The Slipknot frontman Corey Taylor recently reflected on the stigmatization of mental health within the metal community during a recently surfaced interview with The Void With Christina at the Good Things festival in Sydney, Australia, which he conducted last December.
The singer was direct about his personal struggles with mental health and the positive impact that speaking openly about it has had on both himself and his fans, as he said:
“It’s interesting. I never realized — because you know me; I’ve always been very outspoken about everything — and I never realized that it was such a stigma, to be honest. It was a line that you really didn’t cross, or you didn’t admit to, especially somebody in my profession or whatever, or people kind of used it as a buzzword. They never really talked about it eloquently or very openly.”
Breaking The Silence On Mental Health
He continued, talking about the unexpected support and courage his transparency has fostered among his audience:
“So when I first started kind of opening it up about it, the response was quite extraordinary — people just were, like, ‘You gave me the courage to kind of open up about it on my own and really kind of talk to the people who I care about what was affecting me.’ And that, in a weird way, helped me with the communication with my loved ones, ’cause I felt like, yeah, I was being very open about it in the press and whatnot, but then I wasn’t able to really kind of expound about it with the people who it was actually affecting.”
Mentioning the fans’ encouragement during this process, Taylor added:
“And the second that I really kind of put my money where my mouth is, it became such a game changer for me. So it, really, in a weird way, it was the fans who helped me really open up even more about it. It was almost this cyclic kind of vibe that I didn’t expect.”
A Personal Struggle Made Public
In January, Taylor took to Instagram to address concerns for his well-being following the cancellation of his North American solo tour. He spoke openly about his mental health struggles, including a breakdown and a near relapse, highlighting the importance of self-care and time with family.
This announcement came after he had to cancel his tour due to deteriorating mental and physical health conditions, prompting a mixture of shock and concern among his fans. Taylor faced backlash after canceling his North American tour, with fans confused about the subsequent announcement of a series of shows in Asia.
He responded with a video explaining the decision to proceed with the Asian tour was part of his recovery process, emphasizing the short duration and his need for a gradual return to performing. Despite the challenges, the vocalist is looking ahead with scheduled performances in Asia and a European summer tour. An Instagram post with his wife Alicia reflected his ongoing recovery journey and the strength he draws from his loved ones.
See his full interview below.
