Sepultura’s Derrick Green has reflected on Eloy Casagrande’s sudden departure from the band earlier this year, saying it left him “shocked.”
In February, the Brazilian thrash metal icons announced that their longtime drummer Eloy Casagrande had suddenly left the band after 13 years. The news came as a shock to fans as it was announced just before the start of their farewell tour, “Celebrating Life Through Death”.
It was later confirmed that he had joined Slipknot after Jay Weinberg was unexpectedly dropped from the Iowa band around the same time.
In a new interview, singer Derrick Green explained that not only his fans were surprised by Casagrande’s departure, but that he too was “shocked” by the news.
“I think I literally flew out the next day to start rehearsals,” he said at the One Life, One Chance with Toby Morse Podcast (via Chatterbox), remembers the day he found out his drummer was leaving. “Andreas (Kisser, Sepultura guitarist, contacted me and said) ‘Yo…’ I was like ‘What’s going on?’ He was like ‘He’s out.'”
Green continues, “I felt like I was falling into a black hole and I thought, ‘What are you talking about?’ It was completely surreal. It was literally in slow motion. I was just trying to catch my breath. And he explained everything to me.”
Green added that they had a meeting with the drummer to clear up the situation: “(Eloy) came in and it was like, ‘I’m doing this gig. I signed a contract. And then I’m out.’ And I was just trying to grasp that, because I had played with this guy for 13 years.
“I was just in total shock. I just thought, ‘Dude, what are we going to do now?'”
After the band’s departure was announced, they quickly contacted Suicidal Tendencies drummer Greyson Nekrutman, who later joined the band. He was replaced in the legendary thrash band by ex-Slipknot drummer Jay Weinberg.
Sepultura are currently in full swing with their farewell tour, “Celebrating Life Through Death,” and the tour continues next month with three dates in São Paulo, Brazil, from September 6-8.
Green and co. will then begin the European leg in October, starting with a performance at the Zenith in Paris on October 30. The tour continues until the end of November and includes shows in Manchester, London, Glasgow and Dublin. Remaining tickets are available here.
In May, Casagrande spoke about his decision to leave Sepultura, saying that the farewell tour was the reason he accepted Slipknot’s offer.
“The band was about to break up and I didn’t want to stop playing drums at 33,” he said. “It was complicated. I told (Sepultura) my decision when I closed the deal (with Slipknot) on February 5 or 6. That same day I called a meeting and explained the situation. That was it, an individual decision.”
Casagrande made his debut with the Corey Taylor-led band during a last-minute, intimate club show at California barbecue bar Pappy + Harriet’s on April 25. The surprise appearance was announced a day before the April 24 show date. Later that week, they headlined the Sick New World Festival in Las Vegas.
The intimate performance took place after drummer and founding member Shawn ‘Clown’ Crahan NME that the band is going “back to basics” this year to celebrate their 25th anniversary. “We’re going back to basics. I’m ready to kick everybody in the face again! I’m ready to do a 100-person venue again! I’m ready to do a 500-person venue…”
In conversation with NME Of Slipknot’s plans for 2024, Crahan said: “I’m ready to leave the past behind and move into a world that I know has to be this way. Normally, for example, we would be on for about two years and off for a year and a half – we’re not doing that anymore.”
