Watch Corey Taylor Reveal How Ozzfest Helped Slipknot
Before this weekend’s Ozzfest Meets Knotfest, the epic merging of two heavy metal festivals, Slipknot‘s Corey Taylor talked about the impact Ozzy Osbourne‘s namesake fest had on Slipknot in a new video.
“You have to go back to 1999, our first major tour,” said Taylor. “Ozzfest gave us an incredible opportunity and we were able to really jumpstart our career from there … The great thing about being a part of that Ozzfest was that you were immediately a part of a family.”
After Ozzfest enjoyed an annual run every year between 1996 and 2008, the fest hasn’t been staged in North America since 2010. In that time, Slipknot filled the void. With the end of Black Sabbath this year, Taylor wanted to salute to the fest and band that inspired his own. “In a way, it was to put together something amazing for the fans, but also to pay respect to a festival that really helped make this band what it is and to give a little nod to a brand that … when you say to a metal fan, ‘Ozzfest,’ they know what that means,” Taylor said.
In the video, Taylor also talked about his favorite Ozzfest memory and his first Ozzfest tour. “I learned that even in the midst of all kinds of crazy stuff going on, I can still be a fanboy,” Taylor said. “When Ozzy hugged me for the first time, it was like being blessed. It doesn’t get any better than that.”
The Ozzfest half of the two-night festival takes place Friday night with Black Sabbath, Disturbed and Megadeth leading the charge. On Saturday, Knotfest will feature Slipknot (performing Iowa in full), Slayer, Anthrax and dozens more.
Find out five things you didn’t know about Slipknot. Watch here.