Slipknot Unmasked

A book by Joel McIver
96 large format (7″x10″) pages, $17.95 (Omnibus Press)
by Martin Popoff

In commemoration of the third Slipknot album (Iowa) exploding all over the world, here’s an extremely detailed and insightful book that looks at the complicated pre-fame underpinnings of the band through the second album’s touring shenanigans. McIver is no hack, also being an editor at Record Collector mag and having written a book on extreme metal. Unmasked certainly will result in controversy, as McIver has found all sorts of people instrumental in getting this beast off the ground. And they talk. The rare first album is covered in detail, as are extra-curricular activities of the band. As well, McIver flexes his journalistic muscles by deftly putting this philosophical band in context, many contexts in fact, including rock history, art history, and even geography. The layout is classic, idiosyncratic Omnibus, kind of scrapbook so the eye stays interested. Of note, Slipknot did not cooperate with the writing of this book and there are no new interviews granted. Not surprising, given that the band who used to be praised by openers and headliners alike two years ago as “really down-to-earth” have become total rock star dicks who regularly blow off scheduled interviews, slagging the press (apparently fans are still OK) who’ve covered the band exhaustively and near unanimously positively since their signing to Roadrunner. (I got four re-schedulings in one day and then finally no interview at all).
(www.omnibuspress.com)