In a recent conversation with The Escapist, M. Shawn “Clown” Crahan, the percussionist and creative director of Slipknot, shared insights into his enduring passion for video games and creativity. This passion has culminated in the launch of his own custom Minecraft server, aptly named Vernearth. Crahan emphasized that his motivation for this venture is not financial gain but rather a “spiritual” pursuit of creative exploration.
Creative Inspirations and Gaming Journey
Crahan reflected on his extensive gaming history, which began with iconic systems like the Atari and Intellivision. He noted that various games have played pivotal roles in his creative journey, including modding first-person shooters such as Quake, enjoying the whimsical chaos of the Goat Simulator series, and engaging with the community aspects of MMORPGs like World of Warcraft.
Describing Vernearth as “the biggest art piece I’ve made in my entire life,” Crahan elaborated on its multifaceted nature, stating, “It obtains music. Scoring and music. It obtains coding, utility, vision. It’s right in my own culture… it’s like a meet and greet, but instead of you go, I get to hang out with you all night and build a tunnel.”
A Deep Connection to Minecraft
His choice of the Minecraft platform stems from a deep respect for the game, which he has followed since its inception. “I come from nothing but respect and love for the genius of Minecraft. I have four children who grew up on it… I was in the mall and bought Minecraft the first day it was released. I’ve watched all the updates,” he shared.
Crahan also revealed how the game has served as a therapeutic outlet, helping him process the grief of losing a child. While the discussion primarily focused on Vernearth, Crahan also addressed the implications and concerns surrounding artificial intelligence.
Embracing Artificial Intelligence
Despite acknowledging the apprehensions regarding AI, Crahan has chosen to embrace the technology, viewing it as a personal assistant dedicated to his creative happiness. “The way I look at it, it is a professor in my pocket who only wants to do what I ask it. Its only job is to make me happy, me, not you, not the world, no one,” he explained.
He illustrated a scenario where he could input thousands of poems into an AI system, generating innovative ways to express them musically. With a hint of humor, he remarked on the potential impact of AI on the music production industry:
“What’s the difference between me pulling out my pocket producer… or me trying to get a famous producer that might not even work with me and could potentially cost me 0,000… who will only give me one or two ways – I’m not mentioning any names!”
This comment seemed to be a light-hearted jab at renowned producer Rick Rubin, with whom Slipknot collaborated on their 2004 album “Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses).” Members of the band have previously expressed mixed feelings about their experience working with Rubin and his hands-off approach.
Further advocating for the positive aspects of AI, Crahan remarked, “Our generation is going to hem and haw about AI. Do you think some kid in fourth grade who’s grown up on it agrees with you and I about how horrible AI is? This is the implemented tool of life today.”
He concluded with a broader perspective on the evolution of technology:
“You and I will never have enough money or power to sway anybody away from what life is doing. Life is moving forward. And AI is part of it. AI is the least of our worries on this planet. We currently are the worst of our worries and have always been the worst of our worries.”
