SlipknotSlipknot’s Shawn “Clown” Crahan has revealed that following the end of the band’s most recent tour, he wasn’t feeling well and was diagnosed with a cardiac condition, which requires heart surgery.
He shared the news on mega producer Rick Rubin’s podcast, Tetragrammaton, which was posted on YouTube on Thursday (7 May).
“I have a skipping heart, and I got to get a surgery,” Crahan explained, per Billboard. “I found this out after my last tour. I went in, I wasn’t feeling good, and the nurse was trying to get an EKG thing going on, and it just wasn’t happening. I fell asleep, and I woke up.
“I’m like, ‘Are you going to get this thing?’ And she’s like, ‘Oh, it’s not working.’ They thought I was having a heart attack right there. My heart skips, and apparently I’ve taught myself to be like a cross-country runner.”
The percussionist and founding member of Slipknot added that the condition affects his heart rate, causing sudden drops in heart rate that leave him feeling unwell.
“I’m overweight, and my brain is so strong that it tells this stuff what to do,” he continued. “My standing heart rate at night is 43, and during the day I get down to 33. Hasn’t happened since I’ve been here with you, which is good, because I’ll go from ‘on,’ to just straight up, I feel like I’m dying.
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“I got to get a surgery. It’s a very easy surgery. You’re usually out on the same day. It’s not like they rip you open. This is something about the electricity.”
Clown explained that, due to his successful career in Slipknot, he has access to specialised medical care, and that doctors expect his condition to improve with treatment.
“I got a concierge doctor because I’m in Slipknot and I’m able to go to levels, and they’re like, ‘No, you’re going to feel better. You better get in shape because you got to do more now at 56,’” he concluded. “And it’s just like I just can’t believe it, man, that this was me. It’s wonderful. I’m lucky.”
You can check out the full interview below.
Last year, Slipknot sold a majority stake in their catalogue, including publishing and recording royalties, to HarbourView Equity Partners for a reported US$120 million.
“After 25 years of taking on the music business, we find ourselves with a partner that is willing to sign onto continuing what Slipknot started,” Crahan said. “Only they want to go even bigger. Get ready. Hail The Knot.”
The Slipknot deal was at odds with other A-listers in that they were not considered a household name. But as The Music explained, the $120 million figure also drew from the intense loyalty of the band’s Maggots fan base.
