SLIPKNOT singer Corey Taylor says that it is "really fun" keeping secret the identity of the band's newest member — the percussionist nicknamed "Tortilla Man." Tortilla Man joined SLIPKNOT three months ago, when he was first featured in the video for comeback single "Unsainted". He came into the group following the acrimonious departure of Chris Fehn. Since then, there has been much speculation about his name, with some SLIPKNOT fans getting quite obsessed with trying to work out the real identity of the band's latest recruit. Taylor told Australia's The Music that wanting to retain a semblance of mystery wasn't necessarily SLIPKNOT's intention, but is ultimately "kind of a cool byproduct" of the whole scenario. "We didn't want the emphasis to be on the new guy, we wanted the emphasis to be on the music," he said. "That was what it was always about for us. We didn't want the drama, we didn't want the bullshit, we wanted the attention to be on the fact that we had new music coming out. And as we pushed it even further, it's driven people so fucking crazy... Now, we're, like, 'We're never gonna tell now.' It's really fun." SLIPKNOT's other percussionist, founding member Shawn "Clown" Crahan, also refused to reveal the identity of the band's mysterious new ninth member in an interview with Kerrang! magazine, saying it was "nobody's fucking business." Fehn sued the band in March, claiming he hadn't been properly compensated for his years of touring and recording with the group. Fehn, a member since 1998, was officially dismissed from the band earlier this year. In an interview with Zane Lowe on Beats 1, Taylor said Tortilla Man had won the respect of bands and fans. "He's doing great and is a great dude," he said. "He's killing it, man." Asked how anyone becomes an official member of SLIPKNOT, Taylor said: "First of all, you've got to wear the tortilla on your face. And the audience has to figure out who you are. With Tortilla Man, it's kinda cool. It's brought this whole new energy to everybody as well, so it's a lot of fun to watch him as well." SLIPKNOT's sixth studio album, "We Are Not Your Kind", arrived on August 9. The band kicked off its North American headlining tour on July 26 in Mountain View, California.
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