Back in February, drummer Eloy Casagrande left Brazilian metal band Sepultura, and has since filled the vacant drummer seat in Slipknot. Sepultura will launch their farewell tour later this year, and Slipknot parted ways with drummer Jay Weinberg in late 2023.
Speaking with Brazil's Veja Sao Paulo, Casagrande discusses his decision to leave Sepultura for Slipknot. The following was translated by fans on Reddit:
Q: Eloy, how and when did you start talking to Slipknot?
Eloy Casagrande: "The invitation came in December, through (their) manager. He asked if I was interested in auditioning first. I accepted. They asked me to record and send them some videos from right here in Brazil. Initially there were 3 songs, then they asked me for 3 more, and asked if I had any plans to go to the United States, and I was scheduled to perform there in January with my instrumental music project, Casagrande & Hanysz. So they moved my flight up a bit, and I spent 5 days in Palm Springs, rehearsing with the full band. Then they asked me to extend my stay by another 5 days, so we could record some things. I think that was also part of the audition, they threw new ideas at me to see what my songwriting was like. They wanted to test me in every way."
Q: After these 10 days of rehearsals and recordings, when did you get the confirmation that you had joined the band?
Casagrande: "Slipknot is made up of 9 musicians, so there are many spheres and layers, and they needed everyone's approval before they gave me the OK. I think it was on February 5, 6 that I received confirmation that I had passed the test."
Q: Was this audition period challenging for you?
Casagrande: "At first, they didn't explain what we were going to do. It was all kind of in the dark. The first thing they sent was a NDA document, so I couldn't discuss it with anyone. I learned the setlist, prepared myself and, 4 days before the trip, they sent me a list of 32 songs that it would be important for me to know. Many of the songs I was learning weren't on that list, so I started looking for sheet music. When I got there (in the United States), they gave me a setlist on the first day, which had some songs I didn't know either, but we went out playing. On the first day, I was very nervous, because the band was complete, and it's quite an impact to see the guys there in front of you. It's a band I've been listening to since I was a teenager, and followed on TV. On the first day I was terrible, I didn't like my performance, but from the second day on I improved. Each day they played a different setlist in the morning, so I had a few hours to learn a song or two that was missing. Overall, it was very smooth. I had everyone's support."
Q: And how was the contact with the other members?
Casagrande: "They were very respectful and calm, because they knew that the position I was in was a stressful place. So they respected my time, and now, after a few shows, I'm much calmer and more comfortable. It's also not easy to fit 9 musicians playing together, it's like an orchestra. Each person plays in a different way, so it took a while for me to understand how the band worked and for them to understand how I work. We're really looking forward to the next shows."
Q: In the meantime, how did you reconcile these tests with preparing for Sepultura's final tour?
Casagrande: "I received the invitation to audition after the tour was announced. The big thing, the reason I agreed to audition, was the end of Sepultura. The band was going to break up, and I didn't want to stop playing drums at the age of 33. I had a chat with Slipknot, asked about their schedule and if it would be possible to juggle the two bands, but they said no, it wouldn't be possible, I'd be exclusive. So it was my decision to leave Sepultura. It was complicated, I told them when I had closed the deal on February 5 or 6. That very day I called a meeting and explained the situation. That was it, an individual decision."
Q: You joined Sepultura in your 20s, and now you're leaving the group in your 30s. Looking back, what do you take with you?
Casagrande: "It was a huge learning experience. It's been many years, three studio albums. Live albums. A lot of composing. A lot of time spent traveling together. I look back with great affection and admiration. As well as a feeling of gratitude for all those years. That, at the time, they took on a 20-year-old drummer, giving a big responsibility to a child. But I've always prepared myself for this, and I think I've matured a lot. Traveling too, getting to know different ethnic groups. We went to around seventy, eighty countries. We played in Mongolia, Cyprus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, China, Russia, Ukraine. It was definitely the biggest school of my life."
Read more at Veja Sao Paulo.
Slipknot’s global Here Comes The Pain Tour celebrates 25 years of their self-titled album and will heavily draw from their 1999 debut. The North American portion, produced by Live Nation, includes arena plays nationwide this Summer. Highlights include New York City’s Madison Square Garden, two back to back nights at Los Angeles’ Intuit Dome, Austin’s Moody Center and more with direct support from Kentucky’s young and vibrant hardcore/metal forerunners, Knocked Loose. Orbit Culture and Vended are confirmed as support on select dates.
There actually was a time when Slipknot and the maggots (the loving name for their fans) did not completely rule the world. 25 years ago, the Des Moines band were just some guys trying to get their new LP noticed– a record that would start their metamorphosis into the most crucial band of the 21st century. That record would change rock as we know it, measuring success with a yardstick bigger than music, one for the influence on youth culture writ large. But these faceless demons from middle America would not only capture the hearts of the youth, they would help guide their tastes, and challenge them and their kin towards a new future.
Released on June 29, 1999, Slipknot’s self-titled debut was a smash hit with critics and an instant classic with fans. It was, and is, a molotov cocktail signaling a revolution – embracing a creative direction that eschewed metal traditions in favor of fresh ideas. While the jaw-clenching riffs coupled with Ross Robinson’s venomous production were crucial to the album’s success, it was the care and attention to detail in the songcraft that moved the needle from “great” to “benchmark.” Not too shabby for a bunch of guys that only hoped to be heard.
“We loved what we did with the first record but we didn't even know if there was gonna be anything after that,” recalls guitarist Jim Root. “We just wanted people to hear it. Selling out of records and shows, having successful tours– those are goals for any band. But the dream scenario in some ways, came true for us.”
In the years following, Slipknot’s popularity nipped at the heels of elder statesmen and even the band’s heroes, eventually navigating this brave new world with unending drive, fresh ideas and a bloodlust for odometer clicks. Tens of billions of streams and tens of millions of subscribers and followers later, the accolades tell the story: 64 award nominations and 27 wins including a Grammy for “Before I Forget“ from Vol. 3. A seemingly endless number of tour dates. Headlining slots at some of the biggest festivals in the world such as Download, Rock In Rio, Hellfest, Wacken and many more. Not to mention RIAA certifications by the truckload – 14 platinum certifications and 40 gold across more than 30 million in record and video sales.
In addition, Slipknot positioned themselves for success with the creation of their own festival Knotfest in 2012, a traveling, multi-stage and experiential event that has appeared 28 times across several countries and locations. The festival has since spun off into a successful entertainment media hub – Knotfest.com, which became a juggernaut of its own making, giving a platform to young freethinkers and like-minded artists.
All of Slipknot’s achievements have helped them claim their rightful seat as pioneers and thought leaders, establishing them as a generational talent– loved by parents AND their children alike. And of course with all those incredible live performances, all that influence, and all that history of playing all those incredible songs, Slipknot has only attracted the most dedicated of fans, reaching all the way back to that fateful self-titled effort.
Slipknot is approaching this 25th anniversary by making the conscious decision to connect to fans as closely as possible, in a similar way to how they encountered Slipknot all those years ago. “Every time I've walked on stage, it's never been about how many people have been there because my culture, the maggots, always show up,” says founding member Shawn “Clown” Crahan with a smile.
“But as we’ve grown as a band, we have had fewer and fewer of those intimate, personal moments, trading them for massive ones. So we're gonna make it more personal on the anniversary, but how remains to be seen. Just get ready to have your face kicked in. Because we just do what we do, spread that maggot culture – that disease. And you've been infected.”
Slipknot 2024 live dates:
May
19 - Columbus, OH - Sonic Temple Festival
August
6 - Noblesville, IN - Ruoff Music Center *
7 - Burgettstown, PA - The Pavilion at Star Lake *
9 - Baltimore, MD - CFG Bank Arena *
10 - Camden, NJ - Freedom Mortgage Pavilion *
12 - New York, NY - Madison Square Garden *
14 - Gilford, NH - BankNH Pavilion *
15 - Mansfield, MA - Xfinity Center *
17 - Toronto, ON - Scotiabank Arena *
September
1 - Pryor, OK - Rocklahoma
7 - Auburn, WA - White River Amphitheatre #
8 - Ridgefield, WA - RV Inn Styles Resorts Amphitheater #
9 - Louisville, KY - Louder Than Life
11 - Nampa, ID - Ford Idaho Center Amphitheater #
13 - Inglewood, CA - Intuit Dome # SOLD OUT
14 - Inglewood, CA - Intuit Dome #
15 - Phoenix, AZ - Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre #
17 - Austin, TX - Moody Center #
18 - Dallas, TX - Dos Equis Pavilion #
21 - Des Moines, IA - Knotfest Iowa at Waterworks Park #
October
11 - Sacramento, CA - Aftershock Festival
19 - São Paulo, BR - Knotfest Brasil
November
8 - Guadalajara, Mexico - Calle 2
9 - Mexico City, Mexico - Parque Bicentenario
December
5 - Amsterdam, Netherlands - Ziggo Dome
6 - Dortmund, Germany - Westfalehallen
8 - Stuttgart, Germany - Schleyerhalle
9 - Leipzig, Germany - Quarterback Immobilien Arena
11 - Zürich, Switzerland - Hallenstadion
12 - Paris, France - Accor Arena
14 - Leeds, UK - First Direct Arena
15 - Glasgow, UK - Ovo Hydro
17 - Manchester, UK - Co-op Live
18 - Birmingham, UK - Utilita Arena
20 - London, UK - The O2
21 - London, UK - The O2
* with Special Guests Knocked Loose and Orbit Culture
# with Special Guests Knocked Loose and Vended
(Photos - Jonathan Weiner)
