Monday, October 6, 2008

Slayer, too old to rock? Apparently so.



Could it be true? Could the aging metal choo-choo train known as Slayer be coming to it's well deserved and (some might say) long-awaited stop? Based on their age and ability to produce quality music, it would certainly make sense. Tom Araya seems to agree, at least about the age part. Still, one has to wonder if perhaps Tom's catholic guilt has finally gotten to him, after singing "The Anti-Christ" one too many times. Here's part of an interview with Tom, where he discusses the eventual end of the cash cow known as Slayer:

"I don't see it going any further than a certain point in time. We have one more record to do, which is our deal with [producer Rick] Rubin, and we'll have to sit down and discuss the future. But I can't really see myself doing this at a later age."

"There have been remarks made about seeing an old man head-bang," laughs Araya. "And I have to agree. I think the Stones can do that, probably go out and do their stuff in their 80s, but it just wouldn't look right [for us], you know what I mean?

Kerry King responded to such comments in a recent interview:

Interviewer:
Tom said that after the next Slayer album, you guys would have to discuss your future as a band, because he's reaching an age where it might no longer be viable.

King:
I haven't even heard that. He hasn't talked to me about it. But after taking 10 months off, I bet you he's recharged and ready to rock. As far as I'm concerned, I look at people like Ronnie James Dio and Rob Halford and I think, 'Shit, maybe I'm not done!'"


Unable to make car payments, Kerry King has been forced to take the occasional baby sitting job as of late. Aside from providing Kerry with some extra pocket change, it has sent a clear sign to his wife that he's finally ready to settle down, stop acting like a douche, and make some babies. He'll probably keep wearing huge camo pants, but at least it's a start.


I understand both points of view. Tom wants to spend time at home with his family, going to church picnics and tending to his mane. Kerry wants to make more money so he can keep eating, and at one point finally launch his wrestling career.


No matter how awesome rednecks in Kansas think Tom is, his daughter still cries in embarrassment when forced to be seen with her aging dad.

15 comments:

  1. I don't know, I think I could deal with an 80 year old Tom Araya looking like Methusulah w/the shakes moreso than what the Rolling Stones have become since the late 80's.
    Oh and Kerry, Ronnie James Dio is NOT a good example of why to keep at it.

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  2. FIRST!

    me n the rest of the weed steeler boyz fuck with god hates us all exclusively !

    thats the album........love anything that sounds like hatebreed.....keep um come'n and keep um wigged.


    m.

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  3. Tom Araya´s wife looks cute, man. Bet that if he wasn´t catholic he would be hanging around with some fat satanist chick. Catholic school girls rule.

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  4. I remember an interview with Steve Harris in 1990. He was "terrified" thinking about the end of the band, but he was sure the band still got 5-6 years ahead...

    I understand Tom's point, but I think he could keep on playing, maybe without headbanging to avoid cervical arthrosis.

    After all, rumors say that most of the concerts The Rolling Stones play since the 90s are total playback!

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  5. I feel bad that Dave Lombardo probably has no say in any of it. i would love to know what the monetary arrangements are within the band. Vinnie Vincent and Eric Carr were employees of Kiss, and they didn't have any part of royalties etc. they were employees. I wonder if now that Dave came back he's merely an employee who gets salary rather than percentage.

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  6. Maybe they split $$$ like old Sepultura:
    Max 35%
    Andreas 35%
    Igor 20%
    Paulo 10%

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  7. i have to agree with macaco, tom's wife is way cuter than i would have imagined her to be. of course, when you are rich...

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  8. look at Tom's kids- they have a serious case of (as lucho metales called it) big, round chilean tortilla face

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  9. could that sepultura monetary split be true? since andreas is now having to play with Scorpions to pay rent, i think him and Paulo probably had 5% each. The Cavalera brothers probably took 45 each.

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  10. well, camouflage gears are expensive. wonder how much the 'backpack guy' in Soulfly gets?

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  11. I woulda gave Igor at least 40%, his drumming is what attracted me to 'Beneath the Remains' in the first place. And wasn't Paulo an original member? He shoulda got more than his pittance. Bass players get no love.

    Slayer shoulda hung it up after 'Seasons'. Malevolent Creation shoulda quit after 'Retribution'. The Stones shoulda called it about 35 fuckin years ago. Maiden can keep playing for awhile longer, that'd be just fine with me.

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  12. backpack guy in soulfly gets paid in backpacks. he just has an endorsment deal from Jansport.

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  13. The Grammy photo is amazing - seriously! I finally saw Slayer last summer as it was there first time here in about 20 years or so. Even though it wasn't the tour that I wanted to see them on, they still put on a good show and I would see them again in an instant. The last few albums are well...meh, but it's still Slayer and out of the big 4 from the day, they are the only ones who are actually still relevant in metal.

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  14. you know, the stones never stopped rockin...they could survive nuclear holocaust...and every drug addiction conceivable. If they keep on crankin out some shitty stuff like the last cd though, it might be worth their while to stop while they are a legend

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  15. That's the percentage of royalties among the members of Sepultura in the songwriting department (riffs and lyrics were equally written by Max/Andreas, Igor contributed arrangements, Paulo was just the usual irrelevant thrash bass player without creative input).

    I guess other incomes were equally splitted among all the bandmembers.
    I think. I wish. I hope.

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