5/16/03
For those of you still out there claiming that Stone Sour is "just a sideproject," think
again. Their new album has already gone gold in the US, have been nominated for a Grammy
and there's no slowing down for the band that began quite a few years ago in a small place that
I like to call home. Des Moines, IA. Stone Sour was here long before Slipknot began to take off.
People seem to forget that little tid bit as well as the fact that Corey Taylor can sing like no one
else. A trait he downplays in Slipknot due to the brutallity of the music. Will Stone Sour
be here long after Slipknot or will this be the end of the Knot? Read on and you'll find the answers.
When Stone Sour came out on stage and erupted with "Get Inside", I couldn't help but smile
and feel proud. I've known these guys for so long and now they are playing to a sold out show
with people screaming the lyrics back to them. The look on Corey's face when he plays "Bother" is
a feat all on it's own. It's something special to watch.
I got to sit down with my long time friend Shawn Economaki on their tour bus and catch up
on everything. He explained to me that he couldn't put into words on the success of the band
already and what lies ahead for the band. He also noted that a lot of people try to use him to get
close to Corey or Jim but then again, there's always that kind of shit going on isn't there?
Noize Pollution: Shawn it's so good to see you again. Who would have thought that I'd be here
interviewing you when we've known each other quite awhile?
Shawn Economaki: Yeah, I never dreamed this would happen either.
NP: I remember the whole local music scene back in Des Moines as if it were
yesterday. Bands like Slipknot, 35"Mudder, Deadfront, Smiling Jack, Junk Poet,
Smakdab, Stone Sour & Index Case. How amazed are you at how far you've come
and where you're at today?
SE: Stupefied actually by it. I had no clue. After Corey joined Slipknot, I had no
idea that we were going to end up selling a gold album, being nominated for a Grammy
and this is just all from "let's all just get together and put this thing out and just
jam with it again and have some fun with it." That's all that it went from and now
it's just headlining these shows. It's just crazy. Absolutely crazy.
NP: Can you explain the events that led to the original Stone Sour that broke up,
like when Corey joined Slipknot, what band you joined right after, etc...?
SE: Sure. It was early '97 and we didn't have any contacts as far as labels or
managers. The guys in Slipknot, mainly Clown had those contacts so they had the
advantage over Stone Sour cause they knew who to talk to. They approached
Corey to join and he did. Jim, Joel, Bruce and myself auditioned a couple of
singers and it wasn't the same. It just wasn't Corey so we abandoned Stone
Sour. Jim and I went and joined Deadfront with Danny Spain�
NP: Aaron Peltz..
SE: Yeah Aaron Peltz and Max Hudson at the time. We did Deadfront for about a year
and a half. And then Josh left Slipknot so then they approached Jim Root and then
Jim joined Slipknot. So at this point in time, I was going to murder everyone in
Slipknot. I called up Clown and told him I was going to kill him and cussed him
out for like thirty minutes and he let me vent. Then like two weeks later I
approached him and said I want to come work for you guys. If I can't beat you
guys, I better join you. So I did. I went out and was with them for like four
and a half years. The last two years, I was their stage manager. It was a cool
experience, reminded me a lot like college. And then at the end of 2000, Josh
had wrote the music to "Get Inside" and it was still in the heat of Slipknot.
Corey wrote the lyrics to it and they started writing tunes with just the two
of them and a drum machine. Then they had Danny Spain come in and play drums
because he wasn't doing anything at the time. And then Spain got out, Joel got
in. Then I got in and then it was turning back into Stone Sour again. Then Jim
got involved once he knew that we had all the same guys from before and we
started doing some of the old Stone Sour songs. And then it just became Stone
Sour and we wanted to see how far we could go with it. It all started with Corey
and Josh just recording songs to have fun and literally, here we are. That's
exactly how it started.
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NP: That's one hell of a story but I totally remember what the scene was
like and how all the bands felt when Slipknot starting stealing people
from their bands and having a few bands break up because of it. Bands
were pissed�
SE: Yeah, vividly! I remember a Deadfront show that Slipknot and 35"Mudder
got into it out in the parking lot. Actually it was out in front of the venue
now that I think about it. I remember that we were playing when this went down.
I remember there were some people from the local radio station of Lazer 103.3
and then someone in Slipknot started running their mouth. (laughs) Yeah I
remember that. God that was a bad one! Someone made an exclamation that "they
are the scene". I won't name any names on that.
NP: Yeah, I won't either! There were all kinds of things that happened
after that! Don't even get me started. You had to have been there.
SE: Ah�the good ole times. (laughs)
NP: Earlier, you mentioned becoming Slipknot's stage manager. What exactly does
that mean and what did you do?
SE: Yeah, the stage manager for any type of band is responsible and in charge of the
stage and the entire set up. This includes the lights, the banners all the rigging
that needs to be done. You oversee all the support acts, where their gear goes, where
they set up on stage and everything responsible for Slipknot. Make sure all their
equipment is in place, make sure they have all their individual needs, dealing with
all the audio, etc�You're on the stage putting together a 20 hour day walking back
and forth pointing going, "this goes here," "you do this," "thank you," "come with
me," & "we're going to do this now." You basically run the show and make sure
everything goes over smooth while trying to cram it in a time deadline.
NP: There was probably one point in your career that you were sitting there and watching
all these people you know go off and become famous. Did you ever feel that you were
being left behind?
SE: No, actually about the time Aaron joined Downthesun and they were getting
along, Stone Sour was happening too. We were basically getting signed at the
same time. As far as Slipknot goes, by the time I joined them. I never
played at all with them; I just tuned instruments and did a set up. But
I didn't miss it because I stepped out of that aspect in my life and I
focused on being a crewmember. It didn't bother me. There was this one
time we were in England and they were doing a sold out show and I was
really happy for them. Mainly just Jim and Corey. It brought tears to
my eyes that night cause I hadn't felt something like that in a long
time. It was nice you know.
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NP: So back to Stone Sour, you guys have gone gold in the US and it doesn't look like
you plan on slowing down any time at all. You got your own headlining tour, you're
heading off to Europe soon and you've played some radio festivals.
SE: Yeah, we've been doing festivals across the states. We're getting ready to go
over to Europe and do a month full of festivals in July. After July, Slipknot has
got to get back together to get their third album out and Stone Sour is going to
start in Septemberish hopefully to start recording Stone Sour 2.
NP: How's the tour going so far with Powerman 5000, Ra & Systematic?
SE: Great bands! Great bands! I was pleasantly shocked that the bill is as strong
as it is. There isn't a weak link in this lineup. Everyone is really good. That's
not bullshit either. I hadn't heard of Systematic until we joined up and they
fucking throw down. They are awesome. Ra is amazing and Powerman's new stuff has
a lot of bounce to it. They do a good job at working the crowd. They're not in
their space suits they are just out there doing normal rock and roll. We're all
having fun and the shows have been really good. We've done five or six radio
festivals with Godsmack and those were really cool. I've seen a lot of friends
I haven't seen in a long time, it's nice.
NP: Your new video for "Inhale" is pretty cool. Who came up with the concept
of the homeless to the Lounge singers?
SE: That's Corey. It was a combination of Corey and the director. They came up with the
basic concept but we all had our touches of influence here and there in the video but
it was their brainchild.
NP: For some of those people out there that don't know this, what are some of
the old school Stone Sour songs that made it to this album?
SE: "Take a Number" & "Tumult". "Tumult" would be the most obvious for anyone
who knew Stone Sour then. God I know there's more�.. "Bother," we didn't do
it in Stone Sour back then but that song is more than seven years old. He
wrote that coming back from Denver on the dashboard of a car. That's where
he wrote the lyrics. We've got more and we're going to bring back some more
for Stone Sour 2.
NP: I also heard that you were going to be hosting "Headbanger's Ball" which
is one of my favorite fucking shows of all time.
SE: I know it's amazing! It's back and we get to be one of the first guests on
that which is really cool. We do a New York show and we do it the night before
we fly over to Europe is when we're doing "Headbanger's Ball."
NP: With Rob Zombie!!
SE: Yeah so that will be cool. I'm sure we'll be in Europe when it airs in the
States. We'll have to do something. Maybe we'll fuck the set up without MTV
knowing about it so we can be in the top 100 "Headbanger's Ball." Of all time
so we can be up there with Guns N Roses. (laughs)
NP: I don't mean any disrespect with this next question but it's something I have
to ask. I love Stone Sour to death mainly because I grew up with you guys
and the scene. I've heard a lot of people refer to you guys as a side project
which just pisses me off.
SE: Right..
NP: The situation you're in kind of reminds me of the Tool and A Perfect Circle
situation. Where Maynard has both responsibilities to both bands and with Corey
likewise with Slipknot and Stone Sour. Corey and Jim both have obligations to
Slipknot and to the fans so what happens when they go back to the Knot what's
Stone Sour going to do? Is there any kind of tension there?
SE: No, absolutely not. You are right about a lot of the press does view our band
as a side project. We've tried to clarify this a thousand times but it's never
enough unless we got on CNN or something. (laughs) This is not a side project.
This is a serious band that will have longevity. It will be here longer than Slipknot.
I don't want to piss off anyone in the Slipknot community but that's the harsh reality.
Slipknot you will see another album, but I doubt you'll see a fourth. Not with Corey
at the vocals anyway. That probably sums that up cut and dry. We are going to do this
as long as we are permitted to. We have no intentions of breaking up. As soon as
Slipknot starts recording their third album, the three of us that aren't in
Slipknot will also start recording for Stone Sour. And then as soon as Corey
and Jim become available they will come back and lay their parts down and go
back out on the road with Slipknot. But Stone Sour will be off to about a year to
two years, something to that effect, while Slipknot is doing their thing. And
then after that, our album will come out and we'll go tour again and hopefully
it'll do as good. Even if it does only half of the first one, I'd be happy. I
couldn't be happier.
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NP: A few days ago, I e-mailed all our street teamers that listed Stone Sour
in their top ten and I had them send me a question they would like to ask you. I have
a few fan questions for you. This question is from
Suzy in Brookfield, MA: asks: Can you really play a stand up bass like you did in
the video for "Inhale?"
SE: Dear Suzy, yes I can really play an upright bass although not as good as I can a
standard electric for that is what I've played on my entire life. If I had to save my
life, I could play the upright bass.
Curt from Des Moines, IA asks: Who is actually on the answering machine message
and why did you put that on the record?
SE: Dear Curt, on the answering machine that is Joel and myself at 7:15 in the
morning in Cedar Falls, IA while we were recording the album Stone Sour the
album. We were so fucked up it wasn't even funny. We've been partying all
night with friends we met at a local bar there and I had this brainstorm
that we should call Corey at home on a Sunday at 7:15 in the morning. Joel
immediately confirmed my decision. And we called Corey and he wasn't very
happy but that was Joel and I.
NP: How'd it get on the album?
SE: Corey had saved it on his machine and he insisted that it ended up on there.
NP: Well, thanks so much for sitting down with us! Is there anything you
would like to add?
SE: Anyone that doubted us or still does fuck you! And everyone who supports us, thank you!
Interview by: T-Bone
To view past Interviews and Favorites click
HERE.
Official website:
www.stonesour.com
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