Slipknot founding drummer Joey Jordison is dead. His family shared the news of his death in a statement saying he died peacefully in his sleep on July 26th. “Joey’s death left us empty hearts and feelings of indescribable sadness,” the statement said. He was 46 years old.
Jordison played in Slipknot from their 1996 Demo Mate. Feed. Kill. Repeat, through their fourth studio album, All Hope Is Gone (2008). The main percussionist in the Iowa metal band has been widely praised for his versatile and precise playing style. He was also a key part of Slipknot’s songwriting team, along with the late bassist Paul Gray. (Shawn “Clown” Crahan is now the last remaining original member of Slipknot.)
In 2013, Jordison was fired from Slipknot. A few years later, he stated that he had had a neurological condition called transverse myelitis since 2010 and that his condition had worsened around the time of his discharge. “I couldn’t play anymore. It was a form of multiple sclerosis that I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy, ”he said.
By 2018 Jordison had recovered “100 percent” from the myelitis and played in the band Sinsaenum alongside Attila Csihar and keyboardist Sean Zitarsky. He has appeared on numerous projects over the course of his career, including Murderdolls – a revival of his pre-slipknot band The Rejects – Scar the Martyr and others.
