MIKE PORTNOY Praises ELOY CASAGRANDE, Jokes He Is “The Second-Best Drummer For SLIPKNOT”

In a recent conversation with Brazilian interviewers Marcelo Vieira and Mateus Ribeiro, Dream Theater‘s renowned drummer Mike Portnoy shared his thoughts on Slipknot‘s latest addition behind the kit. When questioned about Eloy Casagrande‘s suitability for the role, Portnoy‘s response was both humorous and praise-filled.

“I do. Eloy really… Well, actually, no. The perfect drummer for Slipknot would have been my son Max Portnoy,” he laughed “But the second-best drummer for Slipknot, behind Max, is definitely Eloy.”

The veteran drummer went on to praise Casagrande‘s abilities, highlighting both his technical prowess and his spirited performance style. Portnoy emphasized the importance of personality in drumming, suggesting that it often outweighs technical skill.

“Eloy, he’s a perfect fit, a perfect pick. He has so much incredible technique, but beyond technique, he plays with a lot of spirit and balls, and personality. And sometimes, for me, that’s way more important than technique. But in his case, he has both. He has it all. And I couldn’t be happier for him.”

Portnoy also expressed his satisfaction with the recent drummer shuffles in the metal world, including Greyson Nekrutman‘s move to Sepultura and Jay Weinberg‘s transition to Suicidal Tendencies. He described these changes as forming a “perfect metal triangle,” commending the talents of all three drummers involved.

“And I’m also happy for Greyson who took his place in Sepultura, ’cause he’s another favorite modern drummer of mine. So, the kind of triangle between Sepultura, Slipknot, and Suicidal Tendencies, with (former Slipknot drummer) Jay Weinberg going to Suicidal, it’s the perfect metal triangle. I think all three of those drummers are tremendous, and they’ve all gotten great gigs.”

In case you’ve been living under a rock for the last two years, Portnoy’s son, Max, plays drums for Tallah and has been Code Orange’s touring drummer since 2021. He was previously the drummer for the now-defunct band Next To None.

A musical drumming game of chairs unfolded in late 2023. Casagrande left Sepultura after 13 years and became Slipknot’s official drummer on April 30th. Sepultura then filled the vacancy with Greyson Nekrutman, who had recently joined Suicidal Tendencies. In a twist, Suicidal Tendencies then replaced Nekrutman with the ousted Slipknot drummer, Jay Weinberg.