SLIPKNOT co-founder and percussionist M. Shawn Crahan has opened up about a major change in his personal life, revealing that he and his wife have relocated from Iowa to Palm Springs, California.
Speaking in a recent interview on the Kennedy Saves The World podcast, Crahan — widely known to fans as “Clown” — discussed the reasons behind the move and how the change in environment has helped bring a new sense of calm to his life.
When asked whether he still lives in Iowa, Crahan explained that he and his wife decided to make the move in search of a healthier and less stressful lifestyle.
“No, we moved to Palm Springs. There’s some health things. And the sun is always out here. It is always blue skies. The energy is incredible, and it’s just better for what my wife and I are doing now in our life, which is trying to be stress-free as much as possible and appreciate each other,” he responded (as transcribed by Blabbermouth). “All the kids are out of the house. So it’s been a long haul dedicating to art and life. So we moved to Palm Springs to take a load off and get a different energy and have blue skies, warm weather that just feels good all day, every day.”
Podcast host Kennedy then asked Crahan whether living in Palm Springs has brought him a sense of peace. The musician responded with a candid reflection on the difficult experiences that influenced the decision to change environments.
Crahan offered: “Man. Well, I’m not trying to turn this, ’cause you asked the question. I gotta be always honest. I don’t lie, cheat or steal. We lost a family member, and in the Midwest — anywhere with great people, anywhere with good people around — they’re always gonna be there for you. And it’s hard for my wife and I to be in the situation we were in, and so many good people around. Like I always say, a lot of people will go home to dinner, and we’re kind of stuck in it anyway. And so, yeah, a lot of peace here in Palm Springs. Different energy.
“My wife was ill, and we came here a couple of times and her spirits got really a lot… I mean, just her spirits and her health and everything just went up,” he continued. “And one day it was 120 degrees, and we were laying out in the pool looking at these little mountains just, like, ‘Whoa, are we here?’ She’s, like, ‘I could live here.’ So we’re here. So that’s it. She just had to say that. And, honestly, yeah, we’ve got a lot of peace. So it’s nice to change your situation, get out of the woods, get in the desert.”
Crahan’s comments also touched on a deeply personal tragedy that affected his family. His daughter, Gabrielle Crahan, passed away on May 18, 2019, in Los Angeles at the age of 22. The news was publicly announced by Crahan the following day. Gabrielle was one of four children he shares with his wife Chantel, whom he married in June 1992.
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