Slipknot have officially confirmed that they have parted ways with longtime band member Sid Wilson. The musician has been part of the band for almost three decades, acting as DJ and keyboardist for the heavy metal group.
The announcement comes after speculation that Wilson had departed the band, with the group sharing a statement on their social media accounts earlier this week to say that Wilson was no longer involved. It continues a string of unfortunate events for Wilson, with the recent news that he and Kelly Osbourne were no longer in a relationship.
49-year-old Wilson joined Slipknot in 1998 and was one of the longest-serving members of the band. He was also present before the release of the highly successful self-titled debut album that launched in 1999.
Sid Wilson Quietly Acknowledged His Slipknot Exit
Although there has been no public explanation for why Wilson is no longer working with Slipknot, there have been persistent reports that he had been fired from the band for several weeks. A subsequent cryptic post from guitarist Jim Root seemed to suggest that these reports may not have necessarily been true, as he cautioned fans not to believe everything they read online.
However, Louder has now reported that the official social media accounts of Slipknot posted a short statement to announce that Wilson had departed. It read, “Effective immediately, Slipknot will no longer be associated with Sid Wilson. We wish him the best in his future endeavours.”
The announcement was subsequently deleted without any reason given, but Wilson has now seemingly confirmed his exit by updating his Instagram bio to read “@slipknot 1997-2026.” He has not otherwise commented in his departure.
This kind of secrecy is not uncommon for Slipknot. The band, which has changed members frequently during its 30-year history, has often not given explanations for why individuals have left the band. They also posted and then deleted a similar statement announcing that sampler and keyboardist Craig Jones had left the group in 2023.
The Band Is Reportedly Unclear On How To Proceed Following the Leaked Story
Exactly why it has taken Slipknot so long to confirm the reports of Wilson being fired or why the band deleted its statement shortly after release remains unclear. According to TMZ, which initially broke the story about Wilson’s departure, the reason that Wilson’s former band members chose to remove him is due to his own behavior. The outlet suggests that his firing has been considered for some time.
According to TMZ, Slipknot originally planned to announce Wilson’s departure in early August. However, the leaked reports caused the band to lose control over the story and they have not been certain how to proceed with the announcement ever since.
This would seem to tally with the fact that Slipknot took so long to confirm the news and then quickly deleted the statement.
Sid Wilson Recently Split From Kelly Osbourne
Wilson’s departure follows another significant change in his life. It emerged in March that Kelly Osbourne ended her engagement to Wilson just months after he proposed at Ozzy Osbourne’s final concert before his death.
The pair had been friends for many years and were confirmed to be in a relationship in 2022. They share a son, Sidney, who was also born in 2022. The couple’s personal lives have seemingly been more strained in recent months, with Osbourne citing Wilson’s behavior as the reason behind their split.
