Author: Sandi Sadar Šoba
Interview date: 06/16/2007
The same day we sat down with Clawfiner, the final day of Nova Rock 2007 promised one more journalistic highlight – an interview with thrash legends Slayer. The closer the hour of the big gala event came, the clearer it became that the stars of the night were acting like proper rock stars, moody as hell, and that the whole interview could easily fizzle out and come to nothing, since, according to the organizers and the increasingly jittery promoters, the band were still on the road from the Netherlands until late afternoon. Despite the long trip, they did manage to carve out a few minutes for the media. The interviewee had been picked. For the print press, the bearded guitarist and icon of the American and worldwide metal scene, Kerry King, was ready to open his bag of secrets. At nine in the evening, lined up in a row, we representatives of the press corps finally headed to a brick building backstage of the main stage, where the minutes of waiting tipped into the final phase. Looks like we’re getting a press conference. We get the green light and go through the door. In the front room, bassist Tom Araya is busy talking for an interview with the national TV broadcaster ORF. The rest of us walk past, enter a wooden room and sit down. Not long after, the door opens and in walks Mr. King himself, a glass of Coke in hand …
Press: Hello there. We’d almost given up on you actually making it here today.
Kerry King: The thing is, we didn’t know ourselves that we had to come here today. We only found out less than half an hour ago.
Press: It’s a real honor that you made it after all. You’re about to play Nova Rock, which has taken on epic proportions from last year to this one. What are your expectations for tonight’s show?
Kerry: It’s just another festival in another country. Yesterday we played a festival in the Netherlands and it was another intense show in a place we’d never played before. It started in Venice. And the second one in our run of festival dates was in the Netherlands. Despite the rain it was really something else and I think today will be too. Actually, a lot of my friends are here.
Press: The lineup is truly amazing.
Kerry: That’s exactly what I’m telling you (laughs).
Press: And even at shows that aren’t yours, lots of fans yell your name. How come?
Kerry: If you compare the names Slayer and Metallica – Slayer’s easier to chant (laughs). Metallica, for example, has stirred up too many doubts in the last few years. We like to call ourselves the thrash version of AC/DC. When we roll into town, you know what we’ve done and what to expect from our show. We’re pretty much a guarantee.
Press: I heard something went down in Gothenburg. What actually happened?
Kerry: We played just one show there, but because of festival restrictions we lost the second one. Total bullshit. The crowd was screaming and giving it everything they had. Before the show they had us sign some paper saying we wouldn’t go over our allowed limits. There were a lot of cops there. And the situation was really tense. Personally I had a great time, since I was allowed to play there. And it was one of the smallest shows we’ve done in the last few years and I was really looking forward to going back, but they fucked it all up with all the shit that went down before we even got there.
Press: Moving on to the record. Some media are comparing the album Christ Illusion. Even media that are very critical of rock music admit you’ve put out a really good album that brings the thrash genre closer not only to metal fans but to average rock listeners too. What do you say to all that?
Kerry: It’s precisely because we’ve been on the scene for so long that people have started paying more attention and actually taking the time to analyze what we do, which 25 years ago we could only have dreamed of. It’s a kind of recognition. People listen, and things are set up so that everything we’ve done and keep doing is super easy to get to, right at your fingertips. As for journalists and reviews – I honestly don’t care. If I took everything the media writes to heart, I’d have shot myself in the head 15 years ago.
Press: What do you think about everything going on in the music scene and all these new-generation thrash metal bands that have popped up?
Kerry: Honestly, I rarely listen to them. A lot of them just talk big and say nothing. Still, I love bands like Chimaira. I don’t know where else to turn to see something new and really fresh. The guys put out a new record in America. Still, it’s all great, because metal’s in fashion again and has the sword in its hand. It’s right that young bands get another chance to try their luck.
Press: Mastodon played here recently too…
Kerry: I saw them yesterday in the Netherlands…
Press: You’re a reference point and an influence – anyone learning the metal ropes can’t get around checking out your influences. Which bands would you single out as the most promising of the present?
Kerry: Chimaira, Children Of Bodom, In Flames, Arch Enemy, Lamb Of God, Machine Head… I didn’t like the album Burning Red, but they’ve since made a few great corrections. They went back to the real edge. And now they’re trying to win back the throne in the US. Best of luck, guys!
Press: Let’s go back to the latest record. Many people draw parallels between the albums Reign In Blood and Christ Illusion. What parallel would you draw between the two? Apart from the artwork, which is by the same artist?
Kerry: I think thematically we built on the album God Hates Us All. That was the heaviest album we’d made since Seasons In The Abyss. I also think Christ Ilusion is just a heavier version of Reign In Blood. That’s how the record earned its place in my head. And the artwork… Once we’d worked with Larry (Carroll, the artist) before, we thought it’d be great to do it again. We got him for Seasons In The Abyss, so he became part of the puzzle of getting back the primal energy of the band, which originally was the one true Slayer.
Press: The work is amazing and has an understated vibe.
Kerry: To me it seems cute first and foremost, you know. I finally used the word “cute,” which I never say. I figured it’d be cool because we hadn’t worked with him in so long. Dave came back and we found out he was available again and keen on it himself.
Press: That got you into some trouble too. Do you really find it so extreme that people get so touchy when religious themes come up?
Kerry: It came down to the judgment of an artist who paints religiously inspired pictures, but the thing is we never told him what to paint. We just told him we had some lyrics, some titles. We had no idea what the result would be. We simply gave him the green light and trusted him completely to come up with something crazy. He did a first version, then we looked it over and asked if he could change a few things. Like Christ’s hands, which aren’t on the album (just stumps), but that was all originally his idea.
Press: What about Tom? How far can he go with his anti-Catholic stance?
Kerry: I don’t know. He hasn’t hit the extreme limits yet… (laughs)
Press: And how do you yourself see his beliefs?
Kerry: I think everyone does, that’s the beauty of declaring yourself an atheist … It doesn’t matter what you believe in. Don’t tell me what I have to believe in! I don’t care what you or Tom like. That’s totally your business as long as you don’t force your beliefs on me.
Press: I liked a quote in the media saying that if Thomas Jefferson were alive, he’d listen to Slayer. You’re critics of the system that today’s world is rotting from. In today’s global circumstances, what would you pick as the center of your personal criticism?
Kerry: Political stuff? I don’t even follow politics. That’s not my field. There’s no challenge in criticizing George Bush’s moves, since we all already know he’s an idiot (laughs). The whole world knows that. And we’re all counting down the seconds until he finally leaves the Oval Office, which will be next year. I don’t know if his successor will change things and make them better, though.
Press: Christ Illusion sounds different from both previous albums. It’s a return to old waters. What would be the next step Slayer take?
Kerry: No clue whatsoever! I’ll have something to say about it when we get there (laughs). I honestly haven’t thought about it.
Press: The album provoked quite a few sharp reactions and bomb scares.
Kerry: I don’t really have a clear picture of Muhammad and stuff like that. So I can only judge and write about things I know. Christianity is one such case, since all of America is soaked in it. There are factions that love Buddha and Muhammad. There are Christians and Lutherans. But basically it’s just a gold mine, since they sell indulgences if you’re a member, but you have to pay for them. That’s perverse! If I wrote about something I have no clue about, the songs would be pretty shitty and meaningless.
Press: Are you already writing new material?
Kerry: Actually, I recently got a few ideas that I’m jotting down. Song titles, for example, good verses. But since I’m on tour, I can’t get anything moving back home in America. So it’s only another eight to ten months. Touring is a process that turns all your routine stuff upside down. I’d love to do something more concrete, but I’m out of action until I get back home and focus my creative energy.
Press: What do you say about the prospects for the new Metallica album?
Kerry: I hope Rick gets them to finally do what they should be doing.
Press: Will they pull it off?
Kerry: Judging by the last record, no!
Press: And what should they do, in your opinion?
Kerry: If they want to be Metallica. When St. Anger came out they were yapping about it being a return to the roots, but that was just plain garbage. Let’s not pick on Metallica alone. We all know they produced crap. Me, I’m longing for a new Master Of Puppets or something like it. That was incredible and that’s what the concept of Metallica means to me.
Press: Or maybe it’s evolution in music…
Kerry: Dude! I can hardly call that evolution (laughs).
Press:And what about everything going back to the eighties?
Kerry: Not everything! Just the style! That’s what we’re trying to do.
Press: You mentioned Rick earlier. On the last record you worked with Josh Abraham, your first collaboration with a new producer in a very long time. Was the change hard for you?
Kerry: Actually the work was really smooth, because once we got down to it we clicked like we were working with Rick. Producers have the best job in the world – they show up and then they leave. But Josh did a great job. I worked a lot with the engineer John Ewing, and actually more with him than with Josh. Josh and I sat down at a table a few times and talked through the whole overall sound, which is better than being too close to someone, because then it’s harder to make decisions.
Press: You worked with Rubin for many years, and all of a sudden other projects like Linkin Park and Metallica lured him away from you. Do you hold that against him, and could you ever work with him again?
Kerry: It’s not about holding a grudge. Better that he produces a great record! I knew the record would be great before it even came out. But a big question mark hangs over the Metallica camp.
Press: And ten years from now? How do you picture the future, given that you’ve been on the scene for so long?
Kerry: I can only guarantee ten years ahead, since I can’t operate the way the Rolling Stones or Black Sabbath do. Iommi’s been doing the same thing since day one – standing on stage. With us there’s a lot more physical work, which sets us apart from the rest and makes the Slayer show. In 10 years I’ll be 53, and if I’m still able to do what I do ten years from now – that would be great (laughs).
Press: And what would you do, or what will you do, when the warranty runs out and you “close up shop”?
Kerry: I have a lot of things I could get into. I’ve started breeding reptiles again. I could actually get by on that. The Slayer grind has paid off too, and I can live off the contract perks with the label. Merch sales and so on. There’s plenty of stuff.
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