Slipknot/Stone Sour frontman Corey Taylor spoke out once again on the importance of this generation of metal and hard rock headliners embracing and help elevate the underground. Speaking with Marryanne Hobbs for the BBC (see below), Taylor was asked on his thoughts on the current state of rock music. He replied:

“I think the underground is always gonna be healthy. Because that’s where the majority of trendsetters, the cutting-edge artists come from. Whether it’s bands like Knocked Loose or bands like… There’s this fantastic band called Ho99o9, which is like hip hop/metal/hardcore, they dabble in so many genres. And they’re SO good. - Advertisement - That’s where the new generation comes from, is the underground, you know? Especially for our genre. But as far as the mainstream goes: I mean it’s really hard to kind of figure out, because what do people consider rock these days? If you ask the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, they don’t really know, do they?”

When asked if Slipknot feel like elder statesmen, he responded:

“No, of course not. But at the same time, I don’t know if it’s a sense of responsibility as much as just putting our money where our mouth is. For us, we’ve always tried to be a band that promotes the next generation, you know? That’s how this genre stays alive: is by foisting the next batch, basically. The new headliners. The future headliners. The ones who are going to be massive. And we’ve always tried to to that; whether it was with Mudvayne and Hatebreed, or doing tours with Disturbed, or doing this tour with Behemoth. Those are the bands who are going to carry everything into the future. Those are the bands that we’re trying to impress on a new generation to keep this thing at the level that it is; because lets face it, it’s the fans who keep this music here, not the airplay. Yeah, it’s important. I don’t think it’s so much as we take it upon ourselves to do it out of responsibility as much we do it because we want to. Because that’s how we made it and that’s how we hope that the next generation makes it.”

As to which acts from the past decade have impressed him, he offered:

“Well, obviously, Rival Sons is right there. Royal Blood is a great rock act. There’s something visceral about their music that’s really, really good. If you wanted to get into the darker-edged stuff, Code Orange is fantastic. Knocked Loose: their new album is sick, Oh my god! I mean, if you need music for a workout, that’s the album you put on. Their new one is just insane; it’s incredible. And this band… I’m not sure anybody’s heard about… Slipknot.”

Speaking of the band’s plans in a previous interview published online earlier this year with Kerrang!, Taylor stated:

“We support the underground maybe more than anybody else out there. We put it in front of an audience who may not have heard it before, because that’s what you’re supposed to do. If you’re in a place where you get a shit ton of attention, the best thing you can do is pay it forward so future generations carry this on. We’re trying to create tomorrow’s headliners, because if not, where the fuck does this genre go?”

True to his word, Slipknot have opted for a younger crop of bands to open their forthcoming North American tour, with A Day To Remember, Underoath and Code Orange having been recruited for the bill. Dates for that trek and the band’s other current touring plans can be found below:

With Behemoth:

02/06 Lodz, POL – Atlas Arena (Tickets)

02/08 Stuttgart, GER – Hanns-Martin-Schleyer-Halle (Tickets)

02/09 Munich, GER – Olympiahalle (Tickets)

02/11 Milan, ITA – Mediolanum Forum (Tickets)

02/12 Zurich, SWI – Hallenstadion (Tickets)

02/14 Vienna, AUT – Stadthalle (Tickets)

02/16 Hamburg, GER – Barclaycard Arena (Tickets)

02/17 Berlin, GER – Mercedes-Benz Arena (Tickets)

02/18 Dortmund, GER – Westfalenhalle (Tickets)

02/20 Copenhagen, DEN – Royal Arena (Tickets)

02/21 Stockholm, SWE – Ericsson Globe (Tickets)

02/22 Oslo, NOR – Telenor Arena (Tickets)

02/24 Helsinki, FIN – Hartwall Arena (Tickets)

Slipknot:

03/20-21 Tokyo, JAP – Kntofest Japan (Tickets)

03/24 Singapore, SNG – Singapore Rockfest (Tickets)

03/27 Jakarta, IND – Hammersonic Festival

03/29 Manila, PHL – Amoranto Stadium (Tickets)

05/16 Columbus, OH – Sonic Temple Arts & Music Festival (Tickets)

05/23 Pryor, OK – Rocklahoma

With A Day To Remember, Underoath & Code Orange:

05/30 Syracuse, NY – St. Joseph’s Health Amphitheater at Lakeview (no A Day To Remember) (Tickets)

05/31 Mansfield, MA – Xfinity Center (Tickets)

06/02 New York, NY – Madison Square Garden (no Code Orange) (Tickets)

06/04 Quebec City, QC – Centre Videotron (Tickets)

06/05 Montreal, QC – Centre Bell (Tickets)

06/06 Toronto, ON – Budweiser Stage (Tickets)

06/08 Clarkston, MI – DTE Energy Music Theatre (Tickets)

06/10 Nashville, TN – Bridgestone Arena (Tickets)

06/12 Memphis, TN – FedExForum (Tickets)

06/14 Orlando, FL – Amway Center (Tickets)

06/15 West Palm Beach, FL – iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre (Tickets)

06/17 Charlotte, NC – PNC Music Pavilion (Tickets)

06/18 Alpharetta, GA – Ameris Bank Amphitheatre

06/20 Birmingham, AL – Oak Mountain Amphitheatre (Tickets)

06/22 Dallas, TX – Dos Equis Pavilion (Tickets)

06/23 Austin, TX – Germania Insurance Amphitheater (Tickets)

06/25 The Woodlands, TX – The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion (no Code Orange) (Tickets)

Slipknot:

06/27 Monterrey, MEX – Machaca Festival (Tickets)

07/17 Cadott, WI – Rock Fest (Tickets)

07/18 Oshkosh, WI – Rock USA

07/26 Plovdiv, BUL – Hills Of Rock

07/27 Bucharest, ROM – Romexpo

07/29 Bratislava, SLO – Nepela Arena

07/31 Koln, GER – RheinEnergeStadion (Tickets)

08/01 Wacken, GER – Wacken Open Air

08/07 Berlin, GER – Waldbuhne (Tickets)

08/10 Barcelona, SPA – Knotfest At Sea

08/15 Fuengirola, SPA – Metal Paradise Fest (Tickets)

08/22 Milton Keynes, UK – The National Bowl (‘Knotfest UK‘) (Tickets)

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