Slipknot played their first concert with Eloy Casagrande at Pappy & Harriet’s Palace in California on April 25. They confirmed him as their new drummer shortly after.
Casagrande recently opened up about his audition for the band in an interview with Brazil’s Veja São Paulo. Fans on Reddit translated his Portuguese chat as follows:
“At first, they didn’t explain what we were going to do. It was all kind of in the dark. The first thing they sent was a NDA [non-disclosure agreement] document, so I couldn’t discuss it with anyone.”
How Did Casagrande’s Audition Go?
The drummer received the first call for an audition from Slipknot’s manager in December 2023 after his band, Sepultura, announced a 40th anniversary farewell tour:
“I learned the setlist, prepared myself and, four days before the trip, they sent me a list of 32 songs that it would be important for me to know. Many of the songs I was learning weren’t on that list, so I started looking for sheet music. When I got there (in the United States), they gave me a setlist on the first day, which had some songs I didn’t know either, but we went out playing.”
He shared:
“On the first day, I was very nervous, because the band was complete, and it’s quite an impact to see the guys there in front of you. It’s a band I’ve been listening to since I was a teenager and followed on TV. On the first day I was terrible, I didn’t like my performance, but from the second day on I improved. Each day they played a different setlist in the morning, so I had a few hours to learn a song or two that was missing. Overall, it was very smooth. I had everyone’s support.”
The Drummer’s Thoughts On The Style Change
Slipknot parted ways with Jay Weinberg due to creative reasons last November. The band teased about the new drummer two months ago by posting a broken drumstick with the caption ‘Rehearsal’ on social media.
Eloy Casagrande officially left Sepultura to join Slipknot in February. He commented on his new performances with the band and wearing a mask on stage by saying:
“The first big change when wearing a mask is mental. It’s another persona in there. The mask has life. If someone else puts it on, it won’t be the same. I created it together with Shawn [Crahan] — we worked out the design together — so it’s a combination of Slipknot and my personality. But when you put the mask on, something different happens. I can’t explain it yet.”
The band will soon kick off a 25th anniversary tour for their debut album. The first show will take place Daytona Beach, Florida, on May 12, 2024.