The Complete Story of Slayer
The Complete Story of Slayer
Slayer came to life in the LA. Surburb of “the Huntington Beach Area”. Soon they won the reputation of “the Huntington Hooligans”. The band was started by Kerry King, a guitarist who was looking for other muscians to start a band. Prior to that, he had been in another band, with Tom Araya. Kerry met Jeff Hanneman, another guitarist, who was very interested in the punk movement that was going on at the time. Later the two teamed up with a very skilled drummer by the name of Dave Lombardo.
Slayer became a reality when singer and bassist Tom Araya joined the band after Jeff Hanneman talked to him about joing the band. By the time, Jeff asked Tom, Tom worked in a nearby hospital as a respiratory therapist.
Slayer first played in 1982, performing other artists songs. Artists such as Judas Priest and Iron Maiden. At first, Slayer started playing at small clubs, later they also played in weekends and so the snowball started rolling...
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However, it was first in 1983 things really started to happen for the band. While performing in a local club called “Woodstock”, a guy named Brian Slagel who owned Metal Blade records, watched them perform. After the show, Brian Slagel went backstage with an offer to Slayer about making a number for the upcoming compilation “Metal Massacre III”.
Tom & co. was hooked on the idea and they agreed to make a song but only if Brian would help them record a record. Slayer then did the number “Aggressive Perfector” for the compilation lp. Brian Slagel then helped Slayer producing their own record, it was called "Show No Mercy" and it came out in December 1983. Show No Mercy was instantly hailed as a masterpiece by heavy freaks and magazines around the US. and Europe. Many critics laughed of it though. The cover shows a goat/satan type thing and it looks like some sort of a cartoon figure. But ok, back in ‘83 all that satan stuff was new and exiting.
In 1983, another classic album also came out - you guessed it, Metallica’s “Kill ‘Em All”. Metallica started in 1981, just as Slayer did.
Show No Mercy consisted most of a lot of screams, guitar solos and fast drumming. One thing was clear for everyone; Tom, Jeff, Kerry and Dave was appreciated as fine muscians who could play their instruments very well. For example, in...