Former Slipknot drummer Jay Weinberg joins Bouncing Souls on stage in Nashville

Former Slipknot drummer Jay Weinberg returned to the stage on Sunday (10th), joining Bouncing Souls for the final song of the night, “True Believers.” The performance took place at the Brooklyn Bowl in Nashville, TN.

Weinberg reflected on his return, while in crutches and all from his recent hip and femur surgery, stating the following via Instagram:

“What an absolutely incredible night, seeing one of my all-time favorite bands @bouncingsoulsnj. My sincere thanks to @rebelogeorge @bryan_kienlen @gregattonito @pete_steinkopf for the kind invitation to jam!! It felt amazing to play drums for the first time since my operation; especially this iconic, belief-affirming anthem. There’s a story I’ve told many times, perhaps I’ll tell it in greater detail sometime. When I was 14, I was very shy about being a novice drummer. I wanted to keep my new passion for this instrument private — not sharing my progress with anyone, even my immediate family, as I taught myself how to play along with my favorite songs and albums… The Souls — having been my hometown NJ heroes for some time — were actually the very first people to hear me play drums. They generously invited me to sit in for a song or two at a secret show at @asburylanes in May of 2005, which ended up being the first time I’d ever played drums in front of anyone. It is still to this day the single-most foundational moment of how I’ve come to appreciate and cherish playing drums in a live setting. Endless gratitude to them — of course @mcdermott_13 and @bstrakele for being key friends in that event! — for setting me on a path of loving live performance. Last night felt just as electric as that pivotal night in my life, and I’m thankful for the friendship of the Souls and the wonderful community that surrounds them. True Believers, all the way… i’ve met some people along the way. some of them split, some of them stay. some of them walk, some walk on by. i’ve got a few friends i’ll love till I die. from all these people, I try to learn. some of them shine, some of them burn. some of them rise, some of them fall. for good or bad, i’ve known them all…”

Prior to Weinberg’s surprise guest performance, he expressed on Instagram, in a separate statement, on what marked ten years when he joined Slipknot:

“For 19 years, my goals in music and art have always centered around maintaining some sort of forward motion. It feels a bit paradoxical at times to look in the rearview mirror, but some moments and milestones are significant enough to take pause and reflect. Today marks the 10th anniversary of becoming a part of something I grew up believing in. I don’t hold onto many mementos, but to me these represent a decade of focused and impassioned dedication to that forward movement. Throughout that time, I learned much about application, tenacity, and the satisfaction of committing to breaking through creative thresholds; reaching those artistic goals through constant, concentrated hard work — all fueled by true love of the music. In some respects, the person who wore the mask on the right and the person who wore the mask on the left feel like two completely different individuals — separated only by experience gained, miles traveled, friendships created, and a connection to the instrument strengthened and deepened so far beyond what I thought was possible. The memories and experiences that these four masks represent, I wouldn’t trade for the world. And I’m honored that you all have been there, every step of the way. So — here’s to you, the last 10 years, and wherever the next 10 years bring us.”

In a since-deleted social media post, Weinberg was dismissed from Slipknot in early November. While the reason remains unclear, Weinberg has expressed his thoughts, revealing he was more or less surprised like the rest of us. However, we hope he will return to the stage on a more permanent basis shortly.