Slipknot vocalist Corey Taylor said in an interview once that the group would never go out on tour without the masks, but how does the rest of the group feel about that? According to guitarist Jim Root, Taylor is right on the money.
"Well, for one thing, Kiss has already done that. And two, that's something you do when maybe the career's in the pot. The masks, for us, are more of a way to present ourselves live, you know? It's always been about the live show for us… We're having Halloween onstage every night … I'm definitely a lot more reserved without the mask on. And with the mask on, all those inhibitions kinda go out the window. I can act like Keith Richards, I guess!"
Honestly, it would be a whole different experience to see Slipknot without the masks. The whole theatrical portion of the show wouldn't make any sense! Everything is coordinated to be stylistically in tune with the group's masks. Having a bunch of regular looking dudes in regular clothes performing amid Slipknot's stage setup would look silly.
It would be like seeing Ghost as a group of regular guys playing up on a regular stage- it's the same music, but a part of the experience is completely absent.
Never go full Kiss, Slipknot.
