Shawn Crahan

Born (1969-09-24) September 24, 1969 (age 54)^[2]GenresOccupationMusicianInstrumentsYears active1992–presentMember ofSlipknotFormerly of

Michael Shawn Crahan (born September 24, 1969),^[2] more commonly known by his stage persona "Clown", is an American musician. He is the co-founder and one of the percussionists for heavy metal band Slipknot, in which he is designated #6. Crahan helped form Slipknot in 1995 alongside bassist Paul Gray and former vocalist Anders Colsefni. Crahan is the longest-serving and only remaining original member of Slipknot, and also has extensive involvement with Slipknot's media production and music videos. Outside Slipknot, Crahan had two side project bands called To My Surprise and Dirty Little Rabbits. Aside from his musical activity, he also directed the 2016 action thriller film Officer Downe.

Crahan married his wife Chantel^[3] in June 1993, in Des Moines, Iowa. They had four children together,^[4] the second youngest of whom died in 2019 at the age of 22.^[4][5]

In 1995, Crahan formed a metal band known as the Pale Ones with fellow musician Paul Gray, which featured himself as the band's drummer. Wanting to expand the band's percussion section, Crahan brought in Joey Jordison to fill in as drummer while Crahan's efforts were focused on percussion. The lead vocalist, Anders Colsefni, played a second percussion kit, which gave the band a layered, distinctive drum sound. In 1996, they released a song known as "Slipknot", and through Joey's suggestion, the band changed their name to Slipknot and released their first official album. This album would later become known to the band as their demo. Crahan felt that the original vocalist for Slipknot was too guttural, and was the primary reason for Slipknot's inability to get a record deal. He brought in Corey Taylor from another local band called Stone Sour, whose vocals were more melodic. Slipknot got a record deal a couple years later and released their first official album in 1999. Slipknot gained major notability the same year by touring with Ozzfest. In Slipknot's early years, Crahan brought several dead cow heads on stage.^[6]

He also performed with To My Surprise, recording guitar and vocals for the band's self-titled debut album. The band received little interest due to their album being released amidst the success of Slipknot members Corey Taylor, Jim Root and Joey Jordison's side projects, Stone Sour and the Murderdolls, respectively. To My Surprise was later dropped by Roadrunner Records. In 2007, Crahan began performing as drummer for Dirty Little Rabbits. The band was a supporting act for Stone Sour during their North American tour in Summer 2007,^[7] and have released one EP, titled Breeding. They have since signed a deal with The End Records as of November 2008.^[8]

In 2009, he contributed to Bring Me the Horizon's remix album, Suicide Season: Cut Up!, by remixing the track "Sleep With One Eye Open". Also in 2009, Shawn remixed Coheed and Cambria's "Welcome Home" and a Suicide Silence track on their Wake Up EP entitled "Wake Up (Clown of Slipknot Remix)". In 2010, he contributed to Escape the Fate's This War Is Ours deluxe edition, by remixing the track "This War Is Ours (The Guillotine Part II)," and in 2011, he remixed "Angels of Clarity" for Dead by April on their compilation album "Stronger." Crahan has confirmed the formation of a brand-new side project called The Black Dots of Death who released their debut studio album Ever Since We Were Children on March 28, 2011.^[9]

He also featured as the carny "Tamer" in The Devil's Carnival, a full-length feature film directed by Darren Lynn Bousman which was screened on their tour beginning in April 2012.^[10]

In June 2016, Crahan made his directing debut with the film Officer Downe based on the graphic novel Officer Downe written by Joe Casey and illustrated by Chris Burnham.^[11][12][13]

Crahan has also participated in several other music-related endeavours, and acted as executive producer on L.D. 50 by Mudvayne and the self-titled debut album by downthesun. He was also briefly the owner of a short-lived record label, Maggot Recordings (also known as Maggot Corps.), which existed briefly between 2001 and 2002 as a subsidiary of London-Sire Records, a Warner Music Group label. The label's only signed act was downthesun. The label was rendered defunct following the collapse of London-Sire in January 2002.^[14] Downthesun's self-titled debut album, which was scheduled to be released in February 2002 through the label, was eventually released through Roadrunner in October 2002.^{[15][16][17][18]}

• Mate. Feed. Kill. Repeat. (1996)
• Slipknot (1999)
• Iowa (2001)
• Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses) (2004)
• All Hope Is Gone (2008)
• .5: The Gray Chapter (2014)
• We Are Not Your Kind (2019)
• The End, So Far (2022)

• To My Surprise (2003)

• Breeding (2007)
• Simon (2009)
• Dirty Little Rabbits (2010)

• 2011: Ever Since We Were Children

• American Head Charge – "Just So You Know" (Clown #6 from Slipknot Remix) (2002)
• Mindless Self Indulgence – "Pay for It" (The Son of a Clown Remix) (2008)
• Darren Smith & Terrance Zdunich – "Repo! The Genetic Opera" (2008)
• Marilyn Manson – "Arma-goddamn-motherfuckin-geddon" (Clown/Slipknot Fuck the God Damn TV and Radio Remix) (2009)
• Coheed and Cambria – "Clown's Welcome Home" (Shawn Crahan Remix) (2009)
• Dead by April – "Angels of Clarity" (Shawn 'Clown' Crahan Remix) (2009)
• Bring Me the Horizon – "Sleep With One Eye Open" (Clown Remix) (2009)
• Suicide Silence – "Wake Up" (Clown of Slipknot Remix) (2010)
• Escape the Fate – "This War Is Ours (The Guillotine Part II)" (This War Is Mine) (2010)
• Hesta Prynn – "Pepper" (2010)
• On a Pale Horse – "Walks With Death" (Clown / M Shawn Crahan Remix), "Steps" (Clown / M Shawn Crahan Remix) (2011)
• Austra – "Beat and the Pulse" (Clown Remix) (2011)
• Free Dominguez – "Darkest Rivers" (Psychosis Industries: M. Shawn Crahan and Kyle Sherrod "Below the Surface" Remix) (2013)
• Hooverphonic – "Shake The Disease" (Shawn "Clown" From Slipknot Edit The Shake Remix) (2013)

• 2000: L.D. 50 – Mudvayne
• 2001: Invitation to the Dance – 40 Below Summer
• 2002: Downthesun – Downthesun
• 2003: To My Surprise – To My Surprise
• 2005: The Imbuing – Gizmachi
• 2008: Dirtfedd – Dirtfedd

• 1999: Welcome to Our Neighborhood
• 2002: Disasterpieces
• 2002: Rollerball
• 2006: Voliminal: Inside the Nine
• 2008: Repo: The Genetic Opera – percussion
• 2008: Nine: The Making of "All Hope Is Gone"
• 2010: (sic)nesses
• 2011: Goat
• 2012: The Devil's Carnival – The Tamer
• 2012: A Beary Scary Movie
• 2012: We Are (Hollywood Undead music video)
• 2013: A M E R I C A (Motionless in White music video)
• 2015: “The Vatican Tapes” - cameo
• 2016: Officer Downe – director
• 2017: Day of the Gusano – director
• 2020: Pollution – director (short film)

• Official website (archived)

Preceded by none

Slipknot drummer 1995

Succeeded by Joey Jordison

Preceded by Anders Colsefni

Slipknot percussionist 1995–present

Succeeded by none