Imagine Dragons Singer Responds To Criticism From Slipknot Singer
Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for HFA
Last week, Slipknot’s Corey Taylor reignited his delightfully random feud Nickelback frontman Chad Kroeger. Taylor went on Sex Pistols guitarist Steve Jones’ radio show and said Imagine Dragons are replacing Nickelback as the worst band in rock.
In case you haven’t been keeping up with washed-up band drama, Taylor and Kroeger’s beef began in 2017 when Kroeger accused Slipknot of wearing masks to cover up their bad music and Taylor said Kroeger’s face looks like a foot. Now, we have a third party in the mix: Imagine Dragons. Yesterday, lead vocalist Dan Reynolds spoke out against the criticism in a series of Instagram posts.
“I’ve gotten over the fact that guys in other bands (the 1975, foster the people, smashing pumpkins, slipknot, etc) feel a need to talk badly about my band for whatever reason,” he wrote. “I don’t feel anger towards them actually, just more of a sadness that this industry embraces, even celebrates this mentality.” Read his full statement below.
For a decade now I’ve dealt with critics and other bands saying extremely harsh things about my band. Not what I would call “fair criticism” (which I always try my best to receive and learn from) but actual click-bait horse shit. Words filled with file and hate meant to feed humanities need to laugh at each other’s imperfections and fails.
I’ve stood silently and taken it for years. It has added to the depression I’ve dealt with since youth. I don’t say this in search of sympathy, but just as a fact.
It’s not the person that causes me the feelings of stress and depression, but what it does to the world we as a band have created. How could it possibly make a kid feel “not cool” listening to imagine dragons. I hate that thought. Wondering if my kids will be made fun of as they grow older because someone thinks my band isn’t cool.
I’ve gotten over the fact that guys in other bands (the 1975, foster the people, smashing pumpkins, slipknot, etc) feel a need to talk badly about my band for whatever reason. I don’t feel anger towards them actually, just more of a sadness that this industry embraces, even celebrates this mentality. I wish it felt like a place where artists stood by each other and supported one another – regardless of our different tastes and voices.
My band mates are some of my best friends. We are authentically ourselves and strive to bring positivity and empowerment to the world.
We’ll continue to do just that.
X DR
