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The Latest Breaking News from Mick Thomson

“The label says, ‘We need five more Wait and Bleeds.’ I was like, ‘We're really not that band. You sell our records and we'll make them, okay?’”: Mick Thomson reflects on Slipknot's Wait and Bleed, label pressures – and sticking to their own guns

In a 2014 GW interview, Thomson revealed his disdain for melodic choruses, and how he fought hard for the band to maintain their artistic integrity post-Wait and Bleed

Guitar World

“Among our best in history”: ESP remembers Alexi Liaho and Jeff Hanneman as Slaughter to Prevail’s Jack Simmons gets his first signature in new 2026 lineup

There are also new signatures for Mick Thomson, Stephen Carpenter, and George Lynch, while LTD celebrates its 30th anniversary

Guitar World

“50 years is a great achievement for ESP, but our sights are set on what’s coming next”: ESP goes all-in on single-pickup builds for 2025 – is the neck humbucker becoming a thing of the past for metal guitars?

The Japanese luthier has dropped 28 new models, with half of those featuring single-pickup designs as it reflects changing trends in the metal guitar scene

Guitar World

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NAMM 2025: “A cornucopia of metal guitar specs” – ESP unveils LTD signature models for Slipknot's Mick Thomson, Whitechapel's Alex Wade, Rammstein's Richard Kruspe and more in epic launch

It's that magical time of the year when ESP drop dozens of new models, and once again the metal guitar specialist has gone big with artist collabs

MusicRadar

“A highly specialized design built to Mick’s exact specifications”: Mick Thomson’s long-awaited ESP signature guitar is finally here – but it’s not what we expected

The Slipknot guitarist’s first ESP signature guitar has been a long time coming, and its final form might take you by surprise

Guitar World

NAMM 2025: rumors, predictions and breaking news from the world’s biggest guitar gear show

With the likes of Fender, Gibson and Marshall returning to Anaheim at long last, this year’s event is set to be the biggest in five years – with secrets and surprises to match

Guitar World

“I never wanted to be in a band, I just liked playing music. I was never a showman. If I didn’t have my mask on I wouldn’t be at the front of the stage”: An interview with Mick Thomson, Slipknot’s reluctant guitar hero

The pressures of fame, blond mullets, ignoring phone calls from rock stars – up close and personal with Slipknot guitarist Mick Thomson

Metal Hammer

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“I started playing $150 Ibanez guitars because onstage I would take damage… Clown used to use metal bars. We were very unsafe”: Mick Thomson reflects on 25 years of Slipknot’s incendiary debut – and what it was like to see his solos erased

If Slipknot's debut remains a true face-ripper all these years later maybe it is because they brought the chaos of the stage show into the studio. Thomson can remember it vividly, the gear, the danger, the risk to his guitars from stray iron pipes, and he wouldn't have it any…

Guitar World

"I have to either be in this band or I have to destroy it." A chaotic interview with Slipknot from 1999

In 1999 Metal Hammer flew out to Memphis to meet Slipknot for the first time. A near-miss with SWAT teams, legions of fans and an insane show later, we knew they'd change the world

Metal Hammer

“Just take it all away from me. That’s cool!” Every guitar solo on Slipknot’s debut album “got cut out”, claims Mick Thomson

“Any kind of technical playing was mocked and frowned upon”

Metal Hammer

“Any kind of technical guitar playing was mocked and frowned upon”: Mick Thomson explains why his solos were erased from Slipknot’s debut album – and how he reacted

25 years ago, Slipknot dropped a debut album that changed the face of heavy metal – but one of the guitarists who helped write it had his solos completely removed

Guitar World

“When you first pick up a Tele or a Jazzmaster, you’re not thinking about neoclassical scales or shredding. But the more you play them, it’s like, ‘Wow! They kinda rip!’” Jim Root on upsetting metalheads and Fender purists, and his amp modeling conversion

The Slipknot guitarist’s come to Jesus moment with the Quad Cortex doesn’t mean he’s selling his Orange amps just yet. He just likes to keep his options open. You might even see him shred on a Gretsch…

Guitar World

"The Quad Cortex is working really well": Jim Root tell us about introducing amp modelling to his Slipknot rig for the first time – and his verdict on the Fender Tonemaster Pro

"I have noticed, ironically enough, that I like using it better direct than I do with a power amp through a speaker cabinet"

MusicRadar

"I'm a nerd like that": Slipknot's Mick Thomson is a huge gearhead, and this video proves it again

The guitarist is now using Fishman Fluence pickups

MusicRadar

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Guitar World

“My pickups were tuned in a studio and then tested on the road, the end result being both musical and face melting”: Slipknot's Mick Thomson has just released his much-speculated Fishman Fluence signature pickup set

Mick Thomson's signature pickups come fully equipped with three voicings that reflect the wide array of tones Thomson has employed during his career

Metal Hammer

10 heavy metal stars who should have solo careers

From James Hetfield to Randy Blythe, we’d love to see what these heavy metal heroes can do by themselves

Guitar World

NAMM 2024: all the latest guitar news, rumors and predictions from the greatest gear show on Earth

The guitar, amp and pedal news you need to know about, all in one place

Guitar World

Mick Thomson confirms he is using Fishman Fluence pickups now, and we reckon a signature set won’t be far off – here’s why

The Slipknot guitar icon has embraced Fluence’s tech-savvy tonal approach. We’re excited to see what follows

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MusicRadar

“Fluence pickups are unlike anything else there is”: Slipknot’s Mick Thomson is latest high-profile metal player to join Fishman’s artist roster

The question is when we will see them on a new ESP signature model

MusicRadar

After BC Rich, Ibanez and Jackson, Slipknot's Mick Thomson moves to ESP for the development of new signature guitars

"It’s been taking longer than expected, as deciding on a model hasn’t been easy," says the Slipknot #7

Guitar World

ESP officially welcomes Slipknot's Mick Thomson to its artist roster – and confirms a new ESP/LTD signature model is on the way

Former Jackson player Thomson – who is also rumored to have joined Fishman – is currently spec'ing up some custom models, which will precede a highly anticipated signature guitar

Guitar World

Looks like Slipknot's Mick Thomson has signed with ESP and Fishman, seemingly leaving Jackson and Seymour Duncan

Thomson's wife and guitar tech both published telling posts on social media, after the Slipknot maestro was spotted playing ESPs live during the band's recent shows in Japan

Metal Hammer

The 10 most-viewed Slipknot videos ever

Slipknot have featured a goat in one of these videos. Sure, but do you know which one has a Scottish Terrier in it?

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