Metal, Hardcore, Indie, Rock
Wednesday 13 has opened up about the decision to reunite Murderdolls for select concerts in 2027, explaining why the involvement of late guitarist Joey Jordison’s family was essential to moving forward. The performances will celebrate the 25th anniversary of the band’s debut album, “Beyond The Valley Of The Murderdolls”, while paying tribute to Jordison and late drummer Ben Graves.
Speaking on the November 14 episode of the Waste Some Time With Jason Green podcast, the singer described the emotional challenges of bringing the group back without Jordison. He had previously resisted the idea of performing as Murderdolls again because the band’s original creative partnership could not be recreated.
According to Wednesday 13, discussions began after he reconnected with guitarist Acey Slade during the 2025 festival season. Their appearance together at a Los Angeles tribute to Jordison in October 2025 helped turn the idea of an anniversary celebration into a concrete plan.
The returning lineup features Wednesday 13 alongside original touring members Slade and Eric Griffin, with Mike Dupke on drums and Jack Tankersley on bass. Dupke and Tankersley are also members of Wednesday 13‘s solo band; Tankersley previously played bass in the last touring incarnation of Murderdolls.
The vocalist said that Jordison’s sisters, Katie Riekena and Annie Jordison, have been closely involved throughout the preparations. They contributed artwork to teaser materials and discussed the proposed lineup with him, including the sensitive question of who would play Jordison’s parts.
Rather than hiring someone to directly replace Jordison, the musicians decided that Griffin would move from his former touring bass position to guitar, while Tankersley would take bass duties. Dupke was chosen for drums after previously performing the band’s material during Wednesday 13‘s anniversary celebrations.
Well, look, we’re all guitar players. When I got offered to be in Murderdolls, I got offered to be the bass player, too. [Laughs] I was, like, ‘I don’t wanna do that.’ So I graduated to vocals. When the press release [about the Murderdolls reunion] came out [this week] or whatever, the one thing they put on there is [that this is being done] ‘with the blessing of Joey’s family.’ Yes. We’ve worked so close with his sisters… We text with his sisters.
And it is so crazy. When I text with them, it is so bizarre because one of his sisters is identical to Joey in the way they text. Even the way they quote movies. They can quote the exact… And I know where they get it from now. I think it was a family thing. Joey was always quoting ‘Airplane!’ and ‘The Jerk’ and all this stuff. And then when I met him, I was quoting it, and he was, like, ‘Whoa. You do it, too.’ And now that I talk to his sisters, we all do the same thing.
So we’ve worked really close with them on this whole thing. It’s as close as I could get to working with him. Even some of the little teaser things we put online, the sisters made the art for it. They’re so involved and so happy with this. I told you before, I said I didn’t wanna do this unless it was right. Well, this is about as right as I can get it.
The anniversary performances will revisit the music of “Beyond The Valley Of The Murderdolls”, originally released in 2002. The band later issued a second album, “Women And Children Last”, in 2010, but the upcoming shows focus on the legacy of the earlier touring lineup.
Among the announced appearances is Graspop Metal Meeting 2027 in Dessel, Belgium. The festival spans several days, and the exact day of the band’s performance was not confirmed in the interview; no unverified single-day concert date has been added.
