Experience Heart Problems, Clown Slipknot Will Undergo Surgery in the Near Future

JAKARTA - Slipknot founder and percussionist, Michael Shawn Crahan or better known as Clown, revealed his health condition which is quite worrying.

The 56-year-old musician admitted that he was diagnosed with a problem in the heart's electrical system that required him to go to the operating table in the near future.

This medical information was shared by Clown publicly when he was a guest on Rick Rubin's podcast Tetragrammaton. He told that he started feeling the disorder shortly after completing the Slipknot tour series recently.

"My heart often beats irregularly and I have to have surgery. I realized this after the last tour," said Crahan.

Feeling that something was wrong with his physical condition, the clown-masked percussionist immediately sought professional medical help.

"I felt unwell, then went to the doctor. The nurse tried to run an EKG but it didn't work," said Crahan.

"They thought I was having a heart attack right then. My heart often stops for a moment, and apparently I was training myself unconsciously to become like a cross-country runner," he continued.

This condition causes extreme heart rate fluctuations. Crahan said his heart rate at rest at night could drop to 43 bpm, even reaching 33 bpm during the day.

The drastic decline often makes him feel very weak suddenly, as if his life is in danger.

Although it sounds serious, the doctor who handled it gave positive hope. The surgery that will be carried out is not a heavy open surgery, but a medical procedure to correct electrical disturbances in his heart organs.

Crahan even joked that he had thought that the installation of a pacemaker could be an easy "out" from a busy tour schedule, but the doctor said he would feel much healthier after this medical procedure.

"I can't avoid this for the sake of my life. There is no other way, even my heart. Everything will be better for Slipknot," said Crahan.

"I have a personal doctor because of my position in Slipknot, and they said: 'No, you'll feel better. You have to get fit right away because you have to do more things at 56 years old.' It's amazing, I feel lucky," he added.

This medical step was taken so that Crahan could continue to work with Slipknot in the future. Considering that Slipknot is known for its very energetic and physically draining stage performances, the recovery of the heart condition is the musician's top priority.