Thoughts on Joey Jordison

SticksEasy

Senior Member
I wasn't sure where to post this. So I figured I'd post it here - I'm sorry if it offends anyone - but I've been watching a lot of live videos of Slipknot. I'd never really got into the band before (I'm not too big on modern metal), because their drummer Jordison is supposed to be a big deal.

After listening to several songs, and paying close attention to this little dude's playing, I've come to the conclusion that in studio, he is fast. But he's not incredibly gifted. The dude doesn't play anything terribly complex, and loves to litter songs with double bass fills to seemingly make-up for a lack of hand creativity,

Moving on to live videos, I've noticed that some songs played on the albums are really up-beat and speedy. Not even speedy on the scale of In Flames, or other notoriously quick Metal bands, who play songs at full speed. And yet, the band slows most of these songs down, and even then it sometimes seems like Jordison struggles to play at such speeds, and has difficulty keeping time for the band.

Can I get some thoughts on this?
 
I think he's the best Joey Jordison there is. What more can he do? What more should he have to do? Far from my favourite, but I've heard far worse than him.

Does he live up to all the hype? Probably not. But then again, is he responsible for the fan boys that put him on a pedestal in the first place? I've never heard him claim to be the greatest ever, so what does it really matter what the kids with no clue think?

Much like Barker, the poor bloke is forever in someones cross hairs.....for little more than playing his drums and getting paid for it. We should all be so lucky. No such thing as bad publicity, I guess.......I see no shortage of conversation for a guy who supposedly can't play.

I wasn't sure where to post this.

FWIW, I reckon in the Joey Jordison thread in the drummers section.
 
I used to be able to play most of the 3rd album and one fancy-dress night I tried playing in a mask and a boiler suit - I nearly died LOL.

Imagine doing that every night, sometimes upside down, nothing but planes, coaches and fast food in between. Their european tour schedule was gruelling and I completely respect what he does. In fact I am amazed at how he continues to do it.

I have seen the band 3 times and every time the tunes were faster live too. He didn't miss a beat.

That said, I saw him play with Korn and the feel of the music was lost. He killed it for me. I didn't think he was great with Metallica either but hey, he works well for Slipknot. Arguably an entertainer too, as is most of the band, and they are damn good at that. Fair play to him I say.
 
PFOG - very well put!

From an extreme drumming perspective Joey is nothing spectacular. But then, Slipknot isn't extreme metal either. So in the end - who cares. And this is just a technical consideration. What is more important is the music as a whole/result and how people react to it. So do they have fans? Yes -> Everything's ok.
 
Until your album and tour comes out like slipknot, shut up!!! The guy is talented, period. Anyone who says he isnt is just foolong themselves. I hate their music but that guy can play.
 
I think he's the best Joey Jordison there is. What more can he do? What more should he have to do? Far from my favourite, but I've heard far worse than him.

Does he live up to all the hype? Probably not. But then again, is he responsible for the fan boys that put him on a pedestal in the first place? I've never heard him claim to be the greatest ever, so what does it really matter what the kids with no clue think?

Much like Barker, the poor bloke is forever in someones cross hairs.....for little more than playing his drums and getting paid for it. We should all be so lucky. No such thing as bad publicity, I guess.......I see no shortage of conversation for a guy who supposedly can't play.


I'm not a big fan of the band or JJ, but this is WELL SAID.
 
I don't think he is a terrible drummer. And I have respect for anyone who gets paid to play. I think Joey has most of the stuff that's driving beginning drummers wild. He's got the fast double bass, the quick hands, the monstrous drum kit, lights, you get the idea. Slipknot has been winning awards, and gaining quite the mainstream success as well. Like I've always said, anybody who's inspiring a new generation of drummers is okay in my book.

I'm pretty much just seeking confirmation that I'm not alone when I notice he doesn't seem to be the legend in his time that most are making him out to be. As far as speeding up live, I fail to see it. Every video on Youtube of a live performance seems like it's dragged out. And I honestly don't see anything he does that's innovative. I mean, granted, he can do things I can't, but my style of drumming is totally different from his, so there's no real point in making a comparison.
 
Why compare Slipknot and Tool? They are very different bands. Joey couldn't play in Mahavishnu Orchestra, not to mention the Brandenburg Orchestra either. Joey doesn't design buildings or solve existential mysteries with mathematics either. A limited man, I'm afraid. We should be tolerant of his inadequacy.

But seriously ... I agree with The Old Hyde and respect anyone who plays major concerts and sells millions of albums. They are proven performers to major crowds. Slipknot are a world rated band. Who here is known and rated outside their city?

He's an exciting drummer so he attracts excitable fanboys. It goes with the territory. Same with Blink, Rush etc.
 
He's terrible.
Period.

His constant work load and subsequent pay cheques all beg to differ.


I'm pretty much just seeking confirmation that I'm not alone when I notice he doesn't seem to be the legend in his time that most are making him out to be.

I think that's pretty much a given.

Who are "most" though? They're kids. Kids without a clue as to what's truely great and what isn't. When I was a kid I thought KISS were the greatest thing ever.
What's more concerning, the fact that kids make him out to be a legend or the fact that grown men get threatened by it?

Perhaps if he solved existential mysteries with mathematics it may help though. Couldn't hurt him to try could it?
 
Perhaps if he solved existential mysteries with mathematics it may help though. Couldn't hurt him to try could it?

Opportunity costs, Jules. He's a busy man. Otherwise I'm sure he'd be churning out those sums.

Still, I doubt his equations would have the complexity and elegance of Danny Carey's. Nor the depth and precision of Billy Cobham's. Nor the charming folksiness of Meg's ...
 
you guys are right.

Slipknot, Justin Bieber, Blood on the Dancefloor, Lady Gaga, and Nicka Minaj are all respectable musicians because they are successful at selling music and playing concerts.

Correct Brian. Justin is a very naturally talented kid. Gaga plays keys and writes her material - another natural talent. Don't know the others you mentioned.

So yes, many top pop artists are a whole lot more talented than they let on. Not just pop stars. For instance, who would have thought Paris Hilton could have come up with the hilarious self parodic slap down of John McCain (plus adding policy on the run) two elections ago?

Don't be fooled - a part of the game is for stars to hide their brains. Being brainy is about as sexy in contemporary popular culture as it was at school.

For the record, I'm not a fan of bubblegum pop and teen metal, just saying ...

PS. Meg's approach to time stems from the Salvadore Dali school ... he used to say "time is flexible".
 
you guys are right.

Slipknot, Justin Bieber, Blood on the Dancefloor, Lady Gaga, and Nicka Minaj are all respectable musicians because they are successful at selling music and playing concerts.

Not quite the same argument though is it?

He's a respectable musician because he can play his instrument. Are you honestly gonna sit there and tell me he can't?

We may not like the music he plays......we don't have to, we have the choice of not listening. But claiming he's a terrible drummer just because you don't like what he plays is a weak argument. Not to your tastes perhaps, but terrible? Come on mate.
 
Correct Brian. Justin is a very naturally talented kid. Gaga plays keys and writes her material - another natural talent. Don't know the others you mentioned.
.

I would say Lady Gaga and Justin Bieber are very far from having a "natural talent".

Not quite the same argument though is it?

He's a respectable musician because he can play his instrument. Are you honestly gonna sit there and tell me he can't?

We may not like the music he plays......we don't have to, we have the choice of not listening. But claiming he's a terrible drummer just because you don't like what he plays is a weak argument. Not to your tastes perhaps, but terrible? Come on mate.
True, he can play his instrument, to a degree, therefore he is more worthy respectable than the others, the point I wanted to make is just because someone is successful doesn't mean they are worthy of respect.

There are tons of terrible musicians that are successful, mainly because at the root of it music is more about the money than the art to them.

Whether Slipknot is more about the art or the money I can't honestly say, they do seem fairly passionate about their music from interviews and I do genuinely respect them for that. But their success doesn't earn them any respect in my eyes, nor their playing abilities.
 
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