Slipknot Bassist Paul Gray Found Dead

News is developing about the death of Slipknot bassist Paul Gray. Iowa newspaper The Des Moines Register reported today that Paul Gray's body was found in an Urbandale, Iowa hotel. An employee of TownePlace Suites reportedly found 38-year-old Gray dead at approximately 10:50 AM. The cause of his death is currently unknown, though the Register reported no evidence of foul play.

Police are currently investigating Gray's death, and an autopsy, including toxicology tests, is planned for Tuesday. In 2003, a car accident involving Gray led an arrest for the musician for possession of drugs and paraphernalia. It's unknown whether Paul Gray still struggled with drugs.

Gray has been married for 2 years to a gothic fetish model named Brenna, from Suicide Girls alt-porn rival site GodsGirls. Paul Gray reportedly broke the news earlier this year on his MySpace page that Brenna was expecting the couple's first child.

Paul Gray was a founding member of Iowa hard rock/heavy metal band Slipknot, one of only 3 founders that remained with the band since it's 1995 inception. Slipknot's self-titled debut album, released in 1999, peaked at #51 on the Billboard charts and has since gone double platinum in the United States. Worldwide, Slipknot have sold over 14 million albums. Their most recent release, All Hope is Gone, was released in 2008.

Slipknot are perhaps best-known for their outrageous appearances, wearing oversized coveralls featuring barcode symbols and unusual or grotesque masks onstage. These coveralls and masks typically change regularly, coinciding with album releases or tours. Each member of the 9-piece band also has an assigned number emblazoned on their jumpsuit, with bassist Gray being #2. Slipknot fans may also know Paul Gray as "The Pig", a nickname derived from his mask.

It's unclear whether Slipknot will continue without Gray, and no statements have been issued by the surviving bandmates as yet. Slipknot has undergone several lineup changes throughout their 15-year run as a band, but the loss of a founding member has been enough to finish off several bands.

The hard rock/heavy metal world has been dealt several blows as of late. Just last week, Ronnie James Dio passed away at age 67. Dio performed with Black Sabbath and Rainbow among other bands, and is credited as the man who created the "devil horns" hand gesture synonymous with rock music. Peter Steele of Brooklyn, New York metal band Type O Negative was found dead just one month earlier. Poison frontman Bret Michaels has also been in the news recently, thanks to a multitude of health issues and a near-death experience.

Sources:

"Police: Slipknot bassist Paul Gray found dead at Urbandale hotel". The Des Moines Register.

Wikipedia. "Slipknot (band)".

Wikipedia. "Paul Gray (American musician)".