Notorious rockers Slipknot have confirmed they have parted ways with their long-term drummer, Jay Weinberg.
The band announced on Sunday, November 5 that the star – famous for wearing the Slipknot mask during performances alongside other members – would be leaving after a decade.
In a statement on their website they said: “We would like to thank Jay Weinberg for his dedication and passion over the past ten years.
"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 intent 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."
But who is Jay Weinberg and how did he come to play with the band in the first place?
Who is Jay Weinberg?
Jay Weinberg is a 33-year-old American musician who is best known for playing the drums in Slipknot, but that was not his first gig.
The star comes from a long line of drumming professionals, and is the son of Max Weinberg, who famously was the drummer for Bruce Springsteen.
Before Slipknot, Weinberg played with punk rockers the Reveling and also followed in his father's footsteps to tour in 2009 as a drummer with Bruce Springsteen's E-Street band, when his dad could not play.
He replaced the original drummer for Slipknot a decade ago.
When did Jay Weinberg join Slipknot and who did he replace?
Jay Weinberg replaced Joey Jordison, the original drummer for Slipknot, in 2014, and has been playing with them ever since.
The band said they had taken their time to replace Joey after his mysterious departure in 2013.
Weinberg has been with them on their past three studio albums: .5: The Gray Chapter, We Are Not Your Kind, and The End, So Far, and has toured with them for all of these shows.
What happened to Joey Jordison?
Joey Jordison originally said he left for what he described as “personal reasons", but in 2016, he revealed he in fact had a neurological disease, transverse myelitis, that caused his departure.
When he finally revealed the diagnosis, he said: “I got really, really sick with a horrible disease called transverse myelitis. I couldn’t play any more. It was a form of multiple sclerosis, which I don’t wish on my worst enemy.”
Joey Jordison sadly died from the condition “peacefully in his sleep" in 2021.
