Following the dissolution of SLAYER, Kerry King, one of the band’s founding members, has revealed that he hasn’t spoken with fellow co-founder Tom Araya.
In a new interview with Rolling Stone, Kerry was asked how did he find out that Tom wants to retire, to which he responded: We were on tour and some kid was interviewing him, and he said something about, ‘I’ve got to get together with Kerry and talk before we talk about the next record.’ He should have just said, “I’m probably not going to do another record,’ or had that conversation with me before he mentioned anything like that.
I was just assuming, ‘Oh f**k, what’s this going to be?’ And it was, ‘I’m done.’ Not what I expected. But if you made that decision, I’m not going to try to talk you out of it because your heart’s not going to be in it anyway.
As for why he thinks Araya wanted to retire, King offered: “I think just the wear and tear of the road. I think he wanted to be home. None of us are real spotlight seekers, but he’s certainly not. And when Jeff [Hanneman] was around, he was like a hermit. He did not want fame. I tolerate fame. Somebody’s got to be that guy.
When asked “if the split was due to you two having different political ideologies. You seemed pretty angry when Tom posted about Trump on SLAYER’s Instagram,” he responded: “I was super pissed off at that — but not enough to f**king quit my band. I was like, “Dude, that’s what your personal social media is for. You’re the only one in this band that gives a s**t about this idiot, and when you put it up there, we’re all backing him.’ And I am not [backing Trump], Gary’s not, Paul is not. That’s your opinion, not ours. I would never do that to you.
Me and Tom have never been on the same page,” King continued. “Like if I want a chocolate shake, he wants a vanilla shake. ‘Kerry, what color is the sky?’ Blue. ‘Tom, what color is the sky?’ White. We’re just different people. The further on in years we got, it just became more.
“Am I going to hang out with Tom? He likes tequila a little bit and I’m a big tequila-head, so I’ll have my shot with him, and we’ll part ways. We’re not going to hang out or anything because we are very different people. And together, we made great music and a great live show.
As for whether he had any contact with Tom after SLAYER‘s split, Kerry said: “Not even a text. Not even an email.
“I’ve talked to everybody else from the band on the phone, text, or email. If Tom hit me up, I’d probably respond. It probably depends on what he hit me up for, but I don’t wish him dead at this moment.”
SLAYER played its final show of their farewell tour in November 2019 at the Forum in Los Angeles. One day later, Kerry King‘s wife, Ayesha King, said that there is “not a chance in hell” that the thrash metal icons will reunite for more shows.
KERRY KING will release his debut studio album, From Hell I Rise, due out May 17 on Reigning Phoenix Music.
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 VIO-LENCE guitarist Phil Demmel.
