SLAYER - A chat with Tom Araya Page 3
by Tim Henderson

But some diehard fans (like me) boycotted the show...

Araya: "Yes, some fans didn't even buy tickets for the show. That to me was an insight because it let us know that a lot of fans didn't go to the show, but a lot of fans did go to the show. And the ones that did go to the show left after we played. It was a noticeable audience. When we played, we had nearly a full house and that let's me know that if Manson wasn't on the bill, we would've had a full house. And after we finished playing, half those people left. It didn't fill up anymore, if you know what I mean. In my opinion it was good for us. We got there, we played for 70 minutes until you got a nose-bleed and then we left. That's what you want, you want to pound, pound, pound and people walk around staggering wondering what happened."

Would you commit to Manson-style tour with another band off your fan-base's radar, such as RAMMSTEIN for example?

Araya: "We don't have an issue touring with a band that doesn't have an ego issue. Manson is somewhat that way. Funny you should mention Rammstein. We've done a few shows with Rammstein. We were in Europe and we did a few festival shows - we did one where we headlined the festival show and they opened for us. And then later on in that same summer tour, we did a show where we opened for them and they closed after us. So they were the headlining band. When we played with them and headlined the show, they had full access to the stage. We allowed them everything .. we didn't sit there and say 'no, we are the headline act, this is the space you have.' We were cool about it. Well, when it came our turn to open up for them, they would not move their gear and I had maybe five feet with a mic stand and two monitors, with a drum-riser right up my ass. So there are certain bands we might tour with, but they'd have to change that whole aspect of them, which is like in fear. To me, that's all that is is fear. Fear that we're gonna f**kin' kick your ass before you come out. So, restrict us what little space you can, so we come across as an opening band. And that's a philosophy that we don't live by. We were really good to them and they turned around and did that. The crew were pretty pissed. They couldn't believe that they were being that way, because of how we were for them. Karma dude, karma. It will come back and haunt you. I might not be there, but it will happen. And when it does, something inside me will notice - I'll get that tingling in my spine. 'Ahhh, karma is coming back (laughs).'"