Slipknot’s Shawn ‘Clown’ Crahan recently opened up about his relationship with late drummer Joey Jordison. He explained why he once considered him his “nemesis” during an interview on the Tetragrammaton podcast.
The discussion arose when Crahan was asked about how the band has evolved since its formation and what has remained constant throughout their journey.
“We are all wiser. We have all set our ways. There might be a few still looking. There’s five OGs. You got the original singer, you got the original two guitar players, you got the original DJ, and you got the Clown,” Crahan said. “Of course, we’re friends, but we don’t hang. And if others do, I don’t know about it. And it’s not that I don’t care, but we’re best up there. And that’s when I can love you the most because I got an awful, hectic life that I don’t think you want to be a part of anyway. You know, there’s a lot of a lot of pain.”
Crahan reflected on how the band members have matured over the years. He also discussed the wisdom that comes with age.
“Lately, it’s been really nice for everyone to be in their 50s. With age comes wisdom and we’re all growing wiser and it’s in our benefit. We’re able to look at what’s happened, the negative, the positive and the embarrassments, the accomplishments, you know, the the real love of what we’re doing and we’re still doing it and and and we need to and we won’t do anything else. You know, I don’t know how much longer I can do it. I got I’m in a lot of extreme pain that I can’t get in control of because I’ve given 190% of myself,” he continued.
The conversation then turned to his relationship with Joey Jordison. It revealed the deep bond they shared despite their frequent disagreements.
“I miss my dudes. Joey [Jordison] used to get on me, man. He was the one. He made me the best I could ever be. You know, I like to think I did that to him. I used to say we were nemesis cuz we always just argued. But, you know, it’s not until someone’s gone that you realize they bring the best out of you. again. I mean, there’s no one in the world that played more drums with Joey than me and Chris Fehn. I got to do that. I got to learn from him every night. I got to follow that that human being,” Crahan said.
Crahan’s emotional reflection on Jordison comes years after the drummer’s controversial departure from Slipknot. It also follows his tragic death in 2021, events that marked some of the most difficult periods in the band’s history.
Metal Insider reported that Jordison’s exit from Slipknot was officially announced on December 12, 2013. The band described it as a mutual split “for personal reasons.” However, the departure was far from amicable. Talk Music To Me noted that Jordison quickly clarified in a January 2014 statement that he did not quit. He was “blindsided” by the decision, emphasizing his 18-year commitment to the band.
The true reasons behind Jordison’s departure became clearer in 2016 when he revealed he had been diagnosed with transverse myelitis. This is a rare neurological disorder causing inflammation of the spinal cord. This condition severely impacted his ability to play drums in his final years with Slipknot. Various reports indicated that Jordison alleged that the band fired him despite his medical condition. He claimed they were initially unaware or dismissive of his health struggles.
The relationship between Crahan and Jordison had deep roots, dating back to the band’s formation in the mid-1990s. Crahan had recruited Jordison after seeing him play. They co-wrote much of Slipknot’s early material together. However, by the 2010s, tensions emerged amid lineup changes and creative clashes. This was particularly evident following the death of bassist Paul Gray in 2010. Slipknot frontman Corey Taylor later described their paths as “very different.” He expressed ongoing love and pain over the rift that developed between former bandmates.
Jordison’s story came to a tragic end on July 26, 2021, when he died at age 46 in his sleep at his Iowa home. His family confirmed that his death was due to complications from transverse myelitis. This was the same condition that had contributed to his departure from Slipknot. The metal community mourned the loss of one of its most influential drummers. Slipknot members paid tribute to their former bandmate despite the unresolved tensions that had persisted until his death.
