Slipknot have confirmed that they will no longer be associated with keyboardist and DJ Sid Wilson, effective immediately, after almost three decades with the band. The announcement was made in a statement shared on Knotfest's official Instagram, the festival the group created in 2012.
The statement read: "Effective immediately, Slipknot will no longer be associated with Sid Wilson. We wish him the best in his future endeavours." The post was captioned: "Slipknot have parted ways with Sid Wilson." The announcement could briefly be found on the band's website.
Wilson's tenure with the band
Wilson, known as No. 0, served as the keyboardist and DJ, joining in 1998, not long before the band achieved commercial success. His exit follows a series of departures from the group. In 2019, they parted ways with Chris Fehn after he alleged he hadn't been paid properly in over two decades. Craig Jones, who joined in 1996, left in 2023, with Jay Weinberg also quitting that year over a "creative decision".
Fan reactions
Fans have taken to social media to share their reactions. One wrote: "So are they basically a cover band now?" A second added: "Slipknot needs to end if they're just going to continue firing members." "Waiting for when Slipknot gets kicked out of Slipknot by Slipknot," joked a third. A fourth commented: "Why not just disband Slipknot after firing most of the original members? Slipknot is just brand not a band at this point."
Earlier speculation and context
At the end of July, reports emerged in American media that Sid had been axed. A source told TMZ: "Sid was notified late Friday afternoon that he's been permanently kicked out of the band." But guitarist Jim Root later appeared to dismiss the speculation, writing: "Don't believe everything you read. Stop. Think. Take a breath. Sit with it for a while."
The statement came ten days after Sid's former fiancée, Kelly Osbourne, lashed out at him on social media, demanding he pay child support and "take some responsibility." She wrote: "Wake the f*** up and take responsibility. I will not take your sh*t anymore! I'm done. I want to be happy and I have a beautiful son to raise." In another post, she said: "Also, while I'm at it, can I have my dogs back and all my possessions. Oh yeah, and maybe some child support?"
In view of her 4.3 million followers, she said on her Stories: "Strange how the loudest defence of the guilty is rarely innocence... It's distraction. When the mask slips, they don't face the mirror; they throw it at someone else. I also heard that when you break a mirror you get 7 years bad luck! Or is that just karma? This is why I always take accountability! As they say some are sicker then others." She then shared a quote reading: "My son's little heart once beat right beside mine. So trust me when I say... I will protect it all costs."
Kelly and Sid had been friends for more than 20 years before coupling up in 2021. They parted ways in March this year, just seven months after they got engaged backstage at Ozzy Osbourne's final concert, Back to the Beginning. Following Ozzy's death, sources claimed that Kelly had been "struggling" and had found things "incredibly difficult" as she navigated life without her father. The couple decided to split, with reports saying it was the "best option" for both.
