Craig Jones (musician)

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Craig Jones
Craig Jones of Slipknot at Optimus Alive Festival 2009 (cropped).jpg
Jones performing with Slipknot in 2009
Background information
Birth nameCraig Jones
Also known as
  • #5
  • 133
Born (1972-02-11) February 11, 1972 (age 52) [1]
Des Moines, Iowa
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Musician
  • songwriter
Instrument(s)
Years active1992–2023
Labels Roadrunner Records
Formerly of Slipknot

Craig Jones (born February 11, 1972), [1] also known as 133, is an American musician. He is the former sampler and keyboardist of the heavy metal band Slipknot, in which he was designated #5 amongst its nine member lineup. Jones joined the band in early 1996, shortly after the band had finished recording its demo album, Mate. Feed. Kill. Repeat. . Initially, he was brought in to replace Donnie Steele, one of the two original guitarists, though he moved on to sampling and keyboards. [2] Following the departure of fellow bandmate and drummer Joey Jordison in 2013, Jones was the second-longest-serving member of Slipknot.

Contents

On June 7, 2023, Slipknot announced they parted ways with Jones, [3] though the announcement was removed the same day. [4]

Career

Jones joined Slipknot in early 1996, replacing original guitarist Donnie Steele after the recording of the band's debut demo Mate. Feed. Kill. Repeat. [5] He was enlisted to the band by drummer Joey Jordison, with whom Jones had previously worked (alongside guitarist Josh Brainard) in the band Modifidious. [6] However, shortly after joining the band, the "electronics and computer genius" moved over to the role of sampler due to the increase in sound effects, background noises/programmed samples and media samples used in the band's music. Mick Thomson replaced him on guitar. [5] Jordison claimed that Jones was happy with the change, noting that "he liked doing that anyway, coming up with all these noises and sounds". [7] Jones' contribution to the band has been described by BBC Music as "provid[ing] samples, speeches and noises as a kind of audio garnish in the band's dark maelstrom". [8]

Jones was given the nickname "133" as a reference to the processor speed of his computer, 133 MHz, which author Joel McIver claims "was considered the state of the art" at the time. [5]

In September 2004, it was announced that Jones would not be performing with Slipknot for a short period of the band's European tour due to a "medical emergency". A statement on the band's official website explained that "Craig Jones #133 (#5) has been suffering incredible pain during the first week of our European tour and has been unable to eat or sleep properly. Therefore, a decision was made for him to return to the States for emergency dental surgery". [9] Speaking about the situation, guitarist Jim Root explained that "We're filling his spot, we've got a picture of him in the dressing room and we miss him every day, [but] we couldn't cancel the tour". [10]

It was announced on June 7, 2023, that Slipknot parted ways with Craig Jones. [3]

Mask

Upon joining the band as a guitarist, Jones initially wore women's pantyhose on his head when performing, which was said to give his face a "compressed, robber-like look". [11] This was later changed to an astronaut space helmet with long nails hammered through it. [12] The helmet was later replaced by a bondage mask, and a zipper was also added over the mouth area. [12]

Along with those of Jordison, Root and Thomson, Jones' mask has been acknowledged by fans as having stayed very much consistent over the course of Slipknot's career. For the group's 2019 album We Are Not Your Kind , his mask was slightly modified, with the nails being replaced by screws and being longer at the top of the mask, achieving a mohawk effect.

Personal life

Jones was often identified by the media as the most quiet and private member of Slipknot, earning him the nickname "The Quiet One". [13] Vocalist Corey Taylor has commented on his demeanour by describing him as "the quietly scary type". [7] Slipknot producer Ross Robinson has added that he "would try to get him to talk and he would just sit and stare at [him]". [14] Loudwire's Graham Hartmann noted that he "almost never speaks" and "keeps people at a distance", theorizing that these qualities inspired the style of his mask. [15] Ian Gittins of The Guardian described Jones as "patently a strange individual", as well as quoting the band's manager's dubbing of the sampler as "the Unabomber", a reference to terrorist Ted Kaczynski. [16]

When asked early in his career about what job he might be working at if not in Slipknot, Jones responded that he'd likely be "driving forklifts in a warehouse all day long", although he has also joked that he would "probably be out killing people", which has earned him the nickname "The Killer". [13] According to Robinson, the latter comment was the first the sampler made in an interview, and it inspired a number of complaints from readers of the publication to which it was made. [14]

Discography

With Slipknot

Compilation albums

Video albums

Filmography

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Slipknot (band)</span> American heavy metal band

Slipknot is an American heavy metal band formed in Des Moines, Iowa, in 1995 by percussionist Shawn Crahan, former vocalist Anders Colsefni and bassist Paul Gray. After several lineup changes in its early years, the band settled on nine members for more than a decade: Crahan, Gray, Joey Jordison, Craig Jones, Mick Thomson, Corey Taylor, Sid Wilson, Chris Fehn, and Jim Root. Slipknot is well known for its attention-grabbing image, aggressive style of music, and energetic and chaotic live shows.

<i>Mate. Feed. Kill. Repeat.</i> 1996 demo album by Slipknot

Mate. Feed. Kill. Repeat. is the first album recorded by American heavy metal band Slipknot, and their only release with original lead vocalist Anders Colsefni. The album was limited to 1,000 copies, with distribution beginning on October 31, 1996. The band sold the last 386 units through -ismist Recordings in 1997. The album has become sought after by fans since Slipknot's rise to fame, and original copies have sold for up to $1,000.

<i>Iowa</i> (album) 2001 studio album by Slipknot

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<i>Slipknot</i> (album) 1999 studio album by Slipknot

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Corey Taylor</span> American musician

Corey Todd Taylor is an American musician, songwriter, author and actor. He is the lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Slipknot, in which he is designated #8, as well as the lead vocalist, guitarist, lyricist, and sole continuous member of the rock band Stone Sour.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Fehn</span> American musician

Christopher Michael Fehn is an American musician. He was a percussionist and backing vocalist for the heavy metal band Slipknot from 1998 to 2019, in which he was designated #3. He was also the bassist for Will Haven from 2010 to 2012.

Donnie Steele is an American musician, best known as one of two original guitarists of the heavy metal band Slipknot. Steele co-founded Slipknot in 1995, performing on the band's debut demo Mate. Feed. Kill. Repeat. He left in 1996 and was replaced by Craig "133" Jones, but later rejoined in 2011 as the touring bassist following the 2010 death of Paul Gray. Steele was part of the recording sessions for the band's 2014 album .5: The Gray Chapter, but left at some point before the album was finished and was replaced by Alessandro Venturella. According to Jim Root, some of Steele's bass tracks were used for the album though he did not specify which tracks feature Steele on bass.

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Nathan Jonas "Joey" Jordison was an American musician. He was the original drummer and co-founder of the heavy metal band Slipknot, in which he was designated #1, and the guitarist for the horror punk supergroup Murderdolls.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mick Thomson</span> American guitarist (born 1973)

Mickael Gordon "Mick" Thomson is an American musician. He is one of two guitarists for the heavy metal band Slipknot, in which he is designated #7. Thomson originally met founding Slipknot members Anders Colsefni, Donnie Steele and Paul Gray through their mutual involvement in death metal band Body Pit, later joined in early 1996. Following the departure of fellow bandmates drummer Joey Jordison in 2013 and sampler Craig Jones in 2023, Thomson is now the second longest-serving member of Slipknot.

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<i>Behind the Mask</i> (2002 film) 2002 American film

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Anders Colsefni is an American vocalist and drummer, best known as the original lead vocalist of heavy metal band Slipknot and for singing and playing percussions on their debut demo album Mate. Feed. Kill. Repeat.

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References

  1. 1 2 Childers, Chad (February 1, 2022). "Rock Stars Celebrating Birthdays in February". Loudwire . Townsquare Media . Retrieved December 1, 2022.
  2. ↑ "Craig Jones - Death Row Lane". deathrowlane.weebly.com. Retrieved February 22, 2022.
  3. 1 2 "A Statement from Slipknot". slipknot1.com. June 7, 2023. Archived from the original on June 7, 2023. Retrieved June 7, 2023. To our fans, Slipknot is announcing that we have parted ways with Craig Jones. We wish Jones all the best for the future.
  4. ↑ Merlin Alderslade (June 7, 2023). "Slipknot announce departure of Craig Jones, then delete announcement". Metal Hammer . Retrieved June 9, 2023.
  5. 1 2 3 McIver 2012
  6. ↑ McIver 2003 , p. 28
  7. 1 2 Arnopp 2011
  8. ↑ "A celebration of 'the quiet one in your favorite bands". BBC Music . BBC. April 2, 2016. Retrieved July 21, 2016.
  9. ↑ "Slipknot's Craig Jones To Sit Out Part Of European Tour". Blabbermouth.net. September 26, 2004. Retrieved July 21, 2016.
  10. ↑ "Slipknot Guitarist Discusses Missing Member". Blabbermouth.net. September 29, 2004. Retrieved July 21, 2016.
  11. ↑ McIver 2003 , p. 29
  12. 1 2 Bryan, Tom (October 5, 2015). "The Definitive History Of Every Slipknot Mask". Metal Hammer . TeamRock. Retrieved July 21, 2016.
  13. 1 2 "A celebration of 'the quiet one' in your favourite bands". BBC Music . BBC. April 2, 2016. Retrieved July 21, 2016.
  14. 1 2 McIver 2003 , p. 30
  15. ↑ Hartmann, Graham (March 22, 2016). "7 Unforgettable Craig Jones Slipknot Moments". Loudwire . Townsquare Media . Retrieved July 21, 2016.
  16. ↑ Gittins, Ian (February 22, 2002). "Among the maggots". The Guardian . Retrieved July 21, 2016.

Other sources

Preceded by Slipknot guitarist
1996		Succeeded by
Preceded by Slipknot sampler
1996–2023		Succeeded by
none
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