Shawn Crahan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Shawn Crahan
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Crahan performing with Slipknot in 2019
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Michael Shawn Crahan |
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| Born | September 24, 1969 |
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| Occupation(s) | Musician |
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| Years active | 1992–present |
Michael Shawn Crahan (born September 24, 1969), known as "Clown", is an American musician. He helped start the alternative metal band Slipknot. He is one of the percussionists for the band. In Slipknot, he is known as #6.
Shawn Crahan formed Slipknot in 1995. He started the band with bassist Paul Gray and singer Anders Colsefni. Crahan is the only original member still in Slipknot. He also helps create Slipknot's music videos and other media. Outside of Slipknot, he was part of two other bands. These bands were To My Surprise and Dirty Little Rabbits. He also directed the 2016 action movie Officer Downe.
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About Shawn Crahan's Life
Crahan married Chantel in June 1993 in Des Moines, Iowa. They have four children. Shawn Crahan is also a filmmaker and photographer. In 2012, he released a Slipknot photo album called "The Apocalyptic Nightmare". He also appeared as an actor in the 2012 film The Devil's Carnival. Crahan's son, Simon, plays drums in the band Vended. Another member of Vended is Griffin, the son of Corey Taylor from Slipknot.
Shawn Crahan's Music Career
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Working with Slipknot
In 1995, Crahan started a metal band called the Pale Ones. He played drums in this band with Paul Gray. Crahan wanted more percussion in the band. So, he asked Joey Jordison to be the drummer. Crahan then focused on playing percussion. The first singer, Anders Colsefni, also played a second percussion set. This gave the band a special drum sound.
In 1996, they released a song called "Slipknot". Joey Jordison suggested they change the band's name to Slipknot. They then released their first official album. This album is now known as their demo. Crahan felt the first singer's voice was too rough. He thought this stopped them from getting a record deal. So, he brought in Corey Taylor from another local band, Stone Sour. Corey's voice was more melodic.
Slipknot got a record deal a few years later. They released their first official album in 1999. Slipknot became very famous that same year. They toured with a big music festival called Ozzfest. In the early days of Slipknot, Crahan sometimes brought dead cow heads on stage.
Crahan plays percussion and also sings backing vocals for Slipknot. He also wrote the first version of "Tattered & Torn". This song was on the band's first album, Mate. Feed. Kill. Repeat.. A different version of "Tattered & Torn" was later on their self-titled album.
Outside of Slipknot, Crahan started Big Orange Clown Records. This is a small record label within Sanctuary Records. It has signed the metalcore band Gizmachi. He also directed and put together Slipknot's 2005 DVD, Voliminal: Inside the Nine. He did this while the band was taking a break.
He also played guitar and sang for his band To My Surprise. They released their first album. This band did not get much attention. This was because other Slipknot members had popular side projects. These were Stone Sour (with Corey Taylor and Jim Root) and the Murderdolls (with Joey Jordison). Roadrunner Records later dropped To My Surprise.
In 2007, Crahan started playing drums for Dirty Little Rabbits. This band opened for Stone Sour on their 2007 North American tour. They released an EP called Breeding. They signed a deal with The End Records in November 2008.
In 2010, he remixed a song for Escape the Fate. In 2011, he remixed a song for Dead by April. Crahan also formed a new band called The Black Dots of Death. They released their first album Ever Since We Were Children in 2011. He directs many of Slipknot's music videos and DVDs. He also directed the "We Are" music video for the band Hollywood Undead.
Crahan usually wears clown-style masks when he performs with Slipknot. But sometimes, for the song "Vermilion", all band members wear their own death masks. He also played a character called "The Tamer" in the film The Devil's Carnival. This movie was directed by Darren Lynn Bousman.
Shawn Crahan's Impact on Slipknot
Crahan is known for several things that make Slipknot unique. These include their large percussion section and their famous masks. Crahan started wearing a clown mask to band practices. This was when the band was not yet famous. This idea led to the mask theme that the band is known for today.
Crahan has worn many different masks during his time with Slipknot. Most of them are clown-themed. The only exception is his "death mask". This mask was used in the music video for the song "Vermilion". Crahan's first and most famous mask was a happy-looking clown mask. It had a bald head with long orange hair. He wore this mask during Slipknot's first self-titled album.
Shawn Crahan's Film Work
In June 2016, Crahan directed his first movie, Officer Downe. This film was based on a graphic novel. Crahan also directed music videos for other bands. He directed "A-M-E-R-I-C-A" by Motionless in White. He also directed "We Are" by Hollywood Undead.
Shawn Crahan's Production Work
Crahan has also worked on other music projects. He was an executive producer for L.D. 50 by Mudvayne. He also produced the first album by downthesun. For a short time, he owned a record label called Maggot Recordings. This label was part of London-Sire Records. The only band signed to his label was downthesun. The label closed in 2002. Downthesun's album was later released by Roadrunner Records.
Shawn Crahan's Music Albums
with Slipknot
- Mate. Feed. Kill. Repeat. (1996)
- Slipknot (1999)
- Iowa (2001)
- Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses) (2004)
- All Hope Is Gone (2008)
- .5: The Gray Chapter (2014)
- We Are Not Your Kind (2019)
- The End, So Far (2022)
with To My Surprise
- To My Surprise (2003)
with Dirty Little Rabbits
- Breeding (2007)
- Simon (2009)
- Dirty Little Rabbits (2010)
with The Black Dots of Death
- 2011: Ever Since We Were Children
Guest Appearances and Remixes
- American Head Charge – "Just So You Know" (Clown #6 from Slipknot Remix) (2002)
- Mindless Self Indulgence – "Pay for It" (The Son of a Clown Remix) (2008)
- Darren Smith & Terrance Zdunich – "Repo! The Genetic Opera" (2008)
- Coheed and Cambria – "Clown's Welcome Home" (Shawn Crahan Remix) (2009)
- Dead by April – "Angels of Clarity" (Shawn 'Clown' Crahan Remix) (2009)
- Bring Me the Horizon – "Sleep With One Eye Open" (Clown Remix) (2009)
- Escape the Fate – "This War Is Ours (The Guillotine Part II)" (This War Is Mine) (2010)
- Hesta Prynn – "Pepper" (2010)
- On a Pale Horse – "Walks With Death" (Clown / M Shawn Crahan Remix), "Steps" (Clown / M Shawn Crahan Remix) (2011)
- Austra – "Beat and the Pulse" (Clown Remix) (2011)
- Free Dominguez – "Darkest Rivers" (Psychosis Industries: M. Shawn Crahan and Kyle Sherrod "Below the Surface" Remix) (2013)
- Hooverphonic – "Shake The Disease" (Shawn "Clown" From Slipknot Edit The Shake Remix) (2013)
Albums Produced by Shawn Crahan
- 2000: L.D. 50 – Mudvayne
- 2001: Invitation to the Dance – 40 Below Summer
- 2002: Downthesun – Downthesun
- 2003: To My Surprise – To My Surprise
- 2005: The Imbuing – Gizmachi
- 2008: Dirtfedd – Dirtfedd
Shawn Crahan's Film and Video Work
- 1999: Welcome to Our Neighborhood
- 2002: Disasterpieces
- 2002: Rollerball
- 2006: Voliminal: Inside the Nine
- 2008: Repo: The Genetic Opera – percussion
- 2008: Nine: The Making of "All Hope Is Gone"
- 2010: (sic)nesses
- 2011: Goat
- 2012: The Devil's Carnival – The Tamer
- 2012: A Beary Scary Movie
- 2012: We Are (Hollywood Undead music video)
- 2013: A M E R I C A (Motionless in White music video)
- 2015: “The Vatican Tapes” - cameo
- 2016: Officer Downe – director
- 2017: Day of the Gusano – director
- 2020: Pollution – director (short film)
See also
In Spanish: Shawn Crahan para niños
