Photo by Venla Shalin/Redferns
Former Slipknot drummer Jay Weinberg has issued his first statement after leaving the band earlier this month. Weinberg's departure was announced on November 5, mere days after he performed at the Hell & Heaven festival in Mexico.
It seems that the surprise felt by fans of the band was also felt by Weinberg. In a statement shared on Instagram on Sunday (November 12), the drummer said he was "heartbroken and blindsided" to be told he was no longer going to be in the band, saying the news left him with feelings of "confusion and sadness." Weinberg went on to thank fans for the "outpouring of love and support" he has received in the wake of the decision.
“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 in his Instagram caption. “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.”
The drummer, son of Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band drummer Max Weinberg, added that it has 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. This isn’t the end, and I’m thrilled to discover what the future has in store for us."
Weinberg joined Slipknot as the replacement for Joey Jordison in 2013. He made his debut on their 2014 album .5: The Gray Chapter and also played on We Are Not Your Kind, and last year’s The End, So Far. His departure marks the second Slipknot member to leave the band in 2023 after keyboardist Craig Jones, who left after 27 years this June.
