The Slipknot vs Chris Fehn legal case is now closed

(Image credit: Joey Foley/Getty Images)

It appears that the legal case filed against Slipknot by their former percussionist Chris Fehn has been settled.

Fehn was fired from Slipknot in 2019, after 21 years of service, after initiating a lawsuit against the band over issues surrounding pay and compensation. Fehn alleged that his bandmates had set up several other Slipknot-affiliated business entities in different states that he was unaware of, and had therefore not received money for.

When the story surrounding Fehn's legal dispute originally surfaced, Corey Taylor took to Twitter to address the rumours, writing: “You’re gonna read a lot of bullshit today. This is all I’ll say. JUST YOU WAIT TIL THE TRUTH COMES OUT.”

In March 2019, Slipknot announced that Fehn was no longer a member of the band. Their statement at the time read:

“Chris knows why he is no longer a part of Slipknot. We are disappointed that he chose to point fingers and manufacture claims, rather than doing what was necessary to continue to be a part of Slipknot. We would have preferred he not take the path that he has, but evolution in all things is a necessary part of this life.”

In January, Justice Melissa Anne Crane in the Supreme Court of the State of New York indicated that a motion to dismiss percussionist Chris Fehn’s lawsuit against Slipknot would be denied and the case would be allowed to proceed. But, on October 29, the court received notification that Fehn has volunatarily discontinued his legal action “with prejudice and without costs to any party”.

Last October, in a posting on his Instagram page, Fehn suggested that he would like to return to Slipknot “someday”. Whether that day is now any closer remains to be seen.

A music writer since 1993, formerly Editor of Kerrang! and Planet Rock magazine (RIP), Paul Brannigan is a Contributing Editor to Louder. Having previously written books on Lemmy, Dave Grohl (the Sunday Times best-seller This Is A Call) and Metallica (Birth School Metallica Death, co-authored with Ian Winwood), his Eddie Van Halen biography (Eruption in the UK, Unchained in the US) emerged in 2021. He has written for Rolling Stone, Mojo and Q, hung out with Fugazi at Dischord House, flown on Ozzy Osbourne's private jet, played Angus Young's Gibson SG, and interviewed everyone from Aerosmith and Beastie Boys to Young Gods and ZZ Top. Born in the North of Ireland, Brannigan lives in North London and supports The Arsenal.