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Alice Cooper, Slipknot give Fresno an early fright

Creepy rockers alight at Saroyan Theatre, Save Mart Center

Published online on Monday, Oct. 26, 2009

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It’s going to be a dark, dark Tuesday night.

In one part of town, shock-rock legend Alice Cooper will unleash his Theatre of Death tour upon Fresno’s Saroyan Theatre. Across town, masked metal miscreants Slipknot will annihilate fans at Save Mart Center.

Both of these concerts just a few days before Halloween? Fresno rock fans are getting their treat early this year.

We talked to Cooper and Slipknot bass player Paul Gray about their respective concerts, their Halloween preferences and which show people should be at tonight. Alice gets first honors ...

Question: Why do you dig Halloween?

Alice Cooper: It’s the one thing that I think you never really have to grow out of. Halloween is just as much fun for adults as it is for kids. I really take exception with people who turn it into a religious thing. Halloween is how much candy can you get and how silly can your costume be.

Since the show is pretty close to Halloween, do you guys plan to do anything different for this show?

It’s the one time during the year when I tell the band, why don’t we dress like insurance salesmen? It is the one time when I encourage people, when they’re coming to show in the month of October, to come in costume. It’s a Halloween party all year for me. We throw candy in the audience at the end of the show.

Are you trying to be to Halloween what Trans Siberian Orchestra is to Christmas?

If nobody wants to claim it, I’ll claim it. The song “Keep Halloween Alive” is about claiming it. When nobody did a song about school being out, I said, I’ll take it. I think you’re only allowed to get one of those.

So that’s why you released “Keep Halloween Alive” this year?

I thought to myself, what would be the ultimate Halloween song? Honestly, “Monster Mash” would be the closest thing. There really is not a true Halloween song. So I thought, “I’m going to write a rock song that celebrates Halloween.”

What sort of wild stuff do you have going on for this tour?

This show is maybe the most theatrical show since “Welcome to My Nightmare.” I really want to pull out all the stops on this one. Instead of killing Alice once, they kill him four times on this one. But they’re spectacular deaths, that’s the nice thing about it.

We have Slipknot in the town the same night as you. Why is your show the better pre-Halloween rock party?

My show is definitely going to be more classically theatrical. Slipknot is great. They’re sort of industrial psycho. I like them. We’re definitely more “Phantom of the Opera.” Our show is more cerebral and, in some ways, a lot more slapstick.

What do you think is a good Halloween costume this year?

You always start thinking about who’s in the news. I think somebody should come with a giants balloon around them — the balloon baby or whatever he was. I also think about what movie is out. “Saw” is always way-overdone. But a guy who is victim in “Saw” would be good. I think I’m actually going to go as Angelina Jolie this year. I get mistaken for her a lot.

And now, Slipknot's Paul Gray ...

Question: The band recently celebrated the 10-year anniversary of its debut album. In 1999, did you think Slipknot would still be going in 2009?

Paul Gray: I had always hoped it would. I could have never expected all of what’s gone on in the last 10 years. You could never really imagine it. I’ve got to do a lot of stuff, been all over the world. It’s just been amazing.

You guys are often lauded for your live performance. What do you think makes a Slipknot show so good?

I don’t know. I’ve never got to see our band live. We try to go out there and do the best live show we can. We’ve always had really high energy. In the beginning, things were a lot more wild and dangerous, which we’ve had to mellow out on after so many lawsuits and different things.

Since this show is pretty close to Halloween, do you guys plan to do anything different?

No, even though we wear the masks and all that, it’s never been a Halloween thing. We don’t do anything different for Halloween. Maybe we’ll go out there in our normal clothes or something.

I know there are Slipknot Halloween masks out there. How does it feel to know that somebody is being you for Halloween?

It’s really weird, man. It’s really strange. It’s an honor, I guess. I remember when I was a kid I dressed up as Gene Simmons or Ace Frehley from KISS.

If Slipknot were a Halloween candy, what kind of candy would it be?

Hopefully not candy corn, because those things are disgusting. Anything but candy corn.

We have Alice Cooper in the town the same night as you. Why is your show the better pre-Halloween rock party?

That’s a hard one. I can’t say we’re the better show. It’s Alice Cooper. I think we’re a different show. Alice is definitely an influence. I guess you got the new and the old school, that’s what it would it come down to.

What do think is a good Halloween costume this year?

I’ve always loved the old school horror dudes like Dracula, Frankenstein and Wolfman. Keep it old school.