"When we formed Slayer our goal was to be the heaviest, most ferocious band on the planet," says reclusive drummer Dave Lombardo. "The money, the alcohol and the women… the fame? No, they were never as important to me as the playing. The other guys may have done it for the chicks or whatever, I just really liked being onstage and playing music."
"At that age, chicks and beer were definitely what motivated me," grins guitarist Kerry King. "No, better make that chicks and pot!"
"Pot's always been there for me, but I just wanted to be in a band," adds quietly spoken bassist/vocalist Tom Araya. "Kerry called me up and said he'd met a guitarist and drummer and was looking for bassist and singer. They came over, I learned the songs and that was the start of Slayer."

The year was 1981. King had been in a previous band with Araya. Guitarist Jeff Hanneman completed the line-up… to great effect. Just a handful of names in any genre will merit use of the term 'legendary', but few could dispute its relevance to Slayer. While other acts have sold more records, scaled higher pinnacles of fame or achieved trendiness for five-minute interludes, many of those names are now asking customers whether they'd like fries with that. On the other hand, Slayer have carved a thriving career from the twin principles of consistency and stripped-down brutality.

"Our first ever gig was atrocious. We were dressed in spandex and we sucked!
The spandex thing came from liking the Scorpions"
Kerry King

A mixture of contrasting characters has enabled Slayer to find their current niche. The creative pendulum has swung back and forth during their 21 years together, some members dominating the writing of one particular album, others the next. With rival bands, fragile egos wouldn't be able to withstand such imbalance, but Slayer seem bound by a unique bond. Their only real glitch has been Dave Lombardo. One of the fastest, intricate and powerful drummers in metal, Dave has always been a very different animal to Tom, Kerry and Hanneman - as our opening quote demonstrates. While the band were achieving their commercial breakthrough in the latter half of the 1980s, the other three increasingly ostracized Lombardo. At the root of the problems was Dave's insistence that his wife Theresa travelled with him on the road. On a crucial British tour in 1987, the pair - referred to by the rest of the band as "Ken and Barbie", after the matching toy dolls - even had their own dressing room.

Dave has quit and re-joined Slayer on at least two occasions, his longest time away being a ten-year spell that ended back in January when he agreed to help the band out with touring activities, billed as "guest star" instead of band member. Slowly, a fragile peace has been established. Along with musical chemistry, personal bridges have been rebuilt. Nobody outside of Slayer's inner circle has known whether Lombardo is likely to remain with the band long-term, or whether he even considers it a possibility - until now. So stay with us while we examine the past, present and future of this remarkable killing machine.

Formed in the Los Angeles suburb of Huntington Beach, Slayer began like any other fledgling band, working day jobs and playing cover versions in small clubs and schools. Their earliest shows were based around cover versions of the day's metal standards. Judas Priest's 'Genocide' and 'Beyond The Realms Of Death' rubbed shoulders with several tunes from Iron Maiden's 'Number Of The Beast', 'Highway Star' by Deep Purple, 'Sin City' by AC/DC and even UFO's 'Lights Out'. Kerry still has cassettes and photos of these shows, but for understandable reasons is reluctant to release them. All four remember it as a thrillingly nïave era.
"We'd always play the songs that nobody else played, the harder-edged ones," Lombardo recollects. "It was a cool period in our history."
"Our first ever gig was fucking atrocious," laughs Kerry. "It was a Battle Of The Bands; we were dressed in spandex and we sucked! I think the spandex thing came from liking the Scorpions. But it didn't seem to matter at the time whether it lasted 20 months or 20 years, because eventually people seemed to like it and we kept on getting gigs."

But as Jeff Hanneman reveals, "There was never any master plan for success", and Araya admits that his only real wish was that Slayer would some day release their own vinyl album. It was Dave Lombardo's decision to integrate a punkier, speedier style into their music that enabled Tom's dream to come true.
"Jeff was listening to a lot of the punk stuff and he turned me on to it," says Dave. "I kind of took it to that next step. I guess what I brought them was the feeling, and the groove."
"At the time, I didn't get the punk thing, but I found Venom and Motörhead instead," admits King. "So we fused all that shit together."

At the time, Araya was studying to be a respiratory therapist, maintaining life support systems, and King admits to working nights. "I was a thief," he says. "I worked in a toy store and a pet store, and I stole them both blind."
"I was a technical draughtsman," adds Dave. "I designed enclosures for generator sets. Until I couldn't hold that job anymore, when we were on the road too much."

The turning point came in 1983, when Brian Slagel of Metal Blade Records spoke to Dave Lombardo after a gig at a venue called Woodstock. Although Dave temporarily mislaid Slagel's card, Slayer ended up cutting the track 'Aggressive Perfector' for the 'Metal Massacre III' album. By the end of that year, they had spent a week and $1,400 recording a full-length album called 'Show No Mercy'.
"We'd listened to the first two 'Metal Massacre' records, and we knew we could do something better than that shit," states Tom dismissively. "So we purposely wrote something heavier, faster and more extreme. 'Aggressive Perfector' became the blueprint of Slayer to come."

"Dave Mustaine was a prick, is a prick and always will be a prick"
Kerry King

To make matters worse, although 'Show No Mercy' and 'Hell Awaits' had quickly sold 60,000 and 100,00 copies respectively, Slayer were still treated as a joke by the press. Bristles Jeff: "We liked our music and we didn't give a fuck what some asshole reviewer said. It just didn't fucking matter."

The spandex and make-up image of their early years were soon outgrown, a leather, studs and crucifix-fixated look suiting emerging material like 'The Antichrist' and 'Hell Awaits'. To top it all, King began to wear hand-made wristbands that sported three-inch spikes.
A widely published photo of the day saw the foursome leering over a scantily-clad woman that Hanneman later married, sporting menacing facial grimaces and looking, as Lombardo now agrees, "pretty silly." But, as he points out, "maybe in 15 Limp Bizkits and Korns will look at themselves and say the same thing."

"What did you want 'Angel Of Death' to say, 'Ooooh, Mengele was a very, very bad man?'"
Jeff Hanneman

'Angel Of Death', the opening track from 'Reign In Blood' was penned by Hanneman about infamous Auschwitz doctor Josef Mengele. It caused considerable controversy, even causing Def Jam's UK distributor to pass on issuing the album here (London Records later picked it up). 'Angel Of Death' was one of several war-themed songs written by Hanneman, whose own father had fought at Normandy, and whose band-mates Araya and Lombardo were of Cuban and Chilean extraction. The song included the line "Sickening ways to achieve the holocaust", but because it did not actually condemn Mengele, Slayer were branded Nazis.
"What did you want it to say, 'Ooooh, he was a very, very bad man?' - that's not what Slayer is about," Jeff protests sarcastically, to the amusement of the others. "That song was true, but we're a band that just tell stories. I have no regrets. You watch a documentary about Mengele on TV and who complains? We were on tour, I bought a book about him and realised what a sick fuck he was. So I wrote a song, that's the way this band often works."
During the 'Reign In Blood' tour, Lombardo quit Slayer for the first time. He was briefly replaced by TJ Scaglione of Whiplash, but eventually returned. Dave's now unwilling to go into detail, commenting: "There were a lot of problems for me, and I wasn't happy." So Slayer followed 'Reign In Blood' with the slower, yet equally crushing 'South Of Heaven' in 1988.
"That was the only premeditated record we've ever done," admits Kerry. "Going into it we knew we had to do something that nobody would expect." The album's single 'Mandatory Suicide' sported artwork featuring a teenager who'd hung himself in his bedroom. It stirred up further headlines, but again Slayer are utterly unrepentant.
"We're not answerable to anyone for anything," says Kerry, sounding slightly irritated. "If I stab you in the throat I'll take responsibility for that, but…"

Araya, who'd read a book on the serial killer Ed Gein, turned it into the standout song 'Dead Skin Mask' on Slayer's next album, 1990's 'Seasons In The Abyss'. The band appeared on the European leg of Clash Of The Titans tour, alongside Testament, Suicidal Tendencies and headliners Megadeth, however it ws marred by Slayer and Megadeth bickering about each other in the press. '…Abyss' was to be the last studio album to feature Dave Lombardo, who quit - seemingly for good - two years later. When asked why, he now responds: "I don't want to touch that question. I only want to talk about positive things."

"We didn't like Dave's wife being around. She'd even sit next to him on the drum riser
and if she wanted to screw with his head she could do that"
Kerry King

Slayer played Donington again in 1995, also accusing new kids on the block Sepultura of trying to steal their sound with the 'Chaos A.D.' album. Although the two parties have since reconciled, Tom now says: "It's true - they stole our sound because they hired (producer) Andy Wallace. And they got Andy because they liked what he'd done with us."

After Bostaph bailed, ex-Testament man John Dette joined them for 'Undisputed Attitude'. An album comprising mainly of punk rock covers, it's regarded as perhaps the one moment when Slayer lost the plot. The band disagree.
"I love that record - it rules!" Kerry objects. "Tom's spitting shit out at top speed, it's bad-ass and it's where we came from." And Jeff protests: "Of all our albums, that's the one I play the most - probably because we don't do those songs live. But it's awesome."
And Dette's performance on 'Undisputed Attitude'?
King: "Jon ripped as a drummer; he can play anybody else's shit to a tee, but making up his own stuff… that wasn't so happening."

With his experimental project The Truth About Seafood finally purged from his system, Bostaph rejoined Slayer for 1998's Rick Rubin-produced 'Diabolus In Musica' and the current 'God Hates Us All' before quitting last Christmas, citing an arm injury. The band share my confusion with the fact that Bostaph suddenly seems well enough to have joined Systematic.
"I was stunned when Paul said he was leaving, he I were the band's bar-rats," comments Kerry. "He told us four days before the end of a tour, and he only had a few weeks before another tour was due to begin. It's a little weird, but if he left Slayer for the reason he said he did - that he was worried about tendonitis affecting his career as a drummer… well, Systematic is nowhere near as demanding a gig. Personally, I think he could've got treatment and continued to play with us."

Hanneman reveals that as soon as he put down the phone on the call about Bostaph's departure, one word crept into his head: Lombardo.
"You did?" responds an astonished Kerry. "I'd seen Dave playing with Testament, and it wasn't that good. But when Rick [Sales, manager] suggested it, I wasn't opposed to the idea, as long as he came in and kicked ass."
Though extremely satisfied at the way things are proceeding, Kerry, Tom and Jeff remain evasive about the possibility of Dave remaining with Slayer.
"We'll review the situation at the end of our American tour," comments Tom. "Are we aware that it's what the fans want? Of course."

"I had no problem with opening for Slipknot because I knew they had one great record in them,
and that the second one would be even tougher for them"
Tom Araya

How far would you bend over backwards to keep Dave with Slayer? Kerry explodes with laughter, snorting: "That's a question I'm not touching! As people, we're cool again. It's possible he'll stay… and it's not impossible."
Tom: "It's all down to Dave. He knew us then and he knows us now."
So let's see what Dave Lombardo has to say for himself.
"This is the first interview I've done in a lo-o-o-ong time," he points out. "I kinda get discouraged by interviews, I just don't like doing them."
Consequently, very few people really know where the media-shy Dave's head's at in 2002. Reunited with Slayer after the sudden departure of Paul Bostaph, he has been touring with the band again since January. Slayer and their organisation have tried to make things real easy for the sticksman - no in-stores, no signings and no interviews… except this one!

After quitting in 1992, Lombardo admits he didn't really follow Slayer's fortunes. He says: "I didn't really have to, word of what they were doing came to me. I heard the first record they did without me ['Divine Intervention'] and then the punk one ['Undisputed Attitude']. I didn't actually purchase them, but people brought them by."
So were there moments when he regretted the decision?
"No," he insists. "Everything happens for a reason and I've accepted that. But things have turned full circle and it's better now."

Is that musically or personality-wise?
"Both, I guess. I feel I'm playing better now than I was ten years ago. I never expected to come back to Slayer, but people around me that I've respected kept saying, 'Dude, they'll call again one day'. And it's all going well. That hour and a half on stage is the most important event of the day, we put 200 per cent into it. Some of our personalities have changed and some stayed the same. But there's a definite good vibe, a sense of respect towards each other. We've matured and that helps immensely."
So when are you due to discuss whether you'll remain with Slayer?
"It's not a matter of staying or going, it's about organising our time," he cagily replies. "I also play with other groups. Slayer will be having some time off, so I'm gonna work on another Fantomas album [with singer Mike Patton]. When that's done, I could work with Slayer again."

You're saying that you envisage remaining with Slayer where schedules permit?
"Everything's cool and I'm optimistic that issues can be resolved," insists Dave. "We're playing this day by day and tour by tour. And, yeah, I'd like to keep it going."

'Reinventing The Steel' album and Tom made his peace with Max Cavalera, agreeing to guest on Soulfly's 'Primitive'. He now says: "Max is kinda reclusive, but he's a really nice guy when you get to talk to him."
2000 was a relatively quiet year, though in June, Slayer appeared with Iron Maiden at Earl's Court in London as part of the Metal 2000 bill. The aforementioned 'God Hates Us All' was produced by Matt Hyde (Monster Magnet/Sum 41) with Rubin looking over his shoulder. As well as the return of Lombardo as a "special guest" in 2002, as Slayer played a series of incredible shows across Europe, including the Ozzfest at Donington Park. Machine Head's Robb Flynn lambasted Kerry, claiming he looked like a member of Right Said Fred who'c eaten too many hamburgers. King's withering response: "It's nice to know that Flynn seems so well-informed about fags."

"If there's a third one, it'll be called 'Make Or Break' - but it won't break us," guffaws Jeff, unleashing a particularly noxious fart. "No, if we have to go on earlier than we think we should, that's our chance to go and drink beer and enjoy Ozzy. We don't sit around and complain, or even think about it."

Hanneman and King experimented with new tunings and even a seven-string guitar on 'God Hates Us All', but they're still accused of repeating the same album. Yeah, you guessed it… they don't give a fuck.
"Why would we try to be like Korn?" retorts King. "Why would anybody who likes metal want to play that stuff? It fucking sucks."
It's also overlooked that Slayer collaborated with Ice-T on the track 'Disorder' for the 'Judgement Night' soundtrack in 1993, an album that teamed up such unlikely bedfellows as Cypress Hill and Pearl Jam, and Run DMC and Living Colour.
"You know why that is?" says Tom proudly. "It's because there was no rap on that song - the only song on that album, and the best song."
Have they seen anybody that might someday take the flame from them? There's a lot of embarrassed shuffling, so I mention Hatebreed, who Kerry has praised in the past.
"They're cool, but they're more one-dimensional than us," he laughs.
Next up for Slayer is a live DVD and possibly even a career-encompassing boxed set. Speaking of which: if they could go back and change anything, would they do so?
"Just one thing," beams Tom. "I'd carry a video camera with me at all times!"

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

MOTORMOUTH!
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO KERRY KING!

"It's ironic that Ozzy can play for the Queen, but not show up for two Ozzfests."
Kerry on Ozzy Osbourne

"Have you seen his hair? Now he's trying to be Phil Anselmo. I've never slagged Machine Head - the band. We considered them sacred because we took them out on their first tour. But I've not liked anything they've done since the first album. So if Flynn interprets that as me saying, 'You suck and so does everything you're about', well… sorry."
Kerry on Robb Flynn from Machine Head

"It was the most Spïnal Tap thing I ever saw. They've got three guitar players onstage and you can't hear any of them until one does a lead. There's something seriously wrong with that."
Kerry on the reformed Iron Maiden

"I don't know whether they were doing a raindance at the Ozzfest, but I think I heard them doing a chant that would give them some credibility."
Kerry on Cradle Of Filth

"You know why he turned the gig [with us] down? His mum wouldn't let him play in Slayer!"
Kerry on Soulfly's Joe Nunez

"Musically they're pretty happening, but not that entertaining to watch. I need to be entertained, anybody can play fucking guitar."
Kerry on In Flames

"I hate to see them fail because they're my heroes, but the songwriting on their last two records just sucked a big dick."
Kerry on Judas Priest

"Interviewers come to me and ask me questions because they want a fucking opinion - and I've got one."
Kerry on Kerry