In Honor of Father’s Day Metal Dads Weigh In On Balancing Family and Career
As the day to honor dads around the country descends upon us, Roadrunner Records caught up with some of their own V.I.P. dads to ask them about the challenges of balancing family life with their day job. There’s always a delicate balance between family life and career. Add to that the touring, traveling, and time away from home that comes with being in a band, and it can be a real juggling act but these rockers have found a way to make it all work.
Slipknot’s M. Shawn Crahan has been married almost 20 years and has four children. He describes his situation as the best of the both worlds. “I have my dream — I get to perform music, I get to take photos, I create art pieces, I direct, I produce, I do it all ’cause I’m a Renaissance guy, and I do it to the fullest,” explained Crahan. But at the end of the day, Crahan admits, “But in this business, even though it’s my dream, my family comes first.”
Machine Head’s Robb Flynn is one proud papa, saying, “Being a dad is the greatest gift that has come into my life, and something I try every day to get better at. It’s the single hardest job I’ve ever had.”
He also recognizes that his career adds some pressure for his wife too, saying, “It’s twice as hard for my wife Genevra, who for months at a time is basically a single mom with financial support from me who raises our two sons.
Max Cavalera has taken a different approach, turning his kids on to music from the start. “My kids and my music have crossed paths from the beginning. I always involved my kids with music any chance I had,” tells Cavalera. That grooming seems to have gone a long way as his son Richie now sings for Incite and Zyon and Igor are in a band called Lody King.
Korn’s Ray Luzier has only been a dad for a short time but is taking all of his cues from his own father. “This is my second Father’s Day as a dad. I want to raise my son like my Dad raised me — he was always 110% behind me in everything I did,” said Luzier. “Being a new dad, I want to learn from my father and encourage my boy to follow his passions in life, no matter what they are — because that’s what my Dad did for me.”
So to dad’s around the world who encourage, support, and raise their children up – here’s to you!