Slipknot’s Chris Fehn says he’s loved watching the ‘maggots’ grow up and that the range of ages at their gigs proves heavy metal is thriving.
The percussionist says that since the band broke big around 15 years ago, the maggots – Slipknot’s affectionate name for their fans – have kept coming back, and brought new ones with them.
Asked by Roadrunner Records to describe the average maggot, Fehn says: “It’s tough these days to pin it down because there’s everybody, such a huge variety. It’s been 15 years now so kids that were 15 are now 30. Guys that were 30 are 45-years-old now. It’s such a huge range and that’s really awesome for heavy metal.
“Not everybody that listens to heavy metal is crazy or out of touch, it’s actually quite the opposite. These people are gonna run the world one day and it’s a whole new world out there.”
As for what keeps him interested in performing live, Fehn says his love for metal and for Slipknot are his fuel.
Asked what he thinks about on stage, Fehn says: “My love for music and my love for Slipknot. It’s never changed since day one. Those songs still mean something to me.
“Corey’s words still mean something to me and are valuable in my life. So it’s quite easy to get into it and to continually play, night after night, the same songs, which you would think would get boring.
“But since I love the band so much and what we represent that it allows me to open up my heart and who I really am and how much I really love metal and Slipknot.”
Slipknot recently wrapped up the UK leg of their Prepare For Hell tour in support of latest album .5: The Gray Chapter.
