Rachel Bolan has opened up about how he recruited Slipknot frontman Corey Taylor for his new solo album, ‘Gargoyle of the Garden State,’ in an interview shared on YouTube.
Speaking with host Terrie Carr, Bolan recounted how Taylor agreed to appear on the record without even hearing the song first. He also praised Taylor’s remarkable efficiency in the recording studio.
When Carr asked whether the collaboration came together simply through texts and phone calls, Bolan confirmed that was exactly how it happened.
“Yeah, that’s how it all happened,” Bolan said. “And so I hit Corey up and I was like, ‘Are you in the country? Where are you?’ I don’t know, because he’s in like 7,000 bands. So I didn’t know if he was in the states. Who knows? Right. So, I didn’t know where he was. And he’s like, ‘I am.’ I said, ‘Would you want to sing a song on my solo record?’ And he says, ‘Yes, absolutely.’ I go, ‘You haven’t heard the song yet?’ He goes, ‘I’m singing it.'”
Bolan went on to describe how the two quickly aligned on the creative direction of the track, drawing on their shared musical roots.
“And so I was like, ‘Awesome,’ and I sent it to him,” Bolan continued. “He loved it and we talked about the approach. To me, the song that he sang on reminds me — it has a vibe like a Sham 69 type of song. Him and I both grew up listening to the same music, you know. So when I said Sham 69, he’s like, ‘That’s what I was thinking, along those lines.'”
Bolan also highlighted just how quickly Taylor delivered in the studio, expressing his admiration for the singer’s talent and professionalism.
“So we got — I flew to Vegas. I booked the studio for like 3 hours,” Bolan said. “Of course, like you were saying, he is such an amazing singer and he did it and doubled the whole thing in like 45 minutes. And I was so blown away.”
Bolan also took a moment to praise Taylor’s vocal qualities more broadly. “Corey Taylor’s contribution is fantastic,” he said. “Corey’s got such a cool voice for punk rock, his pitch is so perfect. He’s such an amazing, beautiful, incredible singer.”
‘Gargoyle of the Garden State’ marks Bolan’s first major solo effort. Taylor’s feature stands out as one of the album’s most notable collaborations.
The Taylor collaboration is just one piece of a much larger project that Bolan has been building toward his debut solo release. The album brings together a wide circle of friends and fellow musicians, reflecting the same organic, relationship-driven approach that led to Taylor’s involvement in the first place.
earMUSIC reported that ‘Gargoyle of the Garden State’ is scheduled for release on June 12, 2026, marking Bolan’s long-awaited debut as a solo artist outside of his role as Skid Row’s bassist. The album was announced alongside the release of its first single, “At War with Myself,” giving fans an early taste of what Bolan has been crafting.
98KUPD noted that Taylor is far from the only high-profile name on the record. The album boasts an impressive roster of guest collaborators, including Danko Jones, Nuno Bettencourt, Damon Johnson, Steve Conte, Scotti Hill, Dave “Snake” Sabo, and Rob Hammersmith. The lineup underscores Bolan’s deep ties across the rock world and his ability to draw in talent through genuine personal connections.
The song Taylor contributed to was no random selection. WRIF reported that Bolan specifically chose the track for Taylor because of their overlapping musical tastes, noting that the two share “the same punk rock background as far as taste in music.” That shared foundation made the creative process feel natural and immediate, which is reflected in how effortlessly Taylor stepped into the role.
As Apple Podcasts highlighted, the album was produced by Nick Raskulinecz, a Grammy-winning producer known for his work with Foo Fighters, Rush, and Alice in Chains. His involvement lends the project a polished yet hard-hitting sonic identity that complements Bolan’s punk-influenced songwriting vision.
With a June 12 release date on the horizon and a guest list that reads like a who’s who of rock royalty, ‘Gargoyle of the Garden State’ is shaping up to be one of the more anticipated solo debuts in the rock world this year. Corey Taylor’s blind leap of faith may well be one of its defining stories.
