The whole Joey Jordison / Slipknot blow out felt a little strange at the time, and now the former drummer has shed some light on perhaps why we got that vibe. In a recent statement, the legendary sticksman claimed his departure from the band was the result of a medical condition, which affected the use of his legs.
Jordison revealed the news on stage at the very recent Metal Hammer Golden Gods Awards, shining a spotlight on the severe diagnosis he has faced.
“Towards the end of my career in Slipknot I got really, really sick with a horrible disease called transverse myelitis — I lost my legs. I couldn’t play anymore. It was a form of multiple sclerosis, which I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy.”
Transverse myelitis is a neurological disorder caused by inflammation across the spinal cord and weakens electrical conductivity in the central nervous system. Symptoms include a loss of spinal cord function and can lead to paralysis – devastating news for someone trying to maintain the coordination and speed needed to bash out Slipknot-paced metal.
Jordison added a silver lining to his situation though, explaining that he is far from a broken man.
“I got myself back up, and I got myself in the gym and I got myself back in fucking therapy, to fucking beat this shit. And, if I could do it, you could do it. It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life, more than fucking anything. To people with multiple sclerosis, transverse myelitis or anything like that, I am living proof that you can fucking beat this shit.”
He goes on to thank metal music and also the greater metal community for their ongoing support. Ever the class act, the drummer also throws in some praise for his former band, “What we created, in the basements of Des Moines, Iowa, will never be matched. It’s one thing that’s f–king absolutely fucking unbeatable” he adds.
Speaking in a Reddit AMA last year, Slipknot frontman Corey Taylor addressed whether Jordison had left the band, or been fired. “We never said Joey left- we said we parted ways with him,” he said. “That being said, out of respect to Joey, all I can say is that Joey’s path was going in a different direction than ours. I wish him nothing but the best.”
Slipknot have remained for the most part tight lipped about the circumstances surrounding Jordison’s departure from the band, however Taylor did coment in 2014 tha the only other option to replacing Jordison was “shutting the band down.”
“We’re keeping everything really close to the chest right now. I mean, it’s out of respect for Joe, and for us,” he said.
“There’s just a host of legal things that we still need to sort out,” added Taylor. “It’s hard — it’s really hard — but the only other thing was shutting the band down, and none of us wanted to do that. So we’re gonna push on.”
Jordison recently announced the formation of a new project. VIMIC is said to be Scar The Martyr version 2 and from what we have heard keeps Jordison pretty busy up back but by no means as busy as his duties in Slipknot.
Watch: Joey Jordison’s Metal Hammer Golden Gods Awards speak (@ 16min)
