Another music industry professional has spoken out and paid tribute to Joey Jordison , former Slipknot drummer . The drummer passed away last week, on the 27th , and the cause of death has not yet been revealed.
Monte Conner, former vice president of A&R (artistic department) at Roadrunner Records and currently vice president at Nuclear Blast, wrote a touching tribute to Jordison in Variety . "He was not only the most talented musician I've ever worked with, but also a natural songwriter and guitarist who understood the art of choruses and hooks."
Conner also recalled when he first encountered Slipknot in 1997, before hearing the demo of "Slip It Out," which ended up being released on the group's debut album. "It was raw, emotional, explosive, creative, guttural, and beautiful, all at the same time.".
He also says it was something totally different: “It didn’t fit into any genre within metal, but it seemed to take all the best elements of all metal and combine them all in a unique way. And it all had Joey’s foundation and his insane drumming style.”
Monte Conner recounts meeting the band at a showcase in Chicago on April 4, 1998. He remembers Joey wanting to talk about metal at the time: “He not only had a vast knowledge of extreme and underground metal, but he was also an encyclopedia when it came to Roadrunner Records.”
“Never in my experience in A&R have I seen someone understand so much about a record label and even about my own career,” he said, “He and his colleagues were about to change not only my life, but the entire trajectory of Roadrunner Records and the world of music.”
Read the full text by Monte Conner here and click here to check out the tribute Slipknot made to the drummer.
READ ALSO: When Joey Jordison turned the romantic and sad "Snuff" into a Slipknot song