Music Forum / Slipknot Bassist Arrested

Slipknot bassist arrested in D.M. on drug charges
By TOM ALEX
Register Staff Writer
06/02/2003
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A man arrested by Des Moines police on drug charges following a traffic crash on Sunday afternoon identified himself to authorities as Paul Gray, 31, a member of the metal band Slipknot.

Police charged Gray, who listed an Urbandale address, with possession of marijuana, possession of cocaine, possession of drug paraphernalia and a red light violation.

Officer Larry Van Ginkel said small amounts of marijuana and a substance that field-tested positive for cocaine were found in Gray's red 2001 Porsche. Two syringes were found in the car.

The crash occurred about 3:45 p.m. Sunday at Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway and Carpenter Avenue. Gray's car collided with a car driven by Yvette Rochon of Des Moines, police said.

Rochon said she was proceeding through the intersection on a green light when the crash occurred. Gray tried to exchange information about himself, "but I couldn't read it," Rochon said. "He tried again but I still couldn't understand it."

She said she sent her daughter to call her husband from a pay phone. Police arrived and tried to sort out what happened.

"He tried to write me a check, but my husband gave it to police," Rochon said. "I don't know how much it was for. He said he had to get to rehearsal and that he was a rock-something."

Rochon said that immediately after the accident occurred Gray told her he was on medication. "Then he said his brakes went out."

Police said Gray, a bassist for the band, was taken to a local hospital. A police report said Gray "had impaired balance, slurred and dull speech, and extremely sleepy and dull behavior."

He was later taken to the Polk County Jail.

Tests will be conducted on a lab sample provided by Gray. Additional charges stemming from the test results could take several weeks, police said.

Slipknot's self-titled 1999 debut sold more than 1 million copies. A second album, "Iowa," was a global best seller and the group is working on a new album. Each of the group's nine members has a special mask. Gray wears a pig face mask.

Police said there were no serious injuries in the accident.

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Berzerker Loose Bassist

One of Earache Records' most brutal bands has suffered a loss of a member. THE BERZERKER's bassist/2nd vocalist has left the band. Here is the statement in his own words:

"It is with great regret that I announce my resignation from the Berzerker as a full-time touring member. I made this decision during the Napalm
Death/Nile tour and was fortunate to complete both that and the following European headline tour.

I joined the Berzerker around 1998 just as he returned from Europe with the contract offer from Earache records and am still astounded that I was
taken on board as a band member. I recorded on both the debut album and 'Dissimulate', and have played on all the tours so far, doing guitar/vocals originally before moving onto bass/vocals. I was the Berzerker
with the horns.

I can no longer afford the cost of touring both financially and physically. In particular, I do not have the energy anymore to come back from exhausting
tours and immediately have to start searching for work and a place to live.

Furthermore, the Berzerker needs someone with greater commitment than myself to continue the progress we have made at the rate we have established.

With the permission of the Berzerker I will continue to assist with songwriting and recording albeit to a lesser degree, as well as the upcoming DVD which will blow your minds.

I am proud of everything achieved so far, and excited by what the future of the Berzerker holds. The Berzerker is an idea that is greater than any one
individual. I'd like to thank the Berzerker and Earache for the past five years. My regards to all bandmembers past, present and future. Thanks to the fans for their crazed - and I mean crazed - support.

Special thanks to all our detractors. If people such as yourselves don't "get it", it only confirms that what we are doing is worthwhile. Every guestbook entry you make is confirmation that we annoy the right people.

This is only the beginning.

bass/vox/horn"

hard rocker getting arrested. what a suprise.

You know how close Chimaira is to being death metal and you say you hate the stuff? Chimaira are metal core, nearly death metal which you say you hate. Now you change your avatar and sig to have Chimaira in, thats fucked up.

Aren't we all?

okay, that was stupid Mort.

I don't consider them to be Death Metal. They're alot like Slipknot. With lots of yelling vocals and hard guitars. Therefore, I'm leaving it.

Ok, I accept that maybe to you they sound a little bit like Slipknot. But what makes a fast Chimaira song so different from death metal.

just drop it already!

Ok, my point finally got over, thank you.

okay. thats nice.

That you said you hated death metal which is near enough Chimaira, and you change your sig and avatar to Chimaira as if you were one massive fan.

i just liked the cover...

Now your changing the point

Mortician what are you on about lol?
just because i like some stuff by Emienem (Sp?) dosn't mean i like all rap and crap lol.

infact i can't stand most of it. seems like a rather odd argument to me

just drop it!

Mortician what are you on about lol?
just because i like some stuff by Emienem (Sp?) dosn't mean i like all rap and crap lol.

infact i can't stand most of it. seems like a rather odd argument to me

Pym said he finds death metal boring, I mean what makes Chimaira so good in your opinion that death metal isnt? I just don't understand him, he has his opinion but I just don't understand it. Which is why I want to find out.

i'm not bickering with you anymore, its pointless.

It seems like everyone is getting arrested on possesion. The Berserker, Steve-O, hell even the old Dell guy. They mines well make it legal, to an extent, because those who want it get it anyway, and the police could spend they're time on other things.

Just an opinion,
Hevydevy

How dare you compare Chimaira too a worthless band like Slipknot.

It seems like everyone is getting arrested on possesion. The Berserker, Steve-O, hell even the old Dell guy. They mines well make it legal, to an extent, because those who want it get it anyway, and the police could spend they're time on other things.

Just an opinion,
Hevydevy 

right on, the only reason there is so much drug violence is because drugs are illegal, if they were legal, no one would have to deal them and kill people to get them, plus then the government oculd regulate whats in them, ending lacing heroine and cocaine into marijuana and stuff......

How dare you compare Chimaira too a worthless band like Slipknot.

That's great.
You have such a great signature.
...yes