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Joey Jordison

"You can beat this s**t" - former Slipknot drummer reveals he quit after losing the use of his legs

Joey Jordison has transverse myelitis.

JOEY JORDISON, THE pioneering former drummer with metal band Slipknot, has revealed he quit the band due to a form of multiple sclerosis (MS).

Jordison was a founding member of the band, who have sold over 40 million albums worldwide, before quitting in 2013.

Both he and his former bandmates had remained silent on the issue until now.

However, speaking at the Metal Hammer Golden Gods Awards in London last night, Jordison said that he had been diagnosed with transverse myelitis, a form of MS.

He said that he left the band after losing the use of his legs.

Towards the end of my career in Slipknot, I got really, really sick with a horrible disease called transverse myelitis. I lost my legs. I couldn’t play anymore. It was a form of multiple sclerosis, which I don’t wish on my worst enemy.

“I got myself back up, and I got myself in the gym, and I got myself back in fucking therapy to fucking beat this shit.

“And if I could do it, you could do it. It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life, more than fucking anything.”

Tim Veness / YouTube

Transverse myelitis is a neurological disorder caused by inflammation of the spinal cord. Symptoms include a loss of spinal cord function over several hours to several weeks. It usually begins as a sudden onset of lower back pain, muscle weakness, or abnormal sensations in the toes and feet can rapidly progress to more severe symptoms, including paralysis, urinary retention, and loss of bowel control.

Many recover with minor or no residual problems and Jordison – who has played with Korn, Rob Zombie and Ministry – brought that message to those in London.

To people with multiple sclerosis, transverse myelitis, or anything like that, I am living proof that you can fucking beat that shit.

“And fucking metal and all of these fans will do it for you. This is the fucking world right here. You can beat this shit; no joke. Just the fact that metal lives in your heart, you can fucking accomplish anything.”

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