Slayer

Slayer

http://www.americanrecordings.com/slayer
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Biography

Tom Araya - bass, vocals
Kerry King - guitar
Jeff Hanneman - guitar
Poul Bostaph - drums

Slayer was started in 1982 by Kerry King in the Huntington Beach area of California. He recruited Tom Araya, Jeff Hanneman and Dave Lombardo and they became known as the 'Huntington Hooligans'.

They started the local gig scene playing Judas Priest and Iron Maiden covers. The next year they were noticed by Brian Slagel who asked them to be on a compilation album. They agreed on the terms that Slayer would get an album recorded aswell. The EP 'Show No Mercy' was released. In 1985 they released the dark and satanic album 'Hell Awaits' also produced by Brian 100,000 copies were sold and Slayer began to get noticed. Slayer realised that their exploitation of 'threatening satanic imagery' got them fans.

Rick Rubin, a well known producer of hip hop and owner of Def Jam contacted them and signed them as the first metal band to his label. This led to their first European tour. Then 'Reign In Blood' was released in 1986 and it has been hailed as the 'ultimate thrash metal album'. Unfortunately it also labelled Slayer as Nazi's due to the albums content and their use of the iron eagle for the band's logo. Despite this the album hit gold even though no airplay.

Then Slayer hit a bit of turbulence Tom, Kerry and Jeff were unhappy with Dave, so Dave left to be replaced by Tony Scaglione, but he wasn't up to standard so Dave returned for the rest of the Canada and America tour. 1988 saw another album released and Slayer enter the 'big four' - Metallica, Anthrax, Megadeth, Slayer.

The 90's came and Slayer released 'Season's in the Abyss' a mix of old and new styles. It flew off the shelves making it their fastest and biggest selling album to date. This led to their 'Clash Of The Titans' tour. In Europe the headliners included Suicidal Tendencies, Testament, Megadeth and Slayer and in the US Alice In Chains, Anthrax, Megadeth and Slayer.

Dave was kicked out the band in February 1992 due to spending to much time with his missus and not enough practising and with the band. Poul Bostoph had just quit Forbidden and the band made him join. He was thrown into the Monsters of Rock tour in Poland, Czechoslovakia, Germany and Donnington, England. Taking a break till the following year gave enough room for bands like Sepultura and Pantera to emerge. Sepultura played with them at the Monster of Rock in Brazil 1994 and branded them Nazi's through the media. Slayer retaliated calling them 'a bunch of lowlife cocksuckers from Brazil' which didn't go down well but didn't lose them any popularity as the next years tour supported by MAchine Head and Biohazard completely sold out everywhere. Poul Bostoph left to work with another band and Slayer got Jon Detted from Testament. He lasted a year before he was fired, then Poul returned. 1998 saw their next new album, it charted at #31 and the guys started a world tour that went right through '99. It took till 2001 to record the next album due to record company problems. Then Poul got injured and Dave rejoined the band. read less

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