years from the singer since I first heard of Slipknot in 1997. Yes, I knew who they were before they were signed to RoadRunner Records. A lot of people who were into underground metal knew who they were. I was a huge fan of the band till “Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses)” from 2004 was released. When this hit I was majorly disappointed in the band sonically. I did not like the record nor did I jump on the FM radio bandwagon when they started getting radio play. Back then getting heavy bands on the radio basically meant the band at one time was heavy, but soften it up a bit to get on the radio to sell more records. In Slipknot’s case this style change killed the band for me and from that time to now where I am overly critical of the band’s music and find very little I have been able to honestly love. 2018-2019 was a great year for the band. They released a track in 2018 called, "All Out Life," and it is a real banger of a song. Gets you moving right away and really is a culmination stylistically and sonically of what the band used to sound like before RoadRunner signed them all the way to the “IOWA” years. 2019 the band released the record "We Are Not Your Kind." Just about every song on that record reminds me of those older days of Slipknot where they were the heavy metal standard. Be it MTV popularity through the Nu Metal years to the birthing of metal subgenres like deathcore and metalcore. A return to form, but their last record in 2022, “The End, So Far” is the worst hunk of crap I have heard since Volume 3 and their new single “Bone Church” is an ok track, but seems more like a song for a Rob Zombie movie by Rob Zombie or something. It doesn’t really have the sound but it is ok. The fans that love everything Slipknot will like it, but it sounds to me like something Rob Zombie would do.
This BLOG stems from a social media post where everyone was praising Corey Taylor for being such a cool dude. I do not know this. I do not know the man personally, but I did become interested in why people in general seem to love the guy, while all that I have seen from him makes me not want to support him much. Me being such a metalhead I do not deny the talent and what he has done for metal; but at the same time I will call a dick a dick. If I see a little dick, hopping around from group to group and just saying rude and challenging things and then not respect a counter to that –that we all should bow down to this little dick jumping from group to group being insulting AF, at what point is someone, anyone gonna say something about it?
I didn’t really wanna do a timeline of the guy of everything he has done and said, but rather just explain myself and where my logic is on the subject. Basically, someone asked me why I didn’t like him, as they all did. Well, this is why. I have never once seen Corey Taylor respond to something where he wasn’t talking down to them or us. At some point, ya gotta be decent, right? To someone, anyone, everyone? I don’t know mannnnnnn… Just something about that abrasive attitude all of the time, not some of the time; but all of the time. I do rather appreciate a witty response to a possible nonsense question or loaded question. Hey, I could have this all wrong and Corey could just be a dick to those because that is what they are expecting of him. They ask, what don’t you like about rock music today? And his response would make sense, but I just feel this is an excuse so he can exert his egotistical attitude towards others.
Just because someone, a group, model, celebrity or news network deems a thing to be wrong, bad, evil doesn't mean they themselves are correct, good, right... This opinion was not written by or with the help of AI productivity tools. Less than 60% of ALL web traffic is human... So who exactly are we ALL catering to???