SLAYER Frontman Talks About Gall-Bladder Surgery

May 22, 2006

SLAYER frontman Tom Araya spoke to Chris Harris of MTV.com about his recent gall-bladder surgery which has forced the band to postpone the kick-off date of their Unholy Alliance tour by 11 days. Araya's been advised to rest for six weeks, as he continues to experience occasional soreness in his abdomen.

"My doctor wants me to take it easy," Araya said. "He told me not to do anything stupid. No serious lifting. ... I couldn't lift anything heavier than five pounds the first week [following the operation], and you increase it by five pounds each week. So, by the time we hit the road, I should be able to carry my bass."

Araya said he'd been flying back and forth between Los Angeles — where SLAYER have been working with producer Josh Abraham (STAIND, VELVET REVOLVER) on their forthcoming, yet-untitled LP — and Texas, where the bassist lives. During the last flight he'd been on, Araya didn't feel quite right, and "I kind of found myself in the emergency room with intense pain," he said. Three days later, he was meeting with a surgeon, who told him that if the situation wasn't dealt with soon, he'd be spending his Unholy summer in pain.

"It's a condition that develops slowly over time, and it's genetic," Araya said. "Everyone in my family's had gall-bladder issues. For the better part of my younger years, it was nothing but drinking, sex, drugs and rock and roll. I've changed a big part of my life. I stopped doing that sh-- ... 12 years ago. So that kind of helped me go a little longer than normal.

"The gall bladder's supposed to be a really thin membrane, and mine was an inch thick. So obviously, I'd done myself some major damage over the years. And if I don't take the time to heal, I could have other complications, and I'll be f---ed up the rest of my life dealing with those complications."

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