A collection of Corey Taylor’s favourite books
As someone who often wears multiple masks, it’s no surprise that Corey Taylor has an eclectic reading list. As the frontman and lyricist for bands Slipknot and Stone Sour, his unique talent for transitioning between intense, guttural screams and melodic singing has enthralled global audiences, garnering critical praise and a devoted fanbase.
As a vocalist, Taylor’s talent is rooted primarily in his ability to navigate the spectrum between raw, thunderous screams and seamlessly transition into melodic, soul-stirring croons that evoke profound emotion. This duality in his vocal range has been a defining factor in the sonic identity of Slipknot’s aggressive, primal energy and Stone Sour’s more melodically inclined compositions.
At the forefront of the nu-metal scene, Slipknot’s masked and high-energy performances have become a symbol of catharsis for fans seeking an outlet for their inner turmoil. Taylor’s presence as the voice and face of the band has been instrumental in shaping their sonic identity, captivating audiences with a visceral, unrelenting sonic assault coupled with an enigmatic stage persona.
Apart from his musical endeavours, Taylor has also established himself as a bestselling author through three books, each bearing his distinctive mix of candid self-reflection and unapologetic wit. In 2011, Seven Deadly Sins delved into his life experiences through a memoir of his sinful past. Following this, 2013’s A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Heaven ventured swiftly into the realms of the paranormal and supernatural. Finally, 2015’s You’re Making Me Hate You navigated through the various landscapes of human foolishness.
Intriguingly, Taylor once shared the ten books that greatly influenced both his life and artistic journey. One selection was Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, which Taylor described as something that “has everything”, adding: “A couple of years ago my wife got me a second edition print of that, in pristine condition, which is really awesome.”
He also appreciated J.K. Rowling’s iconic Harry Potter series, singling out The Half-Blood Prince as one of his personal favourites. “Me and Scott Ian would race to see who could finish them the fastest,” he said. “He’s like, ‘Do you have it yet? No? Well, fucking hurry up, cos I can’t wait!’ We’d text each other as soon as we’d finished them! I’m gonna go with Half-Blood Prince because I love the twist that that story takes. All of the books are brilliant, but I haven’t read the new one yet.”
As someone whose entire career dabbles in darkness, it’s only fitting that Taylor mentions Anne Rice: “It would not be a complete list if I didn’t mention Anne Rice,” Taylor explained. “Just for the fact that what I thought was a trilogy became a whole string of vampire books, that I’m totally down with. I can remember when there were only really three: you had Interview With The Vampire, The Vampire Lestat and Queen Of The Damned. But I’d say those last two were probably the best she ever wrote because they created a world that was so much bigger than you could have ever imagined.”
In a similar vein, Taylor also mentions Thomas Harris’ cult classic Hannibal, pinpointing Harris’ ability to create the Hannibal character into “an insane anti-hero again”, adding that he wasn’t a big fan of the film adaptation. He said: “[The film] really depressed me because it felt like they didn’t have the balls to do it in the movie. That was such bullshit, and I guess the reason Jodie Foster didn’t come back to play Clarice was she didn’t like the book, but then they soften the ending anyway.”
Check out his full list of favourites below.
Corey Taylor’s favourite books:
- The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes – Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
- Ghost Story – Jim Butcher
- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince – J.K. Rowling
- Queen of the Damned – Anne Rice
- Hannibal – Thomas Harris
- Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail ‘72 – Hunter S. Thompson
- Please Kill Me – Legs McNeil & Gillian McCain
- Get in the Van – Henry Rollins
- How to Be a Man – Duff McKagan
- The Stand – Stephen King
