Drumming legend Joey Jordison discusses phobias, regrets and the potential of a solo record…
Joey Jordison: one of the best drummers on the planet. Also good at slinging concrete…
“In the early Slipknot days, everyone would dare each other to do the dumbest shit, which could be kind of funny, but dares aren’t something that I do. I think they’re stupid, and often it’s just someone trying to bully someone else. I think it’s more important to stick to who you are than trying to fit in with others by doing something dumb.”
“I hate to say it, but if you’re a musician, you need to watch who you trust and who you shake hands with. There’s a lot of people looking to put their hands in your pocket or take you down the wrong path. They’re basically demonic leeches, and it’s easy to get taken in by them.”
“I don’t really have any phobias. I think when you have toured as long as I have you’ve seen a lot of shit, and you’ve been through a lot of things most people don’t. Because of that you learn to adapt, and at this stage in my life there really isn’t anything that gets to me in that way.”
“My parents loved me, and that was all that mattered. They were completely supportive, and my dad also taught me the value of hard work. As a teenager, I badly wanted a Pearl drum kit, so I worked for him over the summer, slinging concrete, and the day I got that kit was the greatest.”
“I’ve recently been thinking about making a record entirely by myself. I know that I’m going to do it, and I already have a lot of material sitting around that deserves to be released into the world. I don’t care if I make anything off it – I have to get it out there!”
“When I was faced with the possibility of my legs being paralysed it was terrifying. It hit me on tour and it was the scariest damn thing. But my lady stuck by me, and supported me. She found the right people to help me, and with a lot of work I came back from it.”
“I always believe that life takes you down a certain path, and yes, it’s going to suck at certain points. But I feel that that can cleanse you and help you realise you need to shape up, and who you need to be as a human being. We all need that.”
