SLIPKNOT's JAY WEINBERG Named World's Best Heavy Metal Drummer

SLIPKNOT's Jay Weinberg has been named winner of this year's Music Radar poll for "Best Metal Drummer". Jay earned almost twice as many votes as the rest of the entrants combined, a list which included such names as Paul Bostaph (SLAYER),Ray Luzier (KORN),Jocke Wallgren (AMON AMARTH),Art Cruz (LAMB OF GOD) and Chris Kontos (MACHINE HEAD).

The 29-year-old musician commented via Twitter: "It's an honor to receive the title of 'Best Metal Drummer' in @musicradar's 2019 Best In Drums poll. Thanks to everyone who voted. I sincerely appreciate your support and interest."

He continued: "Shout out to all the other incredible nominees. I'm endlessly inspired by this enormous community of drummers, and I'm grateful for every opportunity to experience their contributions to music.

"The best gratitude I can show is by giving everything I've got in every recording and every performance. Here's to a great 2019 and exciting 2020! See you out there."

Weinberg 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.