SHAWN CRAHAN: PAUL GRAY Will Always Be Part Of The SLIPKNOT 'Thought Process'

Brandon Marshall of the Denver Westword recently conducted an interview with SLIPKNOT percussionist Shawn "Clown" Crahan. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

Denver Westword: Has SLIPKNOT begun the writing process for the new album, and will SLIPKNOT fans hear new music in 2013?

Crahan: I don't know what year you will hear it in, but the writing process has begun. It's in different stages with different members, and everyone is just doing what they're doing. Everyone will bring what they have done to the table. Some of it will get used, some of it will not get used, but it won't be SLIPKNOT until all of the gentlemen have put their love onto it. Everybody is writing every day, putting down the pain, the love, and preparing for the future.

Denver Westword: Tell us about Knotfest. What is the idea behind it, and will this be an annual event?

Crahan: It's a dream we have always had. It's a festival idea that we have, trying to bring a little more of the European vibe, have a lot of fun and share our thought process with our culture. There has been talk about it going on if we're not out playing. That's not a priority right now. There is also talk about when the next record comes out, and maybe we'll start it with Knotfest, but, right now, less is more. The first show is in Iowa. The second show is in Somerset, Wisconsin. We are taking a couple of us and seeing how it goes. Whether it goes good or bad, it's another dream that we had and another notch on the board. It's something that we always wanted to accomplish, and we're doing it.

Denver Westword: This sounds like it will be the circus from hell.

Crahan: A circus has elephants, tightropes, nets, a leader in a three ring, and clown cars with thirty clowns coming out of it. I would say it's more like a carnival, not a circus. There is no circus on earth without an elephant — you'd need to see a fucking elephant.

Denver Westword: After Paul [Gray, bass] died, was the future of SLIPKNOT ever in question, and will you seek a full-time bass player?

Crahan: I don't need to talk about a new bass player, because there will only be nine. Paul was number two of nine. He will always be there. He will always be at the round table with a glass of wine, our drink of choice, with a plate of food. He will always be involved with every record for the rest of our career. He will always be onstage. He will always be a part of the thought process. As far as a new bass player is concerned, I don't have to think about that. The time that I have to think about that will come soon enough. Whatever is meant to be will be meant to be. I really don't even care to think about it, because there is no reason to think about it. I can't predict the future, nor will I. I'm not a fortune teller.

Denver Westword: When SLIPKNOT made its first live appearance since Paul's death, did you feel that Paul was with you?

Crahan: Absolutely. He is with me right now.

Read the entire interview from Denver Westword.