Combining Twiztid’s Electrical Lettuce live performance with three days of popular culture, horror, skilled wrestling, collectibles, nostalgia, superb panels, cosplay and tattoo contests, it was jam packed leisure from starting to finish! How is Astronomicon totally different from different conventions? The reply is easy: fan interactions. At Astronomicon followers get to expertise a extra private and intimate setting with shorter strains, up-close entry to their favourite celebrities, and far, rather more! I want I might overview each panel from this yr–they had been all out of this world–however I’m going to focus on Nick Citadel, Corey Taylor, and, in fact, Twiztid.
Nick Citadel, who performed the unique Michael Myers, can also be a Hollywood author and director recognized for movies corresponding to The Final Starfighter and Escape from New York. Throughout his panel, he talked about his expertise engaged on Halloween and the way he might by no means have imagined that that film would take off prefer it did. “There was no risk of understanding what it could be. It’s loopy,” Citadel stated. When requested in regards to the multigenerational phenomenon Michael Myers has turn out to be, Citadel joked that it could be unhealthy for kids to stroll round dressed as serial killers. My favourite second from the panel was Citadel’s reply to how Halloween would have been totally different if he – and never John Carpenter – had written it. “It could in all probability be a musical.” Are you able to think about Michael Myers dancing to an upbeat present tune whereas butchering his victims?
As an enormous Slipknot fan, my second favourite panel needed to be that of Corey Taylor. Taylor, who’s, presently on tour with Slipknot, says that their new album will in all probability be out by the tip of summer time; although there isn’t a set date but. Taylor talked about that they’re all in an awesome headspace and getting alongside, and these have been a number of the finest excursions they’ve ever had.
Whereas touring with Slipknot, Taylor can also be engaged on his personal solo undertaking. When talked about, Taylor stated that this undertaking is “very numerous” as a result of he can play songs from Slipknot, Stone Bitter, his personal private solo music, in addition to cowl a plethora of classics to “attempt to make it an throughout social gathering.” After releasing his solo document in the course of the pandemic, Taylor says it was fascinating, and he thought it was the most effective time to do it, seeing as nobody actually knew what to anticipate with the pandemic. He says “nobody actually knew what to anticipate of the solo document; and if he endeavored to do something, it’s to ensure individuals by no means get what they anticipated.” “Individuals weren’t ready for the very fact it was simply balls out, rock and roll.” To him, his solo document was exhibiting one other facet of his songwriting abilities that he hadn’t been in a position to showcase earlier than. He says it gave individuals time to stay with it, hearken to it, and get into it.
There have been two questions from the group that I really feel should be included on this overview. First, a fan requested Taylor what his favourite reminiscence was with late Slipknot drummer Joey Jordison. Taylor merely responded that his favourite reminiscence of Joey was simply hanging out with him at his home. They bonded over their mutual love for music and dedication to creating it. To start with, all they cared about was Slipknot and wished to go away individuals in awe. After a couple of excursions, nobody wished to take them out as a result of they had been so loopy, so turning into a headlining act was a necessity. As a result of they needed to simply hold their heads down and go, his finest recollections with Joey had been simply sitting again and reflecting on every thing and speaking about what they nonetheless needed to do in life.
The opposite query that had vital significance was “What was your worst harm you’ve encountered whereas in Slipknot?” In 1999, Taylor fell 5 ft off the stage and landed on his head, which compressed his backbone and left injury that slowly unfold into his spinal wire. Over the course of roughly 16 years, he began to lose not solely his steadiness however energy on his proper facet, began to neglect issues, and he couldn’t maintain his bladder. Taylor thought it was simply from his age however his physician really useful an MRI. Taylor spoke of how headbanging on stage felt like getting electrocuted and the ache escalating to a sense of “being shot” at one level. The MRI confirmed that the bone had grown into his spinal wire and each time he would headbang, he reduce his spinal wire slightly bit extra. At that time he couldn’t raise something on his proper facet and would fall over on stage.
There’s nonetheless plenty of scar tissue which makes it tough for Taylor to maneuver. One in every of his favourite issues to do was handy write his lyrics, nevertheless it’s so unhealthy that he has to kind them now. Due to this, he needed to say goodbye to one thing he cherished, however he’s joyful to nonetheless be alive and residing the life he’s at the moment. He says he’s reached an age the place life takes issues away as an alternative of giving them, so that you cherish issues a bit extra. “Each pleasure is slightly sweeter. Each tragedy is slightly tougher” as a result of it’s one thing you’ve spent years with.
This subsequent panel was in all probability one of the vital anticipated panels of Astronomicon 5; The 25 Years of Twiztid panel. Whereas speaking about their first ever album, which got here out 15 years in the past, they described that album like it’s like your first kiss, your past love and the one you always remember about. “I discovered my vital different due to this document, I used to be in a position to get by way of a divorce or a loss of life in my household. In order that document will all the time be near my coronary heart.” When Twiztid was first signed to Golic Information, each members stated that they had been by no means going to color their faces, it was the very last thing they wished to do as a result of they didn’t wish to be like “each different juggalo band who paints their faces.” Sadly for this energy duo they realized that whereas they had been taking part in on stage they had been extraordinarily sweaty and crimson and so they thought “Okay who really desires to see us all sweaty and crimson confronted whereas we carry out.” They tried slightly little bit of this and slightly however of that till “one evening Jamie was like, let me attempt one thing, he painted his face white and put black round his eyes and that was it. The minute I noticed it, I used to be like, oh get all the way that’s it,” said Methric. “The factor that actually, actually did it for us although is, after we seemed out into the group and we noticed faces that seemed like ours, they had been virtually mimicking it. It felt like we had discovered our area of interest and clicked with everybody that we had been making an attempt to become involved with. We inform all people, be impressed by what we do and make it your personal. In the event you’re a rapper, an artist, a hair stylist, regardless of the get all the way it’s you do, In the event you’re impressed by us, use that inspiration to make your artwork come to life.”
To place an finish to an already an incredible conference, Twiztid placed on the Electrical Lettuce live performance with Tremendous Well-known Enjoyable Time Guys, Crimson and Blaze. Scanning the group, you could possibly spot a number of followers sporting the Twiztid fashion face paint that Methric spoke about beforehand and displaying varied items of Juggalo swag. The entire venue was full of a novel vitality as Twiztid took the stage. The beat dropped, the fog stuffed the stage, and a neon marijuana leaf signal with Twiztid’s identify on it lit up the stage revealing the grotesque twosome, Madrox and Monoxide. The Detroit duo delivered essentially the most diabolical dissertation of mic dropping insanity to their followers. They had been explosive and energetic as they launched right into a lyrical onslaught, bombarding their followers with a flurry of catchy rhymes, driving beats, and specific lyrics. Their set-list celebrated a robust profession that spans twenty-five years and some noteworthy document label adjustments. Madrox and Monoxide gave a spot-on efficiency that stored the group’s vitality “excessive” with witty banter and satirical commentary that solely the true household of Juggalos might perceive.
