Arguably the biggest metal band in the world, Slipknot is the subject of our current series. Episode 2 of 4 picks up the band following the release of their game-changing debut, from Ozzfest side-stage opener to headlining over legends in just a year, followed by the release of their second album, Iowa (Roadrunner Records).
Kicking off a new series on arguably the biggest metal band in the world Slipknot! Episode 1 of 4 takes the band from their formation out of the mire of the Iowa metal and rock scene in the early 1990s, forming the “classic” line-up, working with Ross Robinson signing with Roadrunner Records , comparisons to Mushroomhead, to releasing the the epic debut album in 1999!
In a post to social media, Slipknot has confirmed the identity of percussionist Tortilla Man. As widely rumored, and in a story broken by Ghost Cult in 2019 based on reddit sleuthing and a popular YouTuber, Tortilla man is actually multi-instrumentalist Michael Pfaff, of M. Shawn Crahan’s Dirty Little Rabbits band, and The Snacks. Promoting his upcoming Reddit AMA, with Michael holding a handwritten sign in the picture that says: “I Am Michael Pfaff, AMA Wednesday 3/16/22, 2 pm CT”. Tortilla Man joined the band in May of 2019, replacing Chris Fehn, dismissed earlier that year, as the second percussionist in the band. His debut appearance in the band was the video for “Unsainted.”
Slipknot, by Evil Robb Photography
In a story, we have continued to track since 2019, it appears that former Slipknot percussionist Chris Fehn has, at last, dropped his series of lawsuits against the band and their manager and settled for an undisclosed, likely large, sum of money. As reported by Metalsucks, new court documents filed in the New York State Supreme Court on October 29, indicate that Fehn has agreed to stop pursuing the suit “without prejudice,” meaning he cannot refile on the same claims. Ghost Cult has followed this story for a year and a half and even had a lawyer analyze the case since we are not lawyers. Continue reading
Slipknot, by Evil Robb Photography
In a story, we have continued to track since 2019, and brand new developing news broken by Metalsucks.com, lawsuits filed against Slipknot by former percussionist Chris Fehn have finally gone to mediation for a settlement, perhaps telegraphing an end to the legal saga for both parties. In 2003 Slipknot dissolved the original partnership they had before they hit it big with their debut, in favor of a new arrangement giving control of the band to Corey Taylor, M. Shawn Crahan, and their manager Robert short of RSA. Fehn sure the band and both Taylor and Crahan, and he was dismissed from the band. Since we are not lawyers, we consulted with one to get their take on the potential outcome last year. It did not look good for Fehn at the time. Metalsucks has caught up on the most recent events, which we have excerpted below, but you can read the full update at their site at this link:Continue reading
Slipknot, by Evil Robb Photography
Yesterday ( Tuesday (November 26) former Slipknot percussionist Chris Fehn’s lawyers were in court as they continue to pursue legal action against the band, Corey Taylor and M. Shawn Crahan, and their business manager Robert Shore. According to a published report by MetalSucks, former Slipknot percussionist Chris Fehn’s individual claim against his former band’s business manager Robert Shore is likely to be dismissed in a New York court on. As per an indication by the judge for the case Shore is likely no longer going to be named as an individual in Fehn’s lawsuit, after Justice Melissa Anne Crane found that there wasn’t sufficient evidence tying him directly as a fiduciary to Fehn to warrant the individual claim. However, Fehn’s claim against Shore’s music business management company, Rob Shore & Associates, has been allowed to proceed for now. This past September, Slipknot members Corey Taylor and Michael Shawn Crahan (a.k.a. Clown) filed motions for dismissal from Fehn’s claims, insisting they have no ties to New York, where Fehn filed the case. They claim none of their contracts were executed in the state nor were any of their albums recorded in New York. Those claims are set to be heard on January 3, 2020.Continue reading
In a message on social media. Slipknot has marked the fifth anniversary of their last album, .05: The Gray Chapter (Roadrunner Records) from 2014. M. Shawn Crahan, aka Clown or #6 wrote the post that marked the difficult chapter in the bands’ history that saw the death of band co-founder Paul Gray in 2019 and the firing of drummer Joey Jordison in 2013. The image on the post features alternate artwork for that album. Continue reading
Slipknot, by Evil Robb Photography
According to The Blast, Slipknot members Corey Taylor and Michael Shawn Crahan (a.k.a. Clown) are asking a judge to throw out Chris Fehn’s lawsuit. In the documents, which were filed on Wednesday (September 11) in New York State Supreme Court, Taylor and Crahan claim Fehn’s lawsuit was filed in the wrong court. They claim to have no ties to New York, where Fehn filed the case. They claim none of their contracts were executed in the state nor were any of their albums recorded in New York.Taylor and Crahan said in separate affidavits in support of motion to dismiss for lack of personal jurisdiction: “Except for infrequent tour appearances with the band which included performances in New York during national and worldwide multi-city tours in 1999-2001, 2004, 2008 and 2019, [we] have never worked in New York and do not conduct business in New York.” Fehn launched a lawsuit against his former band in March, to which the band dismissed Fehn from the group. Ghost Cult has enlisted a lawyer to examine the documents and break it down in layman’s terms for the fans. Continue reading
In a new interview with Loudwire’s Jon Wiederhorn, M. Shawn Crahan (a.k.a. Clown, a.k.a #6), the leader of Slipknot has revealed the band will release an entire albums’ worth of new, never before heard material leftover from 2008’s All Hope is Gone (Roadrunner). This revelation comes on the heels that the prolific and popular metallers also have an album’s worth of new songs remaining unreleased after their new album We Are Not Your Kind (also Roadrunner) came out recently. Clown commented about the All Hope Is Gone outtakes:Continue reading
Slipknot, by Evil Robb Photography
According to a published report from The Blast, former Slipknot percussionist Chris Fehn is asking a judge deny the motion to have his lawsuit against the band tossed out. This is a typical response to an attempt to have a case dismissed and was expected. Slipknot’s business manager Robert Shore recently sought to have Fehn’s case thrown out. In his original lawsuit, Fehn accused Shore of playing a role in cheating him out of his rightful profits from Slipknot, along with chief band stakeholders as of 2003, Corey Taylor and M. Shawn Crahan. Fehn claims that Shore and his company were directly responsible for managing his personal and business finances and he believes they had fiduciary obligations to him. Fehn’s lawyers have asserted Fehn is legally still in the band, while the band has appeared to move on without him. In case you missed it, Ghost Cult sought a real lawyer (because we don’t know shit about this) to examine the case and walk through possible outcomes. Read his feature below. Continue reading