Watch Corey Taylor absolutely, definitely, undisputedly neither confirm nor deny Slipknot are playing Download 2023

News
By ( Metal Hammer ) last updated

"That'll get people p**sed off" says Corey Taylor, as he addresses rumours about Slipknot playing Download Festival next year

Corey Taylor addressing an audience
(Image credit: Monopoly Events)

Slipknot frontman Corey Taylor may or may not have confirmed or denied that Slipknot will be headlining next year's Download Festival.  

The singer confirmed/denied the band's appearance/non-appearance during a Q&A session at the For The Love Of Horror convention in Manchester. Taylor had played a solo gig in the city on Friday night at the BEC Arena – at a show billed as a pre-party for the convention – before appearing at the event itself for a series of scheduled autograph sessions. 

Taylor also took part in an audience Q&A session, where he was asked to address rumours that Slipknot would be playing at the UK's premiere metal festival next year. After advising audience members to get their phones out, he proceeded to clarify the situation/muddy the waters. 

"I'm going to try and make this as clear as I can," Taylor responded, before going on give decidedly ambivalent answers while very deliberately nodding his head in a manner that suggested the audience should very much be reading between the lines. "On my life, I can neither confirm nor deny. I wish I could tell you that we're going to be there, I really do." 

"Unfortunately, I don't have that answer right now," he continued, while grinning and nodding. "So I will tell you when I can."

Taylor then signs off by laughing and saying, "that'll get people pissed off."    

Video of the confirmation/denial was shared on TikTok by the convention's organisers, Monopoly Events. 

Taylor's four-date solo tour saw the frontman perform a 20-song set of covers and originals, including versions of Slipknot's Snuff and Wait And Bleed, 

Slipknot's new album The End, So Far, is out now. 

Fraser Lewry
Fraser Lewry
Online Editor, Classic Rock

Online Editor at Louder/Classic Rock magazine since 2014. 40 years in music industry, online for 27. Also bylines for: Metal Hammer, Prog Magazine, The Word Magazine, The Guardian, The New Statesman, Saga, Music365. Former Head of Music at Xfm Radio, A&R at Fiction Records, early blogger, ex-roadie, published author. Once appeared in a Cure video dressed as a cowboy, and thinks any situation can be improved by the introduction of cats. Favourite Serbian trumpeter: Dejan Petrović.