Wednesday was an eventful day for Slipknot fans.
It marked the start of the vaunted heavy metal band’s European tour but also saw the departure of two familiar masked faces from the group — and the arrival of a potential new one.
Sampler and keyboardist Craig “133” Jones announced his departure after 27 years from the Grammy-winning megaband whose nine members perform in various chilling masks.
A now-deleted message posted to Slipknot’s social channels stated, “To our fans, Slipknot is announcing that we have parted ways with Craig Jones. We wish Jones all the best for the future.”
Jones, 51, joined the “Wait and Bleed” hitmakers in 1996 and became recognized for his distinctive mask featuring dozens of metallic-looking spikes radiating from his head. Neither Jones nor the band has indicated the reason for his departure or mentioned the percussionist’s future plans.
A never-before-seen member appeared on stage with the band during the tour’s opening show in Austria on Wednesday night. Following the performance, a photo of a new masked-and-hooded member debuted on Slipknot’s Instagram page with no caption.
Jones’ announcement came after percussionist Shawn “Clown” Crahan stated that he would not be with the group in Europe so that he could care for his wife, Chantel, who has chronic health issues.
On Wednesday morning, Crahan, 53, shared a message with fans on Slipknot’s social pages.
“I would like to take a moment to tell everyone that I’m back home supporting my wife through some health issues, and I’ll be back on the road as soon as I can,” he wrote. “We’ve been through this before and as always, we appreciate the love and support. See all of you very soon.”
It is currently unclear how long Crahan, a founding member of Slipknot, will be away from the band. Slipknot will be on tour in Europe through the end of June and then return stateside to play festivals in July and September.
Although he didn’t offer details about his wife’s health, Crahan spoke in 2005 to the Des Moines Register about supporting her in her ongoing struggle with Crohn’s disease.
“That’s the thing I fight for most in this biz, is family,” he told his hometown paper. “Family can and is being incorporated into rock ‘n’ roll. You can have a wife, you can have a child or children and be a rock ’n’ roller.”
Crahan later mentioned in the interview that “health is the most important thing you have on this planet if you’re gonna have a successful life.”