Clown to sit out upcoming Slipknot dates

Clown playing live with Slipknot
(Image credit: Francesco Prandoni/Getty Images)

Slipknot co-founder and percussionist Shawn 'Clown' Crahan will sit out a number of upcoming live dates to be home with his wife, who is suffering from some undisclosed health issues.

Clown confirmed the news via his official Instagram page, where he stated:

"Hello to all of our fans, it’s the clown. I would like to take a moment to tell everyone that I’m back home supporting my wife through some health issues, and I’ll be back on the road as soon as I can.

We’ve been through this before and as always, we appreciate the love and support. See all of you very soon.

Thank you.
clown"

Slipknot are due to kick off their summer European tour tonight in Austria at the Nova Rock festival, before taking in dates in Switzerland, the UK (where they'll headline Download this coming Sunday), the Netherlands, Denmark and more. It is unclear at this point exactly how many live dates Crahan will miss.

The Iowan metal legends most recently played Florida's Welcome To Rock festival as they promote most recent album, 2022's The End, So Far. In an exclusive interview with Metal Hammer last year, Slipknot frontman Corey Taylor explained that the album was "rediscovering why we want to do this. It’s Slipknot, so it’s a fucking challenge, but it’s cool, and I like the fact that the personalities in the band have been willing to branch out now. 

"Some people have mellowed," he added, "as much as they’ve stayed the same, and they’ve realised that we can really fucking do something. So, I guess the title is a reflection of the end of predisposition, and the end of being too self-conscious to really have the courage to express ourselves. It’s basically the end of what was, and the beginning of what could be.” 

Merlin Alderslade
Executive Editor, Louder

Merlin moved into his role as Executive Editor of Louder in early 2022, following over ten years working at Metal Hammer. While there, he served as Online Editor and Deputy Editor, before being promoted to Editor in 2016. Before joining Metal Hammer, Merlin worked as Associate Editor at Terrorizer Magazine and has previously written for the likes of Classic Rock, Rock Sound, eFestivals and others. Across his career he has interviewed legends including Ozzy Osbourne, Lemmy, Metallica, Iron Maiden (including getting a trip on Ed Force One courtesy of Bruce Dickinson), Guns N' Roses, KISS, Slipknot, System Of A Down and Meat Loaf. He has also presented and produced the Metal Hammer Podcast, presented the Metal Hammer Radio Show and is probably responsible for 90% of all nu metal-related content making it onto the site.