Lamb of God, 3 Inches of Blood, Suicide Silence bandmembers and more also pay tribute to Slipknot bassist. By Ryan J. Downey Slipknot’s Paul Gray Photo: Barry Brecheisen/WireImage The metal community continued to flood the Internet with an outpouring of remembrances, as members of Megadeth, Lamb of God, Hatebreed, Suicide Silence and more commented on the death of Slipknot bassist Paul Gray . The 38 year old Slipknot co-founder was found dead Monday in an Iowa hotel room. Details surrounding the circumstances of his death were not available at press time. On Monday night, Shinedown dedicated an acoustic version of their song “Simple Man” to Gray during a concert in Minneapolis. Hellyeah, whose drummer Vinnie Paul suffered the loss of his brother, metal giant and Pantera co-founder “Dimebag” Darrell Abbott, just a few years ago, released a statement: “We are completely shocked and very upset after hearing about the loss of Paul Gray. He was a great friend and a craftsman of one of the most compelling metal bands in history. Our thoughts are with his family, his bandmates and his countless fans and friends around the world. He will be deeply missed.” Korn guitarist James “Munky” Shaffer relayed a personal message while speaking with a 20-year-old reporter in Lincoln, Nebraska. “I want to send my love to his family and the band, going through a really, really hard time right now — myself as well,” a visibly shaken Shaffer said in the video interview. “Paul just came to see us play when we went through Des Moines, [Iowa],” he continued. “Man, I’m speechless. I just want to send my love, prayers and respect to everybody that is surrounding his wife and the baby-to-be.” “We are all in shock at the news of our friend Paul’s passing,” Lamb of God guitarist Mark Morton said in an email to MTV News. “He was an immense talent and this is such an incredible loss. Paul had a HUGE heart and lived and died for the music he made. I will miss him and the world will too.” Like Lamb of God and many other metal bands, the guys in 3 Inches of Blood got to know Slipknot while on the road as one of the Iowa band’s supporting acts. “Paul was a very kind and accommodating guy that always had time to sit and bullshit with me,” guitarist Shane Clark told MTV. “I knew his bass playing from Slipknot and Unida before we met and thought he had such a talent for tone and staying in the pocket — a sometimes-rare thing in the metal world. He was an amazing songwriter and a friend to many. My thoughts are with his family and friends at this very sad time.” “One of my earliest memories of Paul was our first tour of Ozzfest together — watching him mow down a 10-foot-high fence in a ‘borrowed’ golf cart, and that famous deviant-yet-innocent grin of his as he scampered back to his bus,” recalled Otep frontwoman Otep Shamaya to MTV News. “And then I witnessed his wonderful insanity onstage. It is painful to write about Paul in the past tense. But he was, as the inscription on Jim Morrison’s headstone reads, ‘kata ton daimona eautou’ — true to his own spirit,” she continued. “Part mystic, part madman, Paul was a savagely beautiful human being, an incredible writer, musician, and performer and an amazing friend. For those of us he touched through friendship or by his incredible music, there is some anger and outrage at this loss, the senselessness of it, but most of all, it is the heavy drapes of sadness that devours us. Another candle fades into the night; another shadow ascends into the light. Rest in power, my friend. Shake the walls of paradise for us.” “Paul was a stand-up guy and a great musician,” said another Ozzfest tourmate, Hatebreed frontman Jamey Jasta, in a statement. “He and Slipknot changed the face of rock music as we know it. Just about every metal bandmember, from 1999 onward, owes him a salute. My condolences to his band, family and fans. We’ll miss you dearly, Paul. We are eternally grateful for you,” the former MTV2 Headbangers Ball host said. Jasta’s Hatebreed bandmate, bass player Chris Beattie, released a statement of his own: “It came as a surprise today to hear that Paul Gray passed away this morning. I consider it an honor to have gotten to know him. His contribution to the music world was enormous and will live on forever. R.I.P.” Shadows Fall and Nonpoint members spoke to MTV News Monday, immediately after hearing the news, with Sepultura releasing a statement online as well. “I will never forget the first time I heard Slipknot’s debut,” Suicide Silence guitarist Chris Garza said in a statement. “It inspired me to make music and has provided a major influence ever since. My thoughts and prayers go out to Paul’s family, friends and fellow bandmates. I’m on the way to hammer back some beers and blast some tunes for you Paul. Thank you for all the memories Slipknot gave to us. You’ve touched us all with your music and you will truly be missed. RIP Paul Gray.” Last month, it was announced that Gray would replace David Ellefson in the supergroup/ cover band Hail! after Ellefson’s return to Megadeth. “I was very shocked and saddened to hear of Paul Gray’s passing,” Ellefson said via statement. “I considered him an incredible songwriter, inventive bassist, but more importantly, a kind and warm friend. As a fellow musician, I was excited that he would be playing in Hail! this coming month, as I knew it would be a fun experience for him. I’m sad that the European audiences will not get to see him play those shows.” The news of Gray’s passing shocked a community still reeling from the recent deaths of metal legend Ronnie James Dio, Type O Negative frontman Peter Steele and Avenged Sevenfold drummer Jimmy “The Rev” Sullivan. “I extend my condolences to his family, to Slipknot and their management, as well as his many friends and fans who loved him around the world,” Ellefson continued. “He was another one of the ‘good ones’ in our business. … A wonderful man who will be missed by us all.” Share your memories of Paul Gray and Slipknot in the comments below. Related Photos Slipknot’s Paul Gray: A Life In Photos Related Artists Slipknot Korn Megadeath
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Slipknot’s Paul Gray Remembered By Megadeth, Korn And Others
