Der Name Corey Tayor ist den meisten Menschen nur durch seine Position als maskierter Frontman bei Slipknot bekannt. Was viele allerdings nicht wissen ist, dass Corey Taylor in einer zweiten Band spielt und sich hier als melodiöser und gefühlvoller Sänger inszeniert. „Stone Sour“ heißt das Nebenprojekt des Slipknot Frontman, welches ihm musikalisch mehr bieten kann als seine eigentliche Hauptband.

Der Name Corey Tayor ist den meisten Menschen nur durch seine Position als maskierter Frontman bei Slipknot bekannt. Was viele allerdings nicht wissen ist, dass Corey Taylor in einer zweiten Band spielt und sich hier als melodiöser und gefühlvoller Sänger inszeniert. „Stone Sour“ heißt das Nebenprojekt des Slipknot Frontman, welches ihm musikalisch mehr bieten kann als seine eigentliche Hauptband.

In Stone Sour, so der Sänger selbst, kann er sich seinem Publikum emotionaler und persönlicher präsentieren. Außerdem bietet ihm der melodiöse Gesang einen Ausgleich zu seinen Schreiorgien bei Slipknot.

Ein weiteres Aha-Erlebnis stellt sich dann ein, wenn man erfährt, dass Stone Sour schon einige Jahre länger besteht als die weltberühmte Band mit den Masken.

Da es im Gründungsjahr von Stone Sour 1994, zu keinem erhofften Erfolg der Band kam, schlossen sich der ausgebrannte Sänger Corey Taylor und Gitarrist James Root der Heavy Metal Gruppe Slipknot an, die mit ihrem maskierten, ah pardon, markanten Auftreten zu Weltruhm gelangten.

Das Musikprojekt Stone Sour schien vergessen, bis ein guter Freund der Band zum Jahreswechsel 2000 an Taylor herantrat, um ihm seine musikalischen Ideen vorzustellen. Dieser Freund war kein geringerer als Stone Sour Gitarrist Josh Rand, der mit Corey fast 2 Jahre an neuem Songmaterial für Stone Sour arbeitete. 2002 erschien dann das erste höchst erfolgreiche Album mit dem Selbstbetiteltem Namen „Stone Sour“. 4 Jahre später schossen sie mit dem Release von „Come what (ever) may“ eine unglaubliche Platte nach. Mit dieser machten sie sich 2006 auf den Weg rund um die Welt und machten am 28. Oktober auch einen Stop im Wiener Planet Music, um vor ausgeverkauftem Hause die Massen zum Toben zu bringen.

Im Publikum fand man eigentlich so ziemlich jeden „Menschen- Stil“ vertreten: Von den abgedrehten und durchgeknallt gekleideten Metal- Fans bis zur Obertussi bei der man meinte, sie hätte sich von einem Volksgarten- Clubbing in das Planet Music verirrt. Einige Besucher ließen es sich auch nicht nehmen, mit einem Band T-Shirt der Gruppe Slipknot aufzutauchen, und sich in den ersten Reihen einen gegenseitigen Headbanger –Contest zu lieferten.

Schon um 6 Uhr Abend reisten die ersten Konzertbesucher, mache sogar extra aus Tirol an, um vor dem Konzert noch Autogramme von Corey Taylor und Co abzustauben. Dies war nicht allzu schwer, parkte der Tourbus doch direkt vor dem Planet.

Um 21.15 ging es dann mit der Vorband los. Eine mir schon zuvor bekannte Oberösterreichische Rockband mit Namen Centao konnte das Publikum von Anfang bis zum Ende zum Springen animieren. Mit unglaublich guten Songs und einer energetischen Liveshow brachten sie das Planet Music schon vor dem Liveact zum Beben. Ein Gefühl, welches bei Vorbands leider allzu selten auftritt. Diese sind nämlich meist nur nervig, und ziehen den Zeitraum zur eigentlichen Hauptband nur unnötig in die Länge. Die vier Jungs von Centao schienen allerdings das ganze Gegenteil bei den Wiener Fans hervorrufen, die sich bei deren Auftritt hellauf begeistert gaben.

Mit einer gesteigerten Vorfreude auf Stone Sour ließen uns die Musiker von Centao mit einem guten Gefühl im Bauch zurück, und übergaben die Bühne den eigentlichen Stars des Abends.

Schon beim ersten Song vibrierte die Konzerthalle. Die Fans gingen ab wie ich es noch nie zuvor bei einer Band gesehen hatte. Die Stimmung zwischen Band und Publikum war gigantisch, es schien etwas absolut Magisches in der Luft zu liegen.

Trotz vorzeitiger körperlicher Schwäche seitens des Sängers, der laut Interviewpartner Josh Rand voll mit Medikamenten war, blieb die Stimmung unglaublich. Cory schien sich an seinem Publikum schlichtweg energetisch aufzutanken und steigerte sich in diesem Gig von Song zu Song. Als er dann alleine auf der Bühne stand, um die melodiösen Songs „Bother“ und „Through the Glass“ zu spielen, schien der Auftritt auf seinem Höhepunkt. Hier holte selbst der abgehärtete Heavy- Metaller sein Feuerzeug raus und schwenkte im Takt mit.

Cory unterbrach den Song Bother sogar einmal, um dem Publikum mitzuteilen, dass genau diese Momente der Grund waren, warum er Musiker wurde.

Als sein Publikum dann auch noch die letzte Zeile von Bother, „I'll never live down my deceit“ für ihn singen, ist es um den Sänger geschehen. In diesem Moment hat er sich in das Wiener Publikum verliebt und diese Liebe hat er uns mit einem „Holy Fucking Jesus“ ausgedrückt.

Und nochmals: Der ganze Abend war von einem unglaublichen Gefühl umgeben, welches sich nur sehr schwer beschreiben lässt. Dass für diese Amerikaner Musik alles ist, haben sie uns klar und deutlich spüren lassen.

So zeigte dieser Auftritt schon so einige Überraschung auf: Cory Taylor brillierte als Sänger und Songwriter, aber auch als absolut sympathische Figur. Trotz Krankheit hielt er bis zum Ende durch um seine Fans, darunter übrigens auch eine verschwitzte Christina Stürmer, nicht zu enttäuschen. Und enttäuscht, so kann ich ganz sicher sagen, wurde an diesem Abend keiner.

Also bitte, wenn diese Jungs aus Iowa nochmals nach Wien zurückkehren, und das hat uns Cory hoch und heilig versprochen, sichert euch ein Ticket und lasst auch ihr euch von Stone Sour den Abend versüßen.

Zwei Stunden vor dem Konzert durfte ich im Tourbus der Band Platz nehmen, und Gitarrist Josh Rand stellte sich meinen Fragen. Unglaublich sympathisch und überaus überlegt nahm er sich viel Zeit um über das Tourleben, seine Heimat und seine große Liebe zur Musik Auskunft zu geben.

How is the tour going so far, and how are the reaction about the new album „Come what (ever) may“?

Josh: The tour so far has just been unbelievable. We actually started with the trip to Russia, which was the first time for us being there and it was just awesome. Then we just finished up 6 dates in Germany, well actually just 5 dates. This all came down with Corey ´s cold, so we ended up cancelling the Berlin show. But we did soundcheck today and they pumped him with a bunch of medicine and so he sounded great today.

So, we are back!

You have existed since 1994, so already 12 years left. In that time you had a long break when Cory and James got part of Slipknot. How was the first time playing together after such a long time?

Josh: 1994 were the previous Stone Sour, it was only like session type players in recording situation, so I was not really part of the band at this time. There were like 12 different guitar players from 1992 to 1996 when Cory decided to join Slipknot. I was always friend with Shawn, Corey and Joel. At this time it did not work out for me to play in that band, we were too different in your music-interests. I can think back and everybody was talking about Pearl Jam and I am like “Hey man, there is this metalband from Texas called Pantera”. So, I come from that Trash-School. Well and then, when Cory joined Slipknot, I told him in 2000 that I have got all this material I have been writing for the last years. Then we decided to get together, record a demo in his grandmas place and my place.

So it was actually your idea to say “Hey, let´s try it again”

Josh: Well, at the beginning it was just friends getting together and there was no intention at the beginning of 2000 that we would ever take it to the level we are now. It was just us doing what we were always doing, writing music and just having fun with that. It kind of grew in to the first album. The whole year 2000 and 2001 Cory and I were just writing songs and record them for our self. And then the label got a hold of it and they liked it. And they said we should actually record it, record it and then it just made sense to bring back all the Stone Sour guys and that is how it all happened.

If you are playing in such a hard and aggressive band like Slipknot, especially for a singer, I can imagine that there is almost a need to have band beside, to express yourself more personal.

Josh: I can´t answer that for Cory, I mean I don´t want to say that he was a singer before he joined Slipknot but he was more a melodic person, big melodies you know? He is influenced by a lot of great singers, Sebastian Bach and Steven Tyler. These guys can sing like not other.

And Cory is an amazing singer.

Josh: Yeah, and he did not get to show that in Slipknot. They could not have done a song like Bother or Through the Glass. So I think it is a great thing for him.

The second album makes you a lot more see- through and approachable. Was that your intention?

Josh: Well the first album was kind of rushed. It all happened almost over night. This time around we knew where we stood. So the song writing process for this record started with the tour for the first record. So we had 2 ½ to 3 years to write songs. Then the time came to put all this together, I had 38 tracks to put on this record. We were not pushed in to do this album, we wanted to it!

I am very curious about your working process. How can I imagine a rehearsal day of Stone Sour?

Josh: (Laughs) The rehearsal for this record went really quick. It is funny, because we had so much time to do the demos as individuals and then we had one month to put it all together before we stepped into the studio. We are a very focused group though. We knew where we wanted to go, we wanted to make the best record possible. So everybody put in the work, well we actually worked our butts of this month before we went to the studio.

While other bands try to find their ultimate style, it seems to me that you made a great mix of different styles on your new record. Is it important for you, to try different things and not get deadlocked in one specific style of music?

Josh: I think the reason why we have these different styles is, because every individual is showing what they are into. But when we come together as a group, everybody is open- minded and respects one another to do the best songs possible, whether if it is zzyzx rd. or 30/30-150.(Anm.: Songs von Come what (ever) may) We have never let outside influences dictate where we go, and that is the biggest thing I am proud of with this second record. We did a mass step forward. We could have gone the “safe way” and basically reduplicate the first record but we were like, “Ok, we put out a zzyzx rd. we take another tongue with sillyworld and Socio”, which are completely different directions of what we have been. We really don´t care what people think, all the individuals make Stone Sour what it is.

What advice can you give your fans when they listen the first time to your new album?

Josh: The biggest thing is, it is as pure of a record, that you are ever going to hear. And the reason why I say that is, as selfish as it might sound, it is because we totally do it for ourselves and don´t let any outside influences dictate how the album should be. The most important thing is that you do what you want to and what makes you happy. That is pretty much it.

Did your fans change from 1994 to now? Or do you still see some “old” faces in your audience? Well, I don´t know if you can form an opinion about that.

Josh: Well I have seen a big change between 2003 and 2006, not only within the band. We are hitting a different audience. You could make the argument the first time around that a lot of fans came over from Slipknot. This time around, there are a lot of Stone Sour fans, who have no idea who Slipknot is because we are playing Popradio. (laughs)

These fans have Parents who probably freak out because their kids say “I love this Stone Sour band, and this `Through the glas` song.” And the parents are like “Oh my god, what happened to my band!”

I would do the same thing with Motley Crew. When my mum came home and she was like “I love this Home Sweet Home thing”, and I was just thinking: “It is the Crew, oh my god my mum likes Motley Crew”. (laughs)

I freaked out, but once again: It is just us as individuals and we are just always constantly trying to improve as musicians and grow as people.

James said once: “Life is a learning experience, and so is songwriting”

Exactly, I mean you can feel comfortable just repeating yourself but for me it would just be boring. We never grow that way, I mean you can stay in your carrier by doing that, but at some point you are cheating yourself if you are not trying to improve what you have already done!

Thank you for that, this is exactly my opinion!

You seem totally busy with touring. How do you find adjustment to this stressful life? Is there anything next to music?

Well right now it is just touring (laughs), it is pretty intense! That is the main focus right now. In the next couple of weeks we probably go in and shot a video for sillyworld, that will be the next Single. And then Tour Tour Tour, Canada, US…

Russia?

We have done Russia, but we want to go back there. We also want to play in Japan again.

How was Japan, I can imagine that people are very different.

I thought that I stepped on another planet. It was my first time there, everybody else of the band and also the crew have been there before. I was just overwhelmed, information overload, trying to take it all. And we were in jetlag, so it was quite an experience. Basically we flew in and we played at noon and the next day we played at noon in Tokyo. And then we flight back to the US to support Korn on tour. (Laughs)

I mean it was like 4 days of not sleeping. But Japan was just amazing; they were very good to us.

You just said it, your music brings you through the world; you have seen a lot of different countries. Can you imagine one place, where you would settle down after you active music carrier?

Well for me Des Moines (Anm.: Des Moines liegt im Staat Iowa) will always be that place for me. I really never see me leaving there, just because the way I was razzed. I have 8 brothers and sisters and they are all younger than me. (laughs)

Family is everything to me and I have so much family there. So I probably always live in Des Moines.

What are you expecting from the remaining tour?

Hopefully everything goes how it started out, so just completely awesome. So what I have been told, they rest of they shows are sold out and everything has been upgraded in the UK, from the small rooms to the big rooms and they are all sold out. I look for a very successful European run.

Wow, that sounds amazing to me! Have fun and enjoy the remaining tour!

STONE SOUR, 28.10.2006 (Wien, Planet Music)