chris fehn bio

Chris Fehn's masks all have the same overall design, worn over a bondage hood. His first mask for the bands self-titled era was white. For the Iowa era he changed to a tanned leather mask. One of his more popular masks was from the Vol. 3 Subliminal verses which had a red face. His most recent mask for All Hope Is Gone has a color similar to the Iowa era mask. The nose always stays at 7½inches. All of these masks are face-masks with leather straps worn over bondage hoods. Fehn's mask design is most likely based on those worn by doctors during the Black Plague, where the nose was filled with herbs to 'protect' the doctor from inhaling the fumes of death. Another widely discussed influence is the possibility of the mask being based on that which was adorned by Alex and his "droogs" during the rape scene in the 1971 film A Clockwork Orange.

A third idea of the origin of the mask also comes from Commedia dell'arte, an Italian comedy which held its popularity through the 15th and 18th centuries. In particular Chris' mask resembles a version of Pantalone's phallic-nosed mask.

A fourth idea of the origin of the mask is the Pinocchio character.

Backstage at Slipknot's second Ozzfest show, Fehn expanded on the mask to a local interviewer, saying, "This mask reflects my comic personality. Plus I chose it for the bondage factor. When you put it on, it takes you to another place. It's very hot, it's very tight, and it hurts– that goes along with the aggression we create." In a more recent interview in London, Fehn claimed that, "The smell gets worse, it smells like puke, sweat, and piss!"

The mask is also shown in the movie Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay when Harold pulls it out of Neil Patrick Harris's bag after he is shot by the prostitutes. When they pull it out Harold calls it a "creepy mask" and it startles Kumar. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXju9EGRqYo&NR=1

[edit]Discography