During an appearance on the March 3 episode of Doug Bradley‘s “Down To Hell” show, SLIPKNOT frontman Corey Taylor was asked if he has plans to write another book. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “I kind of put a pause on the books about five years ago because [my last book, 2017’s ‘America 51’] almost killed me. It was such a gnarly, gnarly experience. But I’m actually getting the itch to do another one again. And not just another one but, like, another fun [book].”
Taylor went on to elaborate on why writing “America 51” was so unenjoyable for him. “That was very political,” he said. “And I won’t bore anybody with my partisan crap, but it was just the lamentations of somebody who could see that we were in for a very long four years.
“When I wrote that, it was definitely something I needed to say,” he continued. “And I was, like, ‘You know what? I’m never doing another politics book ever again. I don’t even care.'”
When co-host Steph Sciullo pointed out that a lot of artists won’t voice their opinions because they don’t want to alienate any of their fans, Corey said: “But then they get so bent out of shape when people think that they’re fake or they’re two-dimensional. It’s, like, well, if you acted like yourself, maybe people would get a chance to get to know you and they would see that you’re a three-dimensional person. It’s this lambastic white-bred bullshit that keeps people from enjoying what they do.
“Early on, I said I don’t care if it gets me in trouble,” Taylor explained. “I’m gonna speak my mind. I’m not gonna be a jerk — well, okay, I was a jerk a handful of times — but I’m not gonna censor myself. If I have an opinion about something, I’m gonna say it. And I think people find that refreshing. I know it annoys some people, but at the same time, they’re, like, at least you know you’re gonna get exactly what I think.”
A year ago, Taylor told Matt Pinfield of 95.5 KLOS‘s “New & Approved” series that he was “starting to get the itch” to write his fifth book. “I’ve got a concept in mind,” he said. “It has to do with social media and the age that we live in — the ‘outrage’ age. And it’s starting to really kind of form in my head. I may actually write it soon. Because it’s really kind of out of control out there right now.
“I was reading about how Gen Z is trying to cancel Eminem because of one line that was in a Rihanna song that he did with her,” he continued. “And I’m just, like, is that where we are right now? I mean, at this point, you’re talking about the Salem witch trials. You’re talking about America in the ’20s where the KKK was a political force. You’re talking about complete condemnation without context or any rationalization for an action like that. And to me, that’s [what’s] most dangerous — when the mob decides that you’re gone. That is Caesar at the Colosseum, for god’s sakes. That’s when it’s dangerous. The level of censorship that we’re starting to see… And I’m not saying that certain things haven’t been said that easily offend people. However, the flipside of that is that you can’t even make a joke anymore — even in the cleanest of situations. [People] completely turn on you. And there’s not one hint of satire, there’s no hint of irony — it’s just all-out rage, and it’s all through this [shows his smartphone]. And that’s when it’s really greedy, that’s when it’s really dirty. It can’t be that way. If we can’t have a conversation, how the hell are we gonna communicate. And if we can’t understand the difference between metaphor and complete reality, then we’re in real trouble. And that’s where I’m leaning with the book.”
Roughly one-third of “America 51” was dedicated to Corey‘s derision for President Donald Trump.
Corey previously said that “writing a book” is “quite different” from writing songs. “With a book, I could just fucking vomit from the brain,” he explained. “But with music, at least for me, I like the confines of it, I like the structure. I love songs, I love getting in, being concise, getting people with a hook, blasting them… Whether it’s fucking angry or melodic, and then getting out and leaving them wanting more. So, to me, the book lets me unleash it and kinda take shit to its natural end, as far as that goes. Because my brain is fucked up. So I will take that as far as it will go until I kind of sit there and go, ‘I have no way to beat that to the fucking death anymore.’ And I kind of go from there. So it’s good to kinda have no rules, and rules. It’s refreshing.”
Corey, who is often referred to as the “Great Big Mouth” due to his outspoken views, told the 94.3 KILO radio station in a 2017 interview that he is not worried about possible fallout from his comments. “That’s part of being an American,” he explained. “I mean, nothing drives me more crazy than when somebody says to celebrities or whatever, ‘Why don’t you just stick to acting?’ And I’m, like, ‘What? Leave politics to you? Why don’t you stick to writing bad reviews in your mom’s basement? Just shut your mouth. I’m just as American as you are, I have every right to say what I want, and you can shove that kind of attitude straight up your ass.”
In February, Taylor released a new solo album, titled “CMFB…Sides”, via Roadrunner Records. “CMFB…Sides” comprises nine previously unreleased B-sides, covers of tunes that inspired Corey, acoustic renditions, and live versions.
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