July 1 (UPI) -- Longtime Sleater-Kinney drummer Janet Weiss is leaving the band.
The 53-year-old musician penned a letter to fans Monday after parting ways with the group, which also consists of Corin Tucker and Carrie Brownstein.
"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," Weiss explained on Instagram.
"I will never forget the heights we reached or the magnificent times Corin, Carrie and I shared," she said. "We were a force of nature."
Weiss thanked fans for their support over the years.
"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," she said. "Thank you for sustaining me the past 24 years and for proving without a doubt that love and connection are what saves us."
Weiss played drums for Sleater-Kinney from 1996 to 2006 and returned to the band in 2014. She will appear on the group's upcoming ninth studio album, The Center Won't Hold, which is scheduled for release Aug. 16.
Sleater-Kinney responded to Weiss' message in an Instagram post Monday.
"We are saddened by Janet's decision to leave Sleater-Kinney. 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," the duo said.
"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," the pair added. "We are so excited for everyone to hear the record, and to see you on the road this fall and beyond."
Sleater-Kinney had shared plans in May for a North American fall tour. The tour begins Oct. 9 in Spokane, Wash.
