By Andrea Beattie

Some artists get knickers, soft toys or flowers thrown at them on stage.
But for US heavy metal band Slipknot, it’s more likely they’ll be dodging flying prosthetic limbs than a personalised teddy or bunch of homegrown daisies.
But not even a well-flung fake leg surprises long-term member, acclaimed drummer and crown-of-thorns wearer Joey Jordison anymore – neither does weird-smelling gifts from fans.
‘‘I had a gift given to me from a young lady when I was touring with (Rob) Zombie and I was like ‘OK, well, thank you’ and I took it back and I opened it up and it had like a weird smell,’’ he says.
‘‘But it’s not what you think – what it was, well, it was definitely odd. I used to work in funeral homes, that was my family’s business for a long time, so it didn’t spook me too much but I was wondering where this person got this from. Basically, it was a whole person’s arm.
‘‘It wasn’t like an actual arm, just the bones.’’
Bones!? Seriously?
‘‘Yeah, it was odd, but hey . . . ’’
Jordison says the band’s fans – who he famously dubbed ‘‘maggots’’ after ripping off a line from Full Metal Jacket – have always been ‘‘passionate’’, particularly Australians.

‘We’re not like a normal band; there’s nine of us, the music is not easy to play, the way we perform with such energy really takes its toll on your body and then you’ve got masks and coveralls and blowing the stage up every other night on tour – it does take a toll.’’

‘‘Our first time in Australia was January 2000 and we didn’t really know what to expect. We were homebodies from Des Moines, Iowa, and it was all new to us,’’ he says.
‘‘And the Australians, they were berserk. We didn’t really realise what we’d created and the Australian fans really let us know what was going on – some of the most intense shows we’ve ever done are down there.’’
And the band haven’t stopped – taking their blood-splattered live shows around the world and releasing four albums while dealing with the ongoing conflict that inevitably comes with a band of nine members.
‘‘I think it takes a certain type of person to take on such a vigorous touring schedule – especially with a band like Slipknot,’’ he says.
‘‘We’re not like a normal band; there’s nine of us, the music is not easy to play, the way we perform with such energy really takes its toll on your body and then you’ve got masks and coveralls and blowing the stage up every other night on tour – it does take a toll.’’
Jordison, who has performed in Murderdolls and with Metallica, Korn and Satyricon, says while the death of Slipknot bassist, founding member and his best friend Paul Gray in 2010 definitely changed the band, they wouldn’t split up any time soon.

“(Slipknot) is all I care about right now. We are one of a kind, for sure. No one will ever be like us.’’

‘‘It’s so tragic and it’s horrible, but life has to go on and the last thing (Paul) would ever want is for us to throw in the towel,’’ he says.
‘‘I miss my friend very, very much and no matter what he’ll still be on every Skipknot record, spiritually. And we have a lot that we’ve written together that hasn’t seen the light of day yet, some monster riffs. I will miss him forever but you can’t sit and wallow and make excuses for not continuing Slipknot.’’
Seems singer Corey Taylor hasn’t always shared that sentiment, with rumours circulating he wanted to quit the band.
Jordison is quick to hose that down that kind of talk, saying the band was working on new material – with Taylor.
‘‘I’ve been in and out of the studio for about six months now – that’s on the Slipknot record and also on some solo stuff as well. He (Taylor) does want to keep doing it.’’
Whoa, wait, solo stuff? Way to change the subject . . .
‘‘Yeah, I’m gonna be forming a band in the near future with a lot of the material I’ve been writing lately,’’ he says.
‘‘I don’t want to release too much but I have been in the studio and I think people will be pretty surprised at what I come up with – it’s heavy! But (Slipknot) is all I care about right now. We are one of a kind, for sure.
‘‘No one will ever be like us.’’

Original article appeared in mX newspaper