SHAWN CRAHAN
Michael Shawn Crahan (born September 24, 1969), also known as Clown, or by his number #6, is an American musician, music producer, and artist. He is best known as one of the two custom percussionists of the Grammy-winning metal band Slipknot, and the drummer of To My Surprise and Dirty Little Rabbits. At 42, Shawn Crahan is the oldest member of Slipknot.Crahan was born in Des Moines, Iowa. He once performed in bands such as Heads on the Wall & One Cup of Fat. He married his wife Chantel in June, 1993, in Des Moines, Iowa. They have four children, Alexandria, Gage, Gabrielle, and Simon.

As well as lending his percussion talents to the band, Crahan has also sung backing vocals on a number of songs Slipknot has both recorded and performed live. He also wrote the original draft of "Tattered & Torn", which appeared on the band's early demo, Mate. Feed. Kill. Repeat.. Outside Slipknot, Crahan has founded Big Orange Clown Records, a vanity label within Sanctuary Records, which has so far signed the metalcore band Gizmachi. He also acted as director for, and assembled Slipknot's 2005 DVD, Voliminal: Inside the Nine, while the band engaged a brief hiatus.

He also performed with To My Surprise, recording guitar and vocals for the band's self-titled debut album. The band received little interest due to their album being released amidst the success of Slipknot members Corey Taylor, James Root and Joey Jordison's side projects, Stone Sour and the Murderdolls, respectively. To My Surprise was later dropped by Roadrunner Records. In 2007, Crahan began performing as drummer for Dirty Little Rabbits. The band was a supporting act for Stone Sour during their North American tour in Summer 2007,^[1] and have released one EP, titled Breeding. They have since signed a deal with The End Records as of November, 2008.^[2]

In 2009 he contributed to Bring Me the Horizon's remix album, Suicide Season: Cut Up!, by remixing the track "Sleep With One Eye Open". Also in 2009 Shawn remixed a Suicide Silence track on their Wake Up EP entitled "Wake Up (Clown of Slipknot Remix)". In 2010, he contributed to Escape the Fate'sThis War Is Ours deluxe edition, by remixing the track "This War Is Ours (The Guillotine Part II)" and in 2011 he remixed "Angles of Clarity" for Dead by April on their compilation album "Stronger". Crahan has confirmed the formation of a brand new side project called The Black Dots of Death who released their debut studio album Ever Since We Were Children on March 28, 2011.^[3] He is the director of many of Slipknot's music videos, DVDs and other artistic projects.

Crahan, to his nickname, wears clown-style masks while performing with Slipknot. He also wears a death mask made from a cast of his own face when performing the song "Vermilion".