Slipknot’s Clown Defends AI as a Creative Tool, While Corey Taylor Remains Firmly Against It

Slipknot percussionist Shaun Crahan, better known to fans as Clown, has spoken openly in favor of using artificial intelligence in music, calling it a powerful creative aid rather than a threat.

In a new interview, Crahan said he thinks of AI as “a professor in my pocket,” explaining that he uses it constantly as a tool to help explore ideas. According to him, AI isn’t something that replaces creativity—it supports it. “No one needs to use it,” he stressed, making it clear that musicians still have full control over whether they adopt it or not.

Crahan shared that he has written “thousands and thousands” of poems throughout his life and has used AI to help reimagine them in new ways. One example he gave was asking AI to suggest different ways to sing lyrics without changing the words themselves.

“Here are my words,” he explained. “Don’t change them. Don’t alter them. But show me some different ways to sing it.”

For Crahan, this process isn’t much different from working with a human producer—except it’s faster, cheaper, and always available. He compared AI to a “pocket producer,” noting that hiring a famous producer could cost upwards of $150,000 and still only result in one or two creative suggestions.

Importantly, he emphasized that AI can’t function without human input. “None of it can work without you, the human,” he said. “It’s a giant oracle… but it needs you.”

Not everyone in Slipknot agrees.

Frontman Corey Taylor has made his dislike for AI-generated music very clear. Speaking back in 2023, Taylor said he “can’t stand” AI music and questioned why people are trying to prove computers can do the same things as artists.

“If computers can do things just as good as people,” Taylor said, “then what’s the point?”

The debate comes as Slipknot fans continue to wait for the band’s long-rumored “lost” album, Look Outside Your Window. The project has been teased since 2019, with Crahan and Taylor both previously suggesting it was close to release.

Earlier this month, Crahan apologized for the continued delay and reassured fans that the album is finally on the way. During a Discord Q&A, he promised that 2026 would be the year it sees the light of day.

“I’m just getting tired of waiting myself,” he admitted. “Have faith. I promise.”

As Slipknot moves forward, it’s clear the band remains creatively restless—whether that means embracing new technology or holding fast to old-school values.