Corey Taylor Channels Dave Grohl by Proclaiming His Love for ABBA
Slipknot's Corey Taylor recently offered high praise for ABBA, taking after fellow rocker Dave Grohl, the Foo Fighter who often speaks of his love for the classic Swedish disco-pop group.
ABBA, who had hits in the 1970s such as "Dancing Queen" and "Fernando" but disbanded in 1981, reunited in 2017 and will release their first new album in 40 years, Voyage, next month.
In an overview this week of musicians who take inspiration from ABBA, Taylor spoke to The New York Times about his memories of listening to the outfit and how their music still moves him today.
"Growing up in the '70s, there was such a weird amalgam of music all over the place," the Slipknot singer and Stone Sour frontman remembers. "I had Elvis; I had Motown; I had weird disco."
He continues, "Through all of that, I remember hearing ABBA's music. It seemed like it was always on, and it was clearly different from everything else. It had this full-spectrum lush production that felt and sounded big. It was only four people, but those songs sounded like there were a thousand people being recorded. The math didn't add up to me."
So what is the Slipknot member's favorite ABBA song?
"'Take a Chance on Me' was always my jam," Taylor explains. "I love the juxtaposition — the beginning sets the whole tone for the song, with this weird Gregorian monk-like chant going on, and all of a sudden the crazy European production kicks in. The modulation in those songs is beautiful. It hooks you in, the way it plays between the major and the minor. I just love the yearning feeling."
He adds, "When you put it on, I'm instantly in a good mood."
Elsewhere in current Slipknot news, Taylor this month explained how the masked metal band aim to "set the standard" for a touring rock group amid the COVID-19 pandemic. (The vocalist contracted the virus earlier this year.) He also shared some news about an imminent new Slipknot album, saying it's now "probably about 80 percent done."
But for a rock vocalist who makes his in trade in mainly aggressive music, he still vouches for the nostalgic pop sounds of ABBA.
"If you're a real lover of music — not just somebody who subscribes to one genre — then you have a great appreciation for songs," Taylor says. "And ABBA wrote great songs that they executed just completely above the norm."