If you ask a casual rock fan about Stone Sour, they usually say two things: "That’s Corey Taylor’s other band" and "They do that Bother song." But if you actually look at the stone sour band members who have rotated through those ranks since the early nineties, it’s a much messier, more interesting story than just a Slipknot side project.
Honestly, the band is basically a ghost story that came back to life.
They started in Des Moines back in '92. Corey Taylor and drummer Joel Ekman were the heart of it. Then Josh Rand showed up. It’s funny because people think of them as a 2000s band, but they were grinding in Iowa dive bars while grunge was still king. Then Corey joined Slipknot in '97, and Stone Sour just... stopped. They sat on a shelf for five years until a demo of "Get Inside" started circulating.
When they officially "debuted" in 2002, the lineup felt like a supergroup of guys you’d never heard of, plus Corey and Jim Root. But that lineup—the one that gave us Come What(ever) May—wasn't meant to last forever. Music is a business, and sometimes it’s a grudge match.
The Corey Taylor and Jim Root Dynamic
You can’t talk about the band without talking about the Slipknot connection. For a long time, having Corey Taylor and Jim Root in the same band twice felt like a package deal. It gave the group instant credibility. Jim wasn't just a "touring guy"; he was a massive part of the songwriting machinery, especially on the ambitious House of Gold & Bones double album.
Then came 2014.
The split with Jim Root is still one of those things fans argue about on Reddit late at night. Jim basically said he was fired; the band said they needed to move on because Jim wanted to focus on Slipknot's .5: The Gray Chapter. It felt weird. It felt like a divorce where the kids (the fans) didn't know who to stay with. Jim later told Guitar World that some people in the band were "only concerned about money," which is about as blunt as it gets in the industry.
Christian Martucci stepped into those shoes. Taking over for Jim Root is a nightmare task. You aren't just playing notes; you're filling a physical and creative void left by a guy who is six-foot-six and a riff machine. Martucci didn't try to be Jim, though. He brought a punk-rock, sleazy energy that changed the DNA of the band for the Hydrograd era.
The Rhythm Section: The Unsung Heroes
While the guitarists and the frontman get the magazine covers, the stone sour band members in the back have been through a literal blender.
Joel Ekman was the original heartbeat. He left in 2006 during the recording of the second album because his son was dealing with a serious illness. It was a heavy, human moment that reminded everyone that being in a rock band is secondary to being a dad. Roy Mayorga (formerly of Soulfly) took over, and honestly, Roy is a beast. He brought a technical, thunderous precision that the band lacked in the early days.
Then there’s the bass slot.
- Shawn Economaki: The original guy. He was there for the 2002 self-titled explosion and the 2006 follow-up. He left for "personal reasons" during the Audio Secrecy tour.
- Rachel Bolan: Yeah, the Skid Row guy. He played bass on the House of Gold & Bones records. It gave the albums a weird, driving grit.
- Johny Chow: He eventually became the permanent fixture. Chow brought a cool, veteran presence from his days in Fireball Ministry and Cavalera Conspiracy.
Josh Rand: The Architect
If Corey Taylor is the voice, Josh Rand is the keeper of the flame. Josh is the only member who seems to have the entire history of the band cataloged in his brain. He’s the guy who found the old demos. He’s the guy who kept the "Stone Sour" brand alive when Corey was off winning Grammys with Slipknot.
Josh’s guitar style is way more disciplined than people give him credit for. While Jim was the atmospheric, experimental one, Josh is the shredder who obsesses over tone and structure. He’s been vocal about his own struggles, too, including a stint in rehab for pharmaceutical dependency that forced the band to cancel some dates in 2018. It’s that kind of honesty that makes this band feel "human" compared to the polished, fake personas of modern pop-rock.
The Current Status (Or Lack Thereof)
Right now, Stone Sour is on "indefinite hiatus."
Corey Taylor has been pretty clear that the band has "run its course" for now. He’s busy with his solo stuff—CMFT—and, of course, the never-ending Slipknot machine. In interviews, he’s hinted that there were internal tensions that made it not fun anymore. When it stops being fun, Corey usually leaves.
Does that mean we’ve seen the last of these stone sour band members on stage together? Probably not. Rock and roll loves a comeback. But it won't be the same lineup. It never is.
What You Should Do Next
If you’re trying to really understand the evolution of the band through its members, don’t just stick to the radio hits.
- Listen to "Get Inside" from the 2002 debut. That’s the raw, unpolished energy of the original Des Moines crew trying to prove they weren't just "Slipknot Lite."
- Watch the "Gone Sovereign" live videos from the Martucci era. You can see the difference in stage presence and how the chemistry shifted from a dual-lead-guitar attack to a more straightforward hard rock vibe.
- Check out Josh Rand’s project, The L.I.F.E. Project. It’ll give you a sense of what the primary songwriter for Stone Sour sounds like when he’s left to his own devices.
- Read Jim Root's interviews from 2014-2015. If you want the "tea" on why the most famous lineup fell apart, that’s where you’ll find the rawest perspective, even if it’s just one side of the story.
The history of the band is a lesson in how creative egos can build something incredible and then accidentally tear it down. It’s a rotation of some of the best musicians in the Midwest, all tethered to the gravity of Corey Taylor. Whether they ever reform or not, the discography they left behind—especially that double concept album—stands as a massive achievement in 21st-century rock.
Actionable Insights for Fans
Keep an eye on Roy Mayorga’s social media; he’s often the most active in terms of musical side projects and is a great barometer for what the "alumni" are up to. If you're looking for gear specs, Josh Rand frequently does rig rundowns that are a goldmine for guitar players trying to emulate that specific Iowa sound.