Corey Taylor has told Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian that he felt “downtrodden” and “crestfallen” after being forbidden to join the thrash icons in 2007.
And he was convinced being “strong-armed” out of the move had permanently damaged his relationship with Anthrax drummer Charlie Benante.
They were looking for a new frontman after a reunion with classic-era singer Joey Belladonna, and also losing his 1990s replacement John Bush.
The Slipknot vocalist was all set to take on the job, and he’d started work with drummer Benente – until Roadrunner Records prevented the move, because they were waiting on fourth Slipknot album All Hope Is Gone.
Speaking on Ian’s SiriusXM show Never Meet Your Heroes, Taylor says: “I remember Charlie getting super-stoked and sending me stuff, and I was starting to write lyrics. Then it all went to hell.
“I was literally getting ready to fly to Chicago to meet up with you guys. And here comes some people from Roadrunner, and it was, ‘You can’t do this.’
“I’m like, ‘What do you mean I can’t do this? We’ve got half an album. What are you talking about?’ I was so pissed.
“And basically they strong-armed me, because they wanted the new Slipknot album. At the time, I was about the only person who could really kind of rein everybody in to get them going.
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“They just straight up weren’t going to let me do it. It was a very strange time.”
He continues: “I remember, even before I called you guys, just sitting in my kitchen and just being so downtrodden, just crestfallen, because I had looked so forward to everything.
“The whole thing that I kept saying was, ‘I’ve let you guys down.’ I thought Charlie was mad at me for the longest time.”
Anthrax went on to work with Dan Nelson before abandoning that direction and reuniting briefly with Bush before Belladonna returned to the fold. Since then they’ve released 2011’s Worship Music and this year’s For All Kings albums.
Reflecting that “everything happens for a reason,” Taylor tells Ian: “These last two albums that you guys have put out have been so good. This new one – I can remember listening to it and being so stoked.
“I was just, like, ‘This is fucking genius.’ So good for you guys, man.”
Taylor also discusses his fight with alcoholism in the interview, admitting it turned him into a “lead singer douchebag” – but insisting that it led to him becoming the settled person he is today.
Slipknot have a handful of shows remaining on their 2016 schedule.
Why Corey Taylor won’t stop speaking his mind
Slipknot remaining tour dates 2016
Oct 22: Bogota Hipodromo De Los Andes, Columbia
Oct 26 Auckland Vector Arena, New Zealand
Oct 28 Brisbane Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Australia
Oct 29 Sydney Qudos Bank Arena , Australia
Oct 31 Melbourne Rod Laver Arena, Australia
Nov 03: Taipei New Taipei City Exhibition Hall, Taiwan
Nov 05-06: Tokyo Knotfest, Japan
