Corey Taylor Breaks Silence on Slipknot Drummer Rumors

Corey Taylor has now "entered the chat," if you will, about the rumors of who might be Slipknot's next drummer.

Since the ouster of Jay Weinberg, many have been trying to determine who the new drummer could be. One name that has surfaced is Jeramie Kling, who recently left Venom, Inc. Much of this was Kling's doing. He took to Instagram on Nov. 19 and shared a photo of new drum gear. In the post's caption, he wrote, "#Im666," which is a reference to the Slipknot track "Heretic Anthem." ("If you're 555, then I'm 666.")

After all of this created buzz, Taylor took to X (formerly Twitter) to set the record straight. He wrote, "To everyone wondering about our new drummer… It’s not him. Stop letting him troll you. He’s not even on the list. #hesnot666."

The news of Weinberg and Slipknot parting ways came on Nov. 5. On Nov. 11, Weinberg issued a lengthy statement via social media saying he was fired from Slipknot and detailing his thoughts on the entire situation.

He wrote, in part, "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. 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."

Weinberg's exit from Slipknot came about five months after sampler/keyboardist Craig Jones parted ways with the band. In June, Jones's exit was announced in a brief statement. It said, "To our fans, Slipknot is announcing that we have parted ways with Craig Jones. We wish Jones all the best for the future."

Jones was a member of Slipknot for 27 years. He appeared on every single recording from the band, with the exception of their first demo, Mate. Feed. Kill. Repeat., released 1996.

Corey Taylor is one of the most prominent figures in rock today and for good reason: He always has something interesting to say, and it seems like that trait isn't something that's waning with age.

One of the funniest things Taylor said in 2023 was his rant against a certain Beatles song. That song? The 1967 stand-alone single "All You Need Is Love." In fact, his hatred led to him writing "All I Want Is Hate" for his second solo album CMF2.

In an August appearance on the Zach Sang Show, Taylor said, "'All You Need Is Love' is one of the biggest pieces of sh-t that I've ever heard in my life. And every time I hear it, I feel like I'm getting shot at."

Taylor's forthcomingness is truly part of his charm and what makes him so appealing. This year marks his 50th birthday. While some might shy away from the subject of such a milestone birthday, Taylor doesn't. Speaking with WRIF's Meltdown back in May, Taylor said about turning 50, "I think about it constantly. I think about it when I get up out of bed. I think about it when I step on stage, and I break my back. I'm like, 'What am I doing?!'"

He continued, referencing his solo shows, "But, then I have to remember: I'm a mental person, so this is all I want to do. Obviously, it's a different kind of set I used to do when I was younger, when I was a kid. At the same time, I still love to play. I still love performing, and I love to get out there and try to do it as hard as I can. Until I break my neck again, I think I'll just keep going."

Obviously, Taylor is no stranger to the interview pull quote. After all, he is also an accomplished author. In honor of Taylor's birthday today (December 8), here are five quotes from his books everyone should live by.