SHAWN 'CLOWN' CRAHAN Talks 20th Anniversary Of SLIPKNOT Debut, Upcoming Studio Album (Audio)

Andy Hall of the Iowa radio station Lazer 103.3 recently conducted an interview with SLIPKNOT percussionist and co-founder Shawn "Clown" Crahan about the band's partnership with the Des Moines haunted attraction Slaughterhouse. You can listen to the entire chat via the SoundCloud widget below. A few excerpts follow (transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET).

On what made them bring the SLIPKNOT "experience" to Slaughterhouse:

Shawn: "You know, we're from there. I still live in Des Moines. It was a very unique situation that we found some people who really enjoy what they do and feel like us. We've been wanting to do this for a while. It's something we're interested in. It's got to be right. It can't be confused. We found some people that really just understand where we're coming from and we understand where they're coming from and it just makes sense. To do it in our own homebase is great because it's where we're from, it's easy to do, it's a lot of fun. A lot of what we're doing now reminds us a little bit about the old days with the energy and stuff like that. It's good times all around."

On what it will mean for SLIPKNOT fans to experience the event with the band:

Shawn: "I'm an only child — I'm the kind of person that wouldn't do it. It would just be too much for it. Also, I'm the type of person, I don't want what I think of people to change in my brain. However, that's why I do this. I'm excited to meet them. You couldn't believe the stories and experiences we get. A lot of us in SLIPKNOT, we get to go to wounded soldier hospitals where soldiers have lost their limbs. That's surreal. It's even more surreal to talk to them about your band. They're talking to you about war and losing their limbs and at same time, they're talking about their favorite album, these kind of things. It really flipped on me. I'm really excited about doing it because of the potential it has to create. It's not necessarily a long-lasting friendship, but you create this thing that's needed. I think it's needed for us to understand just how important we are because we like to let the fans know how important they are. So, I can imagine how people get really seriously crazy excited and I've seen it. I've seen it. I think it's a cool thing. We try to make it original onto itself. We try to make it spectacular so at least on the human side, there's an understanding, if that makes sense."

On how SLIPKNOT plans to celebrate the 20th anniversary of its 1999 self-titled debut:

Shawn: "Basically, we're celebrating 20 years of the first album and we thought it would be cool to make some art on many different levels for the planet. We've been gone long enough and I think it's time people understand what's really happening, so we're putting together a little something something for the 20th anniversary. I can't go into it too much, but every luxury has a price, so for those who make the journey, I guess those who are the ones who understand."

On whether SLIPKNOT has completed any new songs in preparation for their next studio album:

Shawn: "I'll let the world know this: I get reprimanded a lot for my mouth just for how much I want to deliver because I really don't care, but I'll tell you this: A, we've been home for two years. B, do your research and figure out how long we really stay home and C, staying home gets boring, so you've got to do things. I would imagine that there's material that's not only out there, but it's finished. We did things a little bit different this time off. We made sure we made ourselves happy and making ourselves happy is we live for the song, we live for the stage, we live for the fans, we live for the art, but if it's going to be a time we can create art, record songs, write songs, jam songs, we do it. So, we've learned we're obsessed with that process. We love chasing vision and art until it's complete. It takes time. We did ourselves a solid this time around and made sure the whole time off we could create and that's what we did. It's been awesome, and I think everybody is going to understand just how wonderful it has been the last two years to take the time off and create."

The haunted attraction will be open from October 5 through October 28, with VIP packages available for the weekend of October 18 through October 21. General admission tickets cost $20, with $30 skip-the-line passes also available.

SLIPKNOT is slated to begin recording its new album early next year.