In a brand new interview with Luiz Cesar Pimentel of Brazil’s Cucamonga, SLAYER‘s Kerry King was requested how the 2013 dying of the band’s founding guitarist Jeff Hanneman affected his relationship with SLAYER bassist/vocalist Tom Araya. Kerry responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “I believe Jeff‘s passing weighed more durable on Tom than it did me. And I do not imply that from any form of friendship perspective. It is simply my taking wasn’t as unhealthy as Tom took it. In fact it was horrible, and nobody ever needed that to occur, nevertheless it actually weighed on Tom. I believe that is what led to him eager to retire sooner than me, as a result of I believe he felt the band was completely different. However then, out of nowhere, Tom determined he needed to play some [SLAYER] exhibits final yr, and I went, ‘Properly, I by no means needed to cease enjoying exhibits. So, yeah, let’s attempt it out.'”
King continued: “Identical to it was in [the earlier years of] SLAYER, [Tom and I] do not speak on the cellphone. We hardly ever textual content one another. And that is simply because while you’re collectively for 40 years — he grew to become a really completely different individual. He isn’t the man I began the band with. Not personally — simply him; he is a unique individual. I principally stayed similar to who I have been in my twenties. And I like Tom. We’re cool. We obtained collectively [last year to rehearse for the SLAYER reunion concerts]. It wasn’t bizarre. We did these two exhibits [at Riot Fest in Chicago and Aftershock festival in Sacramento]. He was tremendous joyful. We obtained collectively after the second, had a shot after the present. He’ll drink tequila and I really like tequila, so that is what we had. And I believe the primary thought to play [with SLAYER again] this yr was for the [Louder Than Life festival] present we missed final yr ‘reason behind the hurricane. So we rebooked that and [I] mentioned, ‘If we by no means play one other present, I wanna make that proper with the promoter,’ as a result of it wasn’t our fault. However he needed us to play. So we’re enjoying there this yr. And this yr we get to play that BLACK SABBATH present [in early July in Birmingham, United Kingdom]. I am unable to fucking wait.”
In January 2011 Hanneman contracted necrotizing fasciitis, also called flesh-eating illness, from a spider chunk in his yard. The an infection ravaged the flesh and tissues of Hanneman‘s arm, resulting in quite a few surgical procedures, pores and skin grafts and intense intervals of rehab that pressured him into semi-retirement and left him close to dying at a number of factors.
Hanneman ultimately died in Could 2013 from alcohol-related cirrhosis of the liver. He’s credited for writing lots of SLAYER‘s traditional songs, together with “Angel Of Demise” and “South Of Heaven”.
Again in February 2024, Kerry was requested by Rolling Stone how he discovered Araya needed to retire. King mentioned on the time: “We have been on tour and a few child was interviewing him, and he mentioned one thing about, ‘I’ve obtained to get along with Kerry and speak earlier than we speak in regards to the subsequent report.’ He ought to have simply mentioned, ‘I am most likely not going to do one other report,’ or had that dialog with me earlier than he talked about something like that. I used to be simply assuming, ‘Oh fuck, what’s this going to be?’ And it was, ‘I am finished.’ Not what I anticipated. However in the event you made that call, I am not going to attempt to speak you out of it as a result of your coronary heart’s not going to be in it anyway.”
Concerning why Araya had determined to retire, King mentioned: “I believe simply the damage and tear of the street. I believe he needed to be dwelling. None of us are actual highlight seekers, however he is actually not. And when Jeff was round, he was like a hermit. He didn’t need fame. I tolerate fame. Anyone’s obtained to be that man.”
Kerry additionally confirmed that character variations contributed to SLAYER‘s eventual break up.
“Me and Tom have by no means been on the identical web page,” he mentioned. “Like if I need a chocolate shake, he desires a vanilla shake. ‘Kerry, what shade is the sky?’ Blue. ‘Tom, what shade is the sky?’ White. We’re simply completely different folks. The additional on in years we obtained, it simply grew to become extra.
“Am I going to hang around with Tom? He likes tequila a bit bit and I am a giant tequila-head, so I will have my shot with him, and we’ll half methods,” he continued. “We’re not going to hang around or something as a result of we’re very completely different folks. And collectively, we made nice music and an incredible reside present.”
Rolling Stone requested King if his and Araya‘s differing political ideologies performed a component in SLAYER‘s break up. In 2017, Araya used SLAYER‘s official Instagram account to make a publish about then newly elected U.S. president Donald Trump, stirring up an enormous backlash from the band’s fanbase.
“I used to be tremendous pissed off at that — however not sufficient to fucking stop my band,” King mentioned of the incident. “I used to be like, ‘Dude, that is what your private social media is for. You are the one one on this band that provides a shit about this fool, and while you put it up there, we’re all backing him.’ And I’m not [backing Trump], Gary‘s [Holt, SLAYER guitarist] not, Paul [Bostaph, SLAYER drummer] isn’t. That is your opinion, not ours. I’d by no means try this to you.”
Previous to SLAYER‘s 2024 reunion, King advised Rolling Stone that he and Tom had not had any contact because the final present of SLAYER‘s farewell tour in 2019. “Not even a textual content. Not even an e-mail,” he mentioned. “I’ve talked to everyone else from the band on the cellphone, textual content, or e-mail. If Tom hit me up, I would most likely reply. It most likely will depend on what he hit me up for, however I do not want him useless at this second.”
Photograph credit score: Ryan Segedi (courtesy of Cosa Nostra PR)
