Corey Taylor discusses his favourite Slipknot song: “Nothing will ever replace it for me”
Slipknot has become one of contemporary culture’s most captivating bands, enthralling the imaginations of millions drawn to their enigmatic persona. Their mysterious image often precedes their music and remains a dominant force in the metal genre with their uncompromising approach to music and performance.
Since the release of their debut album in 1999, Slipknot has released six albums, each evolving deliciously as the band matured and progressed while still maintaining their signature intensity. For instance, albums like Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses), All Hope Is Gone, and We Are Not Your Kind showcased their musical diversity and ability to experiment while staying true to their core identity.
Over the course of their long career, their self-titled debut album has accrued an incredible cult-like legacy. Despite only peaking at number 51 on the Billboard charts, Corey Taylor and his bandmates attained double platinum certification in the United States, becoming their highest-selling record, surpassing later chart-topping albums.
This particular record holds a cherished spot in Taylor’s heart as it marked the inception of their incredible journey. It remains a timeless testament to their musical legacy despite the passing years.
Interestingly, a song from that album also holds a special place as Taylor’s all-time favourite across Slipknot’s discography.
Taylor’s affection for ‘Scissors’ is unparalleled, as he expressed during Knotfest. He explained: “My favourite by far is ‘Scissors’. To this day, it’s my favourite Slipknot song. I love it because every time we would play it, the whole second half was improvised. We played at each other, free form, free prose, everything. It was violent and gorgeous.
He added, “Nothing will ever replace it for me – when we stopped playing it live, I had a hard time enjoying our sets for a very long time.”
Unsurprisingly, therefore, Taylor’s favourite Slipknot record also happens to be the first one. He once ranked some of Slipknot’s records from worst to best for Noisey, stating that the debut claims the number one spot, followed by 5: The Gray Chapter at number two, Iowa at number three, Vol. 3: The Subliminal Verses at number four, and All Hope Is Gone at number five.
Although the first album remains hugely popular, the band felt like they had to tour out of necessity after its release due to no one wanting to take them out, as explained in Metal Injection: “Because we would play, and this is nothing against any of these bands, nothing at all, we’d play, and half the audience would leave after. It was no shit.”
He added: “We didn’t have anywhere to go after we played, so we’d go out to the audience and hang out, watch the other bands, and we’d watch people streaming out—buying our merch and heading out. So, it became a point where nobody wanted to take us out on the road with them. So we had to headline out of necessity.”
