JAY WEINBERG: 'Being In SLIPKNOT Is A Completely Exhaustive Effort'

MixWave recently launched a Jay Weinberg drum library in what the company called "a comprehensive and dynamic virtual instrument that accurately captures" the SLIPKNOT drummer "in every aspect of his creative world."

During an appearance on The Downbeat Podcast, the podcast hosted by STRAY FROM THE PATH drummer Craig Reynolds, Weinberg stated about how he approached his collaboration with MixWave (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "To me, I think it's kind of my upbringing, and knowing what it was like being around the E STREET BAND standard, and then, to me, when you then focus on this type of music, and for me, I feel like there's a SLIPKNOT standard. And there always has been, and there always will be, and I had to get accustomed to that very quickly and jump on this moving freight train of what's expected. We don't settle for anything less than our standard. And the standard is no stone left unturned, no option left — whatever.

"Being in SLIPKNOT is a completely exhaustive effort, because, it is incredibly detail oriented, and that goes with everything," he explained. "That's why things take so long with us, because we are that. And I learned that through starting to play with these guys to where they are the freight train that I'm jumping onto and I had to learn how crazy intent they are and intentional about all these decisions. And that just rubbed off on me, and I was, like, that's how I want to approach what I do. So it's, like, anything worth doing is worth going completely in on. And not to mention, it's, like, what an amazing opportunity it is. I'm so grateful for the opportunity that someone would want to do this with me. I'm not gonna take that for granted. The fact that MixWave approached me to do this, it's on me not only to show up and try to do a good job, but it's, like, I want to overdo it to the point where it's just — that's just how I like to approach things."

Jay discovered SLIPKNOT when he was a pre-teen, through his father Max, of Bruce Springsteen's E STREET BAND, and leader of the house band on Conan O'Brien's talk show. He was hooked immediately and was a huge fan of SLIPKNOT by the time he was invited to Los Angeles to try out as replacement for Joey Jordison in 2013.

For the first few months after the release of 2014's ".5: The Gray Chapter", the members of SLIPKNOT had declined to name the musicians who were playing drums and bass on their tour, despite the fact that their identities were revealed as Weinberg and bassist Alessandro "Vman" Venturella by a disgruntled former drumtech for SLIPKNOT who posted a picture of a backstage call sheet on Instagram.

SLIPKNOT announced its split with Jordison in December 2013 but did not disclose the reasons for his exit. The drummer subsequently issued a statement saying that he did not quit the group.

Jordison passed away "peacefully in his sleep" in July 2021 of an unspecified cause. He was 46 years old.

Asked in a 2016 interview with Music Radar how respectful he felt he had to be to Joey's legacy, and how much he felt he was free to make it his own, Weinberg said: "Having a massive respect for the band's music, having a massive respect for Joey Jordison as a person and as a player, I understood my role in needing to deliver what this band needs, and understanding what Joey brought to the table, and having this band's legacy continue in the way that the Maggots, the fans of the band, respect, and the nine of us feeling proud of the music we're creating.

"Of course, the history of the band feeds into what I think of the band, but when it came time to come up with new material, new songs, I didn't think about Joey Jordison one bit," he continued. "And I feel it would be disrespectful to do that, and the band wanted me to be completely myself. Because why would I want to be Joey Jordison, why would I try to mimic what he's done?

"Joey's one of the greatest drummers we've ever had the privilege of witnessing. So as a fan of the band and someone who respects the people and the music, I didn't want to come in and try to be a copycat. That's not interesting to me, that's not interesting to the band and it would be insulting to everyone involved, including the fans."

Prior to joining SLIPKNOT, Weinberg was a member of AGAINST ME!, having played with the Florida-based act from November 2010 until December 2012.

Weinberg joined AGAINST ME! shortly after he was ousted from MADBALL and following the departure of AGAINST ME!'s previous sticksman, George Rebelo.

In May 2013, Weinberg filled in for KVELERTAK drummer Kjetil Gjermundrod during the band's North American tour because Gjermundrod had to bow out of the run after experiencing significant pain in his arm.