JAY WEINBERG Doesn't Pay Attention To Internet 'Chatter' About His Exit From SLIPKNOT, Is Excited To Play With SUICIDAL TENDENCIES

In a new interview with Paul Cashmere of Australia's Noise11.com, former SLIPKNOT drummer Jay Weinberg discussed his recent additions to both SUICIDAL TENDENCIES and INFECTIOUS GROOVES. Speaking about his hectic schedule in the coming weeks, Jay said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "My first show with SUICIDAL will be a week from tomorrow, or I guess actually, with the time difference, it'll be in a week from today, in Osaka. We have two shows in Japan coming up next week, and then I'll be going right from that to Los Angeles where we'll be preparing for our first two INFECTIOUS GROOVES shows in Orange County, getting ready to then come down to Australia. So I've had my homework cut out for me, for sure. And it all kind of happened very quickly and a little bit unexpectedly, but I've been really enjoying this whole process of just getting up to speed with both bands, knowing that — they share members, but they're different in their subtleties and their nuances of things. And I'm really grateful that Mike [Muir, SUICIDAL and INFECTIOUS frontman] and the guys have seen something, I suppose, in my playing that will speak to both bands and that they're interested in having me on board. I'm absolutely honored and just want to give it everything I got. So it all kind of meshes into one big thing for me."

The 33-year-old Nashville-based musician continued: "We'll see — everybody's got such busy schedules that we'll just kind of see what happens from here. If it's just this Australian tour and our two shows in Orange County, that's great. I'm really looking forward to enjoying that. If it keeps going beyond that, I would love to continue it, if the guys would have me. We'll just see — we'll see what happens. But yeah, it's just one giant musical adventure that's divided between two bands that I'm enjoying right now. So it's an incredible opportunity. I'm just stoked to have it."

Asked about the possibility of recording new music with SUICIDAL, Jay said: "I would love that. I would be honored to do that. As of now, it's all happening so quickly. We're still figuring out visas to travel places and whatnot. So we'll see what's on the table. Right now I'm concentrated on these first shows going well and just getting integrated into you playing with my new bandmates and all that. But certainly, it's been my experience that when you naturally just kind of follow these wormholes, you ride the good energy that's in the room, you find those inspirations and those inspired moments that you're trying to create with a group and you just follow that and see what good stuff you can make out of that. So if that's on the table, I'm certainly — I'm ready to go. I'm into it."

Later in the chat, Weinberg addressed the "tabloid" coverage of his exit from SLIPKNOT. Asked if he was surprised at how newsworthy he was at the time, Jay said: "I kind of honestly just — I don't really pay attention to stuff like that. Whatever chatter there is around the world is kind of not really any of my concern. I just kind of do what I do. If people wanna talk about it, then that's fine by me. I'm just honored and excited that it's led me to this point and getting started with SUICIDAL."

Weinberg will make his live debut with SUICIDAL TENDENCIES with a two-date Japanese run of shows (March 14 in Osaka and March 16 in Chiba). The band is also slated to perform at the No Values festival on June 8 in Pomona, California, with a series of European festival dates scheduled for June and July.

In addition to Weinberg and Muir, SUICIDAL TENDENCIES' current lineup features lead guitarist Dean Pleasants, rhythm guitarist Ben Weinman (THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN) and bassist Tye Trujillo (son of METALLICA bassist Robert Trujillo).

Weinberg's pairing with SUICIDAL TENDENCIES comes less than two months after he was announced as the new drummer of INFECTIOUS GROOVES, the long-running outfit formed more than three decades ago by Robert Trujillo alongside Robert's then-SUICIDAL TENDENCIES bandmate Muir.

INFECTIOUS GROOVES has scheduled two U.S. shows this month — March 23 and March 24 at the Garden Grove Amphitheater in Garden Grove, California — before embarking on a short tour of Australia in late March and early April.

Weinberg was recruited by INFECTIOUS GROOVES for the band's first live appearances since a one-off show in 2019 due to longtime drummer Brooks Wackerman's commitment to AVENGED SEVENFOLD.

In addition to Weinberg, Muir and Trujillo, INFECTIOUS GROOVES' 2024 lineup includes guitarists Dean Pleasants (SUICIDAL TENDENCIES) and Dave Kushner (ex-VELVET REVOLVER).

INFECTIOUS GROOVES was formed soon after Trujillo joined SUICIDAL TENDENCIES in 1989. Muir and Trujillo got together with some friends to write song that centered more around the bass, but with the intent of giving everyone else a whole lot of freedom.

On November 5, 2023, SLIPKNOT released a statement via social media in which it said it had "decided to make a creative decision and to part ways with Jay."

Six days later, Weinberg, who replaced Joey Jordison, SLIPKNOT's original drummer, in 2013, shared on Instagram that he "was heartbroken and blindsided to receive the phone call", "the news of which, most of you learned shortly after."

Jay played his final show with SLIPKNOT on November 3 at the Hell & Heaven festival in Toluca, Mexico.

When SLIPKNOT announced Weinberg's departure, the band thanked Jay "for his dedication and passion over the past ten years." The group added: "No one can ever replace Joey Jordison's original sound, style or energy, but Jay honored Joey's parts and contributed to the last three albums and we, the band, and the fans appreciate it. But as ever, SLIPKNOT is intent on evolving. We wish Jay all the best and are very excited for what the future holds."

Jay discovered SLIPKNOT when he was a pre-teen, through his father, Max Weinberg, 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.

".5: The Gray Chapter" went on to score a trio of Grammy nominations, including two for "Best Metal Performance" and a nomination for "Best Rock Album".

Weinberg also played on 2019's "We Are Not Your Kind" and 2022's "The End, So Far", both of which topped Billboard's rock albums chart.

SLIPKNOT has yet to announce a replacement for Jay.