File Photo: Corey Taylor

In a recent discussion with the Guardian, Slipknot and Stone Sour frontman Corey Taylor expressed his feelings concerning the mainstream media’s lack of attention to hard rock and metal despite strong sales and a sizeable following.

Taylor adds that he believes metal is the only genre where players are consistently trying to raise the bar – one of several things he believes makes it a unique art form.

“The thing that really pisses me off is they only talk about metal in the sense [that] ‘metal is going to kill your children,” said Taylor. “It would almost be better if they never talked about us at all.

“It’s the last rebellious spirit in music. It’s the voice of the disenfranchised. That’s why it appeals to so many people when they’re younger and carries on when those people, at 40, don’t want to grow up.

“The next generation are always trying to up the ante, push it harder, trying to find that frenzy that hasn’t been done before. Black Sabbath begat Metallica begat Marilyn Manson begat us. There’s this need to raise the bar – I don’t see that in any other genre.”

Guardian chief music critic Alexis Petridis says that he himself does not write about metal because of his lack of knowledge in the genre, adding that he “wouldn’t want to insult the artists involved” by pretending. He did note that a “lovely” thing about metal is unlike most other genres, fans tend to be incredibly loyal.

Taylor emphasized how the metal community is far more accepting that most others, although they are not perceived as such. “Perfect example: we knew Rob Halford was gay for years. Then he comes out of the closet and people are like, ‘Of course.’ The stereotypes are ridiculous – here’s a man who comes out and his band is bigger than ever.”

All in all, Taylor ended with the thought that although he doesn’t know if the genre needs more attention, it definitely needs “more respect.”

 

 

Original Source