Jordison firing was ‘most difficult’ - Taylor

Corey Taylor says the firing of Slipknot drummer Joey Jordison was one of the most difficult things the band have ever faced – but insists it had to be done.

And he’s described the group’s current status as a “2.0 kind of situation.”

They parted ways with him in December 2013 as they were gearing up to make* .5: The Gray Chapter* – their first album since the death of bassist Paul Gray in 2010.

Taylor tells Living Out Loud LA: “It was hard at first. Nothing worth doing is ever easy right out of the gate.

“When we parted with Joe it was honestly because of necessity. He was going one way and we were going another, and we just couldn’t go that way any more.

“Starting to move on without him was one of the most difficult things we’ve ever done – just as hard, in a lot of ways, as trying to move on without Paul.”

Slipknot recruited Jay Weinberg in Jordison’s place, while Alex ‘Vman’ Venturella took over from Gray.

Taylor says: “It’s really kind of a 2.0 situation, where it’s the second phase of Slipknot’s career. It’s different.

“In a lot of ways it’s more fun, but in a lot of ways it’s bittersweet. You’ve got two great dudes but they don’t understand a lot of the sacrifice that went into a lot of it.

“But they’re very respectful, and that’s huge for us. That has made it a little easier for us.”

Slipknot launch a European tour in January and return to the UK in February.

Freelance Online News Contributor

Not only is one-time online news editor Martin an established rock journalist and drummer, but he’s also penned several books on music history, including SAHB Story: The Tale of the Sensational Alex Harvey Band, a band he once managed, and the best-selling Apollo Memories about the history of the legendary and infamous Glasgow Apollo. Martin has written for Classic Rock and Prog and at one time had written more articles for Louder than anyone else (we think he's second now). He’s appeared on TV and when not delving intro all things music, can be found travelling along the UK’s vast canal network.