Decibel magazine’s July issue (on newsstands in June) features a nine-page tribute to late SLAYER guitarist Jeff Hanneman in the form of a moving retrospective obituary, some of Hanneman‘s most biting quotes, and a litany of heartfelt remembrances from EXODUS, Philip Anselmo (DOWN, PANTERA), AT THE GATES, TESTAMENT, CANNIBAL CORPSE and countless other contemporaries, including BEHEMOTH guitarist/vocalist Adam “Nergal” Darski.
“This news was devastating,” Nergal said. “SLAYER was more than just a band. SLAYER, for me, has always been about the attitude that influenced myself and BEHEMOTH throughout the years. I’ll always be thankful.
“I remember when we were to open for them in Poland years ago for the first time. I had a chance to meet Armand [Crump], Kerry‘s [King, SLAYER guitarist] guitar tech (R.I.P.), and found out how big a BEHEMOTH fan he was. So, when I saw him doing guitar check with BEHEMOTH‘s ‘Conquer All’, I was bursting with pride. He would always let me watch SLAYER from the side of the stage. When we toured with them on the Mayhem tour in the U.S., I would go and watch SLAYER every single day. I never missed a show. One day it was Kerry‘s side, another day Jeff‘s. Another day I would watch from the front. Yeah … call me the luckiest man on earth!
“It was only once that I had a chance to meet Jeff in person. When us and a bunch of other bands, including CANNIBAL [CORPSE], would be barbecuing in the parking lot and he came down with Dave [Lombardo, SLAYER drummer] — both in party moods, ha ha — we encouraged them to get on our bus and do shots with us. I know, that is nothing spectacular — just another party situation. But keep in mind that for a kid who grew up on listening to ‘Evil Has No Boundaries’ when he was 9 or 10, stuff like that means the WORLD.
Hanneman passed away on May 2 from liver failure at the age of 49.
Members of SLAYER released a statement on May 9 saying that Hanneman died of alcohol-related cirrhosis.
Hanneman had actually not been playing with SLAYER for more than two years since he contracted necrotizing fasciitis, also known as flesh-eating disease, from a spider bite in his backyard in January 2011. The infection ravaged the flesh and tissues of Hanneman‘s arm, leading to numerous surgeries, skin grafts and intense periods of rehab that forced him into semi-retirement and left him near death at several points.
Hanneman‘s last appearance with SLAYER was in April 2011, when he played an encore with the band at the “Big Four” concert in Indio, California.
Paul Bostaph is “excited to be back” with SLAYER and is “looking forward” to hitting the road again with the band starting this week, the drummer revealed during his first interview since rejoining the group.
Speaking to Nikki Blakk of the San Francisco, California radio station 107.7 The Bone (hear audio below), Paul said: “I’m excited to be back. It’s been I don’t know how many years since the last time I played with them… I think 12 years or something like that. It’s been really cool to come back in the room and play some of the songs; SLAYER songs are epic and amazing. So that’s been great. We had a lot of great years together when I was with them — I had a lot of fun with them — and I’m hoping to continue all that. So I’m looking forward to it.”
It was announced on Thursday (May 30) by SLAYER‘s Tom Araya (bass, vocals) and Kerry King (guitar) that Bostaph will be behind the drum kit beginning June 4 when the band kicks off the first leg of its 2013 international tour in Warsaw, Poland. EXODUS‘ Gary Holt will continue to fill in for fallen guitarist Jeff Hanneman, who died on May 2 from alcohol-related cirrhosis of the liver.
Asked to recount one of his favorite memories of Hanneman, Bostaph told Blakk: “I remember the first time I ever met Jeff, when I came down to audition. [I met] each individual guy in the band. Tom had a big smile on his face; he was there when I got there, and he shook my hand. Kerry was all business and introduced himself and asked if I was ready to kick ass, and I [said], ‘Yup.’ And the tour manager came out and asked if I wanted to meet Jeff, and I’m, like, ‘Yeah, sure.’ So they had this big warehouse and Jeff was sitting in the front, watching TV, and I came in. I was standing in the doorway, Jeff was sitting on the couch, and the tour manager goes, ‘Paul Bostaph, Jeff Hanneman. Jeff Hanneman, Paul Bostaph.’ And [Jeff] didn’t even look at me, he just kind of nodded over my way and just [went] [makes grunting noise]. And he kept watching TV. And I was, like, ‘OK. Great meeting you.’ So we got to business, the audition part of it, and after we got done playing, everybody was really cool. But that impression of Jeff was really… After I got to know Jeff, it became comedic to me, because he didn’t realize he did it. Years later, I [asked him], ‘You remember when I auditioned for the band and remember when you met me?’ He was all, ‘No. What did I do?’ And when I told him, he couldn’t believe it. It was really funny and it was indicative of Jeff‘s sense of humor. Back then, they probably auditioned so many guys, it was just another drummer coming through for him. But I thought that was funny, because after that initial meeting, I thought, ‘Boy, that guy’s not really nice.’ But that was so not him. You know what I mean? That’s why I think that [memory of Jeff] stands out [to me].”
Bostaph was SLAYER‘s drummer from 1992 until 2001 and recorded four albums with the band — the gold-certified “Divine Intervention” (1994), the 1996 punk covers album “Undisputed Attitude”, “Diabolus In Musica” (1998), “God Hates Us All” (2001) that received a Grammy nomination for “Best Metal Performance”, as well as the DVD “War At The Warfield” (2001), also certified gold. In addition to SLAYER, Bostaph has been a member of FORBIDDEN, EXODUS, SYSTEMATIC and TESTAMENT.
SLAYER‘s 2013 itinerary will have the band playing 35 dates that will include headline shows as well as a number of major summer festivals in Europe, Eastern Europe and South America between June and October.
“Paul‘s a great drummer and a good friend, and we’re very happy that he’s decided to rejoin the band,” said Araya. “We’re still pretty numb from the loss of Jeff, but we don’t want to disappoint our European and South American fans, and we need to begin moving forward… Having Paul back in the band makes that a whole lot easier.”
In a 2003 interview with the San Francisco-based Internet music magazine Perfect Pitch Online, Bostaph broke his silence regarding the real reason he left SLAYER in December 2001. An official press release issued by the SLAYER camp had listed a chronic elbow injury as the reason for Bostaph‘s departure while a number of people had speculated that he left the band in order to join SYSTEMATIC. According to Paul, however, his reasons for leaving were purely musical.
“I didn’t leave SLAYER because of an arm problem, and I certainly didn’t leave SLAYER to join SYSTEMATIC,” Paul told Perfect Pitch Online. “I was ready to go. It was nothing personal towards anybody in the band, it was just my time to leave. Musically, I wanted to do something else. And in terms of the problem I had with my arm, I re-aggravated an old softball injury by lifting up a laptop at the airport. That happened right at the beginning of the tour, and it never had time to heal. But even at that point, I was considering moving on from the band.”
He continued: “SLAYER‘s a great band, and I had a lot of fun playing with them, but I have to feel like I’m taking chances musically.
“The first time I left SLAYER, I did [a project called] THE TRUTH ABOUT SEAFOOD — sure, it never got signed, but I enjoyed it a lot. SLAYER took my drumming to a new level, but there are also other levels of drumming that I haven’t even touched yet. I want to become a more eclectic drummer.”
Original SLAYER drummer Dave Lombardo sat out the band’s recent Australian tour due to a contract dispute with the other members of the group. Filling in for him was Jon Dette (TESTAMENT, ANTHRAX).
Former SLAYER drummer Dave Lombardo says that he learned via the Internet that he was being replaced for the band’s forthcoming European tour.
“And…. There you have it folks!” Lombardo tweeted shortly after Paul Bostaph‘s return to SLAYER was officially announced.
Asked by a fan via Twitter whether he heard directly from the other members of the band that he was not going to be joining them on the road this summer or if he just read it online “like the rest of us,” Lombardo replied: “online.”
Lombardo sat out SLAYER‘s recent Australian tour due to a contract dispute with the other members of the group. Filling in for him was Jon Dette (TESTAMENT, ANTHRAX).
During an interview with the KZRADIO.NET alternative radio station in Israel conducted on May 1 — just one day before the tragic passing of SLAYER guitarist Jeff Hanneman — Lombardo stated about his the circumstances that led to him being absent from the latest SLAYER trek: “Basically, I had to renegotiate my contract two and a half years ago and I got an attorney because it was too complicated for me to do it myself. And my attorney was asking questions. And the answers she got from her questions, they weren’t correct; they weren’t the right answers. So we worked on it for two and a half years. And 2013 came around and SLAYER had to go on tour, and I said, ‘Guys, I can’t go on tour unless we resolve this, I’ve been advised.'”
He continued: “What I need is clarity — clarity and transparency.
“You go and make money for somebody, and if somebody is gonna pay you a percentage, you need to know where all this goes. They say I don’t deserve to know, but I think if you’re gonna pay somebody a percentage, they deserve to know. Because how are you gonna know what you got paid when you don’t know everything else?
“It’s a little complicated, and there’s more to it as well. But I’m trying [to work it out with the guys so I can return to the band]. I sent an e-mail out to Kerry [King, SLAYER guitarist] and Tom [Araya, SLAYER bassist/vocalist] before I left on this tour [with PHILM]. I said, ‘Guys, let’s work this out like men. C’mon. Let’s work it out. The history of the band is gonna fall apart. The fans are gonna be disappointed. We need to do this for the history of the band; it’s something we need to keep together.’ And I have heard no reply; they have not contacted me.
“They feel that because I left in 1992 and I left for 10 years, they feel I don’t deserve [to know all the details of their business].
“I mean, I love the guys — they’re like my brothers — and I wish this didn’t happen. But now there’s like this wall between us.”
Regarding some fans’ criticism that money should not get in the way of the members of SLAYER making music together, Lombardo said: “What people don’t understand is that, being a musician, you have to be a part businessman. There’s contracts… If you’re a musician and you don’t have a contract and you don’t follow up on your business, people are gonna take from you and they’re gonna steal from you.
“Chuck Berry, Ray Charles… all those guys in the early days, they made, let’s say, $500. Well, a poor musician will be happy with $100. ‘Wow, I made $100.’ Well, what happened to the other $400? Who took the other $400?
“[Being] musicians, you have to understand business as well as your art and your music, and you have to be professional.”
On the topic of whether he can foresee himself returning to SLAYER in the not-too-distant future, Lombardo said: “It’s hard to say. It’s hard to say. I really wish we could work it out. Again: my door is open. I’m ready to talk; I’m ready to negotiate. If they don’t want to, it’s on them.
“The fans have spoken. I believe the fans have spoken and they feel that the band needs to stay together and not bring in some hired guy that… I mean, Jon [Dette] is a great guy, but has he done any albums? Jon Dette, the drummer for SLAYER now, has he done any albums? Has he ever recorded anything? I don’t think so. How can they get a guy like that to take my place that has not done anything in his career? What kind of musical choice is that for an artist? That’s like me bringing in somebody that’s not into heavy music into my band or something… I don’t know… It’s just very strange.
“I hope things work out. I hope everything works out for the fans; that’s what I want. And for the history of the band. When we get older and we can’t play anymore, I want the band to go out being still SLAYER. ‘Cause we’re all still alive. Can you imagine if one of us was dead? Then it’s hard. It’s like LED ZEPPELIN. You know, LED ZEPPELIN with Jason Bonham is not the same; it’s not the same. I hear double pedal in Jason Bonham and it’s, like, ‘Why are you doing that?’ ZEPPELIN is about single bass, you know.”
In the wake of Slayer guitarist Jeff Hanneman‘s death, the directors of the International Day of Slayer — the Slayer-centric holiday that sprang to life on 6/6/06 — announce a change in the status the celebration of this year’s version of “the world’s first heavy metal holiday.”
“With the passing of Jeff Hanneman, it would be reasonable to assume that the 2013 celebration of the International Day of Slayer would be a somber one,” said Hessian spokesperson and International Day of Slayer CEO Jim Tate, “but nothing could be further from the truth. This year more than any other demands full engagement and celebration from Slayer fans and hessians across the globe.” Tate explained that the term “Hessian,” derived from the long-haired maniacal mercenaries of the revolutionary war, is a term of cultural self-reference for metal fans.
He explained that the significance of the International Day of Slayer goes far beyond Slayer. “The outside world was once again forced to reckon with us as a cultural movement when they acknowledged the loss of one of metal’s most important figures, so it would be a mistake to simply hang our heads and close up shop. Jeff made music that was loud and defiant, and we must continue to uphold this standard in how we commemorate him and represent the hessian community,” said Tate.
Many commentators view Slayer as the “archetypal metal band” because of their uncompromising approach, their weaving of a mythology combining technology and occultism, and their unapologetic pursuit of a lifestyle apart from what modern society considers normal. In fact, some consider Slayer the saviors of heavy metal, which was veering toward the populist path which would lead to its assimilation by rock music, and absorption into a “metal-flavored” version of rock for sale as a mainstream product.
International Day of Slayer CTO Dag Hansen spoke up on this point. “Pizza wasn’t invented in Italy, Chinese restaurant food was invented in New York, Sri Racha sauce was created in California, Dutch ovens aren’t Dutch and French fries have no relation to France,” Hansen. said. “We don’t want metal to become another culture absorbed by the money machine and turned into a pale imitation of itself.”
“We at IDoS ask you to again stand up in the name of Slayer, in the name of metal, and in the name of Jeff Hanneman, and remind the rest of the planet that we are here, and we will not be going away anytime soon,” said Tate. “Good music is heroic and ultimately immortal, and now more than ever, the music of Slayer is exactly that. They created the battle hymns that so many of us have used to navigate our lives, ones we will continue to rely upon to as the days ahead grow ever darker. We cannot let these works fade with time. It is sometimes hard to remember that Slayer is comprised of mortal men like ourselves, but with the proper dedication and stewardship, their works can last a thousand years and join the ranks of masters like Beethoven and Wagner. This is what we must strive for by insisting on bands like Slayer for us and future generations.”
Reminding listeners that as every year, this year the International Day of Slayer will be on the same date, with the same agenda. “Join us. It is never too late to make your voice heard. Metal is the mission, Slayer is our weapon. On June 6th, stand with us to celebrate as visibly as we can,” said Tate. “Don’t go to work, listen to Slayer!”
The International Day of Slayer website exhorts users to:
* Listen to Slayer at full blast in your car.
* Listen to Slayer at full blast in your home.
* Listen to Slayer at full blast at your place of employment.
* Listen to Slayer at full blast in any public place you prefer.
DO NOT use headphones! The objective of this day is for everyone within earshot to understand that it is the National Day of Slayer. National holidays in America aren’t just about celebrating; they’re about forcing it upon non-participants.
Taking that participation to a problematic level
* Stage a “Slay-out.” Don’t go to work. Listen to Slayer.
* Have a huge block party that clogs up a street in your neighborhood. Blast Slayer albums all evening. Get police cruisers and helicopters on the scene. Finish with a full-scale riot.
* Spray paint Slayer logos on churches, synagogues, or cemeteries.
* Play Slayer covers with your own band (since 99% of your riffs are stolen from Slayer anyway).
* Kill the neighbor’s dog and blame it on Slayer.
Started in 2006 as both a parody of the “National Day of Prayer” and a tribute to the band that single-handedly brought the intensity back to heavy metal, the International Day of Slayer is a holiday for all who appreciate metal music and specifically, the works of Slayer. To celebrate, go to http://www.nationaldayofslayer.org and read the instructions there.
ABOUT SLAYER
Slayer is a speed/death metal band from California who starting in 1983 unleashed a new style of music based on fast tremolo phrasal riffs and chaotic solos, merging the ideological outlook of punk with the metal tendency to find mythology lurking behind the behavior of humans. For more information, visit the band at http://www.slayer.net
ABOUT JEFF HANNEMAN
Jeff Hanneman, one of the founding members of Slayer, is credited with inventing much of the band’s sound and metaphorical approach to lyrics, as well as writing much of its most stirring material. He passed away unexpectedly on May 2, 2013. A public memorial service was held for him at the Hollywood Palladium on May 23.
Contact: Dag Hansen
International Day of Slayer
PO Box 1004
Alief, TX 77411
(512) 553-4544
pr@nationaldayofslayer.org
SLAYER‘s Tom Araya and Kerry King are very pleased to announce that Paul Bostaph has rejoined the band on a full-time basis. Bostaph will be behind the drum kit beginning June 4 when SLAYER kicks off the first leg of its 2013 international tour in Warsaw, Poland. EXODUS‘ Gary Holt will continue to fill in for fallen guitarist Jeff Hanneman.
SLAYER‘s 2013 itinerary will have the band playing 35 dates that will include headline shows as well as a number of major summer festivals in Europe, Eastern Europe and South America between June and October.
“Paul‘s a great drummer and a good friend, and we’re very happy that he’s decided to rejoin the band,” said Tom Araya. “We’re still pretty numb from the loss of Jeff, but we don’t want to disappoint our European and South American fans, and we need to begin moving forward… Having Paul back in the band makes that a whole lot easier.”
“I’m very excited to be rejoining SLAYER,” added Bostaph. “We spent a very intense ten years of our lives together, had a lot of fun, made a lot of great music, so for me, this feels like coming home.”
Bostaph was SLAYER‘s drummer from 1992 until 2001 and recorded four albums with the band — the gold-certified “Divine Intervention” (1994), the 1996 punk covers album “Undisputed Attitude”, “Diabolus In Musica” (1998), “God Hates Us All” (2001) that received a Grammy nomination for “Best Metal Performance”, as well as the DVD “War At The Warfield” (2001), also certified gold. In addition to SLAYER, Bostaph has been a member of FORBIDDEN, EXODUS, SYSTEMATIC and TESTAMENT.
Pictured below: Paul Bostaph at public memorial celebration for Jeff Hanneman on May 23 at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles, California (photo credit: Stephanie Cabral)
Metal Injection West Coast correspondent Johnny Orlando Jr. attended last Thursday’s (May 23) public memorial celebration for SLAYER guitarist Jeff Hanneman at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles, California. You can now watch his five-minute video report below.
Members of SLAYER released a statement on May 9 saying that Hanneman died of alcohol-related cirrhosis. He is credited for writing many of the band’s classic songs, including “Angel Of Death” and “South Of Heaven”.
The guitarist, who passed away in Los Angeles on May 2, had actually not been playing with SLAYER for more than two years since he contracted necrotizing fasciitis, also known as flesh-eating disease, from a spider bite in his backyard in January 2011. The infection ravaged the flesh and tissues of Hanneman‘s arm, leading to numerous surgeries, skin grafts and intense periods of rehab that forced him into semi-retirement and left him near death at several points.
Hanneman‘s last appearance with SLAYER was in April 2011, when he played an encore with the band at the “Big Four” concert in Indio, California.
Hanneman recalled in a 2011 interview with Classic Rock magazine that he initially didn’t even feel the spider bite, adding, “But an hour later, I knew that I was ill. I could see the flesh corrupting. The arm was real hot. I got to the emergency room, and thank god the nurse knew straight away what it was . . . At that point, I was an hour away from death.”
Hanneman was well known for his aversion to the spotlight, avoiding interviews and even turning off his phone when he was not on tour to spend time with his family. He is survived by his wife Kathy, his sister Kathy and his brothers Michael and Larry.
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