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Slipknot sued by estate of founding drummer Joey Jordison for allegedly profiting off his death

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The estate of the late Joey Jordison, founding drummer of Slipknot, is suing the remaining members of the band with allegations that Slipknot has profited from Jordison’s passing in 2021. Documents obtained by Page Six reveal that the lawsuit names Corey Taylor and Shawn “Clown” Crahan as defendants, and asserts that the band used Jordison’s death to sell more copies of their 2022 album The End, So Far.

The lawsuit noted that Taylor publicly dedicated The End, So Far to Jordison’s memory, with claims that  “realization of Jordison’s passing ‘crept in’ while making the album.”  The suit also states that Taylor admitted to treating the late drummer unfairly before kicking him out of the band in 2013.   The lawsuit further alleges that members of Slipknot never returned many of his possessions, instead adding them to their traveling Knotfest museum (among those belongings include Jordison’s stage attire, musical instruments, and other gear).

Legal documents read: “After abruptly kicking Jordison out of Slipknot in 2013, Taylor and Crahan expressly promised in a written agreement to return all of Jordison’s belongings in exchange for Jordison’s promise to release certain claims against them … they knowingly concealed from Jordison that they possessed numerous…items belonging to Jordison that they never returned to him. Perhaps worst of all, Crahan and Taylor publicly lied to fans that they had contacted Jordison’s family to check on them and express their love for Jordison in the wake of his passing. This was utterly false, and deeply upsetting for Jordison’s family to read such a blatant lie on the internet. It is clear that Taylor and Crahan did not actually care about Jordison or his family. They cared only about drumming up sales and publicity for the new album.”

In response to the lawsuit, attorneys for Slipknot are asking that it be dismissed: “Defendants generally deny each and every allegation and purported claim set forth in Plaintiff’s First Amended Complaint and further deny that Plaintiff is entitled to any relief whatsoever.”

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