Joey Jordison’s Estate Sues Slipknot for Profiting Off His Death

According to numerous sources, Joey Jordison’s estate is suing Slipknot for allegedly using the late drummer’s 2021 passing to promote and profit from their latest studio LP, 2022’s The End, So Far. The lawsuit also contends that the group held onto and misused some of Jordison’s equipment and other belongs despite agreeing to return them.

In documents obtained by Page Six (published on Dec. 30), vocalist Corey Taylor and percussionist Shawn “Clown” Crahan, in particular, are named as using Jordison’s death to “boost sales” for the album. The lawsuit (filed by Steamroller, LLC) states (via Page Six):

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.

Taylor publicly dedicated ‘The End, So Far’ to Jordison, claiming that the realization of Jordison’s passing ‘crept in’ while making the album. Taylor even acknowledged that he and Crahan had mistreated Jordison in an interview, telling fans that they “were hoping to mend fences with him, and it’s one of those things that tells you: whatever you need to do, do it now, because you never know when you’re gonna lose somebody.”

Per Consequence, the estate continues:

Perhaps worst of all, Crahan and Taylor publicly lied to fans that they had contacted Jordison’s family to check on them and express their condolences and 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 publicity and sales of the new album.

[They] abruptly kicked Jordison out of Slipknot by e-mail. The callousness of Jordison’s firing and other mistreatment at the hands of Crahan and Taylor have been widely reported and criticized by fans of the band. Since the 1990s, Jordison had dedicated his life to making Slipknot a metal sensation, from which Crahan and Taylor handsomely profited. It made no sense why Crahan and Taylor would treat Jordison with such disdain, especially in light of Jordison’s declining health [involving transverse myelitis].

Additionally, the estate asserts that the band kept some of Jordison’s possessions even though they agreed to give them back (via Blabbermouth):

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 agreement contained a non-exclusive list of broad categories of items that [Taylor and Crahan] represented were in their possession and that they would return to Jordison. [Taylor and Crahan] purported to comply with the agreement by returning certain items to Jordison but, unbeknownst to Jordison, [they] had executed the agreement with no intention of performing their obligations thereunder, and knowingly concealed from Jordison that they possessed numerous other items belonging to Jordison that they never returned to him

Per Consequence, the lawsuit – originally filed in June 2023 but only recently acquired by various publications – specifically argues that Taylor and Crahan neglected to return “at least 22 items” (including “musical instruments, gear, and wardrobe”). On the contrary, those things were featured in “a traveling Slipknot museum called Knotfest,” and consequently, Taylor and Crahan “line[d] their pockets with profit off of Jordison’s devoted fanbase.”

Consequence also reports that “Taylor and Crahan responded to the lawsuit with their own legal documents denying the allegations and asking for the complaint to be dismissed.” Specifically, Metal Hammer adds, Slipknot’s legal team state: “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.”

As of this writing, neither Slipknot nor Corey or Crahan have responded to the lawsuit on social media.

READ MORE: Slipknot, Korn + More Included in U.S. Senator’s ‘Festivus’ Report on Wasteful Government Spending

When Jordison and the band initially parted ways, Jordison clarified that he “did not quit Slipknot”;’ in fact, he was “shocked and blindsided” by the news of his firing. Earlier this year, his replacement – Jay Weinberg – was seemingly dealt a similar hand (although he’s since responded with optimism and appreciation regarding his time in Slipknot and what the future holds).

On July 26, 2021, Jordison “passed away peacefully in his sleep” at the age of 46 (as written in his family’s official statement). Unsurprisingly, his death was met with fond memories and heartfelt condolences from musicians and fans, and Slipknot even honored him with a social media blackout.

In recent news, Slipknot’s Sid Wilson and Kelly Osbourne shared glimpses of how they (alongside baby Sidney) were spending the holidays. As for Crahan, he told NME that 2024 will see a lot of exciting things happening for the group, including the arrival of Slipknot’s long lost record: Look Outside Your Window.