Corey Taylor Says He Was the Better Guitarist in Early Stone Sour

In an interview from this previous summer time, Corey Taylor regarded again on his early days beginning Stone Sour in his hometown of Des Moines, Iowa, again within the ’90s — a number of years earlier than issues acquired entering into Slipknot. Remembering early Stone Bitter lineups, Taylor estimates he was “at all times higher than the [lead] guitar participant” within the band — “9 occasions out of ten.”

And whereas he did not identify names, from the context of the dialog, it seems Taylor was referring to the embryonic Stone Bitter across the time they recorded their first demos circa 1993–94, earlier than their first hiatus in 1997 for him to give attention to being the lead singer of Slipknot.

So whereas it is unclear precisely what guitarists he was pointing to, it is extremely uncertain he meant subsequent Stone Bitter guitarists comparable to Jim Root (additionally of Slipknot) and Root’s substitute, Christian Martucci.

READ MORE: Corey Taylor Says Slipknot May Not Make as Much Money as You Think

“I used to be homeless,” Taylor recollects of that period to FeedbackDef, “however the guys within the [Stone Sour] really chipped in and acquired me a lodge room for us to hang around [in]. That was my first [experience of being in] a brotherhood, first sense of a group, and a primary sense of, ‘OK, I can carry one thing these guys have by no means had earlier than,’ which is a readability of musical voice, and one thing to take this even additional than we would like it to [go].” (by way of Ultimate Guitar)

Corey Taylor Was Homeless

Taylor has beforehand been upfront about his early experience with homelessness, which got here at a low level in his life when he also struggled with depression. However on the time, being the principle guitar man in Stone Bitter appeared to instill a brand new conviction within the musician.

“I suppose that was the primary yr the place I actually felt assured in my abilities as a guitar participant,” Taylor explains. “When Stone Bitter first began, not solely was I taking part in guitar always, however I used to be additionally the lead guitarist. So I used to be not solely the principle author, I used to be at all times the lead guitar participant. That is form of been the throughline for my complete profession; I’d at all times fill within the weaknesses for no matter band I used to be in on the time.”

He continues, “Once I first began, I used to be virtually at all times higher than the drummer I used to be in a band with. So, each time we might do demos, I’d play all of the drums. However then, I had to choose. I needed to sing; I [didn’t] need to do each. I do not need to be Phil Collins — I need to simply sing.”

Taylor the Higher Guitarist?

Expounding additional on his early Stone Bitter guitar experiences, Taylor says, “With Bitter, I used to be — 9 occasions out of ten — at all times higher than the guitar participant we had within the band, as a lead participant. So I stated, ‘Fuck it, I will simply deal with it. I am writing all of the music anyway, I would as nicely be the man who’s main the cost.’ After which, we’ll simply get a great rhythm guitar participant form of go along with [it].”

He provides, “I would say that was the genesis of my actually diving headfirst down, simply leaping off the cliff and praying to God the parachute goes off.”

Watch the total Corey Taylor interview beneath. The singer’s newest solo album, CMF2, is out now. See his upcoming solo band tour dates, and subscribe to the Loudwire newsletter for extra.

Corey Taylor Interview – July 2023