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 dangerous as Tom took it. In fact it was horrible, and nobody ever wished that to occur, however 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 totally different. However then, out of nowhere, Tom determined he wished to play some [SLAYER] exhibits final yr, and I went, ‘Effectively, I by no means wished to cease taking part in 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 not often textual content one another. And that is simply because once you’re collectively for 40 years — he grew to become a really totally different particular person. He is not the man I began the band with. Not personally — simply him; he is a distinct particular person. I principally stayed similar to who I have been in my twenties. And I like Tom. We’re cool. We acquired 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 comfortable. We acquired 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] stated, ‘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 wished us to play. So we’re taking part in there this yr. And this yr we get to play that BLACK SABBATH present [in early July in Birmingham, United Kingdom]. I can not fucking wait.”
In January 2011 Hanneman contracted necrotizing fasciitis, also called flesh-eating illness, from a spider chew 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 durations of rehab that pressured him into semi-retirement and left him close to dying at a number of factors.
Hanneman ultimately died in Might 2013 from alcohol-related cirrhosis of the liver. He’s credited for writing a lot 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 wished to retire. King stated on the time: “We have been on tour and a few child was interviewing him, and he stated one thing about, ‘I’ve acquired to get along with Kerry and speak earlier than we speak in regards to the subsequent file.’ He ought to have simply stated, ‘I am in all probability not going to do one other file,’ 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 achieved.’ Not what I anticipated. However for those who 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.”
Relating to why Araya had determined to retire, King stated: “I believe simply the wear and tear and tear of the highway. I believe he wished to be house. 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. Any person’s acquired to be that man.”
Kerry additionally confirmed that persona variations contributed to SLAYER‘s eventual cut up.
“Me and Tom have by no means been on the identical web page,” he stated. “Like if I desire a chocolate shake, he desires a vanilla shake. ‘Kerry, what coloration is the sky?’ Blue. ‘Tom, what coloration is the sky?’ White. We’re simply totally different individuals. The additional on in years we acquired, it simply grew to become extra.
“Am I going to hang around with Tom? He likes tequila a little bit bit and I am an enormous 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 totally different individuals. And collectively, we made nice music and an important stay present.”
Rolling Stone requested King if his and Araya‘s differing political ideologies performed an element in SLAYER‘s cut 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 give up my band,” King stated 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 once 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] shouldn’t be. That is your opinion, not ours. I might by no means do this to you.”
Previous to SLAYER‘s 2024 reunion, King instructed 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 stated. “I’ve talked to all people else from the band on the cellphone, textual content, or e-mail. If Tom hit me up, I would in all probability reply. It in all probability relies on what he hit me up for, however I do not want him useless at this second.”
Picture credit score: Ryan Segedi (courtesy of Cosa Nostra PR)