The INSANE Story of Slipknot (Documentary)

Recap

The documentary traces Slipknot’s rise from a rough-edged group of musicians in Des Moines, Iowa, to a band that presented itself as a culture as much as a music act. The members describe their masks as a way to inhabit a more unrestrained stage persona, and the masks and volatile performances became central to the band’s identity.

Early years and breakthrough

The story opens with a notorious 1999 show in Cleveland, where audience members threw batteries at the band. The film links the hostility to local fans of Mushroomhead, who believed Slipknot had copied their masked look.

It then turns to vocalist Corey Taylor’s troubled youth, including a suicide attempt and struggles with addiction. After waking in a hospital, Taylor saw Faith No More’s Mike Patton perform at the 1990 MTV Video Music Awards. The documentary presents the performance as a turning point in Taylor’s ambition to become a singer.

Slipknot’s beginnings were a gamble. Joey Jordison, Shawn “Clown” Crahan, and bassist Paul Gray pooled $40,000 to make the independent album Mate. Feed. Kill. Repeat. It sold poorly at first, though the film says copies later became highly sought after.

The band recruited Taylor after seeing him perform, despite his commitment to Stone Sour. His arrival also meant Anders Colsefni left the group.

A major rejection became one of the band’s best revenge stories. Sony Records reportedly warned other labels not to sign Slipknot, with one executive dismissing them as an unacceptable future for music. After Slipknot went platinum, they sent the executive dead roses with a taunting note.

The band eventually signed a seven-album deal with Roadrunner Records and released its self-titled debut in 1999, which quickly went platinum.

Humor, performances, and feuds

The documentary also spotlights the band’s chaotic humor. Members recall playing cheesy ’80s riffs and songs like “Back in Black” or Jimmy Buffett tunes together. One interviewee says they might be throwing a dance party to Electric Six or Whitney Houston just minutes before taking the stage.

Clown’s crowd-wrestling antics helped make the shows unpredictable. The film recounts how an especially energetic fan, Sid Wilson, head-butted Clown during a scuffle. Afterward, Clown decided Sid belonged in the band as its ninth member.

Slipknot’s confrontational image brought feuds and controversy. After Limp Bizkit’s Fred Durst insulted Slipknot fans as “fat ugly kids,” Taylor fired back, challenging Durst for insulting his own audience.

The film also discusses a murder case associated with lyrics from “Disasterpiece,” as well as a separate cemetery incident in which a note containing Slipknot lyrics was reportedly found near a robbed grave. It presents these as disturbing controversies around the band, not as events the members themselves carried out.

Losses and lineup changes

The story turns tragic with Paul Gray’s death from an accidental morphine overdose. The band appeared together unmasked to pay tribute to him.

Later, founding drummer Joey Jordison disputed the band’s announcement that he had left, saying he had not quit. Jay Weinberg, who replaced him, was also dismissed years later. The documentary describes Weinberg as feeling blindsided and still confused about what happened.

Legacy

Despite those ruptures, the film closes on Slipknot’s enduring connection with fans. It includes a moment when Taylor stops a show to help protect someone in the crowd, and touches on the group’s continued ventures into merchandise and other businesses.

People featured or discussed

• Corey Taylor
• Shawn “Clown” Crahan
• Joey Jordison
• Paul Gray
• Mick Thomson
• Sid Wilson
• Anders Colsefni
• Jay Weinberg
• Fred Durst
• Mike Patton