In a new interview with Full Metal Jackie, Slayer guitarist Gary Holt has admitted to using tutorials to learn some of the band’s songs.
While discussing this year’s upcoming Slayer shows, the guitarist was asked what makes it look forward to playing together again. He responded saying he has been relearning some songs:
“It’s gonna be fun. It’s gonna be a lot of fun. Just now I’m in the process of relearning how to play most of this stuff. I don’t need like any tutorials on how to play ‘South of Heaven’ or ‘Seasons in the Abyss’ or ‘Raining Blood’ or ‘Angel of Death,’ but some of the other stuff. Cause we don’t know what we’re playing yet.”
He added that it has been years and that the muscle memory is no longer there:
“So my attitude, I’m just approaching this thing to where any song I ever played with Slayer, I’m going to be prepared to play it in case Kerry [King] and Tom [Araya] decide they want to do it. So I’m having to do my homework. It’s not as easy. Five years later, some of this stuff, the muscle memory isn’t there anymore, but it’s going to be a lot of fun.”
Paul Bostaph Never Saw It Coming
In another interview with RockSverige, the drummer Paul Bostaph was asked if he was as surprised as Kerry King about the announcement of three Slayer reunion shows later this summer and early fall. He responded:
“Yeah. I mean, Kerry knew it before I did, but yeah. I got the phone call and I never saw that coming. Really, when it was done in 2019, I went, ‘That’s all. That’s it.’ I’m not going to sit there and go, ‘I hope it happens again.’ I’m like, ‘It’s done. Time to move on.’ It was a fun ride while I was there and a great band, but then, all of a sudden, I get that phone call and I was, like, ‘Huh?’”
He shared his excitement:
“It’ll be great. It will be great to jam with Tom [Araya] and Gary and Kerry, which I’m doing anyway [in Kerry’s solo band], but just playing Slayer songs. It’s Slayer, so what’s not to really like about it, unless you don’t like Slayer. But yeah, I was surprised about it.”
A Tour Won’t Be Happening
Slayer announced they would reunite for shows at Aftershock, Riot Fest, and Louder Than Life festivals this fall, but they have said they won’t be doing a full tour again. Kerry King said of the upcoming shows:
“We’re never gonna tour again — it ain’t gonna happen. We’re never gonna record again; that’s not gonna happen either. But to do commemorative shows, I think that’s kind of fun. I don’t have to be married to it for a long time. Kids don’t have to worry about it coming around on tour because we said we wouldn’t. There’s not a whole lot of weird diabolical sh*t going on here. I think people have just gotta say, ‘Hey, it’s anniversary celebration shows.’ That’s gonna be the end of it.”
Slayer’s final world tour started on May 10, 2018. The band intended to visit as many places as possible so fans could see one last Slayer show and say goodbye. Over the 18-month tour, the band did seven legs and several major summer festivals. They played more than 140 shows in 30 countries and 40 U.S. states before ending at the Forum.