Slipknot’s Sid Wilson recently opened up about his friendship with the band’s founding drummer Joey Jordison. He addressed Jordison’s tragic passing in July 2021, sharing his thoughts in an interview with Get On The Bus.
Wilson spoke candidly about maintaining his relationship with Jordison even after the drummer’s departure from the band. He emphasized the personal bond they shared beyond their professional history.
“He wasn’t in the band anymore at that time… [But] I was still friends with Joey. I always maintained a friendship with Joey, man. I love that guy,” Wilson said.
The DJ reflected on how different life choices can affect friendships. He stressed that it didn’t impact his relationship with Jordison.
“Yeah, people just choose different lifestyles sometimes, and sometimes that lifestyle’s more important than hanging out with your buds,” Wilson continued. “It sucks. Did it stop us from hanging out? No.”
Wilson also addressed the difficulty of understanding what others go through, particularly when dealing with personal struggles.
“Yeah, there’s nothing easy about it, dude. Life’s tough, man. And you either got nerves of steel or you don’t. And sometimes even the guys that got nerves of steel, that shit gets beat down after a while, man. No one can understand it,” he explained. “You can’t understand anything about anybody. You’re not inside anyone else’s skin. If we could get a skin ticket to anybody’s life, then maybe we would understand, but it’s not for me to understand or try to figure it out or whatever. I just have to accept it and know that he was my buddy.”
Wilson’s heartfelt words carry additional weight when considering the circumstances surrounding Jordison’s death and the health struggles that preceded it.
Wikipedia reported that Joey Jordison died on July 26, 2021, at the age of 46, passing away peacefully in his sleep from natural causes. The specific medical reason for his death was not publicly disclosed. The Jordison family representative declined to comment on the cause at the time.
Jordison’s death occurred in the context of a serious health battle that had significantly impacted his career. In 2016, he publicly revealed that he had been suffering from acute transverse myelitis, a rare neurological disorder that causes inflammation of the spinal cord. Entertainment Now documented these health struggles. The symptoms began in 2010 while he was touring with Murderdolls. The diagnosis came much later.
This condition progressively affected Jordison’s mobility. It eventually caused him to lose the use of his left leg and prevented him from playing drums. He underwent rehabilitation and physical therapy to recover some functionality, demonstrating the resilience Wilson referenced in his comments about having “nerves of steel.”
The illness had forced Jordison to leave Slipknot in December 2013. The band initially cited only “personal reasons” for the split. Jordison later claimed the band confused his medical condition with drug problems, leading to his dismissal. Despite these challenges, he worked tirelessly to recover, stating: “I got myself back up, and I got myself in the gym, and I got myself back in fucking therapy to fucking beat this shit.”
While it remains unclear whether transverse myelitis directly contributed to his death, the vagueness surrounding the official cause has led to speculation among fans about whether his chronic illness may have played a role in his passing.
