Slipknot - Drummer History & Gear | MetalForge
Slipknot, formed in 1995 in Des Moines, pioneered the masked nu-metal movement.
Complete history of Slipknot drummers from Joey Jordison to Eloy Casagrande.
Slipknot History
Slipknot formed in Des Moines, Iowa in 1995, built around percussionist Shawn "Clown" Crahan and expanding to nine masked members by the time of their self-titled 1999 debut. The band's matching jumpsuits, numbered identities, and disturbing masks were as central to their identity as the music itself, setting them apart from the wave of nu-metal acts emerging in the late 1990s.
Founding drummer Joey Jordison anchored the band for its first four studio albums — Slipknot (1999), Iowa (2001), Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses) (2004), and All Hope Is Gone (2008) — establishing a rapid-fire, technically precise style that became one of the band's signatures. His December 2013 dismissal, later revealed to stem from the neurological condition acute transverse myelitis, brought in Jay Weinberg, son of E Street Band drummer Max Weinberg, who recorded .5: The Gray Chapter (2014), We Are Not Your Kind (2019), and The End, So Far (2022). After Slipknot and Weinberg parted ways in November 2023, former Sepultura drummer Eloy Casagrande joined in 2024, debuting live that April.
Slipknot's chaotic, percussion-heavy live shows — built around Crahan, Chris Fehn, and Sid Wilson working custom rigs alongside the kit — helped popularize a maximalist, theatrical strain of nu-metal that influenced a generation of heavy bands. Albums like Iowa are frequently cited among the darkest, most extreme major-label metal releases of the 2000s.
Slipknot's Place in Metal Drumming
Joey Jordison is widely regarded as one of the most influential metal drummers of his generation: his blast-beat stamina, tightly controlled double-bass runs, and ability to lock in with Slipknot's layered percussion section set a new bar for extreme-metal precision in a mainstream context. Jay Weinberg carried that technical standard forward for nearly a decade, and the band's insistence on virtuosic, high-tempo drumming — even as its drum stool has changed hands three times — has kept Slipknot a reference point for metal drummers studying speed, stamina, and showmanship simultaneously.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the drummer for Slipknot?
As of 2024, Slipknot's drummer is Eloy Casagrande, the former Sepultura drummer who officially joined the band, first performing live on April 25, 2024. As of this writing he has not yet appeared on a released Slipknot studio album; the band's most recent album, The End, So Far (2022), was recorded by previous drummer Jay Weinberg.
What happened in Slipknot's transition from Joey Jordison to Jay Weinberg?
Founding drummer Joey Jordison was dismissed from Slipknot on December 12, 2013, after 18 years in the band; the band cited "personal reasons," though Jordison said he was fired. It later emerged he had been diagnosed with acute transverse myelitis, a neurological condition affecting his drumming. Jay Weinberg, son of E Street Band drummer Max Weinberg, was brought in and recorded the band's next album, .5: The Gray Chapter (2014), as the new masked drummer.
Why did Jay Weinberg leave Slipknot, and how did Eloy Casagrande replace him?
Slipknot announced on November 5, 2023, that they were parting ways with Jay Weinberg, describing it as a "creative decision." Several months later, former Sepultura drummer Eloy Casagrande, who auditioned in Palm Springs, CA in January 2024, was confirmed as the new drummer, debuting live on April 25, 2024, and officially announced by the band on May 1, 2024.
How did Paul Gray's death affect Slipknot's lineup?
Founding bassist Paul Gray died on May 24, 2010; his cause of death was confirmed as an accidental overdose of morphine and fentanyl. The band's following studio album, .5: The Gray Chapter (2014), is dedicated to his memory and was also the first Slipknot album made without Joey Jordison, who was dismissed in December 2013.
Who played drums on Slipknot's "Slipknot"?
Joey Jordison played drums on "Slipknot" (1999).
Who played drums on Slipknot's "The End, So Far"?
Jay Weinberg played drums on "The End, So Far" (2022).