Paul Gray (American musician) facts for kids

Paul Dedrick Gray (April 8, 1972 – May 24, 2010), also known as The Pig, was an American musician who was the bassist, backing vocalist, and co-founder of the heavy metal band Slipknot, in which he was designated #2.

Early life and career

Paul Dedrick Gray was born in Los Angeles, California. Later his family relocated to Des Moines, Iowa. He played guitar but switched to bass after he relocated to Iowa. In his youth, Gray performed in bands such as Vexx, Body Pit, The Have Nots and Inveigh Catharsis.

At the time of his death, he was one of three original members of Slipknot remaining in the band, and the only one who had maintained his original role in the band due to Clown's switch from main drums to percussion during the early days. He was one of the two members not born in Iowa (the other is Jim Root, who was born in Las Vegas). In 2010, Slipknot released the Download 2009 performance on DVD in memory of Gray.

Gray with Slipknot in 2005

Besides Slipknot, Gray filled in as bassist for Unida during their 2003 tour, appeared on the album Worse Than a Fairy Tale by the band Drop Dead, Gorgeous, toured briefly with Reggie and the Full Effect and appeared on the Roadrunner United project, performing bass on "The Enemy" and "Baptized in the Redemption" from the project's album The All-Star Sessions.

An award was named after Paul titled "Paul Gray: Best Bassist of the Year", as a tribute to Paul. Slipknot presented the award to Nikki Sixx, of Mötley Crüe and Sixx A.M.

Death

On May 24, 2010, The Des Moines Register reported that Gray was found dead in Room 431 at the TownePlace Suites in Urbandale, Iowa at about 10:50 a.m. local time. He was 38 years old.

Aftermath

On the day after Gray's death, May 25, 2010, the band, without their masks, held a formal press conference in Des Moines, Iowa. They did not take any questions from the media. The band, along with Gray's brother, Tony, and wife, Brenna, paid tribute to him.

He was kind of the person in the band that really wanted everybody in the band to always get along and just concentrate on the band. He was a really great friend and just a great person. He's going to be sadly missed, and the world is going to be a different place without him.

The only way I can sum up Paul Gray – is "love". Everything he did, he did for everyone around him. Whether he knew you or not. And that's what he's left behind for us – his absolute love. I will miss him with every fiber of my heart. As will everybody at this table; and everyone who knew him. He was the best of us.

A private funeral was held on May 28, 2010. Gray was interred at Highland Memory Gardens Cemetery in Des Moines, Iowa.

On July 30, Paul Gray was posthumously awarded the Kerrang! "Services to Metal" award, which was collected by his Slipknot bandmate Corey Taylor on his behalf.

In one concert, Korn dedicated a performance of "Did My Time" to Gray.

Slipknot's former guitarist Donnie Steele filled in on bass guitar for Gray on Slipknot's 2011 Summer tour. Slipknot shows during this time featured Paul's jumpsuit and self-titled album era pig mask on a stand, along with a bass guitar standing next to it. Fans honored Gray with a two-minute silence during the band's headline set at Sonisphere Festival, Knebworth.

Corey Taylor also got a tattoo of Gray and his number on the back of his left leg, which was documented in the television series NY Ink, during the second episode of season one.

Personal life

He and his wife Brenna Gray have a daughter, October Dedrick Gray who was born on August 17, 2010, a few months after he died in 2010.

Partial discography

with Vex

• Shadow of Reality (1991)

with Inveigh Catharsis

• Inveigh Catharsis (1992)

with Body Pit

• Basement Demo (1994)

With the Have Nots

• Forgetting Yesterday and Beating You With Kindness (1996)

with Slipknot

Studio albums

• Slipknot (1999)
• Iowa (2001)
• Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses) (2004)
• All Hope Is Gone (2008)

Other media

• Welcome to Our Neighborhood (1999 video album)
• Disasterpieces (2002 video album)
• 9.0: Live (2005 live album)
• Voliminal: Inside the Nine (2006 live album)
• Nine: The Making of "All Hope Is Gone" (2008)
• Behind the Player: Paul Gray (2008)
• Of the (sic): Your Nightmares, Our Dreams (2009)
• (sic)nesses (2010 video album)
• Antennas to Hell (compilation album 2012)
• Live at MSG (2023 live album)

Guest appearances

• The All-Star Sessions (Roadrunner United) (2005)
• Worse Than a Fairy Tale (Drop Dead, Gorgeous) (2007)
• The Concert (Roadrunner United) (2008)
• Last Stop: Crappy Town (Reggie and the Full Effect) (2008)
• Sid (posthumous) (2011)

Filmography

• 2002: Rollerball

See also

• Purdue Pharma