DES MOINES, Iowa — Slipknot bassist Paul Gray was found dead Monday in an Iowa hotel room. He was 38.
A hotel employee found Gray dead around 10:50 a.m. in a room at the Town Plaza Hotel in Urbandale, a suburb of Des Moines, police told the Des Moines Register.
There were no signs of foul play, but an investigation into Gray’s death has begun. An autopsy is scheduled for Tuesday.
Gray often went by the monikers of "#2" and "The Pig." He was born in Los Angeles and later moved to Des Moines, where most of the band’s members grew up.
The rocker was a founding member of Slipknot, which broke into the mainstream with a platinum-selling self-titled debut in 1999. Two follow-ups, 2002’s Iowa and 2005’s Vol. 3 (The Subliminal Verses) also went platinum. Known for its grotesque masks, the band has been nominated for seven Grammy awards, winning in 2006 for best metal performance.
"This is a big blow, not only to the community of Des Moines but fans of metal at large, worldwide," Andy Hall, music director of Des Moines rock station Lazer 103.3, told the Associated Press. "It’s a devastating loss. Paul was a wonderful human being."
Gray is survived by his wife, Brenna. She is currently pregnant with their first child.
IMV: Paul Gray Bassist for Slipknot
IMV PAUL GRAY | MySpace Video
