The estate of the late founding drummer of Slipknot, Joey Jordison is suing the remaining members of the Iowa-based band. The suit alleges that members of the band profited from Jordison’s passing in 2021 and that they kept several of his belongings, among other claims.
Videos by American Songwriter
According to documents obtained by Page Six, the suit names Corey Taylor and Shawn “Clown” Crahan as defendants. The suit alleges that the band used Jordison’s death to sell more copies of their 2022 album The End, So Far.
[Slipknot Live 2024: Get Tickets]
The suit points out that Taylor publicly dedicated the album to Jordison’s memory. He claimed that the “realization of Jordison’s passing ‘crept in’ while making the album.” according to documents. Furthermore, the suit states that Taylor admitted to treating the late drummer unfairly before kicking him out of the band in 2013.
[RELATED: Slipknot Drummer Joey Jordison Dead at 46]
Lawsuit Takes Aim at Slipknot’s Traveling Museum, Knotfest
Jordison’s estate further alleges that members of Slipknot never returned many of his possessions. Instead, they put them in their traveling Knotfest museum. Those belongings include his stage attire, musical instruments, and other gear.
“After abruptly kicking Jordison out of Slipknot in 2013, Taylor and Crahan expressly promised in a written agreement to return all of Jordison’s belongings in exchange for Jordison’s promise to release certain claims against them,” the suit alleges. It further states that they “knowingly concealed from Jordison that they possessed numerous…items belonging to Jordison that they never returned to him.”
“Perhaps worst of all,” the suit continues, “Crahan and Taylor publicly lied to fans that they had contacted Jordison’s family to check on them and express their love for Jordison in the wake of his passing. This was utterly false, and deeply upsetting for Jordison’s family to read such a blatant lie on the internet. It is clear that Taylor and Crahan did not actually care about Jordison or his family. They cared only about drumming up sales and publicity for the new album.”
Slipknot’s legal team has responded to the suit, asking that it be dismissed. “Defendants generally deny each and every allegation and purported claim set forth in Plaintiff’s First Amended Complaint and further deny that Plaintiff is entitled to any relief whatsoever,” they stated.
