Sid Wilson has reportedly been permanently removed from Slipknot after 28 years.
Wilson — turntablist, keyboardist, the member designated #0 — joined in 1998 and was reportedly informed late on Friday afternoon that the decision is final. No reason has been given. Neither Wilson nor the band has commented.
Read this part before the rest
Every version of this story currently in circulation traces back to one report, from TMZ, aggregated outward. Blabbermouth, Loudwire, Metal Injection, Lambgoat and the rest are all downstream of it, which is why nearly every headline carries "reportedly" or "REPORT."
That does not mean it is wrong. TMZ's record on this kind of story is strong, and the volume of outlets running it reflects that. But there is a real difference between a credible outlet reports and the band announced, and right now this is firmly the former. No statement, no reason, no confirmation from anyone inside Slipknot.
The arithmetic
This is the part that is not in dispute, and it is the actual story.
Slipknot's identity was built on being nine people — nine masks, nine numbers, a collective large enough that it read as a gang rather than a band. That lineup is now down to four:
- Corey Taylor — vocals (#8)
- Shawn "Clown" Crahan — percussion (#6)
- Mick Thomson — guitar (#7)
- Jim Root — guitar (#4)
Everyone else who defined the band's sound in its imperial period is gone — through death, firing, quiet departure, or in one case a lawsuit. Paul Gray, the bassist and a principal songwriter, died in 2010. Joey Jordison, the drummer, was dismissed in 2013 and died in 2021.
A band whose whole visual and conceptual premise is the number nine has spent two decades losing the people attached to those numbers.
What is not established
Wilson became engaged to Kelly Osbourne backstage at Ozzy Osbourne's final Black Sabbath concert, and the engagement ended in March 2026.
Both facts are true and neither has been connected by anyone to his removal. The proximity is being noted in coverage because it is the most recent publicly known thing about him, which is not the same as a reason. Anyone drawing a line between a broken engagement and a firing four months later is guessing.
There is also no reported allegation of misconduct, no reported dispute, and no reported health issue. The honest summary is that nobody outside the band knows why.
Why the silence matters
Slipknot has handled exits inconsistently. Some members have left with statements; others have simply stopped appearing, with the band confirming nothing for months. Chris Fehn's 2019 departure ended in litigation over royalties and business structure. Others have gone quietly.
If the pattern holds, the most likely next development is not an explanation but an absence — a tour date played by eight, and a fan base doing the counting.
This story is based on reporting that has not been confirmed by Slipknot or by Sid Wilson. It will be updated if either comments.
