Inside Slipknot’s controversies as Heavy metal band announces they’ve “parted ways” with Sid Wilson

Ryan D'souza Sun, August 16, 2026 at 7:56 AM UTC

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Inside Slipknot’s controversies as Heavy metal band announces they’ve “parted ways” with Sid Wilson ©Getty: 2016 Los Angeles Film Festival - "Officer Downe" Premiere

Slipknot's DJ and keyboardist Sid Wilson has parted ways with the heavy metal band. Wilson, who is now forty-nine years old, first joined Slipknot back in 1998. The band confirmed the split on Instagram, though the post has since been removed from the page.

"Effective immediately, Slipknot will no longer be associated with Sid Wilson. We wish him the best in his future endeavors," the band wrote.

The caption also stated that,

“Slipknot have parted ways with Sid Wilson. The announcement could briefly be found on the band’s website.”

As per a report shared by TMZ, news of the departure first broke in late July. The reason Slipknot cut ties with Wilson has not been made public. The band, who are famous for songs like Duality, have also had to navigate various controversies over the years.

Chris Fehn sued Slipknot after alleging bandmates set up secret businesses behind his back:

The band Perform At First Direct Arena, Leeds - Source: Getty

As per a report shared by NME back in 2019, percussionist Fehn walked away from the band after taking the band to court over money he believed he was owed. The lawsuit, filed in March of that year, named band members Corey Taylor and Shawn Crahan, business manager Robert Shore, and several companies linked to the band's merchandise and touring operations.

Chris Fehn had been part of the band setup since 1998 and maintained that he was brought in as a genuine partner with a stake in how the band ran its affairs. His suit claimed that Shore, Corey Taylor and Shawn Crahan had gone ahead and quietly formed a number of separate business entities, including companies tied to merchandising and touring, without ever letting Chris Fehn know they existed, a situation which left him alleging he had been deliberately cut out.

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The band during Los Angeles Premiere for "Freddy Vs. Jason" - Arrivals at Arclight Theatre in Hollywood, California, United States - Source: Getty

While Fehn acknowledged receiving a portion of the band's general profits over the years, he argued that the money flowing through those hidden companies had never been shared with him fairly. He further alleged that Shore's firm had consistently acted in the interests of Taylor and Shawn Crahan while working against his own.

The band famous for their song The Devil in I, responded to the suit with a statement, sharing that

"Chris knows why he is no longer a part of Slipknot. We are disappointed that he chose to point fingers and manufacture claims, rather than doing what was necessary to continue to be a part of Slipknot. We would have preferred he not take the path that he has, but evolution in all things is a necessary part of this life."

Slipknot once took legal action against Burger King:

Corey Taylor at Knotfest 2022 - Finland - Source: Getty

Slipknot have had their share of legal battles over the years, though not all of them involved fellow musicians. Back in 2005, the Iowa band found themselves in a dispute with Burger King, of all places. The fast food chain had rolled out a new advertising campaign for its chicken fries. It featured a fictional metal band called Coq Roq, who performed in masks that bore a resemblance to the kind the band were known for.

As per The Smoking Gun, Slipknot's legal team fired off a notice to Burger King, alleging that Coq Roq had drawn directly from the band's look and performance style. Burger King pushed back. The chain argued there was no copyright infringement, adding that mask-wearing wasn't something unique to the band in the metal world. Neither side pressed the matter further, and both eventually dropped it.

The band were preparing for a major tour when the September 11 brought everything to a halt:

Music festival Rock am Ring 2015 - Source: Getty

September 11, 2001 had a profound impact on countless industries, and the music world was no exception. Slipknot were among the acts who felt the consequences firsthand. Speaking to Revolver, the band's late bassist Paul Gray revealed that the release date of their record Iowa had shifted several times before finally landing on August 28, and that the band had been gearing up to head out on a major tour alongside System of a Down on the very day the attacks occurred.

Percussionist Shawn Crahan explained how the events cut their touring plans short and took the wind out of any momentum the new record had been building. Corey Taylor was candid about the toll it took, adding that

"We got banned at a lot of radio stations and MTV wouldn't touch us. So here we were with our finest work to date and nobody would give us the time of day. We were working our asses off and we weren't getting paid s***."

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”