SLIPKNOT's CLOWN To Make Documentary About Eating Disorders

SLIPKNOT mastermind/percussionist M. Shawn "Clown" Crahan has posted the following message:

"As many of you know, I have produced documentaries for all of SLIPKNOT ‘s album cycles. Recently, I also worked on a documentary about the scariest haunted house in America, the House Of Shock in New Orleans, which will be coming out soon.

"Making these documentaries has ignited a passion in me to continue using this medium to get at the truth behind the mask, to expose the pain and the beauty hidden behind the facades we like to hide behind.

"I don't want to judge or to hurt but to help, and to heal.

"What I am going to ask for next may be difficult for some of you to contemplate but I ask that you keep an open mind and to think about what an experience like this might have meant to you had it been available when you began your journey.

"I am looking for the following for my next documentary project:

* A man and/or a woman at least 30 years of age who has been diagnosed with anorexia, bulimia, and/or any other eating disorder or any combination thereof.
* A man and/or a woman between the ages of 18 and 30 years of age who has been diagnosed with anorexia, bulimia, and/or any other eating disorder or any combination thereof.
* A man and/or a woman under the age of 18 years of age who has been diagnosed with anorexia, bulimia, and/or any other eating disorder or any combination thereof.

"I know how incredibly difficult these disorders are to live with, to speak about, and to have to confront. I want to be direct, honest, and unflinching in telling your stories of struggle and triumph, failure and success as you find your path to a healthy life.

"Why eating disorders? My path through life has brought me into contact with a number of women and men suffering from these terrible diseases and I feel compelled to do what I can to help.

"I warn you now that I intend to ask a great deal of you. I am not interested in telling only part of the story. I want to speak to you and film your story. I want to be positive but not condescending, to be honest, but not cruel. My hope is that your experiences will give the woman or man suffering in silence the strength to get help. My hope is that telling your story will empower you to gain control of your illness.

"I have seen the devastation eating disorders inflict on both the people suffering from them as well as on their families. I am not foolish enough to believe this will cure anyone, but can we help to save someone? Isn't that a chance worth taking?

"Although I am not a religious man, I will leave you with this quote from C.S. Lewis:
'If you look for truth, you may find comfort in the end; if you look for comfort you will not get either comfort or truth only soft soap and wishful thinking to begin, and in the end, despair.'

"Those interested may contact me by email at: schon (at) 5bam.com All responses will be kept completely confidential.

"Thanks for your time. Let's make a difference."

M. Shawn Crahan, better known as Clown, is the percussionist and founding member of the Grammy Award-winning hard rock band SLIPKNOT. Crahan is also the art director for SLIPKNOT and directed their DVDs, "Disasterpieces", "Voliminal: Inside The Nine", "Of The (sic)", and "(sic)nesses: Live at Download". He has been the creative vision behind the band since their inception.

Outside of SLIPKNOT, Crahan has had a few other projects of note: TO MY SURPRISE, who released one album (executive-produced by Rick Rubin) on Roadrunner Records in 2004, as well as the alternative group DIRTY LITTLE RABBITS. Crahan produced, played drums, and wrote in both groups. In 2009, DIRTY LITTLE RABBITS released the EP "Simon" on The End Records, which was followed by their self-titled full length in 2010. Recently, Crahan has been focusing his musical energy on his newest band, THE BLACK DOTS OF DEATH. In this latest project, Crahan can once again be found behind the drum kit in addition to writing, recording, and producing the band, whose debut album, "Ever Since We Were Children", hit stores in the spring of 2011.

In addition to producing his own work, Crahan has also worked as a producer for several bands, including GIZMACHI and DIRTFEDD, as well as serving as an executive producer to bands such as MUDVAYNE. Crahan has also remixed several songs for artists, including MARILYN MANSON, COHEED AND CAMBRIA, MINDLESS SELF INDULGENCE and SUICIDE SILENCE.