Ex-SLAYER Drummer DAVE LOMBARDO: TOM ARAYA Wanted To Retire When I Was Still In The Band

September 17, 2019

During an appearance on the latest installment of Dean Delray's "Let There Be Talk" podcast, ex-SLAYER drummer Dave Lombardo confirmed that he has had no contact with his former bandmates in the six years since his latest departure from the group. "No, there's been no communication," he said (hear audio below).

Asked if he believes that SLAYER will truly play its last-ever show in November at the Forum in Los Angeles, Lombardo said: "Apparently, from what I hear. Tom [Araya, SLAYER bassists/vocalist] has been wanting to retire when I was in the band — he wanted to stop. He had the neck issues. He's been wanting to retire for a long time now. So now that he's got it, I'm happy for him, and I hope he gets what he wants out of life and his future."

The 54-year-old musician, who splits his time between crossover pioneers SUICIDAL TENDENCIES, horror-punk icons MISFITS and hardcore supergroup DEAD CROSS, was effectively fired from SLAYER after sitting out the group's Australian tour in February/March 2013 due to a contract dispute with the other bandmembers. He has since been replaced by Paul Bostaph, who was previously SLAYER's drummer from 1992 until 2001.

Shortly after his dismissal, Lombardo said that he discovered that 90 percent of SLAYER's tour income was being deducted as expenses, including fees to management, costing the band millions and leaving them with about 10 percent to split four ways. While he and Araya hired auditors to figure out what had happened, Lombardo said he was never allowed to see any of the information obtained.

A few years ago, SLAYER guitarist Kerry King said that "when Dave was in [the band] this last time, I figured I'd be on the stage with him until one of us fell off the stage, dead. Things change. He got some bad advice and listened to some bad advice, gave us an ultimatum ten days before we went to Australia [to do the Soundwave festival tour]. And I said, 'I can't have this over my head.' And I feel bad for Dave to this day; I really feel bad for him because he shot himself in the foot. Maybe he thought he had the upper hand, but you ain't gonna get me."

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