Former Slipknot drummer Jay Weinberg has announced his first show since being fired from the band late last year.
Weinberg took to Instagram yesterday (January 24) to announce that he will be returning behind the drum kit with Infectious Grooves, a supergroup comprised of members of Suicidal Tendencies, Faith No More and Metallica, for the band’s appearance in Byron Bay, Australia festival, Bluesfest.
“Honored and excited to head to Australia with the legendary Infectious Grooves for a special performance at Bluesfest,” Weinberg wrote in the caption, before hinting that there are other projects to be announced: “Stay tuned for more.” The poster pictured in the Instagram post reads “Australian Tour ’24,” suggesting that Weinberg may be joining the band for a full-length tour of the country.
Infectious Grooves is a funk metal supergroup consisting of vocalist Mike Muir and guitarist Dean Pleasants of Suicidal Tendencies and Rob Trujillo of Metallica. Weinberg will be filling in for original drummer, Avenged Sevenfold’s Brooks Wackerman, who will reportedly be unavailable to play the Bluesfest date. According to the official Bluesfest website, Velvet Revolver’s Dave Kushner will also replace one of the band’s guitarists, Faith No More’s Jim Martin.
Mainly roots music and blues themed Bluesfest will take place between March 28 and April 1 and will feature Jack Johnson, Tedeschi Trucks Band, Elvis Costello and The Imposters, Tom Jones, Drive-By Truckers, Snarky Puppy and more. Tickets for the event are available on the festival’s official website.
Jay Weinberg’s dismissal from Slipknot was announced in November 2023, with the Iowa metal band stating that it was “intentional to evolve” and that Weinberg’s firing was a “creative decision”. In response, Weinberg released a statement saying he was “heartbroken and blindsided” by the news, but also thanked fans for their continued support. “I have been overwhelmed by—and truly grateful for—the outpouring of love and support I have received from this incredible community that I consider my creative and artistic home,” he wrote.
In an interview with NME shortly after the announcement, Shawn “Clown” Crahan stated that the band was trying to “harness the energy” of late members Paul Gray and Joey Jordison. “They’re weighing on my heart right now and there’s so much going on in my mind about the past,” he said. “I remember it like it was yesterday.”
Two weeks later, Weinberg revealed that he was undergoing hip surgery to correct a “deformed part of [his] femur”. In December, Weinberg also stated that he “wouldn’t trade the world” for his 10-year stint with Slipknot. He details that the period was marked by growth, writing, “During this time I learned a lot about application, persistence and the satisfaction of making a commitment to push through creative thresholds; achieving these artistic goals through consistent, focused hard work – all fueled by a true love of music.”
Following the news of Weinberg’s unexpected departure from Slipknot, his former Against Me! bandmate Laura Jane Grace – the two of whom have clashed numerous times during their time in the band together – wrote to X: “Oh, is it sick to find out via Twitter little bitch” and added: “If it’s true poetic justice.” Grace later tweeted, in what appeared to be a reference to her earlier tweet: “Reminder to self: focus on promoting new album single and upcoming tour dates, try not to be a mean pussy.”
