Slipknot is probably best known for their brutal music and
over the top image; matching uniforms and homemade masks. One set of jumpsuits has large barcodes on the back
and sleeves, which are identical to the barcode on their first album- Mate Feed Kill Repeat. The initial
reason for the band wearing masks was the disbelief and ridicule the band received in reaction to their music ambitions. Aside
from their real names, members of the band are referred to by numbers 0-8.
Unlike Kiss however, most members of
the band have now been photographed without their masks, largely as the result of their musical journey's outside
Slipknot:
Vocalist Corey Taylor and guitarist James Root can be seeb unmasked with their band Stone Sour. Corey Taylor
was also unmasked in an appearance on the Killswith Engage DVD.
Drummer Joey plays unmasked with his band the murderdolls
Percussionist Shawn appears unmasked with his band To My Surprise and Dirty Little Rabbit .
DJ Sid Wilson works unmasked when performing as a DJ.
Guitarist Mick Thompson appeared unmasked in a Guitar Magazine shoot. He is also unmasked in the video for
single "No Pity on the Ants" by Lupara. In the video, he plays a serial killer. Gray and Jordison have appeared unmasked during
various photo shoots and sessions with roadrunner records.
In the video Before i Forget the band performs without masks; but the band members' faces are shown only for a split second, with the camera mostly
focused on their hands and instruments. In the video, the masks are visible hanging off hooks, possibly representing their
unwillingness to "forget. "Each member is also unmasked in individual interviews on their DVD oliminal: Inside the Nine….
The band's image has sparked controversy over the years. Some of
the controversy comes from the band Mushroomhead, who, along with their fans, claim that Slipknot stole their image. In 2005,
another source of controversy was the band's lawsuit against Burger King, claiming that company created the advertising based
band Coq Roq to capitalize on Slipknot's image. The band's lawyer claimed that Burger King had contacted the band's label
to get Slipknot to take part in "advertising campaign designed to motivate young people to vote. "Burger King responded to
the suit with a countersuit, and in that suit pointed out that many other bands, such as Mudvayne, Kiss and have used masks as part of their image, although after private discussions the advertising campaign was dropped.
