Jim Root
| James Root | |
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 Jim Root performing in Slipknot at the Mayhem Festival in 2008
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | James D. Root[1] |
| Also known as | #4, The Peach |
| Born | October 2, 1971 Des Moines, Iowa |
| Genre(s) | Alternative metal, hard rock, nu metal, post-grunge |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, songwriter |
| Instrument(s) | Guitar, Drum kit |
| Years active | 1992–present |
| Label(s) | Roadrunner, Nuclear Blast |
| Associated acts | Slipknot, Stone Sour, Anal Blast, Atomic Opera, Deadfront |
| Website | (External links) |
| Notable instrument(s) | |
| James Root Signature Fender Telecaster | |
James D. Root[1] (born October 2, 1971), also known as Jim Root, or by his number #4, is an American musician known for being one of the guitarists for Slipknot, and the Lead guitarist for Stone Sour. He was the last member to join the current line-up of Slipknot, in January 1999.
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Personal life and career
Root was born in Des Moines, Iowa. He has performed in bands such as Anal Blast, Atomic Opera, Deadfront and Stone Sour; the latter which he joined in 1995, and returned to along with vocalist Corey Taylor, during its revival in 2002. Prior to joining Slipknot, he worked as a screenprinter, waiter, and busboy. Root joined the band in January 1999, replacing their original guitarist, Josh Brainard, who left the band during the recording of their self-titled album, reportedly after having fulfilled his recording duties. In fact, the only song Root recorded during the album's sessions was "Purity", which is only featured on the short-lived first pressing of Slipknot. Despite this, the song has become a staple for the band's live performances. Slipknot vocalist Corey Taylor invited Root to join the band based on Taylor's past experiences working with him in Stone Sour, before leaving the band to join Slipknot.
As well as lending his guitar talents to Stone Sour, Root has also performed drums on one song the band has recorded, the Come What(ever) May bonus track "The Day I Let Go". Outside Slipknot and Stone Sour, Root has appeared on Slipknot turntablist Sid Wilson's DJ Starscream album The New Leader and John 5's The Devil Knows My Name, and also appeared on the Roadrunner United project, performing the solo and harmony guitars on "Tired 'N Lonely" from the project's album The All-Star Sessions. He also appeared on Jonathan Davis and the SFA´s cover of Lil Wayne´s "Got Money".
Root has been dating Lacuna Coil vocalist Cristina Scabbia since 2004, where they met during the Ozzfest Tour taking place that year.
Masks
Root originally used a bondage hood, inherited from Slipknot's original guitarist Josh Brainard following his departure from the band. He had purple hair at the time and would pull parts of it through a hole in the top of the mask. After a couple of performances and one photo shoot, he decided to change masks, as the bondage hood was too uncomfortable for him and would often distract him when playing. He then began using a jester-style mask, said to represent that side of his personality. His most recent variation of the mask remains jester-styled, but has black diamond detailing around its eyes, and a zipper in between the lips.
Discography
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- Other appearances
- 2005: Roadrunner United - The All-Stars Sessions (Roadrunner United)
- 2006: The New Leader (DJ Starscream)
- 2007: The Devil Knows My Name (John 5)
- 2008: "Got Money" (Lil Wayne remix) (Jonathan Davis and the SFA)
Filmography
- 1999: Welcome to Our Neighborhood
- 2002: Disasterpieces
- 2002: Rollerball
- 2006: Voliminal: Inside the Nine
- 2008: Nine: The Making of "All Hope Is Gone"
Equipment
James Root Signature Fender Telecaster guitar
In July 2007, Fender released a James Root Signature Fender Telecaster guitar. This Telecaster model is available in flat black with a white pickguard and maple neck and fingerboard, or in flat white with a black pickguard, maple neck and ebony fingerboard. Both models feature mahogany bodies, jumbo frets, a single volume control with no tone control, black hardware, and EMG humbuckers (EMG 81 in the bridge and EMG 60 in the neck). In September 2008 an announcement in the official forum of Slipknot said that a new model of Jim's Telecaster was being designed, and that the fans were needed to give their input on where it could be improved. No release date or an official announcement of the new guitar has been made.
Guitars
Slipknot:
- Fender James Root Signature Telecaster (black with white pickguard & maple fretboard)
- Fender James Root Signature Telecaster (white with black pickguard & ebony fretboard)
- Custom Fender James Root Telecaster (black with white pickguard & ebony fretboard)
- Custom Fender James Root Telecaster (black with black pickguard & ebony fretboard)
- Custom Fender James Root Telecaster (white with black pickguard & maple fretboard)
(Jim currently uses approximately 6 of his signature Telecasters on tour with Slipknot)
- Custom Charvel HH model built by Fender, containing a traditional Stratocaster look, with maple fretboard and two EMG humbuckers
- Custom Charvel San Dimas with maple fretboard, EMG humbucker in bridge and EMG SA in neck (Drop A tuning)
- B.C. Rich customized Assassin (dropped A tuning, used during the Iowa World Tour)
- Fender Flat Head Telecaster HH Black (custom model containing two EMG humbuckers & two volume knobs for switching effects)
- Fender Flat Head Telecaster HH Black (dropped A tuning, custom model containing two EMG humbuckers & 2 volume knobs)
- Fender Flat Head Showmaster HH Black (custom model with initials "JR" on the twelfth fret)
- Fender Flat Head Showmaster HH Black (standard model with "crossed piston" inlays)
- Fender Flat Head Telecaster HH Black (main instrument, custom model)
- Jackson Soloist- Gloss Black with No Inlays (used around time of 1st Slipknot album)
- Jackson Soloist- Gloss Black with Sharkfin Inlays
- Jackson Soloist- Black Satin with ROOT inlay (used during the Iowa World Tour)
- Custom Jackson Soloist- transparent brown/black quilt top with ROOT inlay and single coil in neck postion
- Custom Jackson Warrior- Black with white binding
- Maverick JR-4- silver (originally intended to be a Jim Root signature model, but never happened)
- PRS Std 24 (Custom built with moon inlays & EMG humbuckers)- black (James had at least 3 of these models; used during the Iowa World Tour and in studio)
- PRS Std 24 (Custom built with moon inlays & EMG humbuckers)- dark metallic red with chrome hardware (as seen in Guitar One magazine)
- Gibson Flying V - Natural Mahogany with white pickguard (used in studio)
- Vintage Gibson Hummingbird Acoustic - (used in studio on Vermilion Pt.2, seen on Voliminal: Inside The Nine DVD)
Stone Sour:
- Dunlop Strings
- Formerly used Ernie Ball Strings
- Fender Custom Telecaster Flame Maple Top HH- Black Cherry burst
- Fender Flat Head Telecaster- Black
- Fender Flat Head Telecaster- Orange
- Fender Flat Head Telecaster- Light Gray (used during performances in late 2003)
- Fender HH Telecaster- Grey with Black pickguard (standard model customized with EMG pickups, seen on the Family Values DVD)
- Fender '52 Telecaster- butterscotch blonde(Through Glass video)
- Fender H/S/S Stratocaster- Black, with white pickguard and EMG pickups
- Fender H/S/S Stratocaster- White, with black pickguard and EMG pickups
- Fender H/H Stratocaster- Sunburst, with white pickguard and EMG pickups
- Fender H/H Stratocaster- Black, with white pickguard and EMG pickups
- Fender Vintage Reissue Stratocaster- Gold (used for television performance of Through Glass)
- Fender Custom Shop Stratocaster- Black with White pickguard and Fender single coil pickups (used live for Through Glass)
- James Root Signature Fender Telecaster- Black
- James Root Signature Fender Telecaster- White
- Gibson Firebird Studio- black (used in studio video for Reborn)
- Gibson Flying V- Natural with white pickguard, gold hardware, and EMG humbuckers
- Gibson ES-175 Semihollow- Sunburst (used in the video for Inhale)
- PRS Std 24 Custom- Black (used in video for Get Inside)
- Various Martin acoustics
- Guild acoustic (Through Glass video)
Amplifiers
- Orange Rockerverb 100, and Orange 4 x 12 cab (currently using with Slipknot and Stone Sour)
- Orange Rockerverb 50 Combo (used for clean tone on All Hope Is Gone)
- Randall ISOlation Cab (previously used on tour with Slipknot)
- Rivera Knucklehead Reverb 100 KT88 Tubes (master amp) (previously used on tour with Slipknot)
- Rivera Knucklehead Reverb 100 6L6 Tubes (slave amp)(previously used on tour with Slipknot)
- Rivera K-Tre (sparingly used live with Stone Sour)
- Two Riveras 4x12 (Celestion G12T-75 speakers) (previously used on tour with Slipknot)
- Bogner Uberschall head (used in studio, and tour with Stone Sour)
- Mesa Boogie DC10 head (used for touring after Iowa)
- Peavey 5150 head (used in studio for Iowa)
- Vintage Laney head (used with 5150 in studio for "Iowa")
- Diezel Herbert head (used in conjuction with Orange Rockerverb on All Hope Is Gone)
- Mesa Mark IV Widebody Head
- Peavey Triple XXX head (given to Stone Sour co-guitarist Josh Rand)
Effects
Slipknot:
- Audio-Technica AEW-R5200 Receiver
- Digital Music Corp. GCX Switcher
- Digital Music Corp. Ground Control Pro
- Digitech Hyper Phase
- Digitech Synth Wah
- Dunlop Crybaby Custom Shop DCR-2SR Rackmounted Wah with Expression pedal
- Dunlop JH-3S Jimi Hendrix Octave Fuzz
- Electro-Harmonix Small Stone
- Furman PL-Plus Power Conditioner
- NEW 2008 FURMAN AR-15 II voltage regulator
- Korg DTR-1000 Rackmounted Tuner
- Maxon AF-9 Auto Filter
- Maxon OD-9 Overdrive
- MXR Auto Q Wah
- Voodoo Labs pedal power supplier
- MXR Carbon Copy delay
- Boss Acoustic Simulator
Stone Sour:
- BOSS DD-3 Delay
- Dunlop 535Q Wah Wah
- Electro-Harmonix Nano Small Stone
- Maxon Af-9
- MXR Phase 100
- MXR Carbon Copy delay
- Boss Acoustic Simulator
Trivia
- At 6'6", Root is the tallest member of Slipknot. He is 3 inches taller than Slipknot co-guitarist Mick Thomson, who is widely believed to be the band's tallest.
- Despite being left-handed, Root plays guitar right-handed.
- Owns approximately 140 guitars.
- Currently resides in Florida.
References
External links
- Slipknot website
- Stone Sour website
- James Root at the Internet Movie Database
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