Slipknot Member Exits After 27 Years in Band

Slipknot has reportedly parted ways with longtime keyboardist Craig Jones, posting a statement for a short period on social media before deleting it. According to Rolling Stone, the departure would come as the band releases a new EP titled Adderall, containing three unreleased songs and three alternate versions of “Adderall,” the opening tune from their last album, The End, So Far.

“To our fans, Slipknot is announcing that we have parted ways with Craig Jones,” the band temporarily posted to Instagram. “We wish Jones all the best for the future.” Jones is known for his Pinhead mask that has been a fixture in the band for nearly 30 years.

According to Revolver, Jones was known as “The Quiet One” due to his silence and his lack of interaction with the media. He was still a staple in the band and played on every release from the band, including The End, So Far. Outside of percussionist Shawn “Clown” Crahan, Jones was the second-longest-running member of the band. The keyboardist’s guitar replacement, Mick Thomson, joined the band in 1996, too, and would be the next on the list with his tenure.

Crahan is already on a leave of absence from the band due to his wife’s dealing with an illness and needing extra support at home. With Jones’ reported departure, the band is shorthanded heading into their next shows in Europe.

The band has not followed up on their initial statement which had been deleted. Jones hasn’t addressed the reported news either, according to Rolling Stone. The outlet also notes that an unknown musician did join the band for these European shows, crediting Blabbermouth for the info.

Slipknot is set to return to the U.S. for a trio of performances this summer. This includes Rock Fest 2023 in Wisconsin, Inkcarceration Festival in Ohio, and the Blue Ridge Rock Festival in Virginia.