Video footage available of Corey Taylor’s solo show in Las Vegas

On Sunday, October 18, Corey Taylor, the frontman of Slipknot, performed in a unique, small-scale show at the Fremont Country Club in Las Vegas, Nevada. After performing a number of covers of classic rock and heavy metal songs, such as KISS‘s “Dr. Love,” Ozzy Osbourne‘s “Crazy Train,” Elton John‘s “Saturday Night’s Alright For Fighting,” Judas Priest’s “You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’,” Foo Fighters’ “Everlong,” and Night Ranger’s “Don’t Tell Me You Love Me,” Taylor began the two-hour performance with a rendition of the iconic Nickelodeon show “SpongeBob SquarePants.” The Timothy Rusling channel on YouTube posted a fan-filmed video of the full performance, which you can see here.

Born in Des Moines, Iowa, on December 8, 1973, Corey Taylor was raised primarily by his single mother in Waterloo, Iowa. Of Dutch, German, Irish, and Native American descent, Taylor spent much of his childhood moving across the country as his mother searched for work, living in 25 different states by the age of 15.

Taylor‘s early exposure to pop culture laid the groundwork for his future artistic direction. Seeing a trailer for the 1978 film Halloween as a child sparked his early fascination with masks and horror aesthetics, which would later define Slipknot’s iconic style. Meanwhile, his grandmother introduced him to rock music through Elvis Presley‘s discography, with tracks like “Teddy Bear” and “Suspicious Minds” leaving a lasting impression alongside an early discovery of Black Sabbath. Taylor ultimately decided to pursue a singing career after an impromptu sing-along to Journey‘s “Separate Ways” with his cousin.

Corey Taylor‘s adolescence was marked by instability and severe personal hardship. In 1983, at age nine, his family spent time stranded in Georgia during a move to Florida. By age 15, while living in Waterloo, Iowa, he had developed a severe drug addiction and survived two cocaine overdoses. Seeking a way out, Taylor relocated to Des Moines to live with his grandmother, who took legal custody of him to ensure he stayed in school and purchased his first musical equipment. Taylor has often credited his grandmother as his “strongest influence” and the stabilizing foundation of his early life.

At age 18, Taylor left his grandmother’s home to navigate a transient lifestyle across Iowa, frequently returning to Des Moines. Though he attended Lincoln High School in Des Moines, he left before graduating, later going on to earn his GED as he pursued his musical ambitions.