In an interview with Rolling Stone, Jay Weinberg once again commented on his departure from Slipknot. Even after 3 years, he says he still doesn't understand what happened.
The drummer revealed that the dismissal came suddenly. He received the news by phone, two days after the show at the Hell & Heavenin Mexico, on November 3, 2023. The decision was communicated by the group's manager.
“I woke up the morning after our trip back from our last show together and received a phone call from the band's manager, in which he informed me that the band had decided not to renew my contract at the end of the year. I was shocked and full of questions. I thought, 'Why? What happened?'”
According to him, there was no clear explanation: “To be honest, this happened at the end of a very difficult year for the band. Perhaps this is related to some pre-existing tensions, even before my arrival, and my return. But I didn't receive any explanation, just the answer: 'It's a creative decision and you're no longer the drummer for Slipknot.' And what he said after that was: 'We would like to release a joint statement with you tomorrow. Think about it today. I will be available for the rest of the day if you want to talk.'”.
He continued: “My world simply collapsed beneath my feet. What I dedicated myself to with total focus, commitment, attention, and love, clinging to a dream despite the difficulties, despite everything that happens when entering such a volatile and dark environment, only leaves me with questions. So, I went for a walk with my wife to clear my mind and process what had just happened. And, 20 minutes later, they published their own statement online.”
Jay Weinberg still feels confused
Jay also revealed how he feels currently: “How would anyone feel? That perfectly sums up the confusion. And, as I said, it happened after an extraordinarily tense year for the band, things I could only see as an outside observer in 25-year relationships. It happened without explanation, without reason. It was confusing at the time. To be completely honest, it remains confusing.”
“As a newcomer, I think being in the middle of these pre-existing tensions makes you try to navigate them as best you can. One guy has one way of doing things, another has another way, and that multiplies across eight other people, trying to please everyone. That was my main focus for 10 years. I dedicated myself in every way possible. As a newcomer, and as you mentioned, you keep thinking: 'Are you part of the band? Are you not part of the band?' How do you define that after 10 years? It's not a short time. But it's easy for a newcomer, like me, to get caught in the crossfire. Maybe I became the scapegoat for certain things.”.
The musician was part of Suicidal Tendencies for almost two years. His time with the band came after he was fired from Slipknot in 2023, where he played drums for about ten years and participated in important albums in the group's career.
During his time with Suicidal Tendencies, Weinberg also released solo material and developed collaborations with other artists. He recently released his first single, "Sandstone," featuring George Clarke, vocalist of Deafheaven.
READ ALSO: Jay Weinberg, former Slipknot member, will sell personal items used throughout his career.
