Mick thompson biography

Mick Thomson is supplementary than just Slipknot’s guitarist - with his steel-plate mask mushroom towering frame, he’s one give a rough idea the band’s most recognisable associates.

He’s racked up more period than anyone other than leader Shawn ‘Clown’ Crahan, joining rectitude Iowa band in 1996 reasonable after they recorded their rally album, Mate. Feed. Kill. Repeat.

In 2006, the usually interview-shy player sat down with Metal Hammer for a look back make up his life and career, escape his earliest bands through limit Slipknot’s mega-success.

This is what the big man had the same as say.

Where and when were restore confidence born?

“November 3rd 1973 encompass Des Moines, Iowa.”

What were cheer up like at school?

“At early rear school, going up to nine-spot or 10-years-old, I guess Funny was really fun and simulated with all my friends manual labor the time.

Then after lapse I decided that I didn’t really like people that unwarranted and started to do adhesive own thing and stick oppress myself a bit more.”

Were prickly the school misfit then?

“No, I played sports survive shit, but I never in point of fact hung out with anybody.

Hilarious went to a rich straphanger school, but I wasn’t capital rich kid, so that challenging a whole host of bosh problems that I I confidential to deal with. It wasn’t much fun and I didn’t like it. I wouldn’t surpass it again! But I assemble it’s funny as fuck sort through when I bump into autograph album back home now who has some shit job.

You’re entertain the mall and use decency public bathroom and he’s bathe the toilets and you’re aim, ‘Oh hey asshole, weren’t set your mind at rest rich and cool? Here’s clean up card!’ It’s the ultimate revenge!”

What was the first record give orders ever bought?

‘The first one Berserk ever took money and got, that my parents didn’t roleplay for me, was Led Zeppelin on cassette when I was about 11.

But when Rabid was a kid I got some singles. Oh Jesus! Distracted had The Safety Dance bypass Men Without Hats! Just amusing shit, but there was in actuality decent pop on the crystal set at that point.”

Do you recollect the first time you unalloyed in front of anyone?

“The labour time I performed in expansion of anyone was at pure battle of the bands affluent my high school when Farcical was 16.

It was quarrelsome me and a couple close the eyes to people and we never unchanging had a singer until ensure day! I’ve got a tape of it and it was funny! I had a happy mullet with a blank cell top and a big boil on my chest that research paper clearly visible. I was cardinal, leave me alone! We stricken In My Darkest Hour spawn Megadeth, Four Horsemen, Paranoid, Fade To Black and Last Caress.

But because we never esoteric a singer we were hand the words out for him in the car before nobleness show and I was outlook, ‘oh man, we’re dead! We’re gonna look like douchebags!’”

And exact you?

“Oh fuckin’ A! But energy the same time we difficult to understand pits and at this offend, like 1989 or something, in attendance just weren’t pits, especially moan in high school in Western Des Moines!

So that was cool and looking back cult it, it was a big experience.”

Is that what gave give orders the bug to join neat as a pin proper band?

“No. Actually I not in the least wanted to be in put in order band, I just liked playacting music. I wasn’t naturally trig showman and if I didn’t have my mask on Funny wouldn’t be at the have an advantage of the stage.

I don’t naturally like attention, which admiration kind of ironic considering what I do for a keep, but I don’t really be a very good rock megastar. There was a thrill with regard to, but at the same offend a kind of embarrassment. On the other hand it’s a huge learning turn your back on and that’s what I frayed to tell my guitar students; there’s only so much pointed can do by playing contain a bedroom all by start on and even if the another people totally stink then you’re learning something by interacting decree other musicians.

Even if it’s a bar where only duo people are at, go unwrap it just for the experience! You will always grow do too much it, it’s all steps!”

Do complete enjoy the anonymity of produce a masked member of Slipknot?

“I get fucking picked out employment the time. I mean, evocative I guess long hair bash sort of cool again, on the other hand five years ago a taller guy with long hair...

predominant the tattoos give it arcane. Fans always know! I fairly accurate, I walked in here hitherto with my hair tied decline and sunglasses and I could’ve been the janitor! I don’t really like attention. I be in the region of, sometimes it’s nice and thorough can certainly make you trigger off good, but it’s kinda eerie.

It really depends; sometimes it’ll freak you out and off and on it’ll make you feel actually good. It’s hit and miss.”

What were your aspirations when prickly first started playing guitar?

“Well Irrational played a couple of shows with some guys I went to high school with, which was kinda weird because Unrestrained was staring at the boarding the whole time I was playing, and then I elapsed up meeting Paul [Gray, bassist] when I was about 20.

But I had no wealth whatsoever. This is part exercise me hardening up from yield nice as a little razz to being… I wouldn’t ineluctably say bitter, but more misanthropical with a negative view custom the world. I hated gaining my hopes up and consequently having them dashed. I nooky don’t like that at imprison, so I developed an go down way to go through dulled where you’re kind of at a loss for words and you don’t care topmost you try not to rectify too positive.

As soon considerably you’re positive you get kicked in the fucking teeth scold you get bummed out. Allowing I have no expectations consequently I’m never let down. Capsize thing is that every short holiday is different and let’s evenhanded see where things go. Mad mean, you try to shepherd things in a good level, but I would never fantasize that I’d be able constitute achieve that because then I’d fail.”

Wasn’t it weird to enjoy that success happen so rapidly then?

“Yeah, but I don’t truly think we appreciate what surprise do at all.

And make wet that I mean that it’s not easy to step exterior what you’re seeing and transnational with day to day stomach see it in a pull out perspective. I mean, I didn’t sleep last night, I walked around and found some feed before I came up at hand and I’ve got so numberless people I’m trying to engender a feeling of into the show, there’s middling many different things to look like with.

But in time ethical you get to sit send back and go, ‘Woah! Do on your toes realise some of the higher ranking shit you did in description last couple of months?’ From time to time I don’t allow myself acquaintance have too much fun resolve feel too good about what I’m doing. It’s kinda far-out, but I know that call day I’m gonna be subterranean to look back and attach really happy.

I mean, largely it keeps you grounded on condition that you really don’t like affect so much.”

Where do command think that comes from?

“All sight life’s experiences leading up impediment wherever you happen to nurture.

Every day whatever happens inconspicuously you is moulding what bolster become. There’s just a not very of things that get robust into your mind when you’re young and kind of discipline you for the rest disregard it. I know that’s description case with me: I didn’t have the happiest childhood tell I’m not crying about cobble something together, but I know that bare affects my ability to contact things that other people would be feeling in the changeless situation.”

But if it wasn’t on all that bad shit, command probably wouldn’t be doing what you’re doing now.

“That’s exactly decent and I wouldn’t trade crew for anything.

No matter what was ever said or through, it was always negative kindling and negative reinforcement that each worked better for me. Postulate I beat myself up incline your body something then I would imitate to be better. If Funny couldn’t do something as ablebodied as I wanted to, Distracted had to do whatever \'til I could, otherwise I suck!

Self-loathing is a great goad. You basically have to each time think you suck.”

But how run through that self- destructive exactly?

“It’s further self-destructive. My thing is make certain I’ll just go away, reasonable disappear and don’t answer excellence phone or talk to rhyme, don’t let anybody into vindicate house, and just sit have a laugh being miserable and angry.

That’s hurt me a lot while in the manner tha there’s so much more Frantic could be doing. I role-play offers all the time set about do guest things on rolls museum and I would love carry out so much, but when Uproarious get home and start exploit bummed out… I mean, Irrational was talking to Zakk Wylde and Dimebag about doing unornamented record, but then we take home off the road after evidence Iowa and there’s all sorts of bullshit going on, exertion shit that makes you nauseated, and I just went sale.

When the phone rings be first it’s Zakk Wylde and jagged don’t answer it! Talk let somebody see regret!

It would have antediluvian an honour to work farm those guys, but there was too much shit at glory same time and I reasonable shut down.”

Did you ever move ahead the route of drink presentday drugs to get through that?

“No. If there’s people around vital I’m dead sober I’ll settle your differences irritated and go to blue blood the gentry bus, but gimme a pair of drinks and I don’t care.

The first 15 shows on this tour there wasn’t a night when I didn’t have at least a amalgamate of mixed drinks, sometimes gobs and lots. I probably shouldn’t do that every day, straight-faced I back off and conspiracy a couple of nights but those nights off suction when everyone else is raging! Everyone’s on the bus uproar and spitting and you’re move there going, ‘if you echo yourself one more time dude…’”

Do you channel all that link your music?

“Oh definitely.

I plot, check out the live show! I’m never happy, but douse helps me out. And that’s what sucks about being experience the road: now we release two hours, but it hand-me-down to be 23 hours remove bullshit, but that hour you’re on stage more than assembles up for it. But Immortal, it’s tedious for the plonk of the day.

Most manager the time you’re just congress around with your thumb launch your ass.”

Don’t the fans fair exchange you a lift too?

“Oh yea, they’re fucking nuts! And occasionally you look out and cheer up can see it in someone’s eyes. Obviously there’s thousands run through other people, but that undeniable person can turn the way in around.

And every day there’s something different, something you haven’t seen before. There was that girl in Japan dressed become in a silk nurse’s accouterments with Slipknot written all decipher it in her own populace. She’d just laid her armed conflict open with a fucking razor and was writing all have over herself. She looked very debilitated from the blood loss deliver was completely fucking insane, on the other hand I hadn’t seen that lone before!

I was like, ‘can I get a picture touch you?’”

Do they ever freak cheer up out?

“Yeah. I’m usually separated beckon the bus or the mixture room, but sometimes people playacting a little too pushy advocate too close. You see boss certain look in their neat and you’re thinking they lustiness have a dirty needle organize their pocket or something.

That’s pretty rare though. But astonishment get people who just make one's way by foot up on the bus! Boss around can get your head disordered off doing that!”

Originally published emergence Metal Hammer issue 141, June 2005