SLIPKNOT would take the crown of outrage during 1999 and in the process broke extreme underground music into the mainstream. Vilified for the band's image (all members wear hideous character masks) and for their perceived lack of songwriting ability the band has nonetheless rose quickly to major league status. The nine strong SLIPKNOT comprise of vocalist Corey Taylor ('Hangman'), DJ Sid Wilson ('Gas Mask'), guitarist James Root ('Devil Jester'), guitarist Mick Thomson ('Hockey Mask'), bassist Paul Gray ('Pig'), sampler Craig Jones ('Diver'), percussionist Shawn Crahan ('Clown'), percussionist Chris Fehn ('Pinocchio') and drummer Joey Jordison ('Theatre Mask'). The band members would also announce themselves only by a number with Wilson being '0', Jordison '1', Gray '2', Fehn '3', Root '4', Jones '5', Crahan '6', Thomson '7' and Taylor being '8'.

The inaugural version of SLIPKNOT was convened in 1994 by Crahan, an erstwhile member of school band HEADS ON THE WALL, and drummer / vocalist Anders Colsefini of VEXX and Death Metal combo BODY PIT.

Eventually this proto band, then titled MELD, was brought up to strength with the addition of further ex-BODY PIT personnel bassist Paul Gray and guitarist Donnie Steele. Both of these recruits had also ties to the infamous ANAL BLAST. Later second guitarist Josh Brainard from ATOMIC OPERA and MODIFIDIOUS along with ex-ANAL BLAST/ MODIFIDIOUS drummer Joey Jordison would fill out the sound for MELD's opening live show at the Crowbar Club in Des Moines during November 1995.

However, Steele's Christian beliefs conflicted with the band and he departed and teenage guitarist Craig Jones (another former MODIFIDIOUS man) plugged the gap as they made the transition to SLIPKNOT. After just one gig at the Des Moines Safari Club Jones maneuvered away from guitar and onto samples. To plug the guitar vacancy, BODY PIT's Mick Thomson stepped up.

SLIPKNOT subsequently won a local music contest beating rivals STONE SOUR, fronted by a certain Corey Taylor, into second place. By December of 1995 the band, by now beginning to experiment with masks on stage, were in the studio recording the self financed debut album 'Mate. Kill. Feed. Repeat.' The record, a heady blend of Death Metal grunting, Jazz and even Funk traits, made huge waves across the Rock scene despite being limited a pressing of just 1'000.

Shortly after the album release SLIPKNOT inducted Corey Taylor as a complimentary vocalist to Colsefini. This revised unit undertook a small number of gigs before Colsefini decamped to forge Metal band PAINFACE. As their live stature grew SLIPKNOT pulled in DJ Sid Wilson, previously with the Des Moines collective SOUNDPROOF COALITION, and guitarist James Root supplanted Brainard. The latter would create UNDONE.

Renowned Nu-Metal producer Ross Robinson caught the band live and brokered a deal with Roadrunner Records. Rumours of SLIPKNOT's down to the bone live show were circulating widely building up huge anticipation for the record. The band's violent onstage fights were becoming the stuff of legend. Among the many other stage adventures supposedly conducted by the band include pouring vomit into the crowd, Taylor imbibing the fumes of a decaying crow and the singer also invites a willing audience to inhale from a tube inserted into his anus!

Robinson would cut the 'Slipknot' album in 1998. Released in late June 1999 'Slipknot' raced out of the racks achieving platinum million sales status within three months. Digipack versions would offer the incentive of no less than four extra tracks 'Me Inside', 'Get This' and demos of 'Interloper' and 'Despise'.

The band made serious headway as part of the 'Ozzfest' billing and then set out as guests to COAL CHAMBER upfront of headliners. Indeed the group's progress was so rapid that their debut video collection, 'Welcome To Our Neighbourhood' released in November, shot straight to the no. 1 spot in America. Meantime solid upward sales saw the re-release of the 'Slipknot' record in December but with the track 'Purity' supplanted by 'Me Inside'.

SLIPKNOT's Joey Jordison also operated in Punk Rock n' Roll act THE REJECTS. An album from THE REJECTS was cut in SLIPKNOT's downtime during 2000 and included contributions from former COAL CHAMBER bass player Nadja Peulen and DOPE guitarist Tripp Eisen.

Anticipation among fans for SLIPKNOT's third album 'Iowa' was enormous. An MP3 album taster of the song 'The Heretic Anthem' through the Roadrunner Records website recorded more than 75,000 downloads.

SLIPKNOT joined the 'Ozzfest' package tour of America also scheduling headlining dates with PAPA ROACH, LINKIN PARK, DISTURBED and MUDVAYNE in various cities on the off-days during the festival tour. Projected touring in the UK for November 2001 saw Swedish Death Metal veterans IN FLAMES billed as openers. However, following the September 11th terrorist attacks on America SLIPKNOT postponed their entire series of world tour dates. They would re-commence live action in America on November 20th, headlining over IN FLAMES and 40 BELOW. The band's UK dates, with IN FLAMES, ONE MINUTE SILENCE and AMERICAN HEAD CHARGE slated as support, would be rescheduled to start on February 14th 2002 at the Glasgow SECC.

Taylor busied himself outside of his main band with SUPEREGO, a band unit including PAINFACE and DOWNTHESUN drummer Danny Spain. This band project would undergo a series of publicly announced title changes from SUPEREGO to CLOSURE then to STONE SOUR, the name of his band prior to SLIPKNOT. He would also take on the mantle of producer working with Chicago band SLITHERYN for an EP, Taylor also donating guest vocals. Taylor's association with SLITHERYN would mark the SLIPKNOT frontman first public unmasking, appearing minus trademark mask in the video 'Lost'. Jordison meanwhile would collaborate with MARILYN MANSON on his new album.

SLIPKNOT would head the list of bands appearing on the 'Pledge Of Allegiance' live compilation album, contributing the tracks 'People Equal Shit', 'Heretic Anthem' and 'New Abortion' recorded at the Rosemont, Illinois in October 2001.

Corey Taylor would lend his support in the studio to a benefit project assembled by ROLLINS BAND and ex-BLACK FLAG frontman Henry Rollins who had provided the momentum behind an album to raise funds in aid of a group of teenage Metal fans, dubbed 'the West Memphis three' convicted of murdering three eight year old boys. Apparently, damning evidence against the teenagers stemmed solely from the fact they were Metal fans. Although the crimes happened more than a decade ago Rollins and his band MOTHER SUPERIOR planned on re-recording BLACK FLAG material with guesting vocalists.

SLIPKNOT's June 2002 British single 'My Plague (New Abuse Mix)', would include two live tracks, 'The Heretic Anthem' and '(sic)', recorded live in Stockholm.

Joey Jordison would firm up details of his extracurricular MURDERDOLLS. Featuring Jordison on guitar MURDERDOLLS would be fronted by Wednesday 13 of North Carolina 'Horror Metal' act FRANKENSTEIN DRAG QUEENS FROM PLANET 13 and include ex DOPE and current STATIC-X guitarist Tripp Eisen, bassist Erik Griffin and drummer Ben Graves. Jordison's project would set themselves up for a 2002 release through Roadrunner Records. The SLIPKNOT drummer's stamina for band projects was further tested with the introduction in the summer of 2002 of Black Metal band HELL PIG, a collaboration with the notorious figure of Killjoy, known for such extreme endeavours as NECROPHAGIA, WURDULAK, EIBON and ENOCH.

Shawn Crahan's endeavours outside of SLIPKNOT included acting as executive producer for the Roadrunner debut album of Kansas City act DOWNTHESUN, a unit including PAINFACE and STONE SOUR drummer Dan Spain and Crahan's drum tech Sa-Tone on vocals. Crahan subsequently conceived a brand new group billed as THE ORANGE. This union, later re-billed TO MY SURPRISE, saw 'The Clown' uniting with vocalist Brandon Darner and guitarist/bassist Stevan Robinson. Guitarist Mick Thompson too revealed plans for outside activity, formulating an idea for a new band in league with former MALEVOLENT CREATION and SUFFOCATION drummer Dave Culross.

SLIPKNOT bassist Paul Gray teamed up with AMERICAN HEAD CHARGE vocalist Martin Cock and guitarist/bassist/programmer Chad Hanks in a new band tentatively dubbed F.O.R.

The SLIPKNOT 'Disasterpieces' DVD arrived in November of 2002 comprising live footage from the band's February London Wembley Arena gig, videos 'My Plague', 'Wait And Bleed' and 'Spit It Out', as well as exclusive backstage footage, a director's cut of the 'Left Behind' promotional short and an animated version of 'Wait And Bleed'.

An unlucky Paul Gray was arrested in Des Moines during June after a traffic accident. After a search of his Porsche the bassist was arrested for possession both marijuana and cocaine as well as a red light violation. In more positive news for the bassist it was learned that Gray was to act as fill in for UNIDA, performing on the band's June West Coast dates.

A previously unreleased track, 'Snap' from the first album sessions, would be included on the soundtrack to Horror movie 'Freddy Vs. Jason' in August. That same month Jordison would be found guesting on two tracks for a new album from OTEP. During early 2004 both Paul Gray and Mick Thomson donated their services to a tribute album 'Within The Mind' assembled by guitarist JAMES MURPHY in honour of the late DEATH mentor Chuck Schuldiner.

SLIPKNOT topped the billing over FEAR FACTORY and CHIMAIRA for the fourth installment of the Jägermeister Music Tour, commencing 30th March in Orlando, Florida. Subsequently the band stepped up for the July / August 'Ozzfest' events, headlining the second stage alongside UNEARTH, ATREYU, LAMB OF GOD, EVERY TIME I DIE, HATEBREED, LACUNA COIL and BLEEDING THROUGH.

The shooting of an expensive video clip, directed by Mark Klasfeld and Tony Petrossian, for the track 'Duality' landed the band in hot water. Featuring over 500 "Maggots", travelling from as far as the UK and the Ukraine, the film short featured fans invading a house in West Des Moines. Upon completion of the shoot the owners put in a legal action to recover costs, claiming a catalogue of destruction including broken windows throughout the house, new painted kitchen destroyed, damage to the driveway, a torn up lawn, front door destroyed, rugs sustained water damage, whole house needs repainting, gutters were broken, back door and window frames broken, equipment missing, basketball backboard trashed, damage from cigarette butts, ceiling destroyed where chandelier fell, and picnic tables broken.

Upon the release of 'Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses)' the band also issued a limited edition of 13,000 7" red vinyl single of 'Duality', backed by the track 'Don't Get Close', SLIPKNOT's contribution to the soundtrack for the video game 'MTX Motocross'. The album sold 242,683 copies in its first week of US sales to debut at number 2. It would repeat the feat in Canada, in both instances being held off the top spot by AVRIL LAVIGNE.

Joey Jordison's profile rose sharply on 6th June when he acted as stand in drummer for Lars Ulrich at METALLICA's headline spot at the UK Castle Donington 'Download' festival. Jordison took on 'Seek And Destroy', 'Four Horseman', 'Battery', 'Sad But True' and 'Nothing Else Matters'.

Returning to the UK the band acted as co-headliners with SLAYER for the October tour dubbed 'The Unholy Alliance'. DJ Starscream engaged in outside activities too, donating his skills as studio guests to Rapper MC NECRO's album 'The Pre-Fix For Death'.

In a rare display of outright hostility toward the band SLIPKNOT's performance at the Park Des Expositions, Le Mans 'Fury Fest' in France was curtailed by a large section of the audience raining bottles and other projectiles onto the stage. Despite this, the group still performed a 50 minute set. European shows in September saw Craig Jones missing from the line-up, the percussionist forced out to undergo "emergency dental surgery". Returning to Europe, the band acted as co-headliners with SLAYER with support act HATEBREED for the October tour dubbed 'The Unholy Alliance'. The band took a diversion from the regular touring circuit in November by headlining the 'M Max Life Never Stops' concert at the Aktive Square in Bangkok, Thailand. Supported by nine local bands the group also pulled in a notable celebrity fan - Her Royal Highness Princess Siribhachudhabhorn of Thailand.

Joey Jordison would temp for infamous Norwegian Black Metal band SATYRICON for their headlining dates commencing 2nd December in San Francisco, their regular drummer Frost being denied visas to enter the USA. That same month SLIPKNOT made a double impression in the nominations for the 47th annual Grammy awards as the track 'Duality' would be selected in the 'Best Hard Rock Performance' category and 'Vermilion' for 'Best Metal Performance'.

DJ Starscream was active with his side venture AMPT in December, this band being a collaboration with BIOHAZARD and AMONG THIEVES guitarist Scott Roberts and Keith Rooney of GUTWRENCH on bass guitar.

Meantime, SLIPKNOT got back into touring mode in January of 2005, headlining a run of Canadian dates with KILLSWITCH ENGAGE as support prior to a major run of arena shows dubbed the 'Subliminal Verses' tour in union with SHADOWS FALL and LAMB OF GOD from March through May.

A cause for celebration would be the official recognition by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) of double platinum sales of the group's self-titled 1999 debut, platinum certification for 'Vol. 3 (The Subliminal Verses)' and triple platinum status for the 'Disasterpieces' DVD. In mid April the release of an expanded version of 'Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses)', boasting an additional eight tracks, gave the album renewed sales impetus, jumping from no. 151 on the Billboard charts back into the top thirty with 24,000 sales in one week.

As the band toured the USA throughout the Spring it would be hit by a succession of problems. Percussionist Shawn Crahan missed shows in order to care for his sick wife, percussionist Chris Fehn would require surgery for a torn ligament and a couple of gigs would be cancelled prior to the Denver stop to rest Corey Taylor's voice. In late April the band was struck again, as the Hilton Coliseum in Ames show was performed without bassist Paul Gray, apparently suffering from "exhaustion".

Joey Jordison would act as one of five high profile writers contributing to the ROADRUNNER UNITED 25th anniversary album 'The All-Stars Sessions', featuring with the tracks 'Constitution Down' with vocals by Kyle Thomas of FLOODGATE and EXHORDER, 'Tired n' Lonely' with vocals from Keith Caputo of LIFE OF AGONY and 'Annihilation By The Hand Of God' with vocals from Glen Benton of DEICIDE. Corey Taylor also saw inclusion, fronting the song 'Rich Man' composed by MACHINE HEAD's Robert Flynn.

SLIPKNOT had another run in with a 'band' over the right to wear stage masks when, quite surreally, the Burger King fast food chain launched television advertising for a band dubbed COQ ROQ to promote their BK Chicken Fries range. Initiated by Seattle based singer 'Fowl Mouth', COQ ROQ was apparently conceived with a unique fast food theme and bizarrely adorn themselves with giant chicken heads and other masks reminiscent of SLIPKNOT. The visual similarities with SLIPKNOT would eventually lead the 'band' and Burger King into legal trouble when, on 4th August, SLIPKNOT's lawyers objected to the food giant's "look-alike, sound alike 'band' in order to influence the SLIPKNOT generation to purchase Chicken Fries". Burger King responded that many bands wore similar masks, including SLIPKNOT's arch rivals MUSHROOMHEAD.

SLIPKNOT conducted September dates in South America, visiting Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, Chile and Argentina. Autumn US gigs, coinciding with the issue of a live album, saw support from UNEARTH and AS I LAY DYING. However, the band would perform minus Jim Root for the first batch of shows, the guitarist forced out due to a broken wrist.

On 15th December Corey Taylor, Paul Gray and Joey Jordison notably joined the ROADRUNNER UNITED conglomerate at the New York Nokia Theater for an all star Metal evening. SLIPKNOT included a track 'Vermillion Pt. 2' (Bloodstone Mix)' on the 'Underworld: Evolution' movie soundtrack.

May 2006 found Jordison enrolled into the new look MINISTRY live band for their US 'MasterBaTour' dates. Roadrunner Records in the UK released a limited-edition double CD version of 'Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses)' hosting eight bonus tracks in December. A double disc DVD, 'Voliminal: Inside The Nine', arrived that same month.

In December the SLIPKNOT 'Voliminal: Inside the Nine' tour DVD shifted more than 24,000 units in the United States in the first seven days following its release to land at number 5 on Billboard's Top Music Video chart.

Anticipation for a 2008 album was raised in May when SLIPKNOT announced European festival dates in August, appearing on the 22nd at the Leeds Festival and 24th at Reading Festival in the UK, 29th at the 'Two Days A Week' festival in Wiesen, Austria and the 'Area4' festival in Lüdinghausen, Germany on the 31st. SLIPKNOT released a the single 'All Hope Is Gone' as a free download single on Friday June 20th.

The group hit the US touring circuit again kicking off on 9th July at the White River Amphitheatre in Auburn, Washington as part of the 'Rockstar Energy Mayhem' tour billed alongside DISTURBED, MACHINE HEAD, UNDEROATH, WALLS OF JERICHO, DRAGONFORCE, SUICIDE SILENCE, THE RED CHORD, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, 36 CRAZYFISTS, AIRBOURNE, BLACK TIDE and MASTODON through into late August. That month the album 'All Hope Is Gone' hit the no. 1 position on the national ARIA Australian charts. The album also scored no. 1 in Austria, Canada, Finland, New Zealand, Sweden and Switzerland, no. 2 in Belgium, France, Germany, Japan and the United Kingdom, and a no. 3 debut in Norway.

'All Hope Is Gone' claimed the US no. 1 spot in controversial circumstances. The album was initially announced as debut at no. 2, a mere 13 units behind THE GAME's debut album 'LAX', marking the closest margin in Billboard SoundScan history. The chart positions resulted from a logged 238,272 copies of 'All Hope Is Gone' its first week in stores, whilst 'LAX' reported 238,285. With such an unprecedented margin, Roadrunner Records and WEA requested a recount. SoundScan obliged and the chart positions were reversed, with SLIPKNOT duly claiming the top spot with a margin of 1134 albums. 

The band was joined by MACHINE HEAD and CHILDREN OF BODOM for November European concerts. US shows throughout January and February 2009 witnessed a package billing of SLIPKNOT, COHEED AND CAMBRIA and TRIVIUM.