Slipknot's Corey Taylor Honors Paul Gray Five Years After Death

Founding Slipknot bassist and songwriter Paul Gray died five years ago on May 24th, and the group's frontman, Corey Taylor, is still paying his respects. "There's not a day that goes by that I don't think about him," the masked singer recently told Kerrang! (via Blabbermouth), in a tribute feature to the bassist. "When I'm on the road, the live shows bring back our times together.... When I'm listening to music, I think about the two of us, cranking new and old tunes in his car or mine, rocking out like little kids and giggling because the stuff is so awesome."

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The magazine's cover includes the quotation, "I would give anything to tell him I loved him," and the rest of Blabbermouth's excerpt is just as moving. Taylor went on to say that he cherishes the memory of Gray's energy and excitement most, calling him "the world's best cheerleader."

"After one conversation with him, you'd be so ready to play or tour or record or whatever that you'd be jumping out of your skin," the singer said. "Whenever I'm feeling jaded, I remember that. I remember this gift that he and I and the rest of Slipknot were able to build together."

The singer also said that he was grateful for the privilege of being able to have made music with Gray for 13 years. "I learned so much from that man that I still use his ideology and methods to this day," Taylor said. "I got to travel the world with him. I got to see things not a lot of others would ever hope to in their lifetimes. He and I built a career out of passion, music, anger and art. We may have had our ups and downs, but he loved every minute of it. I know I did."

The group, which now employs an anonymous bassist to play Gray's parts, also honored their fallen bandmate's memory collectively on their most recent album, last year's.5: The Gray Chapter. Taylor told Rolling Stone last year that losing Gray brought them closer together as a band because it made them more grateful for each other. "We didn't realize we were taking our time with Paul for granted," he said. "I'll be damned if I do it with these guys."