Slipknot’s mysterious ‘New Guy’ spoke publicly for the first time during a recent collaboration between the band and Atlus West’s game, ‘Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance.’ He kept his mask on throughout the Instagram video and said:
“I think anybody who’s listened to Slipkot over the years or seen them, there’s an obvious darkness. It’s just strange, you know? When you have this on, it gives you a chance to really be someone—an alter ego. I think it just reflects a great opportunity to be able to release the beast, and it’s a great experience… I feel like it’s an amplified version of me, but perhaps if I was to step out and look at myself, I may notice a different persona.”
Who’s This New Member?
‘New Guy’ joined Slipknot in 2023 to replace keyboardist Craig Jones. His identity has been a secret since then, though fans have their theories.
Clues on the website youcantkillme.com earlier this year suggested that the keyboardist might be named Jeff. Some fans began referring to the keyboardist as ‘Jeff Samples’ in the recent video’s comments section because of that. Others speculated that he could be Michael Pfaff’s bandmate from a previous band.
Zac Baird Is A Possible Name
Rumors on the internet floated several possible names for the New Guy since 2023. The main contenders are Nathan Church or perhaps Craig Jones himself under a new mask.
A photograph from Pfaff last year also sparked discussions about Zac Baird possibly being the new member. The selfie he later deleted included the name Zac among Slipknot members’ tags on their clothes racks.
Baird played with bands like Korn and Ghost, had a programming credit on Evanescence’s ‘Fallen’ album, and joined an audition for Nine Inch Nails throughout his career. He’s yet to be confirmed as a Slipknot member, though.