Why is Joey Jordison’s Estate suing Slipknot? Band faces lawsuit for allegedly profiting over late drummer’s death

Steamroller LLC, the estate of the late drummer Joey Jordison is taking the metal band Slipknot to court, for allegedly profiting from his death. Joey co-founded the band with bassist Paul Gray and percussionist Shawn Crahan in 1995 before being kicked out on December 12, 2013.

The lawsuit mentions Crahan and other band members including lead vocalist Corey Taylor for allegedly using Jordison’s death to promote their 2022 album, The End, So Far. It goes on to state that Corey Taylor publicly dedicated the album to Jordison, claiming that the realization of his passing ‘crept in’ while recording it.

The documents, as obtained by Page Six, allegedly state:

"While family, friends and fans mourned the loss of the legendary drummer, neither bandmate expressed condolences to Jordison’s family after his passing. Instead, Taylor and Crahan heartlessly sought to profit off of Jordison’s death."

The estate also alleges that Slipknot displayed Jordison’s equipment like musical instruments and gear in their museum, Knotfest without permission. This is despite a written agreement to return his belongings.

Slipknot’s legal representatives have since responded to these allegations and asked that the lawsuit be dismissed stating:

“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."

The lawsuit was originally filed in June 2023 but was only acquired by multiple publications more recently.

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Joey Jordison's exit from Slipknot and the lawsuit by his estate

Slipknot initially announced that they were amicably “parting ways” with Jordison on their website in December 2013. Their statement read:

"It is with great pain but quiet respect, that for personal reasons Joey Jordison and Slipknot are parting ways. We all wish Joey the best in whatever his future holds."

Joey Jordison then addressed the rumors regarding his departure in a Facebook post from July 2014. He dismissed the band's statement that he had willingly quit Slipknot, instead revealing that he was kicked out against his will.

The late drummer explained further about the situation in an interview with Metal Hammer magazine in 2016. He stated that it was hurtful to not have a band meeting regarding his dismissal, alleging that all he received was an email.

Additionally, Joey Jordison claimed that his bandmates misdiagnosed his medical condition, transverse myelitis, as a drug abuse problem. This led to him being forced out of the band.

"They got confused about my health issues and obviously even I didn’t know what it was at first. They thought I was f***ed up on drugs, which I wasn’t at all."

Joey's abrupt exit from the band plays into the current lawsuit. It alleges that after abruptly kicking Jordison out 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. It also states that the two had executed the agreement without intention of performing their obligations.

Jordison died at the age of 46 on 26 July 2021 after suffering from transverse myelitis, a rare disease that affects the nervous system. Slipknot had a social media blackout to honor him. He was also a guitarist and drummer for the bands Murderdolls and Scar the Martyr and performed with artists such as Metallica, Korn, and Rob Zombie.

As of yet, neither the band nor its members Corey Taylor and Shawn Crahan have responded to the lawsuit via social media.