Source: Bravewords.com

Australia’s “Purest Heavy Music Magazine” Heavy spoke with drummer John Dette, who recently completed double-duty, filling for both legendary SLAYER and ANTHRAX drummers, Dave Lombardo and Charlie Benante at this year’s Soundwave shows. Here are a few excerpts from the chat:

Dette on the possibilities of staying with Slayer:

“It’s baby steps right now. I think it would be too early for me to make a comment like that at this time, but all I can tell you is that we’re having a great time. It feels great on stage and everybody that’s actually at the shows and seen the shows, not just the fans, but even the crew on the side of the stage all have smiles on their faces so I must be doing something right and I guess we’ll see what the future brings.”

Slayer fans being up in arms when the news broke that Lombardo wouldn’t be touring Australia:

“Lombardo has been such an integral part of Slayer and it’s only natural for fans to feel upset right now. I mean I’m a Slayer fan first and, of course, I… paused a little bit when I heard the news, but… you’re never going to please everyone and the only thing that I can do… is give it the integrity that the music deserves then I feel that I’ve done my job and that’s all I can do. If the fans accept it then they accept it, if they don’t, they don’t, but that’s out of my control really.”

With Dette having replaced or filled in for Bostaph and Lombardo in Slayer and with Bostaph and Lombardo getting to record with both Slayer and TESTAMENT where Dette has only played with the bands; any animosity or grudges held?

“I don’t know how Dave feels. I haven’t spoken to Dave in a few weeks. I saw Dave back in January at the NAMM convention, which is a large music convention in California that happens every year, and… I’ve known both of those guys for years now obviously. I certainly don’t hold anything against them. There’s nothing to hold against them for the fact that they’ve recorded albums.” He continues “There’s no reason to hold a grudge on anything like that and as far as my history with Slayer in the past it’s just something that was so long ago. You know, it’s funny because when people start asking me questions about it again because of all of this has happened so suddenly I’m trying to remember because it was literally 16 years ago when I was in the band… I think that obviously Bostaph has done an amazing job with his time in Slayer and he’s done an amazing job in Testament as well and it’s great that he’s still on there playing and I’m sure regardless of what happens with Dave, if he comes back to Slayer, great, if he goes on and does other things I’m sure whatever he does will be phenomenal as well.”

Check out video of Dette with Slayer from Soundwave’s Brisbane below: