Some context: Slipknot is an American heavy metal band from Des Moines, Iowa. The band was formed in 1992 by percussionist Shawn Crahan, drummer Joey Jordison and bassist Paul Gray. After several lineup changes in its early years, the band settled on nine members for more than a decade: Corey Taylor, Mick Thomson, Jim Root, Paul Gray, Craig Jones, Sid Wilson, Shawn Crahan, Chris Fehn and Joey Jordison. Gray died on May 24, 2010, and was replaced during 2011-2014 by guitarist Donnie Steele.
The band is known for its attention-grabbing image; the members perform wearing unique, individual facemasks and matching uniforms--typically jumpsuits--while each member is typically assigned and referred to by number based on their role in the band (#0 through #8), although the latter practice has diminished following the death of Paul Gray.  The band has said the idea of wearing masks stemmed from a clown mask that Crahan took to rehearsals when the band first started. Crahan later became known for his clown masks, adopting the pseudonym "Shawn the Clown". The concept developed; by late 1997, the band decided every band member would wear a unique mask and matching jumpsuit. Taylor said in 2002, "it's our way of becoming more intimate with the music. It's a way for us to become unconscious of who we are and what we do outside of music. It's a way for us to kind of crawl inside it and be able to use it." The concept of wearing matching jumpsuits has been described as a response to commercialism in the music industry and led to the idea of assigning the band members numerical aliases. According to Taylor, "Originally, we were just going to wear the jumpsuits ...  we figured we might as well take that further and number ourselves ...  We were basically saying, 'Hey, we're a product!'".  During their careers, the members of Slipknot have developed their images, updating their uniforms and each member's mask upon the release of each album. The appearance and style of the masks do not usually differ significantly between albums; members typically maintain the established theme of their mask while adding new elements. Jordison, in an interview in 2004, said the masks are updated to show growth within each individual. Slipknot's members have worn special masks for specific occasions, most notably for the music video and live performances of "Vermilion" in 2004 and 2005 when they wore life masks made from casts of their own faces. In 2008, the band wore a set of large masks titled "purgatory masks" during photograph shoots before the release of All Hope Is Gone; in the music video for "Psychosocial" they are seen burning them. Shortly after its inception, Slipknot's masks were homemade, but since 2000 they have been custom-made by special effect artist and musician Screaming Mad George.  The band's image has been the subject of much criticism and controversy, with critics generally accusing it of being a sales gimmick. The band's members object to these claims; according to them the masks are used to divert attention from themselves and put it on the music. Several band members have said wearing the masks helps to maintain privacy in their personal lives. During an interview in 2005, percussionist Fehn said the masks were a "blessing" because they meant the members are not recognized in public. In 2012, Slipknot released an app for iOS and Android called "Slipknot: Wear the Mask", which invites fans to construct their own masks, defining the kind of Slipknot fans they are.
Have there been criticisms of the way Slipknot presents itself?
A: critics generally accusing it of being a sales gimmick.
Some context: Rouvas was born on 5 January 1972 in the village of Mandoukion, near Corfu City on the island of Corfu, the eldest of four sons of Konstantinos "Kostas" Rouvas (an ambulance driver) and the teenaged Anna-Maria Panaretou (a duty-free shop clerk at the local airport). He has three brothers: Billy (b. Vasilios), Tolis (b. Apostolos, 1975) and Nikos (b. Nikolaos, 1991). The family was poor, and Rouvas began taking care of his brothers at age five. At age four, he exhibited athletic ability and took ballet classes as a child.
After moving to Patras, Rouvas continued to look for performance opportunities until he met Dakis (a popular Greek artist who was the first person to help him professionally). Rouvas moved to Athens, and made his first professional appearance in 1991 at the Show Centre. His showmanship attracted the attention of music executives such as Nikos Mouratidis, who encouraged songwriter Giorgos Pavrianos to produce him. Rouvas, singing Michael Jackson's "Man in the Mirror" was discovered by PolyGram executives who signed him to his first recording contract. After moving to Athens he lived with an older English woman named Sally, with whom he had begun a relationship on Corfu. Their relationship ended when Psinakis became Rouvas' manager, and the singer became more career-oriented. The media has speculated about Rouvas' personal life and relationships with model Zeta Logotheti, Sofi Kantarou (a Corfu bar manager) and singer Elli Kokkinou. Several months later he debuted at the Thessaloniki Song Festival, losing Best Vocal Performance to Giorgos Alkaios but singing the Best Composition ("Par'ta"; "Take Them", with music by Nikos Terzis and lyrics by Giorgos Pavrianos). There was a brief earthquake during the festival.  Rouvas released his eponymous debut album, which topped the Greek Albums Chart, the day after the festival. "Par'ta" became a radio hit, and other songs of the album such as "1992", "Ego S'agapo" ("I Love You") and "Gia Fantasou" ("Imagine") also became popular.  In September 1992 Rouvas released his second album, Min Andistekese (Don't Resist), also composed by Nikos Terzis. It produced the singles "Gyrna" ("Return"), "Min Andistekese", "Na Ziseis Moro Mou" ("Live, My Baby") and "Me Kommeni Tin Anasa" ("Breathless"), with a music video of the title track. The album's success helped establish Rouvas at the top of the Greek music scene.  In October 1993 Rouvas released his third album, Gia Sena (For You), with music by Alexis Papadimitriou and lyrics by Eleni Giannatsoulia and Evi Droutsa. The single "Kane Me" ("Make Me") became a radio hit, with "To Xero Eisai Moni" ("I Know You Are Alone") and "Xehase To" ("Forget It") also receiving airplay.
What did that help him do
A:
His showmanship attracted the attention of music executives