In a recent interview with Rust Bucket Restos, Slipknot guitarist Jim Root demanded a halt to the band’s touring schedule to focus on writing new material.
The band’s recent heavy touring schedule helped establish their new drummer, Eloy Casagrande. Now Root emphasizes the need to focus on creating new music.
When asked about potential U.S. shows in late 2025 or 2026, Root gave a direct response about the band’s immediate future.
“No, man. So we have been doing a lot of touring and we’ve kind of had to do it because of our drummer swap situation. Once we got Eloy in the band, it’s like we needed to get out there and get in front of people and show people why Eloy is part of Slipknot,” Root explained.
Root then outlined his creative process and the challenges of writing during tour periods.
“That was extremely important to us but honestly now that Eloy is in the band, we need to write a record. It’s really hard for me personally to be creative when you have a tour looming over your shoulder. I need to know that I’ve got some time off. I need time just to sit here and come up with ideas and layer and make arrangements that I can like send off to Corey and Clown,” he continued.
The guitarist addressed the financial aspects affecting the band’s decisions.
“So after this European run like I told our manager, ‘Stop booking tours. Dude stop it.’ I get it. It’s Slipknot, so there’s always offers coming in. It’s hard to say no because there’s guys in the band that some of the newer guys that you know they need the money. Because they’re family guys and they have families and they’re hired members of the band. We don’t want to have to have them go back to work when we get off tour.”
Root emphasized the importance of creating new material with their drummer.
“But I kind of put my foot down. I was like, ‘We need to stop man.’ We just need to stop because I want to write a record and we owe it to Eloy to write a record. We need to get Eloy in a room and start jamming and getting creative and get all the rest of the guys in the band and start riffing out and then building them into songs.”
The band will complete their current European tour before entering this creative phase.
Root’s push for new material marks a crucial moment in the band’s evolution. Reports from Blabbermouth revealed Casagrande’s integration into Slipknot included extensive audition sessions. The process featured intensive jamming and recording over ten days in the United States.
The band launched their 25th-anniversary North American tour in 2024 with Casagrande on drums. Documentation from Moises.ai showed the new drummer’s dedication. He utilized AI-driven software to master Slipknot’s complex song catalog during his preparation.
Studio work and creative chemistry remain central to Slipknot’s evolution. In discussions with Blabbermouth, Root stressed the importance of chemistry and creative contribution. These factors played a crucial role in integrating new members into the band.
The band began exploring new creative directions during Casagrande’s audition period in early 2024. This collaborative approach to creating material supports Root’s current focus on dedicated studio time for their next album.
