Video: Muse Steal Corey Taylor’s Mask In 2001, Drummer Does His Best Slipknot Impression
Because we see our musical idols as these immortal gods of the pit, metalheads love bestowing objects with a certain level of cultural importance and even supernatural power. Usually, this comes in the form of instruments, which we believe contain the energy and excitement of all they shows during which they were played. But other totems have significance for us as well — say, Lemmy’s amp, Blackie Lawless’ codpiece…and indeed Slipknot’s masks. Which is why some fans will be aghast, and some delighted, to watch Muse drummer Dominic Howard leaping around in Corey Taylor‘s original Slipknot mask, doing his best impression of the singer and generally taking the piss.
According to Metal Hammer, the video of this act of metallic sacrilege comes from Spain’s Metalfest in 2001, at which both Slipknot and Muse were both performing. The story goes that after walking off stage, Corey Taylor tossed his original headgear Mean Joe Green-style to one Paula Meliveo, who was standing off to one side of the stage. Unfortunately, while Paula didn’t want the Iowan frontman’s sweaty headpiece, Muse frontman Matt Bellamy squirreled it away, which led to Howard getting ahold of it and doing his best impression of Corey’s classic command of, “SIT THE FUCK DOWN,” which fans know as the sign that the bridge kick of “Spit It Out” is on its way.
According to Bellamy:
“Oh, the Slipknot guy threw it to this girl at the side of the stage after they played because he must have wanted to impress her
“Unfortunately for him she wanted me so we got it. I think Dom got possessed by the spirit of Slipknot when he put it on. He was running around screaming.”
Joke’s on Howard — he’s been living with every mouth-borne disease Iowa has ever known for 20 years now!
Watch Muse desecrate one of our holiest crotch-smelling relics below:
