Slipknot Announces Sid Wilson’s Exit: “We Wish Him The Best”
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Slipknot have confirmed the departure of Sid Wilson, one of the band's original nine members, after weeks of speculation about his status in the group. A statement briefly posted to the band's website said Slipknot "will no longer be associated" with the DJ and keyboardist, thanking him for his contributions and wishing him well in future endeavours, though no reason was given for the split.
Wilson joined Slipknot in 1998, a year before the release of their self-titled debut album, and had been part of the Iowa metal band's lineup ever since. His exit follows TMZ's late-July report that he had been removed from the group, and continues a pattern of change within Slipknot's original ranks, following the departures of Craig Jones in 2023 and Chris Fehn in 2019, as well as the deaths of Joey Jordison in 2021 and Paul Gray in 2010.
- Slipknot confirm Sid Wilson is no longer part of the band
- Wilson, an original 1998 member, exits after TMZ report
- Latest in a string of lineup changes for the band
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Slipknot are one of the best-known bands in heavy metal, formed in Des Moines, Iowa, in the mid-1990s and known for performing in matching boiler suits and masks. Sid Wilson, known on stage as #0, was the group's turntablist and DJ, one of nine original members who joined before their breakthrough 1999 debut album. His distinctive scratching and sampling helped shape the band's sound, and he became a recognisable figure in the group's live shows.
The band's lineup has changed considerably since it formed nearly three decades ago. Bassist Paul Gray died in 2010 and drummer Joey Jordison died in 2021, while percussionist Chris Fehn left in 2019 and sampler Craig Jones departed in 2023, leaving Wilson as one of a dwindling number of founding members still involved.
These changes matter to fans and to the wider music industry because Slipknot's identity has long been tied to its nine-strong, masked lineup, and each departure raises questions about how the band continues to evolve while retaining what made it distinctive in the first place.