Jay Weinberg reveals Slipknot restrictions left part of him “dying”

Former Slipknot drummer Jay Weinberg has discussed his growing list of musical ventures, explaining that he can finally explore them following a period when he lacked the “legal ability” to collaborate with other musicians.

Weinberg left the influential metal group in 2023 after the members made what they called a “creative decision” to move in another direction. He had been part of Slipknot since 2013 and admitted that the departure left him “heartbroken and blindsided”. Earlier this year, he explained that the decision “remains confusing” to him.

In the years since his exit, Weinberg has participated in several musical ventures. These have included becoming a member of Suicidal Tendencies, recording alongside Fuming Mouth and collaborating with Canadian group Softcult on the song ‘Drown Fountain’.

He has also formed a new group called Portraits of an Apparition and begun developing his own solo music.

A recent interview has now revealed that much of this material had been developing privately for several years. Legal limitations, however, meant Weinberg was unable to make the music publicly available until recently.

During an appearance on Loyal to the Craft, Weinberg explained that his collaboration with Softcult developed from an idea he had been “kicking around since 2013”. He added that much of his remaining music consists of “stuff that I’ve been honing for years”.

When questioned about why the projects had taken so long to arrive, Weinberg suggested that certain limitations had prevented him from openly collaborating with other musicians. “Without giving too much attention to any kind of one situation, not having the legal ability to play music with other people was definitely difficult because I look at music, at least the creation and sharing of it, it’s that twofold thing,” he said.

Weinberg did not explain who had imposed the restrictions. However, he said he understood that he could work with others “in private”, although he was legally prohibited from making any of those recordings available to the public.

Discussing how the situation affected him emotionally, Weinberg said: “Although I was super intensely focused on one aspect of my creative life and happy to do so, like a little part of my creative self, it was dying for sure because this is stuff that means a lot to me.”

“These are songs that, still even 13 years later after initially coming up with a song, I feel passionate to put the effort into getting it across the finish line and it is emotionally gratifying for me to put out there.

“I’ve always considered that a healthy thing, to be able to play and create with people of all sorts of disciplines, all sorts of backgrounds and that’s certainly what I’m leaning into.”

Regarding progress on his first solo album, Weinberg released ‘Sandstone’ with Deafheaven’s George Clarke last November. He later followed it with ‘Drone Operator’, a collaboration with NOWHERE2RUN, which includes members of Code Orange.

Meanwhile, Slipknot’s current drummer, Eloy Casagrande, said last autumn that the group had started creating fresh material. “We are cooking,” he said. “Since I joined the band, we have been working on some new ideas. We keep exchanging guitar riffs, drum beats, so we are always doing something. We had also some jam sessions.”

Slipknot also appears to have made another change to its lineup, having separated from keyboardist and DJ Sid Wilson earlier this month following almost 30 years together.

Although Wilson had recently described himself as a current Slipknot member, the group formally announced his departure on Friday, August 14, after weeks of uncertainty surrounding his position. Slipknot stated: “Effective immediately, Slipknot will no longer be associated with Sid Wilson. We wish him the best in his future endeavors.”

Wilson performed under the name No. 0 and served as Slipknot’s keyboard player and turntablist. He became a member in 1998, shortly before the Iowa group achieved widespread success with its eponymous debut album.

Slipknot has experienced several other personnel departures. In 2019, the group announced its separation from Chris Fehn while the longtime percussionist was pursuing legal action against them, claiming he had not received proper payment during more than 20 years of recording with the band.

Craig Jones, who became part of Slipknot in 1996, also departed in 2023.