Slayer’s Kerry King says today’s rock scene is sadly lacking in guitar heroes.
The guitarist doesn’t think many of today’s up-and-coming or established rock acts have guitar players who other musicians aspire to be like.
He tells LA Weekly: “During the decade before Slayer, and decade after, there were guitar heroes. Ted Nugent, Eddie Van Halen, Randy Rhoads, Dave Murray, Glenn Tipton, Tony Iommi.
“Later on, there was Yngwie Malmsteen. You had guys in the 90s like Zakk Wylde and Dimebag Darrell – people that you would aspire to be.”
King recalls a conversation he and fellow Slayer member Gary Holt had at a recent festival, in which both lamented the lack of a “vibe” being shown by one act.
He adds: “We were at a festival in South America a few years ago and we were watching a video feed of the band that was playing onstage. I was watching the screen and I just did not get why this band was popular at all.
“I pulled Gary Holt aside. I pointed at the screen, and asked him, ‘Hey, Gary, would you aspire to be these guys?’ He said, ‘Not at all.’ It was because they were the most boring and lethargic guitar players I had ever seen.
“I would never want to be these guys. I’m looking at a lot of these bands and it looks like it’s the road crew sound checking to me. There’s no vibe. There’s nothing that gives you aspirations to be awesome.”
Slayer release 11th album Relentless in September and this month issued a stream of the title track. They have a string of dates lined up for this year.
SLAYER TOUR DATES
Jun 30: Seattle White River Amphitheatre, WA
Jul 01: Boise Ford Idaho Center, ID
Jul 03: Phoenix Ak-Chin Pavilion, AZ
Jul 04: Albuquerque Isleta Amphitheatre, AZ
Jul 05: Denver Red Rocks Amphitheatre, CO
Jul 07: Council Bluffs Harrah’s, IA
Jul 08: Milwaukee Eagles Ballroom, WI
Jul 10: Indianapolis Klipsch Music Center, IN
Jul 11: Detroit DTE Energy Music Center, IN
Jul 12: Chicago First Midwest Amphitheatre, IL
Jul 15: Toronto Molson Canadian Amphitheatre, ON
Jul 17: Pennsauken Susquehanna Bank Arts, NJ
Jul 18: Pittsburgh First Niagara, PA
Jul 19: Hartford Xfinity Theatre, CT
Jul 21: Holmdel PNC Bank Arts Center, NJ
Jul 24: Bristow Jiffy Lube Live, VA
Jul 25: Winthrop Xfinity Center, MA
Jul 26: Wantagh Nikon Theatre At Jones Beach, NY
Jul 29: Atlanta Aaron’s Amphitheatre At Lakewood, GA
Jul 31: San Antonio White Water Amphitheatre, TX
Aug 01: Houston Cynthia Woods Pavilion, TX
Aug 02: Dallas Gexa Energy Pavilion, TX
Oct 25: Tilburg, Netherlands
Oct 26: Paris Le Zenith, France
Nov 05: Milan Alcatraz, Italy
Nov 07: Vienna Gasometer, Austria
Nov 08: Leipzig Haus Auensee, Germany
Nov 10: Munich Kulturhalle, Germany
Nov 12: Berlin C-Halle, Germany
Nov 13: Berlin C-Halle, Germany
Nov 15: Ludwigsburg MHP Arena, Germany
Nov 16: Frankfurt Jahrhunderthalle, Germany
Nov 17: Brussels AB Hall, Belgium
Nov 19: Luxembourg Rockhal, Luxembourg
Nov 21: Newport Centre, UK
Nov 22: Plymouth Pavilions, UK
Nov 24: Manchester O2 Apollo, UK
Nov 25: Glasgow O2 Academy, UK
Nov 26: Vienna Gasometer, Austria
Nov 27: Birmingham O2 Academy, UK
Nov 28: Leeds O2 Academy, UK
Nov 30: London O2 Academy Brixton, UK
