Members of Slipknot: Original, Former and Current Lineup

Band formed: 1995, per Britannica (encyclopedic reference) · Original founding members named: Joey Jordison, Shawn Crahan, Paul Gray, per Britannica (encyclopedic reference) · Paul Gray death year: 2010 (AllMusic (music database)) · Joey Jordison departure year: 2013 (Wikipedia (band article))

Eleven dated records, one pattern: the deaths and announced exits are documented, while the reasons behind most of the exits are not.

Which members of Slipknot are original members?

Slipknot formed in 1995, but the founding names depend on which reference you read. Britannica (encyclopedic reference) lists Shawn Crahan, Joey Jordison and Paul Gray as the original founders. Wikipedia (roster list) names Shawn Crahan, vocalist Anders Colsefni and Paul Gray instead.

Who founded Slipknot in 1995?

• Shawn Crahan, percussionist, is named in both accounts (Britannica (encyclopedic reference); Wikipedia (roster list))
• Paul Gray, bassist, is named in both accounts (Britannica (encyclopedic reference); Wikipedia (roster list))
• Joey Jordison is named by Britannica (encyclopedic reference), while Wikipedia (roster list) places Colsefni in that slot

The two references disagree on this roster, and no retrieved source settles it, so this article reports both versions without choosing one.

Which original member has died?

• Paul Gray died May 24, 2010, from an accidental overdose; his body was found in an Urbandale, Iowa hotel room (AllMusic (music database))
• Joey Jordison died July 26, 2021, at age 46 (Wikipedia (band article))

The implication: anyone publishing a founder list should name the reference they follow, because the two references in the research disagree on one name.

Why did Joey get kicked from Slipknot?

The band announced Joey Jordison’s departure on December 12, 2013, and cited personal reasons (Wikipedia (band article)). Jordison later said he did not quit and was blindsided, so the record holds the band’s stated reason alongside his own account of the exit.

In 2016, Jordison disclosed that he was affected by transverse myelitis, a neurological disorder that affected his ability to perform (Britannica (encyclopedic reference)). The retrieved sources do not connect that disclosure to the 2013 announcement, which came three years earlier.

Who replaced Joey Jordison?

• Jay Weinberg joined as drummer for .5: The Gray Chapter, released in October 2014 (Britannica (encyclopedic reference))
• Weinberg’s departure was announced in late 2023, according to Discogs (release database)

The trade-off: the lineup record is precise on dates and thin on reasons, which is the reverse of what most fan questions ask for.

Who is Slipknot’s new drummer?

Eloy Casagrande, formerly of Sepultura, is the band’s drummer as of 2024, according to Music Times (music news outlet).

Discogs (release database) lists his announcement in May 2024. That date comes from a database rather than a band statement, and no band statement with that date appears in the retrieved sources.

• Known: current drummer as of 2024, formerly with Sepultura (Music Times (music news outlet))
• Not in the retrieved sources: his age, birthplace, or a band-issued start date

The trade-off: the drum seat has a dated name, but the background fans ask about most is missing from the record.

Why was Sid kicked out of Slipknot?

The premise is not established by the sources. Slipknot confirmed on August 14, 2026 that Sid Wilson is no longer in the band, and the statement gave no reason (Music Times (music news outlet)).

The timing is also contested. Loudwire (rock news outlet) notes that Wikipedia lists the dismissal as August 2026, while its own lineup count and the Music Times date differ on whether they describe the announcement or the departure.

• Announcement: August 14, 2026 (Music Times (music news outlet))
• Stated reason: none given (Music Times (music news outlet))
• Exact departure date: not settled by the retrieved sources (Loudwire (rock news outlet))

The implication: no reason for Wilson’s exit has been published, and the documented record stops at the announcement.

How many Slipknot members are left?

The count depends on whom you include, and the sources give different totals. Loudwire (rock news outlet) reports that the Arsenal press photo as of September 9, 2026 showed eight members, with Sid Wilson absent.

AllMusic (music database) describes nine members at various points since 1999, with the 1999–2010 lineup as the best-known nine-piece configuration. Loudwire (rock news outlet) counts 19 musicians who have been official members since 1995.

How many Slipknot members are dead?

• Paul Gray, died 2010 (AllMusic (music database))
• Joey Jordison, died 2021 (Wikipedia (band article))

The pattern: the headline number changes with the choice of who counts as a member, so any single figure needs its date attached.

Timeline

• 1995: Slipknot forms in Des Moines, Iowa (Britannica (encyclopedic reference))
• May 24, 2010: Paul Gray dies (AllMusic (music database))
• December 12, 2013: The band announces Jordison’s departure, citing personal reasons (Wikipedia (band article))
• October 2014: .5: The Gray Chapter is released with Jay Weinberg on drums (Britannica (encyclopedic reference))
• Around March 2019: Chris Fehn is dismissed after his compensation lawsuit (Wikipedia (band article))
• July 26, 2021: Joey Jordison dies at age 46 (Wikipedia (band article))
• June 7, 2023: The band parts ways with Craig Jones (Wikipedia (band article))
• 2024: Eloy Casagrande is the drummer (Music Times (music news outlet))
• August 14, 2026: The band confirms Sid Wilson is no longer in the band, with no reason given (Music Times (music news outlet))

The pattern: the dated changes are deaths, announcements and exits, and most of the reasons behind them are missing from the record.

Confirmed facts and open questions

The catch: the open list is longer than the confirmed one, so any confident claim about why a member left runs ahead of the record.

What the members have said

“Everybody freaks out that there are nine guys in the band… I didn’t want nine guys in the band… But that’s what it took to get the sound we want.”

Joey Jordison, former drummer, as quoted by the Los Angeles Times and reproduced by Encyclopedia.com (reference encyclopedia)

Jordison later said he “did not quit Slipknot” and was “shocked” and “blindsided” by the news, per Wikipedia (band article). That account sits beside the band’s stated reason for the 2013 exit.

Why this matters: Jordison’s account is the only personal voice in the retrieved record, so it is one side of an exit the band has not expanded on.

Where the lineup stands

Slipknot’s roster is documented through dated deaths and exits, but most of the reasons behind those changes are missing from the record. For fans trying to keep track of the band, the choice is clear: rely only on the dated records above, or accept a lineup list built on explanations no source has confirmed.

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