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Slipknot reveal summer 2025 European tour
Slipknot will be taking over Europe’s rock and metal fests next June, as well as playing some headline dates of their own.
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Joey Jordison: The 10 songs that changed my life
We explore the record collection of Joey Jordison – from Korn to Led Zeppelin!
- Words:
- Dan Slessor
- Photo:
- Paul Harries
Disco sucks? Not according to Joey Jordison. The Slipknot founder turned Sinsaenum and Vimic mainman has had quite an eclectic soundtrack to his life so far. Just take a look for yourself…
The first song I remember hearing…
The Spinners – The Rubberband Man (1976)
“My mother always tells me this is the first song I loved, because when she played it when she was pregnant I would start kicking in her womb. It’s also the first one I recall hearing once I came into the world. When I think about it, it’s the beat that I most remember, though I haven’t listened to it in a long time.”
The song that reminds me of school…
Korn – Divine (1994)
“I was playing in a thrash band while I was still in high school, and my influences were mainly the Big Four. But I remember being in a record store one day and a friend of mine saying, ‘You’ve got to hear these guys, they’re super down-tuned and kinda rap-based,’ and that band was Korn. Divine is the one that most stands out to me, because it’s so hard. Hearing that changed my life. I’ve been really lucky to since get to know Korn and play with them.”
The first song I ever learned to play…
KISS – 100,000 Years (1975)
“I actually started drumming along with the KISS catalogue. Not only was I a huge fan, but I badly wanted to learn how to play the drum solo from 100,000 Years, so I practised it constantly. Once I got it down I felt like I was on my way.”
The song that made me step up my drumming game…
Slayer – Angel Of Death (1986)
“When you hear Angel Of Death, one of the first things that you take away from it is the double bass drum fill. Dave Lombardo remains one of my top five favourite drummers, and it’s killer that we’ve become friends through touring together. He’s a total mentor.”
The first Slipknot song I ever heard on the radio…
Slipknot – Spit It Out (1999)
“A station in Iowa called 107.5 played our demo of Spit It Out quite a lot. It was amazing to hear it that first time – we were elated. Thinking back to those days, it was a special moment for us.”
The song I listen to when I want to chill…
Heart – Crazy On You (1976)
“I’m a huge fan of Heart. I’ve been listening to those records forever and still find new things in them. This is actually super heavy and super dark. That whole song is a masterpiece.”
The song that makes me want to cry…
Stevie Wonder – Isn't She Lovely (1976)
“This always makes me emotional. It’s another that my parents played a lot, so it was a big part of growing up. It’s so well constructed, so beautiful and so heartfelt – not many people even get close to being able to touch that. I can’t listen to it without it getting to me, so I only go back to it every once in a while.”
The song that picks me up when I'm feeling down…
Slayer – Hell Awaits (1985)
“Usually, if I’m feeling a bit down I’ll go to my drum kit, put on the most extreme stuff possible and blast right through it. I don’t get sullen or depressed, because letting myself feel that way would mean getting distracted from what I do as a metal musician. If I want to get my angst out, I’ll grind that shit out on the drums. Anything by Slayer is always good for that, but really I’m always going to go through the whole Hell Awaits album. When you play that first intro you’re basically saying, ‘Fuck you!’”
The song I listen to when I want to party…
Chic – Le Freak (1978)
“If everyone’s feeling kinda beat but good after slinging metal all day, I’ll be the one to put on a compilation of late-’70s or early-’80s disco and crank that shit up. No matter how many songs are on the record it’s basically one song the whole way through, because they’re all the same – in a good way. Disco music is something I listened to a lot growing up; my parents had a really extensive record collection and I love all of that stuff.”
The song I want played at my funeral…
Led Zeppelin – In My Time Of Dying (1975)
“This one definitely fits the funeral mood. It’s beautiful and chilling, and it’s definitely a good one to sleep to. Led Zeppelin were another band that were huge for me when I was younger. One of the first records I ever got was In Through The Out Door, and that record still blows my mind. In fact, if anyone wanted to pick a Zeppelin track to play at my funeral I’d be alright with that. Knowing I was going out to that kind of soundtrack would be just fine with me.”
