Corey Taylor opened up about his mental health struggles in a new interview for Alternative Press’ Fall 2024 cover story. He also touced on the decline of his mental health earlier this year.
The Slipknot frontman first reflected on the rections his therapy-style video from 2017 received. He shared growing up in poverty, being raped by a 16-year-old at the age of 10, overdosing on cocaine as a teenager, and attempting suicide after a breakup in the footage.
“A lot of people hit me up saying it helped them get themselves back into therapy, or to try therapy for the first time,” he said. “I wish I had a better happy ending to that video than I did. I didn’t end up addressing those things until this year. A lot of my issues come from being convinced that I’m right, even when I’m wrong.”
Taylor was an alcoholic with self-destructive behavior due to depression in Slipknot’s early years. He even tried to jump off an eight-story LA building in 2003.
The singer got sober with his then-fiancée Scarlett Stone’s support at the time. After relapsing due to the break of their marraige, he gave alcohol up in 2010 but recently revealed hitting ‘a real dark point’ again mentally.
“I found that my pursuit of work and all things ego was killing me,” Taylor explained. “And nearly killed me. So, I’ve reinvested my life to the point [where] I’m only going to work so much. I’ll never be gone from home for more than two-and-a-half weeks. I’m putting importance back on the things I really value. That is the greatest gift I could give myself and my family.”
Corey Taylor canceled his 2024 North American solo tour with openers Des Rocs and Jigsaw Youth in January due to his mental and physical issues though he teased recovery by sharing a photo with his wife, Alicia, the next month.
The singer also announced shows in Southeast Asia shortly after the cancelled North American dates, which upset some fans. “The truth of the matter is I understand why so many of you are upset, and I’m just gonna break it down for you,” he said in response to criticism.
“I, over the last year, have had a complete and utter breakdown of boundaries, mental health, ego, entitlement, the whole nine yards, culminating in a very, very real, very near relapse that I kind of don’t recognize myself. So, again, I wanted to address this and just tell people that I needed time to reset; I needed time to start working on my heart and my mind and get straight.”
Now, the vocalist is ready to hit the road again. He will start a world tour with Slipknot on September 1 in Pryor, Oklahoma.
