PressliveDaily Interview: Joey Jordison of SlipknotBy Don Zulaica, liveDaily Contributor Now fresh off a stint in producer Rick Rubin's haunted mansion, the nine Des Moines, IA, natives who make up heavy-metal purveyors Slipknot are brimming with confidence over their forthcoming, as-yet-untitled album. The band's rowdy reputation precedes it, and anybody anticipating a live show should probably expect big mayhem--and possible hospital bills. At one Wolverhampton gig in the U.K., DJ Sid Wilson landed on a 19-year-old fan after attempting a back-flip from a 30-foot balcony. (The fan reportedly later said it was the best show ever.) Slipknot will be spanning the globe on various tours, including Jaegermiester shows with Fear Factory and Chimaira, and the obligatory Ozzfest headlining dates. 28-year-old Joey Jordison, the band's drummer and one of its principal songwriters, spoke with liveDaily about his beginnings, Rick Rubin, and meeting his heavy-metal idol, Ozzy Osbourne. liveDaily: What was your musical climate like growing up? Joey Jordison: Most parents put their kids in front of a television when they're young, to calm them down or whatever. Mine always had music on--they sat me in front of the stereo. I'd listen to Zeppelin, The Who, The Kinks, The Rolling Stones, and KISS. KISS is one of my favorite bands, and Peter Criss was one of my favorite drummers growing up. Also [John] Bonham and [Keith] Moon. Being in a heavy-metal band like Slipknot, I'd think Slayer's Dave Lombardo would be an influence too. During that whole thrash metal thing in the '80s, he was the man at that time. Still is. He's the forefather of that whole style. I did everything I could to learn what he was doing. You play drums with the band, but you also play guitar as well, right? I actually played guitar before I played drums. My grandfather had a guitar at his house, and I started playing it when I was five or six. I just copped Stones licks, never took any lessons or anything. But I always had the ability to catch on to the rhythm of things, had the beat locked up really well. Coming forward to the new album, you went from Ross Robinson producing your first two records in Des Moines, to Rick Rubin's haunted mansion in Laurel Canyon. What did he give you? Rick works differently from other producers. That's really hard to put into words. He wants you to do what you want, he wants you to get your vision of your song through your playing, and lay that down. I'll do maybe a half dozen takes of a song, and then he'll come in and we'll listen to it. After that, then he'll start giving suggestions. It's awesome because you get everything that you want out of the song, and then you build on it after that. His resume is ridiculous, but what specifically made you think you had to work with him? [The Red Hot Chili Peppers'] "Blood Sugar Sex Magic." Did you see the documentary about how they recorded it in that haunted mansion? That was insane. Something happened [to the Chili Peppers] with that record. I don't f---ing know what it was, but he's a genius. The touring schedule looks meaty, with some gigs with Metallica and Ozzfest. Being such a metal fan, what was it like hooking up with Ozzy? Surreal. The first time I met him, I gave him a hug and spilled a Coke on his back! [laughs] I was so nervous. Couldn't believe I did it, and then he said [in Ozzy's slurred dialect] "S'all right mate, s'all right." [Ozzy's son] Jack is a huge 'Knot fan. He's a cool kid. |