COREY TAYLOR: 'Sometimes Tension Can Hinder Art Instead Of Create Art'

In a new interview with Terrie Carr of the Morristown, New Jersey radio station 105.5 WDHA, SLIPKNOT frontman Corey Taylor, who is promoting his upcoming second solo album, "CMF2", was asked about his mindset in the studio when he is working on his solo music. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "To me, it's very collaborative to the point where… What I like is when guys come in and they've got a great idea for what they wanna do and then we kind of play it together. And then I go, 'You know what? That works. Maybe not this, but let's try that.' Or it just all works. To me, I want it all to be positive.

"I'm not a gnarly dude in the studio," he explained. "My whole goal is to write. My whole goal is to make something that people can look back on and go, 'Man, that was incredible.' And I know from past experience that you don't always need tension for that. Sometimes tension can hinder art instead of create art. Now, it has its place. But for me, especially with this band, man, we have such a great time, not only just playing together but hanging out. We know that together we can get there.

"I'm not a slave driver," Corey added. "I don't crack the whip so much. I let things happen naturally. And if there's something that I'm not hearing, then we go back and we figure it out or I add it as ear candy or I play it myself. I'm pretty easy when it comes to that stuff. And we just love to have a good time doing it."

"CMF2", which will arrive in September, is Taylor's first album for BMG and the first on his own label imprint, Decibel Cooper Recordings.

Jay Ruston (ANTHRAX, STEEL PANTHER, AMON AMARTH),who produced STONE SOUR's 2017 "Hydrograd" LP as well as "CMFT", returns for Taylor's second full-length.

"CMF2" follows up Taylor's 2020 solo debut "CMFT", which featured the No. 1 Billboard mainstream rock single "Black Eyes Blue" and streaming sensation "CMFT Must Be Stopped" (feat. Tech N9ne and Kid Bookie). The LP hit No. 6 on Billboard's U.S. Top Rock Albums chart.

In support of his new album, Taylor has announced his 2023 tour featuring special guests WARGASM, OXYMORRONS and LUNA AURA on select dates. Produced by Live Nation, the 28-city tour kicks off on August 25 at Fillmore Auditorium in Denver, making stops across the U.S in Detroit, Orlando, Dallas and more before the final headline show in Los Angeles at The Wiltern on October 5.

The official video for "CMF2"'s first single "Beyond", as premiered by Rolling Stone, was shot at a remote location within California's Mojave Desert. Captured through the lens of director Dale "Rage" Resteghini (HATEBREED, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, TRIVIUM),the video finds Taylor trudging around the desert as a musing Uncle Sam intermingling with members of the band and the CHERRY BOMBS, the all-girl dance group featuring Taylor's wife Alicia Taylor, all the while being surrounded by different versions of himself from through the years — before culminating as a live performance for a mass of fans in the round.

Photo credit: Pamela Littky