‘Metal is like virus’

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Hailed as one of the strongest components of the Big 4, Metallica, Megadeth, and Anthrax being the others, Slayer’s performance comes after a long wait to India’s garden city. “We were slotted to play earlier but things never worked out.

We’re really excited the tour is finally happening and India is a great place!” says Gary Holt, who is playing instead of Jeff Hanneman, who is recuperating from a spider bite. The band, which has been around for close to three decades now, has been considered as the sixth greatest metal band of all times by MTV. Guitarist Kerry King says, “There can never be another Slayer or another Metallica. We’re part of history.” Their biggest albums include Reign In Blood, Christ Illusion and World Painted Blood. Needless to say, they love the stage. “We love it! We get so excited before a gig. Even if there are 95,000 or 15,000 people, the rush is always there,” says drummer Dave Lombardo. Their first album, Show No Mercy that came out in 1983, still evokes excited responses from fans.
“Heavy metal always survives. Different genres come and go, metal may even drop in popularity periodically but it’s like a virus. It never loses the connection with people,” adds Gary. The reunion with the Big 4 seems unlikely and Kerry says, “We have our own niche now and play what we believe in. All musicians must recognise what they stand for. There should be no qualms about advocating what you like.”
Like any musician, piracy evokes a strong reaction from them. “We’re very much dependent on tours so we can reach out to fans. I’ve never downloaded anything off the Internet. I pay for the music I love. When I was growing up, I would make a beeline to buy music by my favourite bands,” says Gary.
The band shared studio space with Justin Bieber recently for a song recording. “You must remember that he made $47 million in just a year. That is commendable,” says Dave talking about the pop sensation.
Slayer will be playing some of their oldest songs, instead of the new set. Dave said, “Unlike other countries, India hasn't heard any of our old songs so we would like to play the good ol’ Slayer numbers.”