In a recent interview with Metal Hammer, Griffin Taylor, the son of Slipknot and Stone Sour frontman Corey Taylor, addressed criticisms of nepotism that have followed his band, Vended. Reflecting on the early days of the band, Griffin admitted that accusations of being a “nepo baby” took a toll on him emotionally. “I was a teenager with a lot of feelings and a lot of emotions, and I didn’t know how to deal with it,” he shared. “It would just depress the f*ck out of me.”
While most criticism comes from online trolls, Griffin also encounters the occasional heckler at shows. “Sometimes there’s someone in the crowd who screams something or makes a joke, like, ‘Play ‘Duality!’ And I’ll just go up to the mic and say, ‘Wrong band, dude.’”
Simon Crahan, the son of Slipknot percussionist Shawn Crahan and Vended’s drummer, also weighed in on the nepotism claims. “My dad told me, ‘I would not put you on a tour if you weren’t good,’” Simon explained. “We wouldn’t be playing festivals the way we do if we weren’t good. We’re a good band. We play good music. That’s why we’re here. We’ve earned this ourselves. Everyone thinks it’s just been handed to us, but that’s not the case.”
Vended, which hails from Des Moines, Iowa, consists of Griffin Taylor, Simon Crahan, JJ Pugh, Cole Espeland, and Connor Grodzicki. The band is dedicated to building its reputation through hard work and talent.
In a separate interview with Blabbermouth, Griffin emphasized the independence of Vended, clarifying that neither his father nor Simon’s is steering the band. “Not really. Simon and I do talk to our dads, and we fill them in on what’s happening,” he said. “But there’s no string-pulling here. It’s our job to take matters into our own hands.”
Griffin added that their fathers primarily act as sounding boards for advice, stepping in only when asked. “They don’t really do anything for us other than give advice when we ask for it. It’s not like they’re throwing advice at us every other f*cking day. It’s about overall conversation and just being a father—letting your kid figure it out for themselves but being there to offer guidance.”
Vended released their debut album in September and are set to embark on a major North American tour this spring, opening for British metalcore heavyweights While She Sleeps and Bury Tomorrow. Despite their familial ties to metal royalty, the band remains determined to carve out its own legacy.