Slipknot split with drummer Jay Weinberg, announcing last weekend that they had decided “to part ways” with the percussionist. On Saturday, Weinberg revealed that he had not anticipated their decision to let him go.
“I was heartbroken and blindsided to receive the phone call that I did on the morning of November 5th; the news of which, most of you learned shortly after,” Weinberg wrote on Instagram. “However, I’ve been overwhelmed by — and truly grateful for — the outpouring of love and support I’ve received from this incredible community I consider to be my creative and artistic home.”
On Nov. 5, the band thanked Weinberg for his decade-long “dedication and passion” to Slipknot, but ultimately decided they were headed in another direction. Weinberg joined the band in December 2013 per his website, following original drummer Joey Jordison’s departure in that same month. (Jordison died in 2021).
“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.”
On Saturday, Weinberg added that despite the “confusion and sadness” following the split, he plans to continue his career behind the kit. “I don’t know how, and I don’t know when, but I look forward to creating loud, passionate, and heartfelt music that we enjoy together again. Until then, please know it’s been the joy of a lifetime to spend the last 10 years with you, sharing in our love for this special corner of the music and art world,” he wrote. “This isn’t the end, and I’m thrilled to discover what the future has in store for us.”
The son of Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band drummer Max Weinberg, Jay Weinberg played on three of Slipknot’s albums and was a longtime fan of the band from the age of 10, as he alluded to in his post. Slipknot have not announced who will replace Weinberg. Their next show is slated for April 27, 2024 at Sick New World festival in Las Vegas.