SLIPKNOT's SHAWN 'CLOWN' CRAHAN Explains Why He Moved From Iowa To Palm Springs: 'The Energy Is Incredible'

In a new interview with the "Kennedy Saves The World" podcast, SLIPKNOT co-founder and percussionist M. Shawn Crahan (a.k.a. Clown) was asked if he still lives in Iowa. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "No, we moved to Palm Springs. There's some health things. And the sun is always out here. It is always blue skies. The energy is incredible, and it's just better for what my wife and I are doing now in our life, which is trying to be stress-free as much as possible and appreciate each other. All the kids are out of the house. So it's been a long haul dedicating to art and life. So we moved to Palm Springs to take a load off and get a different energy and have blue skies, warm weather that just feels good all day, every day."

Asked by podcast host Kennedy if he feels "at peace" in Palm Springs, Crahan said: "Man. Well, I'm not trying to turn this, 'cause you asked the question. I gotta be always honest. I don't lie, cheat or steal. We lost a family member, and in the Midwest — anywhere with great people, anywhere with good people around — they're always gonna be there for you. And it's hard for my wife and I to be in the situation we were in, and so many good people around. Like I always say, a lot of people will go home to dinner, and we're kind of stuck in it anyway. And so, yeah, a lot of peace here in Palm Springs. Different energy. My wife was ill, and we came here a couple of times and her spirits got really a lot… I mean, just her spirits and her health and everything just went up. And one day it was 120 degrees, and we were laying out in the pool looking at these little mountains just, like, 'Whoa, are we here?' She's, like, 'I could live here.' So we're here. So that's it. She just had to say that. And, honestly, yeah, we've got a lot of peace. So it's nice to change your situation, get out of the woods, get in the desert."

Shawn's daughter Gabrielle Crahan died on May 18, 2019 in Los Angeles, with Shawn announcing the death the following day. The 22-year-old was one of four children Shawn had with his wife, Chantel, whom he married in June 1992.

Gabrielle was remembered in her obituary as a "social butterfly" with an "outgoing personality, cheerful attitude, compassion and loving heart." The obituary said Gabrielle fought hard against drug addiction and worked to help others who were also struggling.

Gabrielle's brother Simon and older sister Alexandria both expressed their grief over her death on social media.

M. Shawn Crahan is not only the co-founder, percussionist, production designer and artistic visionary of SLIPKNOT, one of the world's biggest metal bands, he is a multi-faceted musician (DIRTY LITTLE RABBITS, TO MY SURPRISE, THE BLACK DOTS OF DEATH),a painter and photographer whose work has been exhibited in galleries globally and published in the 2012 book "The Apocalyptic Nightmare Journey", a director and videographer, having directed a string of music videos for music artists, including SLIPKNOT, MOTIONLESS IN WHITE and HOLLYWOOD UNDEAD, the 2016 movie adaptation of graphic novel "Officer Downe" and SLIPKNOT's own "Day Of The Gusano" and "Pollution" movies. He also has an extensive body of studio work, having produced albums for MUDVAYNE, DOWNTHESUN, GIZMACHI and 40 BELOW SUMMER and helmed remixes for the likes of BRING ME THE HORIZON, COHEED AND CAMBRIA, SUICIDE SILENCE, MARILYN MANSON, AMERICAN HEAD CHARGE and ESCAPE THE FATE, among others. He is also an actor, having starred as the carny "Tamer" in the 2012 movie "The Devil's Carnival" and an entrepreneur, guiding the development and blending of SLIPKNOT's No. 9 whiskey, in collaboration with Iowa distillery Cedar Ridge.