In a recent interview with Rolling Stone magazine, SLAYER guitarist Kerry King discussed his relationship with the band’s original drummer, Dave Lombardo, who has been absent from SLAYER for over a decade. When asked if he had spoken to Lombardo, King bluntly replied, “No. Lombardo is dead to me.” Expanding on his feelings, the 59-year-old musician explained the rift: “[Dave] went on that tirade when we were on a flight to Australia, and he knew we couldn’t respond for 14 hours, and he threw me under the bus. I was the only one advocating for him to stay in the band.”
King further elaborated on the incident that led to Lombardo’s departure: “Tom [Araya, SLAYER frontman] wanted him out before that, and Jeff [Hannemann, SLAYER guitarist] was sidelined due to illness. I said, ‘We need [Dave]. The fans won’t understand if we replace him right now.’ Then the Australia thing happened. He threw me under the bus, and I’m like, ‘I’m the one who fought for you.’ So I thought, ‘Forget that guy.'”
Discussing the circumstances behind the split with Lombardo, King criticized his former bandmate’s impressionability: “He was listening to his attorney at the time, who thought we were as wealthy as METALLICA, which we’re not. She was just feeding him misinformation for her own gain, and he believed he deserved more than he did. It’s frustrating when someone doesn’t understand the reality of the situation.”
Lombardo, who has since been involved with bands like EMPIRE STATE BASTARD, SUICIDAL TENDENCIES, MISFITS, DEAD CROSS, and MR. BUNGLE, was effectively dismissed from SLAYER following a contract dispute that led to him missing the band’s Australian tour in 2013. Paul Bostaph, who previously drummed for SLAYER from 1992 to 2001, later replaced him.
