SLAYER – To Call It A Day After Final World Tour

The legendary thrash metal band announced its plans via a video featuring a compilation of press clippings, early posters and press photos spanning the group’s entire career.

SLAYER is rumored to be planning to hit the road in North America this summer, with support from LAMB OF GOD, ANTHRAX, TESTAMENT and BEHEMOTH. The run of dates is expected to be officially announced later this week.

SLAYER, LAMB OF GOD and BEHEMOTH last hit the road in North America together in the summer of 2017.

SLAYER bassist/vocalist Tom Araya talked about his possible retirement in a 2016 interview with Loudwire. He said: “At 35 years, it’s time to collect my pension. [Laughs] This is a career move.” He continued: “I’m grateful that we’ve been around for 35 years; that’s a really long time. So, yeah, to me, it is. Because when we started off, everything was great, because you’re young and invincible. And then there came a time where I became a family man, and I had a tough time flying back and forth. And now, at this stage, at the level we’re at now, I can do that; I can fly home when I want to, on days off, and spend some time with my family, which is something I wasn’t able to do when [my kids] were growing up. Now they’re both older and mature. So now I take advantage of that.” Araya added: “Yeah, it just gets harder and harder to come back out on the road. 35 years is a long time.”

Tom also revealed another reason for his diminished enjoyment of the touring life. He said: “There’s things that have gone on in my life that have made me change how I play as a bass player. I had neck surgery, so I can’t headbang anymore. And that was a big part of what I enjoyed doing what I do — singing and headbanging. I liked knowing that I was one of the fucking badass headbangers. That played a big part. Now I just groove with the music, which is cool, because I’m grooving with the music and the feel of the songs, so that’s changed a little for me.”

A few months later, SLAYER guitarist Kerry King told Germany’s EMP Rock Invasion that Araya was “very unclear” about his plans for the band’s future. “That’s just how he is,” Kerry said. “I don’t know if he likes holding his cards in his pocket or what.” He continued: “I mean, I don’t have an answer [as to what the future holds for SLAYER]. I’m holding off a lot of things I wanna do at home, just ’cause I don’t know if I’m gonna be working in two years. I’m gonna be working, hopefully in SLAYER. Yeah, dude. What else am I gonna do? I came out of high school and fucking went on tour. [Laughs]”

Pressed about whether there was any end in sight for SLAYER, King said: “Not for me. Not for me, man — especially on such a good record [2015’s ‘Repentless’].”

When the interviewer said that he was looking forward to another 35 years of SLAYER, Kerry said: “Well, I don’t know about that. I’ll take another record or two.”

Source: Blabbermouth.net

https://www.facebook.com/slayer/