Slipknot’s Clown has defended the use of AI in music.
The 56-year-old percussionist – whose real name is Shaun Crahan – said he is “employing AI 190 per cent” and called it “a professor in my pocket who only wants to do what I ask it”.
He told gaming magazine The Escapist: “I’ve been using AI my whole life,” and claimed he has “thousands and thousands” of poems that he is adapting through the use of AI.
He explained how he uses the technology, saying: “Here are my words. Don’t change them. Don’t alter them. But show me some different ways to sing it.”
Clown added that he would prefer use AI rather than pay a producer “$150,000” to produce unsatisfactory results.
He said: “What’s the difference between me pulling out my pocket producer… or me trying to get a famous producer that might not even work with me and could potentially cost me $150,000… who will only give me one or two ways – I’m not mentioning any names!”
However, Clown’s Slipknot bandmate Corey Taylor doesn’t agree with his positive thoughts about AI.
He told Kerrang! in 2023: “People keep going, ‘Oh, isn’t it cool?’ I’m like, no, it’s not cool. What are you, out of your mind? What? Suddenly now we have no talent? The only thing that we’re gonna get that sounds cool and new is from something that doesn’t even exist? S**** you, man!”