cleveland there were a lot of prominant bands, heavy bands, and there was another band called Unified Culture, and thats where Jmann came from, Both our bands practiced in the same sound studio, Unified Culture practiced right across the hall from us. We were always like dude, that guy Jmann can sing, he is mean when he yells he has that bounce, I would love to do a project with him! Anyways, all of us were in other metal bands at the time, we did not want the persona or the supergroup type of thing, we didn't want anyone to know, oh it's that guy from this band, and it's that guy from that band..the folks wont assume it's going to sound a certain way. Even guys from the bands we were in didn't know we were in another band! So we just did this super secret shit and I was very much influenced by Bungle, GWAR, Genatortures and before that obviously KISS, The Residents and Alice Cooper you can go back in time with all the theatrical bands. I mean it doesnt stop with Slipknot kids! (laughing) I mean look at Jethro Tull, they used to wear the actual jumpsuits with arm bands and everything...So anyways..I am showing my age a little bit.. But the idea was to mask our identity completly so you only looked at it as an artform and that was it, not like rock stars. In 92 it was shocking to see that
everyone was in flannel and their hair all long. We were the furthest thing away from that. Put Jeff in a wedding dress, some shoulder pads and a devil mask, "Lets Go!"
Waylon: I am so glad that Skinny did that, cause back in my Freeky D days, I always wanted to put in keyboards, Skinny did the last Freaky D album, but everything Mushroomhead, I was a little guy
in South Carolina and everything I wanted was on the same path! And I was lucky enough, God was like "Alright Waylon here is Steve, be a good kid, check this guy out" Skinny has taught me so much, I have been in the group for 11 years, it was the rockstar thing..I was green, I was green as green gets, I mean green (laughing) I didnt know anything..I didnt know about business, nothing, I just knew how to sing! I knew what I wanted to
do, then I get a guy like steve in my life and he was like "Alright, I got some fresh putty here!"
Skinny: I was like "Not only do you want to join the circus, but also what line do you want to take?"
Waylon: It's funny, I had someone ask me the other day "Do you have any regrets?" I wouldn't change a damn thing, I joined the group that I was supposed to be a part of. I was like why couldn't I have met you guys back when I first learned? (laughing)
DDR: When you first started out, and looking at were you are now, would you have expected how successful you were going to be?
Skinny: I would say this, Im fucking impressed, there is this saying...The difference between obsession and determination, I guess obsession is the lazy interpretation of determination. I look back you know, Ill stop right now and say Holy shit 22years, seven albums, toured worldwide
awesome, never thought in a million years, however everyday since 92 when I walked in with Jeff,
I walked in that door and asked
"How do I pimp my band out?" "How do I make this bigger?" and
how I do it everyday, whether I wake up in my bedroom or the tour bus I think "How The Fuck do I still have the same mentality?"..So in alot of ways it doesnt suprise me Its just the accumilation of all the endevours
Waylon: He is not lying, I never need to worry where Skinny is at.
Skinny: I got you! In your sleep Waylon..I got you!
Waylon: I'm serious..Skinny will call me at like 11 at night, and say "I need you to get over here!" He would be like "Get here now, just get here to the studio ...Now!" I never have to worry about my future..Skinny is chess...He is four moves ahead of me, and am four moves ahead of all of you all. I mean we are thinking 2017 already, we are that far ahead..See a lot of bands dont get that, you can't think in the now, you cant compete in now cause its already been done.
Skinny: Yeah, it just happened!! (laughing) In that two seconds...(counts) 1...2.... that's over! Never get it back..(laughing)