Given his look and aesthetic from the Hellraiser films, it should probably come as no surprise that actor Doug Bradley (aka Pinhead from the horror classic) has found some kindred spirits in the rock and metal world. In fact, in a new interview with Metal Hammer, the actor reveals his metal fandom and how great it has been to see the ties to his iconic role that was first originated in 1987.
One of his longest running ties to metal has been through Cradle of Filth, repeatedly working with Dani Filth throughout the years lending narration to his band’s music. Bradley first appeared on the Cradle of Filth album Midian and has returned multiple times over the years to lend narrations to tracks, including most recently on Cradle of Filth’s Existence Is Futile album from 2021.
“I mean, in [Dani Filth’s] case, he was something of a trailblazer with the kind of music that Cradle were doing, and I just love him as a guy,” said Bradley. “He’s a great performer. Where the hell he produces those two voices from — that basso profundo growl and then that falsetto — without completely wrecking his vocal cords is a mystery to me. He’s a smart writer, and that shines out. And that’s really the reason I’ve kept going back to work with him.”
Bradley revealed that he’s also chatted with big time horror movie fan Corey Taylor of Slipknot in the past. In fact, he said he’s often been asked about Slipknot over the years, especially after they first appeared with Craig Jones sporting a Pinhead-like mask.
“Quite a lot of metal costuming seems to nod fairly heavily towards Hellraiser. The leather, the disfiguration, the metal! The female Cenobite has that metal construction around the neck. Pinhead’s flesh is literally hooked to his costume. So, all the elements are there, I suppose.”
Another iconic rock and metal shout out stands out to Bradley as well, with Alice Cooper once being photographed wearing a Pinhead T-shirt. “That’s one of the proudest moments of my life,” says Bradley. “I think it was a Sunday Times interview. You know, the big interview — the two-page interview that they used to do, with Alice Cooper. And I thought, ‘Well, that’s cool. Alice with his Pinhead shirt on!'”
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