Mourning Joey Jordison

The metal community is saddened by the sudden loss of Joey Jordison. On Monday, August 29th, Jordison died peacefully in his sleep. Jordison was well known for his role as the drummer and founding member of the band Slipknot, for whom he had co-written many of their hit songs. He was 46.

Born in Des Moines, Iowa, Jordison grew up assisting his mother in the funeral parlor where she worked. He developed an appreciation for the macabre and gravitated towards extreme music. After playing with various bands in the local scene, Jordison eventually was recruited to play in The Pale Ones. It was Jordison who suggested that the band change its name to Slipknot.

The band received notoriety for being a particularly large group with up to nine members. Each member was assigned a number and Jordison was #1. Slipknot embraced a theatrical look, and each member adopted a unique mask to shield their identities. Jordison’s trademark white mask was inspired by a Japanese kabuki mask his mother wore during a Halloween prank that frightened and left an undeniable mark on him.

Slipknot would soon dominate the Iowa metal scene. Fans gravitated towards the dark lyrics, bizarre stage personas, and particularly, the intense live performances. After signing with Roadrunner Records in 1998, Slipknot toured relentlessly and gained spots on major festivals such as Ozzfest. Jordison co-written songs “Wait and Bleed” and “Spit it Out” from the band’s self-titled debut album went platinum. Each subsequent album with Jordison was increasingly more successful. Iowa reached number three on Billboard 200, Volume 3 (The Subliminal Verses) debuted at the number two spot and, All Hope is Gone at number one. The Jordison produced a live album, 9.0: Live premiered in the top 50 in six countries and was certified gold. 

Fans were often blown away at Jordison’s phenomenal drumming. He often performed drum solos during live shows. At times he would have a drum kit that would rotate as it rose in the air giving Jordison the appearance as if he was ascending into heaven. 

Jordison however, was not content with just sticking to one genre as he would mix it up by collaborating with other artists in various projects. The horror punk band, Murderdolls would see Jordison switch from drums to guitar. After recording two well-received albums, Murderdolls would split and Jordison would continue with a succession of alt-metal projects. Jordison would record one album with the band Vimic before continuing with a slightly altered line-up as Sinsaenum. 

May other artists in the metal genre would reach out to Jordison to make appearances on their albums. Jordison remixed “The Fight Song” for Marilyn Manson and made special appearances on songs by Rob Zombie, OTEP, and Puscifer. He wasn’t above performing as a touring musician filling in for absent members of bands such as Metallica, Korn, and Ministry.

In addition to producing the first live album from Slipknot, Jordison would produce Roadrunner United, the album was a tribute in honor of Roadrunner Records’ 25th anniversary. In this album, Jordison would work with Mike Caputo from Life of Agony, Pete Steele of Type O Negative, and Glen Benton from Deicide, among others.

Jordison’s sudden parting of ways with Slipknot came as a surprise to many fans. While many had assumed drug abuse may have been the reason, Jordison would make the shocking revelation that he had been diagnosed with acute transverse myelitis. It is a form of multiple sclerosis that resulted in the loss of movement in his legs making drumming for the band nearly impossible. In the years after his dismissal from Slipknot, Jordison had dedicated himself to physical therapy to regain full use of his limbs.

Before contracting his illness, Jordison's work as a drummer was praised by critics and fans alike. Metal Hammer magazine honored him as a Golden God. Loudwire bestowed the recognition of greatest metal drummer to Jordison as voted for by fans. His commitment to a full recovery and optimism in the face of adversity was inspirational to many who view Jordison as one of the greats in hard rock.

Jordison’s death has left a severe void in the metal scene. His involvement in Slipknot’s success contributed to the development of the New Wave of American Heavy Metal. Countless bands have risen from the ground that Jordison helped sow. His work remains immortal and will continue to influence future generations.

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