Kerry King hasn't spoken to his former Slayer bandmate Tom Araya since the band walked off stage for the final time in November 2019. That's the biggest takeaway from a new interview King did with Rolling Stone promoting his new solo project.
Speaking to that publication's Kory Grow following the release of his debut solo single Idle Hands, King opened up on the current state of their relationship, revealing that he has spoken to every other member of the band other than Araya since the final show.
"I've talked to everybody else from the band on the phone, text or email," King explains. "If Tom hit me up, I'd probably respond. It probably depends on what he hit me up for, but I don't wish him dead at this moment."
King elaborates on the comments sharing that he and Araya have never really been on the same page at any stage of their musical or personal relationship.
"Me and Tom have never been on the same page, like if I want a chocolate shake, he wants a vanilla shake. 'Kerry, what colour is the sky?' Blue. 'Tom, what colour is the sky?' White. We're just different people. The further on in years we got, it just became more. "Am I going to hang out with Tom?" "He likes tequila a little bit, and I'm a big tequila-head, so I'll have my shot with him, and we'll part ways. We're not going to hang out or anything because we are very different people. And together, we made great music and a great live show."
King's reflections are his first public statements of any note about the Slayer breakup, the reasoning for which has always been slightly shrouded in mystery. King cleared that mystery up a little sharing his perspective. "I think just the wear and tear of the road. I think he wanted to be home. None of us are real spotlight seekers, but he's certainly not. And when [late Slayer guitarist] Jeff [Hanneman] was around, he was like a hermit. He did not want fame. I tolerate fame. Somebody's got to be that guy."
As for King's new project, the release of Idle Hands was accompanied by news that an album is on the way.Titled From Hell I Rise it will drop on May 17 via Reigning Phoenix Music and will feature his newly announced solo band consisting of vocalist Mark Osegueda (Death Angel), drummer Paul Bostaph (ex-Slayer), guitarist Phil Demmel (Viol-Lence, Machine Head) and bass player Kyle Sanders (Hellyeah).
Listen to Idle Hands below.
Shop for Slayer Merchandise
Listen to Idle Hands on our Metal Maniacs playlist
