ELOY CASAGRANDE: How I Came To Join SLIPKNOT

In a new interview with ProMark Drumsticks, former SEPULTURA drummer Eloy Casagrande explained how he came to join SLIPKNOT earlier this year prior to the launch of the heavy metal giants' 25th-anniversary North American tour. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I just got a call from the manager. He asked me if I was interested in doing an audition for the band. So I came here to the U.S. I spent 10 days with the band. We were just jamming so we could check if there was some kind of chemistry between us. We spent, like, four or five days just recording new stuff. I think they wanted to check if I was able to compose some drum parts and to check if I was also able to record drums in the studio, because that's a whole different universe. So that was a very complete audition. And after those same days, I went back to Brazil. And they gave me a call two days later saying that I was in the band, that I made it. That was super cool."

Reflecting in more detail on his SLIPKNOT audition, Eloy said: "I had, like, 15 days to learn the songs; they gave me a big list of songs that I was supposed to learn. Every day in the rehearsal, we were trying different songs, picking different stuff from different albums. But, of course, I already knew how to play some of their songs.

"I remember the first day that I was there. I was warming up in the studio. I had, like, my pad, drumsticks, pedals. And the guys from the band, they started arriving at the studio, and I was in shock. When we played the first song, I did several mistakes, because I was so in shock to see everybody in front of me. And I couldn't think. I couldn't even breathe. But they were, like, 'Okay, we understand that you're in a difficult situation right now. We understand your side. So just relax, have fun. We're just here to see the vibe.' And then from the second day, I think everything got better. I was more relaxed to play the drums and just let the music flow."

Casagrande said that it's a huge honor and a dream come true for him to be an official member of SLIPKNOT.

"I have been listening to SLIPKNOT since I was a teenager, and it was very important to my musical formation," he said. "And here we are now, after a couple of months, we're here. When I was — I don't know— 12 years old, watching them on MTV playing 'Duality', that blew my mind. It's such an honor to be here now.

"Now, I never imagined that this was something possible," he added. "There is the difference of countries — I live in Brazil; it's an American band. We don't forget that I was lucky to be at the right moment in the right spot. So, I was invited to be here."

In an interview with Tone-Talk, SLIPKNOT guitarist Jim Root spoke about how Casagrande came to join SLIPKNOT and his impact on the band's overall sound. He said: "We didn't even try anybody else. Eloy's name came up. He contacted us, actually, about wanting to be a part of it and started sending a bunch of videos in. I think him and our bass player [Alessandro 'Vman' Venturella] might've had a little bit of a relationship before. I think they knew each other. They had mutual friends. And Vman's really in tune with a lot of really great, proggy, heavy musicians that are passionate about their instruments. And it just seemed like a no-brainer. And he's really respectful of the legacy of [SLIPKNOT's original drummer, the late] Joey [Jordison], and Joey was a huge influence on him. And he's so humble. The dude has so much humility. And you could tell he just lives and breathes his craft, to the point where I see his passion and it ignites my passion for my instrument. And Brazilians, South Americans in general, are so passionate about what they do. Our manager told me, he was out to dinner with four or five promoters from South America, and they were all really stoked. They're all, like, 'It's so good you've got a Brazilian drummer in SLIPKNOT now. We kind of feel like we've won the World Cup.' It's a cool feeling. And God, he just fits in so well. I don't know, man. I mean, there's a lot of things I can say about it. I'm just glad it happened when it did. And we're lucky to have him — we are really lucky to have that dude."

For its 2024 gigs so far, SLIPKNOT adopted a classic look, bringing back the 1999 red jumpsuits and elements of their early masks into their modern versions, tying into the fact that SLIPKNOT is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.

After parting ways with Jay Weinberg last November, SLIPKNOT teased fans with a hint about a new drummer more than seven months ago, posting a photo of a single broken drumstick online with the caption "Rehearsal."

The band explained in a statement that the split with Weinberg was a creative decision. Jay followed up with a statement of his own, saying that he was "heartbroken and blindsided" by his dismissal.

Weinberg has since joined SUICIDAL TENDENCIES and INFECTIOUS GROOVES.

Casagrande abruptly quit SEPULTURA six months ago, shortly before he was supposed to begin rehearsals for the band's recently launched 40th-anniversary farewell tour.

"February 6th, a few days prior to the first rehearsal, drummer Eloy Casagrande informed the band that he was leaving SEPULTURA to pursue a career in another project," the band said in a statement.

Casagrande joined SEPULTURA nearly 13 years ago as the replacement for Jean Dolabella.

SLIPKNOT's latest album "The End, So Far", arrived in August 2022. It marked the band's the last full-length LP before the departure of both keyboardist Craig Jones, who left the group in June 2023, and Weinberg.

SLIPKNOT recently completed the North American portion of the "Here Comes The Pain" tour. The band was celebrating the 25th anniversary of its seminal debut album, "Slipknot", which catapulted the band back in 1999. The "Here Comes The Pain" tour, produced by Live Nation, included arena plays nationwide this summer. Highlights included New York City's Madison Square Garden, Los Angeles's Intuit Dome, Austin's Moody Center and more with direct support from Kentucky's young and vibrant hardcore/metal forerunners KNOCKED LOOSE. ORBIT CULTURE and VENDED also provided support on select dates.