Welcome to the realm of Jim Root’s wisdom and insight encapsulated in memorable quotes. Jim Root, known for his masterful guitar work with bands like Slipknot and Stone Sour, is not only a virtuoso musician but also a profound thinker whose words resonate with authenticity and depth. Whether it’s about music, life, or the creative process, Jim Root’s quotes offer invaluable nuggets of wisdom that inspire and provoke thought.
As you navigate through this collection of Jim Root quotes, you’ll discover pearls of wisdom that reflect his unique perspective on artistry, perseverance, and the human experience. From reflections on the transformative power of music to musings on the complexities of the creative journey, each quote embodies Jim Root’s profound understanding of the world around him. Whether you’re a fan of his music or simply seeking inspiration, these quotes are sure to leave a lasting impression and perhaps even spark a new insight or two. Now, without further ado, delve into the world of Jim Root’s quotes below.
Everything happens for a reason. Jim Root
I’ve started to look at guitar playing from more than just a standpoint of using certain modes and techniques. Jim Root
I feel weird talking about it, because how can I, as the guitar player of Slipknot, sit here and say, ‘Oh, I have trouble.’ You know what I mean? Jim Root
That’s why I don’t necessarily enjoy it when bands cover other songs. You’ll never recreate what has been done, especially if it’s something that’s legendary and classic. Jim Root
Sometimes I can be a little bit I don’t know, stubborn or something. Maybe to a fault. Jim Root
It’s hard to chase a vibe and catch a vibe. Jim Root
I’m my own worst critic. Jim Root
I’m extremely lucky to be doing what I’m doing right now and I work very hard at maintaining this career and living this dream that I’m living, but there’s also a price to pay. I mean, we give a lot of ourselves and every day. Jim Root
I can’t be on tour constantly if I really want to be creative. Jim Root
I’m just kind of more, like, I’m gonna take every day as it comes and that’s gonna be good enough for me. Jim Root
There’s such an energy and emotion to rock music, which is a lot of the reason I go back to ’60s and ’70s bands and look at some of the fire they had. Jim Root
There’s a lot for us to achieve and a lot more music to explore. I’m not saying we want to start doing experimental prog or something, where it turns into elevator music after a few records, but I don’t think we’ve even scratched the surface. Jim Root
You know, unfortunately I’m only one person. I can’t really be in two places at one time and the amount of focus that I need to put into Slipknot makes it really difficult for me to be on tour with Stone Sour. Jim Root
There’s always something to rage about, right? Jim Root
Dave Fortman really helped me appreciate Rick Rubin as a producer. Jim Root
We’re just kind of dark as humans, generally. Jim Root
You can’t evaluate your situation when you’re in a band, not really. Jim Root
The thing that scares me about the way the music industry has changed so much is that I’m afraid that the record, the album, will disappear, and it’ll go back to the way it was in the ’50s where everything is single-based. Jim Root
A&E eggnog, there’s nothing like it anywhere on Earth. It’s the best liquid ever made. Jim Root
There is a solo on ‘Spiders,’ albeit a kind of a non-traditional solo, but that’s what I love. Jim Root
It’s the best thing, me leaving Stone Sour. Jim Root
It’s easy to get a good amp that might not be the right amp for you. When you go to a music store, really turn the amps on and turn ’em up – hopefully they’ll let you – and work through the sounds. This is an important decision, so take your time and be methodical. Jim Root
All my racks are the same between Slipknot and Stone Sour. The only thing I’ll do is switch out pedals in the GCX system. But it’s the same heads, same wireless, same GCX. Jim Root
When you’ve got a mask on, you’re kind of invincible. It’s almost like nobody can see you, and you can do what you want to do without consequences. Jim Root
We do things the way we do them and we do them unashamedly. It’s our art. If you don’t like it, that’s fine. You don’t have to. Jim Root
One of the downfalls of not being in Stone Sour was I sat at home for two and a half years, and I hadn’t ever done that since we started touring in 1999. I was really nervous and freaked out. Jim Root
We’re closer friends in Stone Sour than I am with the guys in Slipknot and that makes life a lot easier. I’m not trying to take anything away from Slipknot. Jim Root
My first real real guitar I had was a Charvel, model 1 and that was when I was 15, I think, I got that. Jim Root
With all the different guys in the band and all the different ideas of what’s what, it’s hard to get everybody on the same page sometimes. We are a very tight brotherhood, but we never know what we’re going to do. Jim Root
I think that the only goals that we try to set for ourselves is to evolve musically. Jim Root
So many bands play to tracks – what’s the point in coming to see them live if they’re playing to a CD? Jim Root
Slipknot’s the kind of band you need to step away from and kind of take a break from and let it heal, so to speak. Jim Root
Some of the guys in Stone Sour, I think they just want to be a radio band and write strictly for radio and try to be more of a poppy rock band. And that’s not really what I’m into. Jim Root
I’ll admit that I don’t have a lot of discipline when it comes to practicing. I’m not the type of guy who sits at home with a metronome and runs through scales and stuff like that. But I do go through phases when I’ll be more diligent, and I notice that warming up and working on some patterns will make my playing cleaner. Jim Root
I don’t like to try to put, like, ‘Let’s do this type of record,’ ’cause it never turns out that way anyways. Jim Root
When we recorded ‘Iowa,’ we jammed, we went through the songs, we played as a band and we recorded as a band. Jim Root
We considered all sorts of names – everything from Tarantula Bomb to Superego to Section 8. Some of them were already taken, and some of them were kind of campy sounding. So we just decided to stick with Stone Sour. After all, what’s in a name? Jim Root
People need to go back and figure out why it is that Slipknot plays the way it is. That way, maybe, you know, maybe every band doesn’t start sounding the same anymore. Jim Root
My approach in 1999 was basically to play what I had, that was all I could do. At the time I was broke. I think I only had one guitar, a flametop green Jackson and I had these DC-10 Mesa Boogie heads. I think I had a cheap Shure wireless. Jim Root
Rick Rubin was able to do things that Dave Fortman could never do. I’m not trying to take anything away from Dave Fortman as a producer. He’s extremely talented. He wasn’t able to get nine people together on the same page and, to me, that’s the most important thing in making a Slipknot record. Jim Root
I like to improvise so much live because I get bored playing the same thing over again. It’s like the kid at school that already knows all the answers so doodles all over the paper. I do that a lot live. Jim Root
You always have to be on top of your game, because you never know what is going to happen. Jim Root
I wanna buy vinyl and I want to listen to records on it. I want to put on ‘Dark Side of the Moon’ in the dining room while I’m eating pasta or whatever. You know what I mean. Jim Root
I love ‘Mad Max’ and ‘The Road Warrior,’ in particular – those movies are very close to my soul, you know what I mean?! Jim Root
You don’t even know are we going to have a career? Are we going to be able to sell records? Are we going to have a label? Jim Root
You spend 20 years doing something and when you’re not doing it, it’s hard to figure out what it is you’re made of. Am I the guitarist in Slipknot and that is it, or do I have more dimensions than that? Jim Root
I was awkward in school. I didn’t really fit in with any kind of crowd in school. I didn’t have a lot of friends. But the friends I had were very close friends. Jim Root
I was spreading myself too thin. That was making me unhappy and that, in turn, was making the rest of Stone Sour unhappy. Jim Root
If you have a sickness, you gotta fix that sickness, but you can’t keep putting somebody into treatment over and over and over again. Jim Root
Iowa,’ for me, I hated doing that album – it wasn’t a good experience for me. Jim Root
There are many different artforms that are just being lost because the whole digital revolution has homogenized everything, turned it all into Walmart. Jim Root
I’m constantly writing, maybe a little more than other guys in the band. I find it a very therapeutic thing to do on the road, where you’re estranged from your hobbies. Jim Root
I love Stone Sour. I love the music that we created. and it was a fun ride. But if I’m going to sacrifice all of my free time and my life for something, it has to be something that I a thousand-percent believe in, and something where I have a thousand-percent communication with everyone involved. And that something is Slipknot. Jim Root
In my opinion, I would still like to go into a studio – because I love the environment of being in a studio – and record a great album beginning to end, but then maybe not release it as an album. Maybe put singles out there, put songs out there – either give some away or release some the traditional way. Jim Root
In a nine-piece-band is one guy gonna call up eight guys and have a 45-minute discussion about every decision? No. So things are a lot more democratic in Stone Sour. Plus, we’re closer and it’s a lot easier to communicate. In Slipknot that’s the big problem – communication. Jim Root
I don’t seek out knowledge when it comes to guitar playing; I like to let it happen naturally. Jim Root
Finding the right amp can be a process, especially when you’re young and just starting out. When I was a kid, I had to rely on whatever I got for Christmas. Then my mom got me a Peavey VTM 120. I used that for a few years. Jim Root
It became apparent to me near the end of the album cycle for ‘House Of Gold & Bones’ that it had basically run its course. But the band kept pushing for more dates, and I was just, like, ‘It’s time to stop!’ Jim Root
Yes, it is extremely lucky to be doing what I’m doing, and I wouldn’t change any of it for the world. Jim Root
It’s probably a lot cooler than wearing jeans and a T-shirt. Once I put on the mask, I don’t even realize that it’s there. They’re molded off of our faces, so they fit really well. Jim Root
I’m just a dumb guitar player, man. Jim Root
Music is like wine, it ages beautifully – and if you spend enough time you can just sit there and listen to it entirely differently. Jim Root
Sometimes, hindsight is 20/20. Sometimes it takes another situation to kind of make you look back at a different situation and really see how good you had it, you know? Jim Root
You know, ‘Mad Max’ and ‘The Road Warrior’ was part of my childhood, and that’s why I’m so close to it. I remember seeing those movies at a drive-in theater with my parents when I was very young. Jim Root
I’m definitely a lot more reserved without the mask on. And with the mask on, all those inhibitions kinda go out the window. I can act like Keith Richards, I guess! Jim Root
We’re still evolving as a band. I think that’s really important for a band to do, especially after being around for so many years. Jim Root
To have a No. 1 with 130,000 copies sold is, you know, I remember when we first started selling records, in order to have a No. 1, you’d have to sell at least a half a million if not more, for the rock side of things. Jim Root
The future of Slipknot is always in doubt. I always prepare for each album as if it’s gonna be the last. Jim Root
Well that’s probably what’ll end up happening: a load of really good musicians who can’t afford to be in bands, who have to have day jobs, you know what I mean? And then that’s when you start losing a lot of the live touring bands. Jim Root
I’ve seen the Tortilla Guy hashtag when I’m going through my Instagram and all of that and I think it’s pretty funny. It’s weird because I’ve met this guy before, I know who he is, but he’s really kind of elusive, even around our camp. I’ve had some people tell me, ‘Don’t tell us who he is. We’re having fun trying to figure it out!’ Jim Root
I want to see the guitar in a non-linear sense that encompasses tones, arrangements, songwriting, audio production, and everything else – you have to do it all. Jim Root
Well, basically Corey and I were in Stone Sour before we joined Slipknot. Jim Root
People that like Slipknot that could care less about Stone Sour, people that like Stone Sour that don’t know a lot of Slipknot. Jim Root
Every time we go into the studio and use a different engineer or producer I try to look, listen and learn their approach. That has helped with the gear I look for to use live and in the studio. Jim Root
We’re a unique band, so why have a generic producer lumping you in a box with other bands that sound the same? Jim Root
I don’t consciously think of any certain direction when I’m writing. I only try not to be repetitive or redundant. Jim Root
I think rock ‘n’ roll, in a way, has been dead for a long time. Jim Root
It’s always been about the live show for us. We’re having Halloween onstage every night. Jim Root
You could say, ‘Oh, we’re gonna write the heaviest album of all time’ or ‘We’re gonna write an album that sounds like ‘Iowa.” Even if we set out to try to do so, it would never compare. We’re not those people anymore, we’re not that band anymore. Jim Root
No, I would never in a million years compare anything we’ve done to anything we’ve previously done. I don’t believe in it – I think it’s bad. Jim Root
I can never look at anything I do subjectively – whether it’s a Stone Sour record or a Slipknot record, I can never really have my own opinion of it, ‘cos in my opinion it’s all crap. Jim Root
The culture of buying an album on CD or vinyl has gone out of the window. A lot of kids don’t really understand that, they just hop onto Limewire, or find a BitTorrent, or even just go onto iTunes if they’re going to pay for something. It’s just right there, there’s no searching about. Jim Root
I’m always living at least a year ahead of where I’m really at, and that can really lead you to some negative thoughts and some bad vibes. Jim Root
I plan for the best and expect the worst. Jim Root
I have a hard time with any sort of criticism; not because I have some huge ego or anything like that. Jim Root
Don’t get me wrong – I’m still way into the metal, but I’ve been listening to different things like Radiohead, Portishead, Bjork, and Queens of the Stone Age. Jim Root
As a person, I think you’re always kind of searching for something or going through a hardship, whether it’s your parents splitting up or anything like that. I mean, my parents stuck together, for whatever reason, until I was about 23, and then they decided to call it quits. Jim Root
It’s important to evolve without ever straying too far from your roots and what established you. Jim Root
As you’re touring there are so many layers to a live show, it has always been important for me to have a guitar that I can use live and in the studio. Jim Root
Every experience you have in life can be applied to different things. Jim Root
With ‘Iowa,’ if you ask me, we really passed up a lot of things that we could have done with the two auxiliary drummers. I mean they hardly touched their drums on that album. Jim Root
I’ll never be able to listen to anything we’ve done like someone who’s just picked it up for the first time. Jim Root
I use Pro Tools version 9 LE at home and I take that on the road with me. Jim Root
The masks, for us, are more of a way to present ourselves live, you know? Jim Root
For one reason or another, a lot of guys wind up with a guitar that isn’t really right for them. Jim Root
I’d rather be creative and be artistic and be able to play intricate music that moves and really takes you on a journey. Jim Root
I don’t like to really dive too deep into politics. Jim Root
I like to keep my world positive. There’s enough negativity kicking around. Jim Root
For Slipknot, I’d say drumming is only 50 or 60 percent of the job. The rest of it is who you are and what your personality is. Jim Root
