SLAYER's Kerry King Recalls Paying Tribute To Jeff Hanneman At Golden God Awards - "I Went On Stage And Just Talked Unconsciously... I Was Just Kind Of Numb"
October 25, 2013, 10 years ago
In a new interview with LAWeekly's Jason Roache, SLAYER's Tom Araya and Kerry King discuss moving forward in the wake of Jeff Hanneman's death, the upcoming album, and returning to the site of an infamous riot 25 years ago.
In the following excerpt, Kerry King discusses the European festival dates performed just six weeks after Hanneman's death. For King, playing those shows was important to getting back to the business of Slayer.
"It's always a heavy decision to move forward with touring plans when something tragic happens," King state. "At the end of the day, this is my job. I have to earn money for myself, my band mates, and my crew."That is not to say that King did not mourn Hanneman's death. In fact, on the day of Hanneman's death, he was already scheduled to be a presenter at Revolver's Golden God Awards. All parties involved would have understood if King cancelled. But King decided to forge forward and attend the evening's festivities.
"I figured if I went," King says, "I might be able to relive some Jeff moments with all of the fans that have given us love and with friends like ZAKK WYLDE. I went on-stage and just talked unconsciously. I was just kind of numb. It was a sad day, but I went out there and tried to give him a sendoff for the fans that he would have wanted."
During King's speech, instead of calling for a moment of silence in memory of Hanneman, he called for "a moment of noise" in tribute to his fallen comrade. The fans responded.
Read the interview in full at this location.
