JAY WEINBERG Reflects On His First Show With SLIPKNOT: 'There Was Truly Nothing' That Could Prepare' Me 'For That First Moment'

In a recent interview with Danny Wimmer Presents's "Power Hour", SLIPKNOT drummer Jay Weinberg reflected on his first concert with the band, which took place in October 2014 at the Knotfest in San Bernardino, California. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I had joined the band about a year before our first show together, so we made a record and we were jamming. And we had that kind of a runway before our first show. But yeah, man, nothing — I've said it before, but it's like nothing…. I could have had years and years and years to prepare for my first SLIPKNOT show. There was truly nothing that could prepare for that first moment when the curtain goes up, we're in our masks, we're in our outfits, everybody's there. That was like the turnkey moment. Especially after a year of knowing. I'm waiting for that moment, what's gonna happen for this first show? What's it going to smell like? What's it gonna feel like? All this stuff, and just trying to best prepare myself for that moment. And there was no preparing for that moment. It really was, as the guys had described to me, every night is, like, you're just dropped out of an airplane and you just have to figure it out. And so that first night certainly was special in that regard. And I feel like we've just built it over the last 10 years."

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.

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.