In a recent interview with Oran O’Beirne of Overdrive.ie, SEPULTURA guitarist Andreas Kisser was asked whether drummer Eloy Casagrande‘s choice to leave the band and join SLIPKNOT was driven by SEPULTURA‘s upcoming farewell tour.
“I have no idea, man. You have to ask him. Because we were very surprised by his decision,” Andreas responded (as transcribed by Blabbermouth). “We were working on [the SEPULTURA farewell tour] for two years — with him — and three weeks before the first show, he decided to leave out of nowhere. It was really weird. And he decided three weeks before the first date that we were working for two years to happen, with his approval and everything — we were discussing setlist and all the effects and everything — but he decided to go at that moment and he left, and [current SEPULTURA drummer] Greyson [Nekrutman] came up to my mind right away, ’cause we were following him. My son, Yohan, showed me his videos, Derrick [Green, SEPULTURA singer] saw him playing with SUICIDAL [TENDENCIES] in L.A. And he came to my mind right away. And I called him, and 48 hours [later], we were together. [Laughs]”
During an interview on UOL Prime this past May, Casagrande spoke about his decision to join SLIPKNOT which led to departure from SEPULTURA.
Eloy said: “The first factor for me wanting to play in SLIPKNOT was the end of SEPULTURA. I’m 33 years old. I respected Andreas‘ [Kisser, SEPULTURA guitarist] decision, but I needed to move on with my life. SLIPKNOT’s invitation had no like waiting a year. It was yes or no.”
The drummer states that he arranged a meeting with SEPULTURA immediately after receiving confirmation of his hiring by SLIPKNOT.
“How they understood the news I don’t know, because I didn’t talk to them anymore,” he said. “From the moment I broke the news about what was happening, they didn’t talk to me anymore, and I think they asked everyone from the team not to talk to me anymore.”
“But like that, I still have a great affection for them,” he continued. “If they came to talk to me today I would say it cool, because we never had any professional, personal or friendship problems, it was always very peaceful, especially because we traveled together, spent months on tour buses and everything.”
“So, I took that attitude too, because I was never part of SEPULTURA, I was always an autonomous musician, I was always a musician hired by the band,” Eloy added. “So, from the moment I took this action it was because I had freedom, it wasn’t that I was part of SEPULTURA‘s social contract.”
Casagrande joined SLIPKNOT in February, stepping into the role previously held by Jay Weinberg, who was unexpectedly dismissed in November 2023. His abrupt departure from SEPULTURA in February, just before the band’s 40th anniversary farewell tour rehearsals, hinted at his transition to SLIPKNOT.
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