Sleater-Kinney Drummer Janet Weiss Announces Her Departure

It’s a sad day for Sleater-Kinney fans, with longtime drummer Janet Weiss announcing she is leaving the band. Weiss has played on every record by the band since their third album, 1997’s Dig Me Out.

“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, Carrie and I shared. We were a force of nature”, commented Weiss in a statement posted to social media.

“To the dearest SK fans—you’re the raddest fans in the universe and I love you. Experiencing the music together has been the honor of a lifetime. Thank you for sustaining me the past 24 years and for proving without a doubt that love and connection are what saves us.”

It’s somewhat strange timing for Weiss to leave the band. They’re about to release their ninth studio album, the St. Vincent-produced The Center Won’t Hold next month, having already released the single ‘Hurry On Home’ back in May, along with ‘The Future Is Here’ a couple of weeks ago.

Her bandmates, Carrie Brownstein and Corin Tucker, have also released a statement responding to Weiss’, posting on Instagram that they are “saddened” by her decision to leave the band.

“It has been an incredible privilege to work with such a talented 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 always cherish our friendship and our 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.”

Weiss is a busy drummer outside of Sleater-Kinney, currently playing in Quasi and having performed with the likes of Bright Eyes, Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks and The Shins.