Corey Taylor Discusses Reaching a 'Real Dark Point' Audio Ink Radio

Corey Taylor Discusses Reaching a ‘Real Dark Point’

2024-08-31

Corey Taylor. Corey Taylor made waves when he called off his solo tour in January 2024. Now, he's opening up about that experience.

Corey Taylor of Stone Sour and Slipknot made waves when he called off his solo tour in January 2024. – Author: Charles Ken, Photo via Anne Erickson

Corey Taylor of Stone Sour and Slipknot made waves when he called off his solo tour in January 2024. Now, he’s opening up about that experience.

Corey Taylor on His ‘Mental and Physical Health’ Breaking Down

Speaking with Alternative Press, Taylor said he reached “a real dark point” earlier this year and knew he had to make some changes in his life, especially when it came to touring.

When he canceled the solo run, he released a statement saying, “For the past several months my mental and physical health have been breaking down, and I reached a place that was unhealthy for my family and I.”

He added, “I know this decision will come as a shock to some and may be regarded as unpopular by others, but after taking a hard look at where I am and where I was going, I need to pull myself back and be home with my family.”

In the Alternative Press interview, he elaborates on what that period of his life was like and how he got through it.

“I found that my pursuit of work and all things ego was killing me. And nearly killed me,” Taylor said. “So, I’ve reinvested my life to the point [where] I’m only going to work so much. I’ll never be gone from home for more than two-and-a-half weeks. I’m putting importance back on the things I really value. That is the greatest gift I could give myself and my family.”

So, Taylor’s new move is that he’ll never tour for more than two-and-a-half weeks at a time, to allow more time at home and with his family. I think that’s totally fair and healthy. Musicians are people, too, and no matter how big of a demand there is to see them live, they deserve to have a personal life.

Corey Taylor Says He Had a ‘Complete and Utter Breakdown of Boundaries’

After Taylor put a nix to his 2024 solo tour, he took to social media to post a video discussing what he was dealing with and why he needed to take some time off.

“I, over the last year, have had a complete and utter breakdown of boundaries, mental health, ego, entitlement — the whole nine yards culminating in a very, very real, very near relapse,” Taylor said, in the post that’s since been removed. “I kinda don’t recognize myself. So, again, I wanted to address this and just tell people that I needed time to reset. I need time to start working on my heart and mind and get straight.”

I’m interested to see if Taylor’s new way of touring will influence other bands. With you look at other bands in the same genre and era, they’re still touring hard, especially because they aren’t too old yet. But, I wouldn’t be surprised to see other bands decide to put their personal life first and stick to a set touring rule of only so much time on the road before coming back home. Aside from mental health, there’s also the physical aspect of being on the road too much, so there are plenty of benefits to keeping it under control.

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Charles Ken

Meet the expert - Charles Ken is a graduate of Michigan State University where he studied writing and history. He's a longtime music buff and covers classic rock for Audio Ink Radio. Contact him at ken@audioinkradio.com.