Drum Virtuoso Max Weinberg Chimes In on His Son Jay’s Role in Slipknot

Jay Weinberg has developed quite a name for himself as of late due to his involvement in Slipknot, but his father Max is the drummer most people would recognize by name. Max is known for his immense talent with the E Street Band and as the long-time bandleader for Conan O’Brien’s late night show.

In a recent interview with Rolling Stone, Max was asked what it’s been like to watch his son perform with Slipknot. He had this to say:

“Jay is an unbelievable drummer. Two years in a row he’s been named the best metal drummer out there. They have very dedicated fans and their music is intense, and I like intense music. It’s complicated. I couldn’t do it. I’ve seen him up close and I don’t know how he does it. I had nothing to to do with it. He taught himself. He’ll be 27 this year and he’s just a killer drummer and a great kid. It’s so much fun for me to see him play, and he’s a virtual artist. He lives in Nashville. He’s doing quite a bit of stuff. He’s writing songs on his own and the band is making plans to do another record, a follow-up to the last one, which did very well.”

But what about how Max views Jay’s performances?

“I don’t go up front. I won’t go up front since I’d get knocked around. I watch on the side of the stage or at the board. The drums and the vocals are the loudest things in the mix and the way he plays double bass, he’s got one of those drum sets and uses all of it. That’s been very pleasing for me. The other night we got an audible for ‘Radio Nowhere’ and I never play that song without thinking of Jay because everyone says that Jay just kicked my ass on that song and played it so much better than I did. I stole a lot of the licks he used on that song.”

I don’t blame you, Max. I’m not even 30 yet and I’m feeling too old to go up front these days. That shit’s a young man’s game.

Pretty cool to have two generations of drumming legends in one family, though. Pretty cool indeed.

[via The PRP]