Shawn Crahan

Michael Shawn "Clown" Crahan (born September 24, 1969), also known as Clown, Kong, or by his number #6, is an American musician, music producer, and artist. He is best known as one of the two custom percussionists of the Grammy winning heavy metal band Slipknot, and the drummer of To My Surprise and Dirty Little Rabbits. At 41, Shawn Crahan is the oldest member of Slipknot.

Crahan was born Michael Shawn Crahan in Des Moines, Iowa. He once performed in bands such as Heads on the Wall & One Cup Fat. He married his wife Chantel in June, 1993, in Des Moines, Iowa. They have four children, Alexandria, Gage, Gabrielle, and Simon. Shawn and his best friend Joshua Maravilla decided to make a new band called Slipknot.
As well as lending his percussion talents to the band, Crahan has also sung backing vocals on a number of songs Slipknot has both recorded and performed live. He also wrote the original draft of "Tattered & Torn", which appeared on the band's early demo, Mate. Feed. Kill. Repeat.. Outside Slipknot, Crahan has founded Big Orange Clown Records, a vanity label within Sanctuary Records, which has so far signed the metalcore band Gizmachi. He also acted as director for, and assembled Slipknot's 2006 DVD, Voliminal: Inside the Nine, while the band engaged a brief hiatus.
He also performed with To My Surprise, recording drums and vocals for the band's self-titled debut. The band received little interest due to their album being released amidst the success of Slipknot members Corey Taylor, James 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,^[1] and have released one EP, titled Breeding. They have since signed a deal with The End Records as of November, 2008. ^[2]
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 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)".
After the death of fellow Slipknot founding member Paul Gray, Shawn is now the only original member left in the band (Joey Jordison (contrary to most knowledge) is not a founding member and only joined just before the band changed their name to Slipknot).
He is the director of many of Slipknot's videos, dvds, and other artistic projects.
Clown Crahan, to his nickname, wears clown-style masks while performing with Slipknot. He also wears a death mask made from a cast of his own face when performing the song "Vermillion".