Corey Todd Taylor (born December 8, 1973), also known by his number #8, is an American musician known as the vocalist of Slipknot and Stone Sour. He has a baritone voice and is famous for his mixed voice screams.

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Corey was born in Des Moines, Iowa. He grew up raised by his mother in poverty.[1] In his youth, he used to play in a High School Band called Criminal Mischief and later, Taylor performed in local Des Moines band Stone Sour, which he co-founded in 1992, and returned to along with lead guitarist James Root, during its revival in 2002. Prior to joining Slipknot, he worked in a Des Moines sex shop called The Adult Emporium where, in 1997, band members Mick Thomson, Joey Jordison and Shawn Crahan approached him to join Slipknot as a vocalist. Two weeks later, Taylor joined Slipknot, effectively placing Stone Sour on hiatus until the band's revival three years later. Taylor replaced the band's original vocalist, Anders Colsefini, who was then relegated to a role more as a backing vocalist. As Corey Taylor had already replaced him within the band Anders Colsefini was realistically no longer needed and disgruntled, he left the band a short time later. Corey Taylor's first major work with the band came in 1998, when Slipknot recorded the Slipknot Demo with the aim of securing producer Ross Robinson's services and a deal with Roadrunner Records.

In 2000, Taylor was approached by Stone Sour's original rhythm guitarist, Josh Rand, with songs Rand had been working on at the time. Taylor was interested in reforming the ensemble, and eventually they were able to re-produce a similar line-up to the original Stone Sour. While Slipknot toured, Taylor and Rand worked together for a year and a half writing, until the band realized their songs were strong enough to produce. Working under Project X, Stone Sour recorded a demo in 2000. Project X was shortly after renamed "SuperEgo", and from there the band recorded the Click Here to Exit demo. By the end of 2000 the group had to again put its plans on hold due to Taylor and Root's obligations with Slipknot, and their recording of Iowa. In 2002 the band now working under the original name Stone Sour officially reformed, and on August 27, 2002, the band's self-titled debut was released.

As well as lending his vocal talents to Stone Sour, Taylor has also performed guitar on four songs the band has recorded, "Sillyworld", "Through Glass", "Zzyzx Rd.", and the Come What(ever) May bonus track "Wicked Game", not to mention the song "Bother" off of the self-titled album, a song which appeared in the 2002 "Spider-Man" soundtrack which labels only him as the artist. Some of which he often plays live and solo during their show's intermission.

Outside Slipknot and Stone Sour, Taylor has founded Great Big Mouth Records, produced Walls of Jericho's EP Redemption, Facecage's album, "III".

Taylor made some guest appearances on a number of albums, as well as on the Roadrunner United project, performing vocals on "The Rich Man" from the project's album The All-Star Sessions. He also performed with Audacious P, a Tenacious D cover band featuring himself and original Slipknot guitarist Josh Brainard, Dum Fux, and planned contributing to Anthrax's latest untitled album, though conflicts emerged in his schedule and he will now be contributing to only select songs, rather than the entire album, as originally planned. He was featured singing in the song "I'm Not Jesus" by Apocalyptica.

Taylor currently writes a monthly column for the UK rock magazine Rock Sound. Taylor's new mask is like Michael Myers' mask in the Halloween series.

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Birth name Corey Todd Taylor
Also known as #8, The Sickness, Faith, The Great Big Mouth
Born December 8, 1973 (1973-12-08) (age 34)
Des Moines, Iowa
Genre(s) Alternative metal, hard rock, nu metal, post-grunge
Occupation(s) Musician, songwriter
Instrument(s) Vocals, Guitar
Voice type(s) Baritone, Death Growl, Rap, Singing,
Years active 1992–present
Label(s) Roadrunner, Great Big Mouth, Nuclear Blast
Associated acts Slipknot, Stone Sour, KoRn, Audacious P, Dum Fux,

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Other appearances
2000: Strait Up (Snot)
2000: Primitive (Soulfly)
2001: Uncivilization (Biohazard)
2002: Rise Above: 24 Black Flag Songs to Benefit the West Memphis Three (Rollins Band)
2004: New Found Power (Damageplan)
2005: The All-Star Sessions (Roadrunner United)
2006: III - (Facecage) (Producer)
2007: Worlds Collide (Apocalyptica)
2007: Systematic Chaos (Dream Theater)
2008: Redemption (Walls of Jericho) (Producer)
2008: Third studio album (Zeromind)
2009: IV - (Facecage) (Producer)

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1999: Welcome to Our Neighborhood
2002: Disasterpieces
2002: Rollerball
2005: Metal: A Headbanger's Journey
2005: (Set This) World Ablaze
2006: Voliminal: Inside the Nine
2008: Nine: The Making of "All Hope Is Gone"

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Nicknamed "The Sickness" December 8, 1973

Corey is the master of the horrid vocals and lyrics in Slipknot. Before he joined the band, he worked in a porn shop to earn money (it was called "Adult Emporium"). On stage he is loud, fast, and out of control. Offstage, he seems very calm and down to Earth. Before Slipknot he was part of the band Stone Sour. Corey loves Comedy albums, which he grew up on.

RUMOURS: He has been known to dress as a priest onstage. Corey is apparently a fan of "Mike Patton" who has been in Faith No more, Fantamos and Mr Bungle. According to Shawn Corey has an 18 inch neck. Corey prefers the nickname "FAITH".

A must listen: Real Audio Corey Interview (36 mins)

Quote - "We aren't hiding behind these masks, we're actually revealing more to you than you might think. The mask I wear brings out all the shit inside me that I hate. Plus it hurts like hell, which helps my intensity." "If you feel like talking, you talk, if you don't, you don't" “So many people are like, 'Gimmick, gimmick, gimmick!', Fuck you! You don't know what we're about! Our motto has always been, 'Music First.' Even if the masks and the coveralls weren't there, the music would still be good."

Mask - Used to be a leather face cover, with brown/blonde dreads. Yes, some of the dreads were made of his real hair. He used to wear them through the mask, but he cut them off because it was a pain to pull them through. Also, he was always changing his hairstyle. Now, his mask is made out of moulded latex instead of leather. Most of the dreads now seem to be fake. MEANING: "Twenty-seven, What does that mean? You'll figure it out" "Complete pain, it represents everything I fucking rally against, there is so much hate, blood, spit and puke in that fucking mask just from playing, I put it on every night and I remember why I am playing. I go from me now to the person I was when I wrote the songs."

Corey and his several types of "singing/shouting":
1) When he's actually singing (wait and bleed, mid point of no life)
2) Crazy screaming (beginning of sic and Eyeless), (surfacing fuck it all part)
3) Slow talking (I can't see, I can't be.., purity)
4) Fast talking (spit it out, no life)
5) Melodic (prosthetics, scissors)
6) Raspy scream (tattered and torn)
7) Normal scream. Like in only one, diluted, etc.

Young: At a young age Corey liked to get down to the likes of "The King" - Elvis, thanks to influences from his grandmother. "Elvis was a great singer". His grandmother also helped him with buying equipment and his talent for music.

A ghost? During Corey's youth he and some friends often talked about a burnt out old house that they dared not go near. Then one night they all decided to make their way towards the house; to their surprise it was all lit up and after hearing noises they ran screaming.

INSTRUMENT: Shure SM58 mics.

Old band = Stone Sour ... some songs by them:

Dead Man's Glare
Surgery
Sometimes
Funky Milk
Turn Your Head
I Can't Believe
Voices Again
By Your Side
Mother's Ghost(heavy)
Beside Myself
Spilling My Guts
Take It Like A Man
That's Ridiculous
Simple Woman
Tarpoo Bertha
Benefactor
Tunmult
Super Skin
Monolith
Take A Number
Faux Pax
Inherited
September
Badanya
Things Like Raisins
Mother's Ghost(piano)
Smack Scars
Blue Study
Shaman's Fetish
Your God
When I Come Down
Inside The Cynic Suffer The Children
Stone Sour
Track listing for the demo tape:
1. N/A
2. Tumult
3. Super Skin
4. Monolith
5. Devil's For Puke
6. Covetous Me



Corey was also in Bloodfest and Dead Second. After Corey leaving Stone Sour for Slipknot the band ultimately finished. Jim Root also played in this band. Corey + Joel wrote most of the Stone Sour songs. They were like "Faith No More/AIC/Tool with a lot of other little elements thrown in."

Line-up:
Corey Taylor - vocals
Jim Root - Guitar
Shawn E - Bass
Bruce Swink - Guitar
Joel Ekman - Drums

Corey and Jim are in Slipknot; Jim, Shawn, and Bruce were in Deadfront; Joel is retired. Shawn E is also the Slipknot's stage manager when they tour. While in Stone Sour, Corey had an acoustic side project named, Taylor-Nichols. They put out a tape in Waterloo, Iowa and this is very rare. The tape contained 'Acoustic Ballads'.

REJECTS (Found @ Slipknot MSG Board): Rejects Site Corey was also in the band "The Rejects" for a total of one show @ Safari on Aug 22 1998 in which he got fired, Paul also played bass for this group and left soon after. There is a video of this show going around (and if anyone has it please forward it to me, I would be very grateful) and within it Corey can be seen getting fired by Dizzy Reject. Within the crowd was Shawn and a member of Smakdab, a group Corey has also recently recorded with, they get up on stage along with several others during the last song.

Sound: Cross the Ramones, Addicts, Sex Pistols, Damned and New York Dolls with 80's trash/glam metal and throw in an ample dose of GG Allin and you've got a good start. The line-up has always kind of been in flux, other than Dizzy and Joey, people kind of come and go. Hell, their old bass player went to prison! Paul subbed on bass for awhile. Now it's kind of a "supergroup" like Brujuria(sic) with members of other bands filling in The best part is this: DIZZY WAS BORN TO BE A ROCK STAR. Period. He just does not give a fuck. That man has more imaginative quotes than Gene Simmons could ever hope for. Dizzy will save rock'n'roll.

STICKYFINGAZ (Found @ MTV): The rapper sticky fingaz went to Indigo ranch with Ross and Corey to record a few songs together...one was "End of the world" and there was another one... anyhow sticky fingaz album is out, and no corey to be found... these songs did not make it to the album but may be released later, there is also a rumour that there was an argument about Corey not writing his own lyrics. (Thnx Sparkwon).

Smakdab: This band is a local Iowan band from Mason City. Corey performed one track with them to repay a favour. The track was named "Shadowed" and can be heard here: Real Audio Smakdab Song Feat Corey Taylor .

Smakdab was:
Alexis Bassett - vocals
Mick Meyers - guitar
Ryan Emerson - drums
Eric Eisenman - bass


However the members have started on a new project named; "Secretly Drowning". To view more info on this project go here: Secretly Drowning.com - the previous Smakdab site (Smakdab online) has been closed.

Other Side projects In Iowa: Corey Sang on the Sister Soliel album and he has been recording on 4-tracks with Josh Rand (Project X/Superego).

Spider-Man:
Corey has recently appeared on the Spider-Man soundtrack with the track, 'Bother'. It shows his true singing ability and has silenced many critics.

He was quoted as saying to Rock Sound Magazine from the UK: “I've been trying to get on this soundtrack for a year! Anyone who knows me knows I am the biggest Spiderman freak of all time! I started putting the word out and said I'd do a song with someone else just to be on that soundtrack, that's how much it meant to me! I've been waiting since 1993 for this movie to come out and I had this song called 'Bother', which is me and an acoustic guitar."

“Last year I was like, 'Fuck it, I'll record it'. If nothing else it'd be just for me to have on record. So I recorded this song, sent it to my manager, he heard it and was like, 'Holy shit' and he took it to the girl who was putting the soundtrack together. She flipped, and so automatically I'm flying to LA to record this song and it was weird! It was the first time I've ever been in the studio doing anything by myself and on a professional level. It came out really good. This is a song I wrote seven years ago so I'm pretty happy with it!"


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