Corey Taylor
Corey Todd Taylor (born December 8, 1973) is an American musician, singer-songwriter, author, and actor best known as the lead vocalist and primary lyricist for the heavy metal band Slipknot and the hard rock band Stone Sour.[1][2] Taylor co-founded Stone Sour in 1992 in his native Des Moines, Iowa, initially serving as both vocalist and guitarist, before joining Slipknot in 1997, where he adopted the masked persona of "#8" and helped define the band's intense, percussive sound and chaotic live performances.[3][4] Under his leadership, Slipknot has attained significant commercial and critical acclaim, including a Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance for "Before I Forget" in 2006, while Stone Sour has achieved multi-platinum sales and recognition for melodic tracks like "Bother."[5][6] Beyond music, Taylor has authored several books, such as Seven Deadly Sins and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Heaven, drawing from his experiences with addiction, mental health struggles, and cultural observations to explore themes of personal responsibility and skepticism toward institutional narratives.[7] In 2020, he launched a solo career with the album CMFT, followed by CMF2 in 2023, showcasing his versatility across rock, metal, and punk influences independent of his band commitments.[8][9]Early Life
Childhood and Family Background
Corey Todd Taylor was born on December 8, 1973, in Des Moines, Iowa, to unwed teenage parents whose relationship ended before or shortly after his birth, leaving his father absent throughout his upbringing.[10] Raised primarily by his single mother, Taylor experienced a nomadic early childhood characterized by frequent relocations across Iowa, including extended periods in Waterloo, a small industrial city he later described as economically depressed and isolating.[11] [12] These moves, driven by his mother's unstable circumstances, exposed him to chronic poverty and a household environment rife with domestic violence, substance abuse, and parental neglect, factors that fostered profound early trauma as recounted in his personal interviews.[13] [14] As a teenager, Taylor relocated to live with his maternal grandmother in Des Moines, where she assumed primary responsibility for his care and provided the relative stability absent in his prior years.[12] [15] His grandmother, whom he has credited as his most formative influence, emphasized discipline, hard work, and resilience, helping to mitigate the disarray of his formative environment through her no-nonsense guidance and support for his emerging interests.[16] This shift marked a pivotal turn toward structure, though the cumulative effects of prior familial dysfunction persisted in shaping his worldview.[17]Adolescent Struggles and Suicide Attempt
In his late teens, Corey Taylor grappled with deepening depression exacerbated by unresolved childhood traumas, including sexual assault at age 10 and familial instability. These factors contributed to the onset of substance abuse, beginning with cocaine use as early as age 12 and escalating to multiple overdoses by age 15.[18][19] Taylor has described this period as marked by untreated emotional wounds that fueled self-destructive patterns, rather than any inherent "artistic" predisposition.[20] The death of his grandmother, who had primarily raised him, further destabilized Taylor around age 15, stripping away a key source of stability and accelerating his spiral into isolation and addiction. This culminated in a suicide attempt via prescription drug overdose at age 18 in the early 1990s, while still residing with family; his ex-girlfriend's mother intervened by rushing him to a Des Moines hospital, where he was treated and survived.[21] Taylor later recounted the incident as a low point driven by overwhelming despair, not romanticized rebellion, emphasizing the raw causal link between accumulated trauma and acute crisis.[22][23] Amid these struggles, Taylor began channeling pain into music as an alternative outlet, finding initial solace in performances like Faith No More's 1991 MTV Video Music Awards set, which redirected his focus toward creative expression over destruction. However, the rock genre's frequent normalization of self-harm and substance use—often portrayed as pathways to authenticity—lacks empirical support as beneficial; longitudinal studies on artists reveal such behaviors correlate with diminished career longevity and heightened relapse risks, underscoring the need for direct intervention over cultural tolerance.[21][24]Musical Career
Stone Sour Formation and Early Releases
Stone Sour was formed in 1992 in Des Moines, Iowa, by vocalist Corey Taylor and drummer Joel Ekman, with guitarist Josh Rand and bassist Shawn Economaki rounding out the initial lineup.[25] The band's name derived from a cocktail listed on a local bar menu.[26] During its early years, Stone Sour operated as a melodic hard rock outfit in the Des Moines area, recording multiple demos, including a 1993 tape featuring tracks such as "Dead Man's Glare," "Surgery," and "Voices Again."[27] These recordings showcased Taylor's developing songwriting, emphasizing accessible rock structures distinct from the heavier aggression he later explored elsewhere. The group performed locally for five years before disbanding in 1997 as Taylor pursued other commitments.[25] The band reformed in 2000, capitalizing on Taylor's rising profile to secure a deal with Island Def Jam, and released its self-titled debut album on August 27, 2002.[25] Recorded at Catamount Studios in Cedar Falls, Iowa, the album drew from reworked early demos and new material, achieving RIAA gold certification on March 20, 2003, for shipments exceeding 500,000 units.[28] Key single "Bother"—originally a solo acoustic track by Taylor—propelled commercial breakthrough, peaking at number 2 on the US Mainstream Rock chart, number 4 on Alternative Songs, number 56 on the Billboard Hot 100, and number 28 in the UK.[29] This release solidified Stone Sour's role as an outlet for Taylor's melodic sensibilities, honing his compositional range through structured verses, choruses, and introspective lyrics. Lineup stability persisted through the sophomore effort Come What(ever) May, released on August 1, 2006, via Roadrunner Records, which earned platinum certification from the RIAA on July 21, 2017, for over one million units shipped.[30] The album featured aggressive tracks like "30/30-150," nominated for Best Metal Performance at the 49th Grammy Awards, alongside radio-friendly cuts such as "Through Glass."[30] Drummer Joel Ekman departed shortly after, replaced by Roy Mayorga for subsequent work, marking the first major personnel shift amid growing touring demands.[31] By the 2010s, Stone Sour ventured into experimental territory with the double concept album House of Gold & Bones—Part 1 on October 30, 2012, and Part 2 on April 9, 2013—comprising 23 interconnected tracks narrating a protagonist's psychological journey penned by Taylor.[32] This narrative-driven approach, blending hard rock with theatrical elements and multimedia tie-ins, represented a departure from prior straightforward releases, emphasizing thematic cohesion over standalone hits while bassist Shawn Economaki exited amid lineup adjustments.[31]Slipknot Audition and Rise to Fame
Taylor responded to Slipknot's search for a vocalist in early 1997 after attending one of their initial performances without a permanent singer, where he declared his intent to front the band.[33] His integration marked the start of Slipknot's ascent within the nu-metal scene, characterized by anonymous masked identities and high-intensity percussion-driven aggression that amplified their raw, percussive sound.[34] Taylor's debut performance with the nine-member lineup occurred on August 24, 1997, at the Safari Club in Des Moines, Iowa, setting the template for chaotic live spectacles involving pyrotechnics, stage dives, and crowd interaction that fueled their underground buzz.[35] The band's self-titled debut album, released on June 29, 1999, via Roadrunner Records and produced by Ross Robinson, propelled their mainstream breakthrough, achieving triple platinum certification in the United States with over three million units sold domestically and exceeding five million worldwide.[36] Tracks like "(sic)" and "Wait and Bleed" showcased Taylor's dual screamed-sung vocals amid industrial-metal riffs and samples, resonating with late-1990s youth alienation; extensive touring, including Ozzfest slots, amplified sales through visceral performances that emphasized collective anonymity over individual stardom.[37] This masked aesthetic, evolving per album cycle to symbolize personal torment, provided shock value that distinguished Slipknot from peers, though it invited scrutiny over whether media amplification of their extremity hastened broader cultural numbing to violence in entertainment.[38] Slipknot's 2001 follow-up, Iowa, released August 28, intensified their misanthropic edge with tracks like "People = Shit" reflecting deepened lyrical despair, debuting at number three on the Billboard 200 and topping UK charts amid a grueling recording process that tested band cohesion.[39] The album's platinum success, driven by headlining tours and videos emphasizing grotesque imagery, solidified their nu-metal dominance but exacerbated internal substance issues. Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses) in 2004 shifted toward melody with singles like "Duality," selling over 1.7 million copies globally and earning Grammy nods, as Taylor's cleaner production highlighted vocal range while retaining aggression.[40] Following bassist Paul Gray's overdose death in 2010, Slipknot faced lineup flux amid escalating tensions, including percussionist Chris Fehn's 2019 dismissal over royalty disputes, yet Taylor affirmed the band's continuity through replacements to preserve its core dynamic.[41] These changes, coupled with sobriety-driven reflections, underscored the collective's resilience against personal and creative strains that had threatened dissolution.[42]Solo Albums and Independent Projects
Taylor's debut solo album, CMFT, was released on October 2, 2020, by Roadrunner Records, amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic that limited traditional promotional activities.[43] The 13-track record featured a mix of hard rock, alternative, and pop influences, serving as an outlet for material incompatible with his band commitments in Slipknot and Stone Sour.[44] Lead single "Black Eyes Blue," released August 19, 2020, addressed themes of marital discord and reconciliation, drawing from Taylor's relationship with his wife, and topped the Billboard Mainstream Rock Songs chart.[45] The album debuted at No. 6 on Billboard's Top Rock Albums chart and No. 2 on the UK Rock & Metal Albums chart, demonstrating commercial viability for Taylor's independent creative pursuits despite the era's touring restrictions.[46] In support of CMFT, Taylor launched the CMFTour on May 18, 2021, comprising 19 dates across North American venues, marking his first major solo headline run and a return to live performance after pandemic delays.[47] This outing emphasized tracks from the album alongside select covers, allowing Taylor to test audience reception of his non-band material in smaller, theater-style settings compared to arena-scale band shows. Taylor's second solo album, CMF2, arrived on September 15, 2023, via his own Decibel Cooper imprint, expanding on the debut's eclecticism with originals and covers spanning punk, country, and metal influences to explore genre boundaries unbound by group dynamics.[48] The release achieved strong chart performance, debuting at No. 2 on multiple rock and independent tallies, underscoring sustained demand for Taylor's autonomous output without evident erosion of his core heavy metal audience.[49] Accompanying tours in 2023 and a 2024 North American leg further validated this, with dates featuring supporting acts like Wargasm and Oxymorons, prioritizing intimate venues to maintain direct fan engagement over mass spectacle.[50] Empirically, these projects highlight solo work as a low-risk extension of Taylor's versatility—evidenced by consistent chart success—rather than a dilution of band loyalty, as Slipknot and Stone Sour identities remain distinct and intact.[46]Collaborations and Side Ventures
Taylor contributed guest vocals to the Roadrunner United all-star project in 2005, performing on "The Enemy" alongside Machine Head's Robb Flynn, Still Remains' Jordan Whelan, and Fear Factory's Christian Olde Wolbers, an effort that highlighted his versatility within the metal label's roster.[51] In 2007, he featured on Apocalyptica's "I'm Not Jesus" from the album Worlds Collide, blending his aggressive delivery with the Finnish cello metal band's symphonic style, and on Korn's "A Different World" from their untitled album, merging nu-metal grooves with his raw timbre to bridge heavy music subgenres.[52][53] Subsequent collaborations extended beyond traditional metal, including vocals on Tech N9ne's "Wither" from the 2015 album Special Effects, fusing rap's rapid-fire flow with Taylor's melodic aggression and thereby exposing heavy vocals to hip-hop audiences.[53] He also appeared on Teenage Time Killers' "Egobomb" from their 2015 punk-metal supergroup album Curb Crusher, a project curated by Lamb of God drummer Chris Adler featuring punk icons like Mike Patton.[53] In 2018, Taylor guested on Code Orange's "The Hunt" from the EP The Hurt Will Go On, adding his established metal presence to the hardcore outfit's chaotic sound, which band members credited for enhancing the track's intensity without financial compensation demanded, underscoring peer respect in underground scenes.[54][55] These guest appearances have empirically broadened heavy music's crossover appeal—evident in shared fanbases and playlist integrations across platforms—by integrating Taylor's vocal range into disparate styles, though they have occasionally drawn criticism from purists for potentially softening metal's unyielding edge through genre hybridization.[56] In a 2025 acoustic performance at the Spookala horror convention in Tampa, Florida, Taylor covered Chappell Roan's "Pink Pony Club," adapting the pop track's themes to his intimate style at his wife's suggestion, marking a one-off venture into mainstream pop territory amid his solo touring phase.[57]Artistic Style and Lyrical Themes
Vocal Techniques and Performance Evolution
Corey Taylor employs a wide array of vocal techniques, spanning guttural fry screams and false cord distortion for harsh deliveries in Slipknot tracks to controlled melodic cleans in Stone Sour material.[58] His screams often utilize ventricular fold compression and subglottal pressure to produce low-frequency aggression without excessive strain, as analyzed in vocal coaching breakdowns of songs like "Duality" from Slipknot's Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses) (2004), where he transitions seamlessly from raspy lows to higher-pitched yelps.[59] Clean vocals, by contrast, rely on baritonal chest resonance extending into head voice, evident in Stone Sour's "Through Glass" from Come What(ever) May (2006), showcasing mid-range sustain and emotional phrasing developed through disciplined breath control.[60] Taylor's dual stylistic demands—predominantly aggressive, percussive shouts and raps in Slipknot versus nuanced, harmonic singing in Stone Sour—highlight his adaptability, with early career rawness giving way to refined execution. In Slipknot's self-titled debut (1999), vocals emphasize unpolished intensity, such as the fry screams in "Eyeless," achieved via minimal formal training initially.[61] Stone Sour's House of Gold & Bones (2012-2013) demonstrates cleaner versatility, blending growls with falsetto ad-libs in tracks like "Absolute Zero," reflecting iterative adaptation over two decades.[62] Post-2010, Taylor's performances evolved toward greater versatility, incorporating rap-infused aggression and experimental cleans in Slipknot's .5: The Gray Chapter (2014) and solo album CMFT (2020), where "Black Eyes Blue" mixes distorted yells with R&B-tinged melodies, evidencing expanded dynamic control.[63] This progression stems from vocal coaching with Melissa Cross, whose methods emphasized safe distortion techniques, transforming initial "maniacal shrieking" into sustainable power, as noted in analyses of his shift to a "thicker, deeper" timbre by the mid-2010s.[64] [65] Live endurance during extended tours, such as the Knotfest Roadshow (e.g., 2022 leg spanning dozens of dates), underscores Taylor's technical discipline, enabling 90-minute sets with sustained screams amid physical demands, though he has acknowledged past strain from improper early methods prompting technique overhaul. [66] His prowess, rather than innate endowment, arises from rigorous practice and adaptation, allowing consistent delivery across harsh and melodic registers without narrative romanticization of genius.[67]Influences from Metal and Broader Genres
Taylor's heavy metal influences trace back to foundational acts like Black Sabbath, whose ominous riffs and dark themes provided a blueprint for aggressive, theatrical heavy music that directly informed Slipknot's percussive intensity and masked persona, enabling innovation in the late 1990s nu-metal scene rather than mere replication of Sabbath's doom-laden sound.[68] He ranked Black Sabbath's Paranoid (1970) among his top metal albums for its role in shaping vocal ferocity and band dynamics.[69] Metallica's Master of Puppets (1986) further molded his approach, with Taylor calling it the "quintessential metal album" for its precise song structures and relentless energy, which influenced Slipknot's complex arrangements while avoiding thrash's speed-for-speed's-sake imitation.[70] Pantera's groove metal aggression, evident in Vulgar Display of Power (1992), contributed to Taylor's raw, groove-oriented delivery, fostering Stone Sour's emotional heft and Slipknot's mosh-pit dynamics without copying Pantera's Southern metal swagger.[69] These metal roots blended with punk and alt-rock elements, such as Amen's visceral punk-metal hybrid on their self-titled debut (1999), which Taylor credited with accelerating his drive and high-octane live energy.[70] Iron Maiden's epic storytelling in albums like Powerslave (1984) and Somewhere in Time (1986) expanded his melodic scope, transmitting narrative depth into Slipknot's concept-driven aggression.[70] Beyond metal, broader genre draws include country icon Johnny Cash, whose stark, confessional style influenced Taylor's solo output on CMFT (2020), where he emulated Cash's raw vocal timbre and acoustic introspection to diversify from band heaviness.[71] Led Zeppelin's Physical Graffiti (1975) impacted his appreciation for slide guitar and unrelenting rhythms, bridging hard rock to metal experimentation.[70] Electronic acts like Depeche Mode's live album 101 (1989) shifted his perspective toward atmospheric production, aiding genre-blending in later projects.[70] Literary sources, including horror author Anne Rice's gothic narratives, shaped his thematic frameworks, channeling supernatural dread into song constructs distinct from pure metal tropes.[72] This synthesis—metal's fury with punk's rebellion, country's vulnerability, and horror's macabre—drove Taylor's output toward hybrid innovation, as seen in nu-metal's evolution from 1990s imitation of rap-infused aggression to Slipknot's uniquely percussive, masked catharsis.[69]Recurrent Themes of Trauma and Resilience
Corey Taylor's lyrics recurrently delve into the aftermath of childhood abuse, familial dysfunction, and substance addiction, framing these as catalysts for self-inflicted cycles that demand individual confrontation for resolution. Rather than perpetuating narratives of indefinite victimhood, tracks portray trauma as a forge for resilience, where acknowledgment precedes agency-driven recovery. This approach echoes Taylor's public discussions of channeling personal demons into art without reliance on external absolution, as evidenced in his reflections on early life adversities fueling lyrical catharsis.[20][73] In Slipknot's "Snuff," released on the 2008 album All Hope Is Gone, Taylor dissects relational betrayal and emotional desolation through metaphors of burial and severance, culminating in a resolve to abandon toxic entanglement—"Bury all your lies / And let me go"—which underscores dissection of pain as a pathway to detachment, not perpetual grievance. Similarly, Stone Sour's "Through Glass" from the 2006 album Come What(ever) May critiques societal distortion and personal alienation via imagery of fractured observation—"How do you reflect on / What you want when all you're seeing is distortion?"—drawing from Taylor's documented struggles with isolation to assert introspective clarity over passive endurance. These works avoid therapeutic euphemisms, instead privileging raw causal linkages between unresolved wounds and behavioral fallout, aligning with Taylor's stated intent to externalize inner turmoil for self-accounting.[74] By the 2020s, Taylor's solo output intensified this motif toward explicit accountability, particularly in CMF2 (2023), where songs like "Post Traumatic Blues" render PTSD's lingering distortions as navigable via personal reckoning—"This is what it feels like when the trauma hits"—positioning resilience as an active "bridge" of self-awareness rather than normalized dependency on intervention.[75] This evolution mirrors broader patterns in his discography, where recovery narratives stress endogenous motivation amid exogenous pressures, as Taylor has articulated in addressing mental health through habit reform over indefinite support structures.[76] The veracity of these themes is buttressed by industry data revealing elevated substance dependence among rock musicians—estimated at 11-12% lifetime prevalence, exceeding general population rates—with recurrent relapses tied to unaddressed trauma and lifestyle stressors, validating Taylor's emphasis on perpetual vigilance and self-reliance as causally efficacious against cyclical reversion.[77][78] Such portrayals counter idealized recovery arcs, reflecting empirical realities where external accolades often exacerbate vulnerabilities, as seen in disproportionate overdoses and career disruptions among peers.[79]Literary Works
Autobiographical Books on Mental Health
Seven Deadly Sins: Settling the Argument Between Born Bad and Damaged Good, published on July 12, 2011, by Da Capo Press, represents Corey Taylor's primary autobiographical examination of mental health challenges through the framework of personal vice and self-sabotage. In the book, Taylor dissects his experiences during 1995—a year of acute crisis involving rampant alcohol and drug addiction, physical altercations, and impulsive decisions that exacerbated his underlying depression and trauma from an unstable childhood marked by parental abandonment and frequent relocations. He frames these episodes as manifestations of "damaged good" rather than innate moral corruption, drawing on specific incidents like blackouts from binge drinking and hallucinatory drug binges to illustrate how untreated mental anguish fueled a cycle of destructive behavior.[80][81] Taylor recounts two suicide attempts in his late teens, including an overdose around age 18 that required emergency intervention, as turning points where despair from isolation and self-loathing peaked without external support systems. These accounts avoid self-justification, instead highlighting his role in perpetuating the harm through denial and escalation, such as prioritizing substance-fueled escapism over therapy or sobriety efforts. By 1995, at age 21, his addictions had isolated him from potential relationships and early music opportunities in Des Moines, Iowa, underscoring causal links between unresolved adolescent trauma and adult relapse risks—facts corroborated by his later sobriety milestone in 2006 after repeated interventions.[22][21][82] The memoir's structure—dedicating chapters to pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath, and sloth—integrates empirical self-audit with philosophical critique, arguing that sins arise from environmental damage compounded by individual agency failures, not predestination. Taylor uses quantifiable details, like the number of arrests and evictions tied to his habits, to demonstrate recovery's demands: total abstinence and behavioral overhaul, rejecting partial excuses rooted in victim narratives. This approach positions the book as a cautionary tool for mental health discourse, emphasizing resilience through confrontation rather than evasion, though critics note its anecdotal nature limits broader clinical applicability.[83][84] In subsequent works like A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Heaven (April 30, 2013), Taylor extends autobiographical reflections to existential dread and paranormal coping strategies, linking childhood fears of death to adult anxiety management without delving as deeply into addiction specifics. Here, he describes ghost encounters and near-death reflections as metaphors for processing loss and stigma around vulnerability, but the focus shifts toward skepticism of zealotry over clinical mental health narratives. Self-reflection on personal philosophy appears in America 51 (September 12, 2017), where socioeconomic hardships from his youth inform critiques of societal failures, indirectly tying early deprivation to resilience-building, yet prioritizing political analysis over therapeutic detail. These texts collectively reinforce Taylor's pattern of weaving mental health candor into broader life audits, prioritizing causal accountability over redemption tropes.[85][86]Essays on Culture and Personal Philosophy
Taylor's 2015 book You're Making Me Hate You: A Cantankerous Look at the Common Misconception That Humans Have Any Common Sense Left delivers pointed critiques of modern cultural decay, targeting the proliferation of entitlement, self-absorption, and the democratized illusions of fame enabled by digital platforms. He dissects how these elements erode personal accountability, using anecdotal evidence from public life and media to illustrate a societal shift toward prioritizing validation over substance, often resulting in amplified narcissism and diminished empathy.[87][88] The work frames these observations through a lens of observable behavioral patterns, decrying the normalization of irrational demands and victimhood narratives that Taylor attributes to a loss of grounded reasoning in interpersonal and public discourse. While not a systematic treatise, it employs first-person rants to challenge readers on complicity in cultural trivialization, emphasizing causal links between unchecked individualism and broader social friction.[87] In Seven Deadly Sins: Settling the Argument Between Born Bad and Damaged Good (2011), Taylor examines moral philosophy by reframing the traditional vices—pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath, and sloth—as innate human drives that, in moderation, fuel progress but devolve into harm when unbalanced by self-awareness and restraint. He rejects binary notions of inherent evil versus nurture, instead positing that moral failings stem from extremes that disrupt equilibrium, drawing on personal experiences to underscore the empirical reality of consequences from impulsive actions.[89][84] Taylor advocates a pragmatic ethic grounded in behavioral outcomes rather than abstract relativism, arguing that true ethical navigation requires acknowledging universal human frailties without excusing their excesses, as evidenced by historical and contemporary examples of vice-fueled downfall. This approach aligns with causal realism, prioritizing verifiable effects of choices over ideological justifications.[83][89] Both volumes achieved commercial success as bestsellers, reflecting audience resonance with Taylor's unfiltered dissections of human flaws amid cultural flux.[90] However, You're Making Me Hate You faced pushback for its confrontational style, with detractors labeling it abrasive or overly pessimistic, though proponents valued its unflinching call to reclaim rationality in an increasingly irrational public sphere.[87][91]Media and Acting Engagements
Film and Voice Roles
Taylor first ventured into acting with a supporting role as Bauer in the 2014 horror film Fear Clinic, directed by Eddy Stabil, where he portrayed a clinic employee attempting to contain escalating chaos amid experimental phobia treatments led by a character played by Robert Englund.[92] The film, which premiered at the Screamfest Horror Film Festival, received mixed reception for its premise but criticism for uneven execution and effects, with Taylor later describing the experience positively due to the collaborative cast including Englund.[93] [94] In 2016, Taylor appeared as Headcase Harry in Officer Downe, a grindhouse-style action-horror adaptation of Joe Keatinge and Jason Cox's graphic novel, directed by his Slipknot bandmate Shawn Crahan.[95] The ultra-violent film, featuring regenerative cop themes and over-the-top aesthetics, earned a 4.2/10 rating on IMDb from over 2,300 users, with reviewers noting its aggressive energy but faulting shaky camerawork and narrative incoherence as detracting from its cult potential.[96] [97] That same year, he made a brief cameo as Frankie in Sharknado 4: The 4th Awakens, a satirical disaster film in the Syfy franchise known for absurd shark-tornado scenarios and celebrity appearances, aligning with Taylor's self-parodying humor in B-movie contexts.[95] Taylor starred as Chilly Billy, a shock-jock DJ narrating Halloween ghost stories, in the 2020 horror anthology Bad Candy, co-starring Zach Galligan and structured around radio broadcasts framing segmented tales.[98] The low-budget production garnered a 44% approval on Rotten Tomatoes, with critiques highlighting mediocre direction, poor acting, and lack of scares despite visual competence in some segments.[99] His film roles have predominantly featured in niche horror-thrillers, reflecting thematic overlaps with his heavy metal imagery of aggression and the macabre, though critical reception has emphasized stylistic excess over substantive depth.[100] Taylor has expressed interest in expanding acting pursuits beyond cameos, viewing them as extensions of performative intensity honed in music.[95] Voice work remains minimal, limited to non-film novelties like voicing an animated "Fridgey" appliance in a comedic metal-themed sketch rather than scripted cinematic or gaming characters.[101]Television Appearances and Hosting
Taylor co-hosted the Kerrang! Awards ceremony on August 3, 2009, alongside Scott Ian of Anthrax and members of The Damned Things, presenting awards to winners including Slipknot for Best Live Band and Best Album.[102] He reprised the co-hosting role for the event on July 29, 2010, again with Ian and The Damned Things, where he accepted the Services to Metal Award on behalf of deceased Slipknot bassist Paul Gray.[102] These appearances positioned Taylor as a prominent figure in rock media, leveraging his Slipknot fame to engage with industry peers and fans in a live televised format focused on heavy music accolades. Taylor has made several guest spots on American late-night talk shows, often performing with Slipknot to promote album releases. On July 30, 2004, during Jimmy Kimmel Live!, the band delivered sets of "Duality" and "The Blister Exists" amid promotion for their album Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses).[103] Slipknot returned to the program on May 17, 2019, unveiling new masks and performing "Unsainted" and "All Out Life" from We Are Not Your Kind, shortly after Taylor's knee surgery recovery.[104] He has also appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and Larry King Now in 2014, where he discussed Slipknot's history, the loss of Paul Gray, and upcoming tours like Prepare For Hell.[105] These outings highlight Taylor's willingness to adapt heavy metal's intensity to broadcast constraints, broadening exposure beyond niche audiences. In the 2020s, Taylor's TV interviews have addressed Slipknot's internal dynamics factually, countering sensationalized narratives with emphasis on professional evolution rather than personal conflicts. His media engagements reflect a pragmatic approach, utilizing mainstream platforms to sustain career longevity and dispel rock's stereotypical aversion to institutional visibility.[106]Personal Life and Health
Marriages, Children, and Family Dynamics
Taylor was previously married to Scarlett Stone.[2] He married Stephanie Luby in 2009 and divorced her in 2017 after an eight-year marriage marked by toxicity and personal depression.[107] [108] Taylor has described the relationship as emasculating and consuming, requiring over a year post-divorce to regain self-confidence.[109] He wed Alicia Dove on October 6, 2019, and the couple remains married as of 2025.[2] Taylor has three children from prior relationships: daughter Angeline, born in 1992; son Griffin Parker Taylor, born in 2002; and daughter Ryan, born in 2015.[2] [110] Griffin, now a musician in the band Vended, has pursued a career independent of his father's direct involvement.[111] In interviews, Taylor has emphasized fatherhood's demands across generations and relationships, stressing the need for tailored guidance—protective for young children like Ryan while fostering independence in older ones like Griffin and Angeline.[110] He advocates therapy to improve parenting and rejects equating parenthood with friendship, prioritizing discipline and example-setting amid his career's absences.[112] [113] Taylor credits consistent involvement with his children for personal grounding, despite relational upheavals from lifestyle strains.[108]Addiction Recovery and Mental Health Advocacy
Taylor achieved sobriety in 2010 after years of heavy substance abuse, including alcohol and drugs, which he later described as a firm personal commitment rather than a temporary measure.[114] Influenced by recoveries of figures like Metallica's James Hetfield and Alice in Chains' Jerry Cantrell, Taylor quit cold turkey, emphasizing that "when I decide to quit something, that's it." He has maintained sobriety continuously since, crediting it with enhancing his performance and creativity rather than diminishing it.[115] In advocacy efforts, Taylor has critiqued the music industry's normalization of substance use, rejecting the notion that intoxication fuels artistic output and arguing that sober work produces superior results.[116] He has used platforms like interviews and awards events, such as the 2017 Rock to Recovery benefit where he received an Icon Award, to promote sobriety as "very empowering" and to destigmatize recovery among musicians.[117] Taylor advocates personal accountability in addressing addiction and mental health issues, stating that failing to admit the need for help exacerbates problems, and he encourages direct confrontation of traumas over external justifications.[118] His writings, including autobiographical books like Seven Deadly Sins, detail personal battles with addiction and mental illness, framing recovery as an exercise in self-mastery rather than reliance on industry or societal enablers.[119] Through podcast appearances, Taylor reinforces these themes, sharing how openness about mental struggles transformed fan interactions and underscoring individual agency in survival.[74] This stance highlights recovery's challenges in rock and metal, where studies show musicians face roughly double the mortality rates of the general population, often from substance-related causes, making sustained sobriety a notable exception.[120][121]2024 Health Breakdown and Aftermath
In January 2024, Corey Taylor canceled his scheduled North American solo tour, citing a deterioration in his mental and physical health over the preceding months.[122] The announcement, made on January 5, specified that the decision was necessary to prioritize recovery and self-care, with all ticket buyers eligible for refunds.[122] This followed a pattern of intense professional commitments, including Slipknot and Stone Sour obligations alongside solo projects, which empirical evidence from Taylor's accounts links to burnout in sustained high-pressure environments where overwork erodes personal boundaries.[123] Taylor elaborated on the crisis in a January 25 video statement, describing a "complete and utter breakdown" encompassing mental health, ego, entitlement, and boundaries, which brought him perilously close to relapse after maintaining sobriety for years.[124] He emphasized seeking professional help to rebuild these foundations, noting the episode's roots in unchecked professional demands that undermined long-term resilience rather than fostering it through idealized "hustle" narratives often romanticized in creative industries.[125] Despite the severity, Taylor proceeded with select international dates, such as a Southeast Asia tour, which he later deemed manageable due to their brevity.[126] By August 2024, Taylor attributed the breakdown explicitly to his "pursuit of work and all things ego," which he stated was "killing me and nearly killed me," connecting it to unresolved trauma amplified by relentless output without adequate recovery periods.[123] This reflection prompted a shift toward structured boundaries in future touring, including for Slipknot, prioritizing sustainability over volume to mitigate recurrence.[127] He resumed promotional activities for his solo album CMF2, signaling partial stabilization, though the event underscored causal risks of ego-driven overcommitment in careers demanding constant performance.[128] As of October 2025, Taylor's recovery trajectory includes public recognition, such as receiving the Rock to Recovery Icon award in August 2025, indicating sustained progress amid ongoing professional engagements like festival appearances.[129] No further acute breakdowns have been reported, with his approach emphasizing empirical self-management over glorified endurance.[130]Political Views and Controversies
Centrist Stance and Critiques of Political Extremes
Corey Taylor has positioned himself as a political centrist, describing his outlook as "socially liberal and yet fiscally conservative" while emphasizing the need to examine issues from multiple perspectives rather than adhering to partisan orthodoxy.[131] This self-characterization aligns with his broader advocacy for pragmatic solutions grounded in empirical realities over ideological purity, as evidenced in his public statements critiquing irrationality across the spectrum. In his 2017 book America 51: A Probe into the Realities That Are Hiding Inside "The Greatest Country in the World", Taylor argues against deepening societal divisions fueled by extremism, targeting flaws in both liberal and conservative approaches to governance, race relations, and economics.[132] He calls for a return to foundational American principles of individual responsibility and evidence-based policy, warning that unchecked partisanship erodes national cohesion without delivering measurable benefits.[133] Taylor has repeatedly voiced frustration with what he sees as equivalent follies on the left and right, stating in a September 2020 Forbes interview that "it's not just the right, the left is just as f***ing crazy and dumbass" in their dogmatic pursuits.[134] He has specifically opposed identity politics for prioritizing group grievances over individual merit and causal accountability, arguing it fosters division rather than progress supported by data on social mobility and policy outcomes.[135] Surveys of musicians and entertainers reflect a pattern of alienation from political bases, with many favoring centrist realism amid rising polarization; for instance, a 2020 Pew Research analysis indicated that cultural figures often express disillusionment with extremes, mirroring Taylor's emphasis on verifiable results over rhetoric. This stance underscores his commitment to critiquing extremism irrespective of affiliation, prioritizing causal mechanisms like economic incentives and behavioral evidence over narrative-driven discourse.Opposition to Cancel Culture and Public Backlash
Corey Taylor has consistently opposed cancel culture, framing it as an ineffective mechanism that prioritizes outrage over substantive reform and often ignores human imperfection. In a September 2020 interview with SiriusXM's Trunk Nation, he described cancel culture as "taking out the easy targets" and "picking people off on the fringe," arguing it fails to resolve deeper societal problems.[136] He reiterated this view in March 2021 during a discussion on KLOS radio, criticizing Generation Z efforts to retroactively cancel Eminem over a single line in the 2010 track "Love the Way You Lie" with Rihanna, which referenced domestic violence; Taylor likened the selective social media backlash to the Salem witch trials, noting the inconsistency in ignoring Rihanna's own role in the song.[137] In a March 2021 Rolling Stone op-ed, Taylor elaborated on the "outrage age," asserting that "nobody's perfect—stop acting like we all should be" and warning against the hypocrisy of demanding purity from others while overlooking personal flaws, as those in glass houses should not throw stones.[138][139] He advocated for change through dialogue and accountability rather than mob-driven cancellation, while acknowledging valid grievances but cautioning against its overreach in stifling expression. This position echoed his earlier comments in a February 2016 Guardian Q&A amid controversy over Pantera vocalist Phil Anselmo's onstage Nazi salute and white supremacist gesture at Dimebash; Taylor condemned racism unequivocally but maintained that "the majority of [metal] isn't racist," estimating it would take "very little" targeted effort to eradicate isolated instances without indicting the genre broadly or curtailing its provocative ethos.[140][141] Taylor's critiques have drawn polarized reactions, with supporters in the rock and metal communities lauding his emphasis on free expression and realism, while detractors accused him of minimizing harm from offensive speech or lyrics.[142] His repeated exposure to online vitriol contributed to his January 2020 decision to deactivate social media accounts, citing fatigue from "Internet trolls" and relentless "people being mad" as key factors in the personal backlash he endured.[143] Despite this, Taylor has defended instances of defended speech, such as in 2021 when he pushed back against calls to "cancel" historical figures or artists for past actions, prioritizing context and proportionality over erasure.[144]Fan Alienation Over Trump-Era Commentary
Corey Taylor expressed strong opposition to Donald Trump during the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign, stating in a February 2016 Guardian Q&A that Trump "makes me want to eat my shoes" due to his perceived inflammatory rhetoric.[140] In the same interview, Taylor downplayed concerns about racism within the metal fanbase, asserting that "the majority of it isn't racist" and that eradicating isolated instances would require minimal effort, as such elements were not representative of the genre's core audience.[140] Following Trump's election victory in November 2016, Taylor publicly condemned American voters, posting on social media that he was "disgusted" and viewing the outcome as evidence of widespread stupidity and hate.[145] Taylor's criticism intensified through 2017–2020, including labeling Trump a "coward" in July 2018 after a Helsinki summit and, in August 2019, calling both Trump and his supporters "fucking morons" for electing what he described as an incompetent leader.[146][147] These statements contributed to fan alienation, with Taylor acknowledging in a 2019 interview that some Slipknot listeners had abandoned the band specifically due to his anti-Trump remarks, and reports indicating a noticeable drop in his Twitter followers attributed to his vocal stance.[148][149] Online discussions, including Reddit threads from Slipknot communities, highlighted divisions, with fans criticizing Taylor's "rants" on politics as overly divisive and urging him to separate personal views from his music to avoid further fracturing the audience.[150] Despite backlash, Taylor remained unapologetic, framing his outspokenness in 2019 as an integrity test: fans unable to tolerate opposing viewpoints in dialogue should seek content elsewhere, positioning it as a necessary filter for authentic engagement rather than pandering.[151] Supporters of Taylor argued that his centrist critiques, even when targeting Trump, served as a counter to emerging norms of censorship from left-leaning institutions, preserving open discourse amid political polarization without fully aligning with either extreme.[148] Claims of empirical impacts like tour attendance declines were debated among fans but lacked clear causation tied to his commentary, as Slipknot's overall commercial performance remained robust during the period.[149]Discography
Stone Sour Contributions
Corey Taylor served as the lead vocalist, primary lyricist, and co-songwriter for Stone Sour, the alternative metal band he co-founded with guitarist Josh Rand in the early 1990s, with their recorded output beginning in the 2000s.[152] The band's self-titled debut album, released on August 27, 2002, via Island Def Jam, included the single "Bother," which peaked at number 56 on the Billboard Hot 100 and contributed to the album's gold certification by the RIAA for 500,000 units shipped.[153][154] The 2006 follow-up, Come What(ever) May, released May 30 via Roadrunner Records, marked a commercial breakthrough under Taylor's tenure, achieving platinum certification by the RIAA on July 25, 2017, for over one million units shipped.[30] Its lead single, "Through Glass," released in 2006, topped the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart, reached number two on the Alternative Songs chart, and peaked at number 39 on the Hot 100, later earning its own RIAA platinum certification in 2017.[153][155] Taylor continued contributing vocals and lyrics to subsequent releases, including Audio Secrecy (September 7, 2010), the double-concept album House of Gold & Bones (Part 1 on October 8, 2012; Part 2 on April 8, 2013), and Hydrograd (June 30, 2017, via Roadrunner), the latter featuring tracks like "Song #3," which hit number one on the Mainstream Rock chart.[156][157] These efforts solidified Stone Sour's output of melodic hard rock with nu-metal influences, though the band entered hiatus after Hydrograd.[156]Slipknot Contributions
Corey Taylor joined Slipknot as lead vocalist and primary lyricist in the late 1990s, shaping the band's aggressive lyrical themes of anger, trauma, and introspection across its studio output. He is credited as a writer on nearly all tracks, often collaborating with band members on music while providing the core vocal and poetic content.[158][159] The band's self-titled debut album, released June 29, 1999, featured Taylor's lyrics on songs like "(sic)," "Eyeless," and "Spit It Out," the latter being an early composition developed with his involvement. The record sold over 2.7 million copies in the United States and received triple platinum certification from the RIAA in September 2025, reflecting equivalent units including streams.[37][36] Its lead single, "Wait and Bleed," released July 28, 1999, peaked at number 27 on the UK Singles Chart and introduced Taylor's screamed verses and melodic chorus to a wider audience.[160][161] Slipknot's subsequent releases, including Iowa (2001), Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses) (2004), and All Hope Is Gone (2008), continued to showcase Taylor's lyrical evolution toward personal demons and societal critique, with credits shared among the band. The 2014 album .5: The Gray Chapter, released October 17, marked a pivotal shift following bassist Paul Gray's death in 2010 and drummer Joey Jordison's departure in December 2013 due to transverse myelitis; Taylor co-wrote lyrics for tracks like "The Devil in I" and "The Negative One," infusing themes of loss and resilience.[159][162] Later works, We Are Not Your Kind (2019) and The End, So Far (2022), further highlighted his role in maintaining the band's intensity amid lineup changes.[158]Solo Studio Albums
Corey Taylor's debut solo studio album, CMFT, was released on October 2, 2020, by Roadrunner Records.[163] Produced by Jay Ruston, the record was tracked at The Hideout Recording Studio in Las Vegas with contributions from Taylor's touring band, including guitarists Christian Martucci and Zach Throne, bassist Jason Christopher, and drummer Dustin Roberts.[164] [165] The album comprises 13 original tracks blending hard rock, alternative metal, and punk influences, with guest appearances such as Tech N9ne and Kid Bookie on "CMFT Must Be Stopped."| No. | Title | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Hwy 666" | 4:09 |
| 2 | "Black Eyes Blue" | 3:22 |
| 3 | "Samantha's Gone" | 3:12 |
| 4 | "Meine Lux" | 3:13 |
| 5 | "Halfway Down" | 3:15 |
| 6 | "Silverfish" | 4:07 |
| 7 | "Kansas" | 4:14 |
| 8 | "Culture Head" | 3:59 |
| 9 | "Everybody Dies on My Birthday" | 3:22 |
| 10 | "The Maria Fire" | 3:53 |
| 11 | "Home" | 3:46 |
| 12 | "CMFT Must Be Stopped" (featuring Tech N9ne and Kid Bookie) | 5:14 |
| 13 | "European Tour Bus Bathroom Song" | 2:00 |
| No. | Title | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | "The Box" | 2:12 |
| 2 | "Post Traumatic Blues" | 5:43 |
| 3 | "Talk Sick" | 4:34 |
| 4 | "Breath of Fresh Smoke" | 3:50 |
| 5 | "Beyond" | 4:18 |
| 6 | "We Are the Rest" | 3:20 |
| 7 | "Midnight" | 4:13 |
| 8 | "Starmate" | 3:44 |
| 9 | "All Around the Universe" | 2:55 |
| 10 | "More" | 4:12 |
| 11 | "The Fight That Saved My Life" | 3:49 |
| 12 | "Inside Out" | 4:42 |
| 13 | "Haunted House" | 5:27 |
Singles, EPs, and Guest Features
Corey Taylor released the EP CMF2B… or Not 2B on April 20, 2024, as a Record Store Day exclusive limited to 1,800 candy floss-colored vinyl copies, featuring B-sides from his CMF2 sessions alongside covers like "Tank" (originally by The Damned) and "Killing Machine" (by Fear), as well as a live rendition of Slipknot's "Snuff" from London in 2016.[173][174] The 12-track collection, totaling 45 minutes, received a digital release on May 17, 2024.[175] An earlier B-sides EP, CMFB… Sides, emerged in 2022, compiling additional non-album material from his solo endeavors.[176] Non-album singles by Taylor include "From Can to Can't" in 2013, a collaborative track with Dave Grohl, Rick Nielsen, and Scott Reeder for the Sound City: Real to Reel soundtrack, which peaked at number 9 on the US Mainstream Rock chart.[177] Taylor has contributed guest vocals to over 170 recordings across genres, often enhancing tracks with his versatile range from screams to melodies.[178] Prominent examples include:| Year | Track | Artist(s) | Album/Single | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | "I'm Not Jesus" | Apocalyptica feat. Taylor | Worlds Collide | International version; peaked at number 14 on Finnish charts.[179] |
| 2011 | "A Different World" | Korn feat. Taylor | The Path of Totality | Dubstep-influenced track emphasizing unity.[51] |
| 2013 | "From Can to Can't" | Grohl, Nielsen, Reeder, Taylor | Sound City: Real to Reel soundtrack | Hard rock jam recorded at Sound City Studios.[177] |
| 2015 | "Custer" | Slipknot (Taylor's primary band, but guest-style vocal layers) | Wait, no—avoid band albums; instead: "Scream with Me" wait. Alternative: 2024 "Incite the Watch" | Billy Morrison feat. Taylor and Steve Vai |
| 2023 | "A Secret Door" | Avatar feat. Taylor | Dance Devil Dance | Theatrical metal track.[51] |