In news that will be a huge surprise to maggots around the world, Slipknot have announced that they have parted ways with drummer Jay Weinberg. The 33 year old, who joined the band in 2014 following the departure of Joey Jordison, has seemingly been let go due to what Slipknot describe as a "creative decision".
"We would like to thank Jay Weinberg for his dedication and passion over the past ten years," say Slipknot in an official statement posted on social media. "No one can ever replace Joey Jordison's original sound, style or energy, but Jay honored Joey's parts and contributed to the last three albums and we, the band, and the fans appreciate it. But as ever, Slipknot is intend on evolving. The band has decided to make a creative decision, and to part ways with Jay. We wish Jay all the best and are very excited for what the future holds."
Weinberg joined Slipknot in the same year as bassist Alessandro 'V Man' Venturella, with both musicians contributing to Slipknot's fifth studio album, .5: The Gray Chapter, released later that year. Both Weinberg and Venturella's identities were originally kept a secret, but following months of rumours they were eventually confirmed as members of the band.
Before joining Slipknot, Weinberg, the son of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band drummer Max Weinberg, had filled in for his father on numerous occasions, and had also drummed for the likes of Against Me! and Madball. Earlier this year, he explained to Metal Hammer why he didn't feel too much pressure in replacing an iconic drummer like Joey Jordison, who passed away in 2021.
“I never felt overawed by the pressure to replace Joey," he explained. "Up until that point I had always come into existing projects, primarily as the drummer for Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band; to me, that’s incredibly intimidating. I was playing to crowds of 80-90 thousand people in stadiums, and I had only been playing drums for three years! Having accomplished that, I had set myself up to be this guy who could jump in on a moving freight train, be it Madball or Against Me!. So, I put myself in that context, and I knew how to be myself, I knew how to find my own voice in another artist’s catalogue. But Slipknot was the biggest challenge. That took all my experience and turned the dials up to 20."
As of yet, Weinberg's replacement in Slipknot is yet to be announced. Earlier this year, Slipknot also parted ways with longtime samplist Craig Jones.
