That came out of nowhere!

I am the admin of two Slipknot fan groups on Facebook, and I am what the media calls a superfan. Anyway, I was minding my own business when I was notified about something. I ignored it at first, but after I had done what I was doing at the time, I looked at the notification - and was not prepared for what I read.

It turns out, that Joey Jordison, one of the founding members of the band, passed away in his sleep. He was just 46 years old.. Naturally, step one kicked in: Denial. Refusing to believe that the former drummer of my favourite band passed away. It then slowly turned into acceptance.

The band went dark on all their social media. Radio silence, which is understandable. They lost a brother. I then took to the groups I admin, and posted a message in each group, just to let everyone know how I felt about it all, and write a small tribute to Joey.

Today, the band released a statement, on Joey's death. Even though he wasn't a part of the band since 2013, he was still very much a brother. A huge part of who Slipknot has become over the years.

On a personal front, reading about Joey's passing left me with a huge gut punch. His drumming was what got me into Slipknot, almost 20 years ago. That, and the intensity that the music brings. It's a way for me to escape the everyday life. For me to get lost in the noise, and become a happier person when I emerge on the other end.

I had the privilege to see Joey live a few times, and it's always been amazing! His other bands have also been great, and he will be missed.