Slipknot's Corey Taylor opens up about sobriety

Corey Taylor of Slipknot — (Image credit: Jo Hale/Redferns)

Corey Taylor has opened up about his sobriety while guesting on comedian John Robins' podcast The Moon Under Water, where each interviewee creates their perfect pub.

A synopsis for the episode reads: "Corey is a self-confessed Anglophile, and whilst he no longer partakes in drinking alcohol, pubs still occupy a very special place in his heart. After all, isn't the most important part of an alehouse the company you keep within it? He's spent many a night in the pubs of Britain and beyond, making his journey into the Correct Realm that little bit more exciting. So, push your fingers into your ice, pour another drink and join us."

During the conversation, the Slipknot frontman discusses what life has been like for him since turning sober in 2010, and how he approaches going to pubs now that he no longer drinks alcohol.

"The first few years is weird," he explains (as transcribed by Blabbermouth), "because you realize quickly how much a part of your personality booze has become, and you kind of have to sort out who you are, what you're comfortable with and largely just the habit of it."

The singer continues, "I was never a big beer drinker, so non-alcoholic brew, that wasn't the key. So I started with sodas and then just kind of went to water. And now that's just what I do."

Of how he navigates nights out with friends, especially in pub settings, Taylor says: "To me, going out and hanging out in a pub or a bar or whatever is more about the company you keep. And you realize at some point the golden moment is going to go away. So you try to time your departure right around that time where you're just, like, 'Okay, we've got about 10 minutes before he becomes a super mess. So I'm gonna split, and I'll talk to you guys later.'

"I try not to 'Irish goodbye' everybody, where you just split. I only did that, really, when I was drinking. [Laughs] But I make sure that everybody's good; I make sure that everybody's… Okay, if anybody needs a ride home, I'm the first one to do it. 'Cause it's usually just me and my wife. My wife still drinks, but she's very social. She's way better at it than I was. Usually right about the time she's starting to kind of… She's just, like, 'I'm tired. We need to split.' I'm, like, 'Ah. You had me at 'I'm ready to go.''' So we're out the door and heading for home."

Listen to the full podcast episode below:

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Liz manages Louder's social media channels and works on keeping the sites up to date with the latest news from the world of rock and metal. Prior to joining Louder as a full time staff writer, she completed a Diploma with the National Council for the Training of Journalists and received a First Class Honours Degree in Popular Music Journalism. She enjoys writing about anything from neo-glam rock to stoner, doom and progressive metal, and loves celebrating women in music.