SLAYER Frontman Defends UNHOLY ALLIANCE Bill

July 18, 2008

Author and journalist Joel McIver spoke to Tom Araya of SLAYER this week for ThrashHits.com about the veteran metallers' forthcoming Unholy Alliance III tour with TRIVIUM, MASTODON and AMON AMARTH. Excerpts from the chat follow:

Q: Some people would say that you, SLAYER, are in a position to give smaller bands much-needed exposure by taking them on tour with you, rather than taking TRIVIUM and MASTODON out who are already established.

Araya: "I hate to say this, but at this stage of the game, for as many years as we've been out as a band, it's about income. When it comes to having a band who you would love to give exposure to, in all honesty, you would have to be really wowed by that band. I can honestly say that there's only been one other band in recent times that has done that for us, and that's SYSTEM OF A DOWN. Nobody knew them, but we heard them and we were like, 'Fuck! Let's take these guys out on the road.' And look what happened."

Q: So SYSTEM OF A DOWN was the exception?

Araya: "Yes, that was an exception. Can you name any other bands that deserve that kind of break?"

Q: Yes — tons!

Araya: "OK, there's tons, but is there one that gives you that 'wow' factor, that makes you say, 'Fuck!?' Because I haven't really heard anything recently that makes me say, 'Wow! This is fuckin' amazing!' You can sit back and name bands that are worthy of being exposed to a broader audience and would never be given the chance, but you have to look at it from our perspective. They're not gonna sell tickets, and the idea behind the tour is to try and sell tickets, to fill those seats."

Araya also discussed how long SLAYER can continue as a band after their next album, their last with producer Rick Rubin.

To read the rest of the interview, visit ThrashHits.com.

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