The estate of Joey Jordison, the celebrated drummer and founding member of Slipknot, has settled a lawsuit filed against the band. The lawsuit, initiated in June 2023 by Steamroller, LLC—successor in interest to Jordison—accused Slipknot members Corey Taylor and Shawn "Clown" Crahan of profiting from Jordison’s death and failing to return his personal belongings.
Court documents obtained by Blabbermouth indicate that a notice of unconditional settlement was filed on September 17th, 2023, in Los Angeles County Superior Court. A request for dismissal followed the same day, though the terms of the settlement remain undisclosed.
The lawsuit centered on accusations that Slipknot exploited Jordison’s passing as a marketing tool for their 2022 album The End, So Far. The estate argued that Taylor and Crahan used Jordison’s death to promote the album, claiming they cared more about generating publicity and sales than the drummer or his family. According to the lawsuit, the two band members “callously” profited from Jordison's devoted fanbase, with Taylor even publicly dedicating the album to him in an apparent attempt to drum up attention.
One of the more significant accusations was the claim that Slipknot had failed to return at least 22 items of Jordison's personal property, including musical instruments and wardrobe. These items, according to the lawsuit, were used as part of a traveling Slipknot museum exhibit at the band’s Knotfest events, where fans paid to view Jordison’s belongings. Despite previous agreements to return the items following Jordison’s departure from the band in 2013, his estate alleged that Taylor and Crahan never followed through.
Jordison's exit from Slipknot in 2013 came as a shock to fans, with the band announcing his departure via e-mail, without offering an explanation. It was later revealed that Jordison had been battling acute transverse myelitis, a severe neurological condition that led to the loss of use of his left leg. The lawsuit portrayed his firing as "abrupt", criticizing Taylor and Crahan for showing little empathy toward Jordison’s declining health. According to the estate, the drummer had dedicated his life to building Slipknot’s success, only to be mistreated as his health worsened.
In 2015, Jordison entered into a release agreement with Slipknot, where the band was supposed to return all his remaining property in exchange for Jordison releasing any claims against them. However, the estate alleged that Taylor and Crahan failed to meet the terms of this agreement, holding on to his possessions and eventually using them for their own financial benefit.
In response to the lawsuit, Slipknot denied all allegations, requesting that the lawsuit be dismissed. Legal documents filed by the band’s defense stated that Taylor and Crahan had no intention of exploiting Jordison’s death and denied any wrongdoing in withholding his belongings.
Despite the settlement of the lawsuit, the tensions between the Jordison family and the Slipknot camp likely remain unresolved in the eyes of many fans. Jordison passed away in July 2021 at the age of 46, and while Slipknot has acknowledged his role in the band’s rise to fame, his estate accused the band of showing insincerity and indifference toward both him and his family.
Slipknot, meanwhile, continues to tour, recently celebrating the 25th anniversary of their self-titled debut album. The band’s next appearances include performances at Louder Than Life and Aftershock festivals, as well as international stops in Brazil, Mexico, Europe, and the UK.
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