Sleater-Kinney has had a handful of drummers over the years, but the longest tenured was Janet Weiss, who first appeared on the band’s third album, 1997’s Dig Me Out. She remained with the band for many years after that, but now she has announced that she has left Sleater-Kinney.
Weiss shared a statement, saying that it was a difficult and sad decision to make, but insists that since the band is “heading in a new direction,” it “is time for [her] to move on.” She wrote:
“After intense deliberation and with heavy sadness, I have decided to leave Sleater-Kinney. The band is heading in a new direction and it is time for me to move on. I will never forget the heights we reached or the magnificent times Corin [Tucker], Carrie [Brownstein] and I shared. We were a force of nature. To the dearest SK fans — you’re the raddest fans in the universe and I love you. Experiencing the music together has been an honor of a lifetime. Thank you for sustaining me for the past 24 years and proving without a doubt that love and connection are what saves us.”
https://twitter.com/jazzzhand/status/1145691391034445824
In response, Tucker and Brownstein shared a statement as well, in which they thank Weiss for her time in the band and wish her the best:
“We are saddened by Janet’s decision to leave Sleater-Kinney. It’s been an incredible privilege to work with such a talent musician and drummer over the course of so many albums, including The Center Won’t Hold.
We thank her for joining us on this journey many years ago; we will aways cherish our friendship and time together. We wish Janet all the best as she starts a new chapter in her life.
We are so excited for everyone to hear the record, and to see you on the road this fall and beyond.”
Read our interview with Weiss here.
