Ex-SLIPKNOT Percussionist CHRIS FEHN Appears To Have Settled His Lawsuit Over Band Profits
November 3, 2020Former SLIPKNOT percussionist Chris Fehn appears to have settled his lawsuit against the band on claims he hadn't been properly compensated for his years of touring and recording with the group. Fehn, a member since 1998, was officially dismissed from the band early last year.
The case was voluntarily discontinued on October 29 "with prejudice," meaning Fehn can't refile the lawsuit on the same claim.
This past June, the judge presiding over the case determined that Fehn and SLIPKNOT would benefit from an opportunity to participate in mediation and ordered both sides' attorneys to submit to the mediator a pre-mediation statement three business days before the mediation and submit a status update three business days before each additional session.
Because confidentiality and non-disparagement clauses are often found in settlement and severance agreements between individuals and their employers, the existence of any settlement agreement between Fehn and SLIPKNOT and its terms will likely be kept private and never publicly revealed.
Fehn sued SLIPKNOT members Corey Taylor and Michael Shawn Crahan (a.k.a. Clown) in March 2019, claiming that he had been told that all the band's income was being funneled through one company that split the profits between the group members. But he alleged that he later discovered the existence of several other SLIPKNOT-related business entities through which other members were collecting more money.
Fehn specifically accused Crahan and Taylor of shady business dealings and demanded a full forensic accounting done on SLIPKNOT's companies and assets, so that he could collect the damages and profits he believes he is owed.
Shortly after the lawsuit was filed, SLIPKNOT dismissed Fehn in a statement posted to the band's web site, saying, "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."
Taylor also addressed the accusations via Twitter, saying: "Try being wrongfully accused of stealing money from someone you cared about, and having a lot of your fans believe it."
Fehn, known for wearing a Pinocchio-style mask, participated in all the band's albums through 2014's ".5: The Gray Chapter".
Chris was replaced in SLIPKNOT's touring lineup by a percussionist nicknamed "Tortilla Man." Tortilla Man is believed to be the multi-instrumentalist Michael Pfaff, who played keyboards with Crahan in the band DIRTY LITTLE RABBITS and is also a member of the Iowa-based duo THE SNACKS.
Tortilla Man joined SLIPKNOT in May 2019, when he was first featured in the video for comeback single "Unsainted".
SLIPKNOT's latest album, "We Are Not Your Kind", was released in August 2019 via Roadrunner Records.
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