Slipknot on new member's identity: “It’s nobody’s f****** business”

Slipknot's mysterious new member, far right (Image credit: Alexandria Crahan Conway)

Ever since Slipknot revealed their new masks last week when they released their video for Unsainted (opens in new tab), speculation has been rife as to who their new member might be.

The mystery percussionist has taken the place of Chris Fehn, who left Slipknot in March, with some fans suggesting it could be Shawn ‘Clown’ Crahan’s son Simon. However, Metal Sucks previously reported that he denied the rumour.

And when Kerrang (opens in new tab) asked Corey Taylor and Crahan in a recent interview if they’d be willing to divulge the member’s identify, they were told, “No.”

Crahan added: “The position you may or may not be talking about is nobody’s fucking business. The proof is in the pudding.” 

Crahan also said fans would have the chance to make up their own minds when Slipknot head out on tour in the coming weeks (opens in new tab).

A similar situation arose in 2014 when it was unclear as to who Slipknot’s new bassist and drummer were. 

Drummer Jay Weinberg was unmasked after an online rant by his ex-bandmate Laura Jane Grace, while bassist Allessando ‘Vman’ Venturella of Krokodil’s identity was given away thanks to his tattoos which were on display in The Devil In I video (opens in new tab).

At the time, Taylor said on Corey Taylor Talks: “Somebody already pointing out the tattoos. I was like, ‘Why didn’t we make him wear gloves?’ I was so upset.

“We thought of all this stuff – we put the hood on him and then the mask, and he was like, ‘It’s really hot, guys.’ Then there’s his tattoos for everybody. We missed the mark on that one.”

Slipknot will release their new studio album We Are Not Your Kind on August 9 through Roadrunner Records.

Slipknot: We Are Not Your Kind
1. Insert Coin
2. Unsainted
3. Birth Of The Cruel
4. Death Because Of Death
5. Nero Forte
6. Critical Darling
7. Liar’s Funeral
8. Red Flag
9. What’s Next
10. Spiders  
11. Orphan
12. My Pain
13. Not Long For This World
14. Solway Firth 

Slipknot: We Are Not Your Kind (opens in new tab)

Slipknot: We Are Not Your Kind (opens in new tab)
Slipknot's brand new album We Are Not Your Kind will be released through Roadrunner Records in August. The follow-up to .5: The Gray Chapter features the lead single Unsainted.

Scott Munro
Louder e-commerce editor

Scott has spent more than 30 years in newspapers and magazines as an editor, production editor, sub-editor, designer, writer and reviewer. After initially joining our news desk in the summer of 2014, he moved to the e-commerce team full-time in 2020. He maintains Louder’s buyer’s guides, scouts out the best deals for music fans and reviews headphones, speakers, books and more. He's written more than 11,000 articles across Louder, Classic Rock, Metal Hammer and Prog and has previous written for publications including IGN, the Sunday Mirror, Daily Record and The Herald covering everything from daily news and weekly features, to video games, travel and whisky. Scott grew up listening to rock and prog, cutting his teeth on bands such as Marillion and Magnum before his focus shifted to alternative and post-punk in the late 80s. His favourite bands are Fields Of The Nephilim, The Cure, New Model Army, All About Eve, The Mission, Ned's Atomic Dustbin and Drab Majesty, but he also still has a deep love of Rush.