When it comes to crafting music, Slipknot‘s guitarist Jim Root says that there is no definite formula. In a recent interview with Andertons Music Co, he opened up about his songwriting approach and the significance of spontaneity, pressure, and teamwork in crafting the band’s unique sound.Root noted that songwriting typically arises from unanticipated situations, whether it’s a casual jam session or a serious studio session. “I’m still trying to figure that out,” he remarked. “I think that’s the eternal (conundrum) because, with writing, there’s no rule book. You can do it however it comes to you, whether it’s noodling around on the couch and then something comes to you or it’s sitting in front of the Pro Tools rig, or if it’s at a band rehearsal and then the drummer plays something and then you just happen to play something along with it and somebody’s, like, ‘What was that?’ And then it can evolve into a song.”
While the creative process might often appear spontaneous, Root also knows that it’s an ongoing growth. “You hear a lot of people say a song will write itself, and sometimes that happens, and when it does happen, those tend to be the really good ones,” he stated. “Or it could be a song that you just work on for years and it just stays in demo form and then you just keep revisiting it. And maybe a year after you started working on it, you hear it differently, and you’re, like, ‘Oh, wait a minute.’ And then, all of a sudden, something unlocks and then it comes together better that way.”
This protracted process of trial and error can sometimes feel never-ending, but Root compares it to the obstacles faced by filmmakers. “That’s why, I think, a lot of the times in the movie industry, they say they never finish a movie; they abandon it. And I think it resonates true with what we do, too, in the studio. It’s, like, how deep in do you wanna go, or can you go? And you could infinitely work on things until you’re… you can drive yourself crazy and end up chopping your ear off or anything, you know what I mean? It’s hard… At some point, you just stop.”
Root’s views on the burden of tight deadlines offer a unique peek into how Slipknot mixes creativity with the realities of the music industry. When working on their 2019 album “We Are Not Your Kind”, the band experienced tremendous issues managing time and resources. “When we were working on ‘We Are Not Your Kind’ album, that was kind of the deepest we were able to go into a record,” Root explained. “I mean, I started working on that record a couple of years before we even got together to do pre-production for it.”
As the band improved their repertoire, they reached a stage when they had too many songs to select from. “We had so many songs that it got to the point where sitting with Clown and Corey and producer Greg Fidelman, we were just trying to figure out, like, ‘Which ones are we cutting?’” Root continued. “Cause you know, the money’s cutting off at this time and the studio time’s cutting off at this time and there’s a deadline and there’s a schedule and there’s a budget, and you’ve got these five extra songs that we need to figure out which ones we’re focusing on. And it’s, like, ‘Jesus, how can we figure this out?’”
When questioned if working under pressure generates more creativity or if he enjoys the freedom of more time, Root observed that it’s hard to decide which technique is ideal. “That’s hard to say because we haven’t had a chance to do either enough times to figure it out,” he added. “It’s, like, how many times are you gonna make a record in your life and in your career? You’re doing shows continually — you might do hundreds or thousands of shows — but you’re only gonna be in a studio six or seven times in your career, ten times maybe, depending on how long your career is. Some people twice.”
Yet, Root recognised that there is something to be said about the motivation that comes with a ticking clock. “But I think we work really well under pressure in some cases, in most cases. There are exceptions to that rule, of course, but I think if we know there’s a clock ticking over our heads, it’ll push us to really dig down deep and locate what it is we’re looking for.”
Root also shared some insight into his working connection with fellow guitarist Mick Thomson, a major aspect of Slipknot’s sound. He noted that his composition technique often takes into account the efforts of the complete band. “If I’m at home, and the only reason I’m talking about this is because it’s what I’m most familiar with, I always write thinking about what not just Mick is gonna be doing, but what Clown or Pfaff or any of the other guys are gonna be doing, and I always think about leaving space.” For Root, this is a crucial component of producing a work that gives room for all members to bring their individual voices to the table.
When it comes to working with Thomson, Root retains a sense of flexibility in their approach. “The only question is, what’s Corey gonna do?” Root mused. “So if I write a four- or five-minute-long arrangement and I’ve got it set up so there’s an intro and then there’s a verse line and then a pre-chorus and a chorus and then a middle eight section or a breakdown and then it all repeats or whatever, I might give it to him and he might wanna sing a chorus over what I thought was a verse or he might take this little pre-chorus section and want that to be the verse.” This process of try and modification ensures that the music evolves as new views are added.
Root also stressed how crucial it is to remain open to new ideas, especially when it comes to guitar parts. “Sometimes he’ll just write over what I give him and we won’t change anything. And other times it’s that progression. And then, as far as guitar parts, I’ll always do a left and right guitar track. And even in the studio, Mick and I will perform hard left and right tracks.” However, in some circumstances, Thomson would come up with his own interpretation. “There might be songs where, if it happens to be a song that I wrote at home, he might wanna be, like, ‘That rhythm’s really cool, but I have this idea and I’m gonna play this.’ And that’s amazing ‘cause it adds a whole another new layer to the music that I wouldn’t have thought of.”
For Root, this kind of creative freedom and collaboration is vital to Slipknot’s sound. “When you become so attached to something and you’re so in your head with it, you can’t look at it objectively, but you give it to somebody like Mick and he hears it from a totally different standpoint and a different style of playing even, and he does something that wouldn’t even occur to me. And then all of a sudden that’s the thing that takes the song and lifts it to where it needs to be.”
Jim Root’s observations illustrate how Slipknot’s songwriting process is a delicate balance of various aspects. Despite the intricacies and hurdles, it’s this precise approach that has enabled them stay a force in the music world for over 25 years.
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