Modern Drummer magazine podcast , Eloy Casagrande revealed in detail the meaning of his mask in Slipknot .
According to the drummer, the accessory was designed in collaboration with percussionist Shawn “Clown” Crahan and contains elements that pay homage to the late Joey Jordison and Brazilian indigenous culture.
The white color of the mask was reportedly suggested by Clown as a way to honor Jordison's memory and "respect his legacy," while the black lines were Casagrande's idea to represent the Brazilian indigenous people and carry a piece of the country's culture with him.
“The facial expression [on the mask] was designed by Clown. He saw me playing without the mask and said, 'That's how you look when you're playing Slipknot, so let's put that on your mask,'” Eloy recounts (via Kerrang! ).
The bullet hole lodged right in the center of the mask's forehead was also Eloy Casagrande's idea, referencing a robbery he suffered in Brazil. “Two years ago I was robbed in São Paulo. I was walking in my neighborhood at nine in the morning, going to the gym, and two guys on a motorcycle stopped me, pointed a gun at my head and demanded my cell phone and my backpack. That was something that changed a lot inside me. And he decided not to shoot, so I was lucky,” says the Brazilian.
“It also represents a philosophy of… It conveys the feeling of, you’re going to like me, you’re going to love what I do, you’re going to hate what I do, but I have nothing to lose. I’m already dead. That’s a feeling that brings me a certain freedom when I go on stage. It’s very inspiring too,” he adds.
READ ALSO: Eloy Casagrande on joining Slipknot: “It was always the place I wanted to be”
