Now Slayer are Considering Ditching Jeff Hanneman
I’ve been a big Slayer supporter over the years. Okay okay okay, so I’ve never done anything moronic like carve their logo into my flesh or spent twenty-three dollars on Slayer socks, but I’ve always said that all of their albums — yes, even the non-Lombardo ones — are good, despite the fact that they never ever do anything different. In fact, but I am wearing a Slayer shirt right now by PURE COINCIDENCE — I put it on this morning before I checked my RSS feed or e-mail. Slayer are my favorite Big Four band because they never got crappy, never followed trends, and never, ever, EVER hired Joey Belladonna.
But I’m pretty cranky about this recent split with Dave Lombardo, and now that I’ve seen the below new interview Metal Obsession conducted with Kerry King, I am SUPER FUCKING CRANKY:
“I think Gary is in for the long haul. I haven’t really discussed it with him. But he keeps his schedule free when he knows we’re on tour… If Jeff all of a sudden came back in June, we would probably pay Gary for freeing up his time… But if Gary played with us for ever? I’m okay with that.”
In the words of Will Smith: OH HELL NO. Whatever your favorite Slayer song is, Jeff Hanneman most likely wrote it. Don’t believe me? Here’s Slayer’s setlist from Soundwave Perth on March 4:
- Disciple
- War Ensemble
- Die by the Sword
- Chemical Warfare
- Mandatory Suicide
- Altar of Sacrifice
- Jesus Saves
- Seasons in the Abyss
- Dead Skin Mask
- Angel of Death
- South of Heaven
- Raining Blood
Now here’s a list of those songs to which King’s greatest contribution was either penning the lyrics or rubbing Hanneman’s back:
- Disciple
- War Ensemble
- Die by the Sword
- Altar of Sacrifice
- Seasons in the Abyss
- Dead Skin Mask
- Angel of Death
- South of Heaven
- Raining Blood
Yup: 75% OF THE BAND’S SETLIST CONSISTS OF SONGS WRITTEN SOLELY BY A GUY WHO MAY NO LONGER BE IN THE BAND. (And, oh yeah, he co-wrote the three other songs.) What other current group is in that situation? Guns N’ Roses? Great company in which to find oneself.
So that’s about that. Sayonara Slayer, aloha “Slayer.” God-fucking-damn-it.
[via Classic Rock]
