Parts of Former Slipknot Percussionist Chris Fehn’s Lawsuit Over Band Profits Gets Dismissed


Slipknot, by Evil Robb Photography

Yesterday ( Tuesday (November 26) former Slipknot percussionist Chris Fehn’s lawyers were in court as they continue to pursue legal action against the band, Corey Taylor and M. Shawn Crahan, and their business manager Robert Shore. According to a published report by MetalSucks, former Slipknot percussionist Chris Fehn’s individual claim against his former band’s business manager Robert Shore is likely to be dismissed in a New York court on. As per an indication by the judge for the case Shore is likely no longer going to be named as an individual in Fehn’s lawsuit, after Justice Melissa Anne Crane found that there wasn’t sufficient evidence tying him directly as a fiduciary to Fehn to warrant the individual claim. However, Fehn’s claim against Shore’s music business management company, Rob Shore & Associates, has been allowed to proceed for now. This past September, Slipknot members Corey Taylor and Michael Shawn Crahan (a.k.a. Clown) filed motions for dismissal from Fehn’s claims, insisting they have no ties to New York, where Fehn filed the case. They claim none of their contracts were executed in the state nor were any of their albums recorded in New York. Those claims are set to be heard on January 3, 2020.

Ghost Cult had a lawyer analyze the case at the time it was filed and Fehn has an uphill battle legally speaking to prove his case to the courts.

Fehn sued Slipknot in March, claiming he hadn’t been properly compensated for his years of touring and recording with the group. Fehn, a member since 1998, was officially dismissed from the band earlier this year.

Fehn sued Slipknot’s leaders, Taylor and Crahan; Slipknot’s business manager Robert Shore; and six businesses, accusing Shore’s New York City company, Rob Shore & Associates, Inc., of managing the band to enrich Crahan and Taylor “out of proportion to the efforts and undivided interests of the other general partners.”

Fehn claimed in his lawsuit that he had been told that all the band’s income was being funneled through one company that split the profits between the group members. But he alleged that he recently discovered the existence of several other Slipknot-related business entities through which other members were collecting more money.

Fehn specifically accused Crahan and Taylor of shady business dealings and demanded a full forensic accounting done on Slipknot’s companies and assets, so that he could collect the damages and profits he believes he is owed.

Shortly after the lawsuit was filed, Slipknot dismissed Fehn in a statement posted to the band’s web site, saying, “Chris knows why he is no longer a part of Slipknot. We are disappointed that he chose to point fingers and manufacture claims, rather than doing what was necessary to continue to be a part of Slipknot.”

Taylor also addressed the accusations via Twitter, saying: “Try being wrongfully accused of stealing money from someone you cared about, and having a lot of your fans believe it.”

Fehn, known for wearing a Pinocchio-style mask, participated in all the band’s albums through 2014’s “.5: The Gray Chapter”.

Chris was replaced in Slipknot’s touring lineup by a percussionist nicknamed “Tortilla Man.”

Tortilla Man joined Slipknot six months ago, when he was first featured in the video for comeback single “Unsainted”. Since then, there has been much speculation about his name, with some Slipknot fans getting quite obsessed with trying to work out the real identity of the band’s latest recruit.

Slipknot’s latest album, “We Are Not Your Kind”, was released in August via Roadrunner Records.