In a recent interview with Sweden Rock, SLAYER guitarist Kerry King was asked about his experience touring with his new self-titled solo band.
“A little fish out of water, like,” he responded (as transcribed by Blabbermouth). “We’re still feeling it out. I mean, I was in the same band for 40 years of my life, roughly, so other than Paul [Bostaph] being there, it’s new being around the other guys. I don’t mean it to sound weird, but just getting our feet wet, figuring out what to do with each other. I’ve never been on stage with four people in the front; there’s only been three. So, it’s logistical — knowing when to go to stage right, knowing when those guys come to stage left. And it’s only, like, our sixth show [at the Sweden Rock Festival on June 6], so we’re still figuring it out.”
When asked about the choice to name his new band KERRY KING, he explained: “I hate it. [Laughs] Every time I came up with [a possible band name], it would get all the way to the trademark attorneys and they would say, ‘You don’t wanna do this.’ And I’d be, like, ‘Why? Can’t we buy it?’ If it’s just a little tiny company or something. And a couple of times it just had too many uses. And I said, ‘Well…’ It came time to announce those American festivals, and we had to go with something, so we went with my name. Never in a million years did I wanna do that. But here we are.”
When asked to disclose some of the other names that were initially considered for his new project, Kerry said: “Um, the earliest one — the Internet was right — the earliest one was BLOOD REIGN. The next one was KING’S REIGN, which I would have been okay with. And the band loved it. “Cause I kept trying to say, ‘I don’t wanna use my name. I don’t wanna use my name,’ ’cause I’m not a vain dude; I’m not like that. And that one got blown out of the water too.”
“It’s extremely difficult to come up with a good name these days. I’m still trying. [Laughs]”
King released his debut solo album, From Hell I Rise, on May 17. In addition to King, the album features DEATH ANGEL vocalist Mark Osegueda, longtime SLAYER drummer Paul Bostaph, former HELLYEAH bassist Kyle Sanders, and ex–MACHINE HEAD and ex-VIO-LENCE guitarist Phil Demmel.
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