During a recent interview on Brazil’s Rádio Kiss FM 92.5 program “Bem Que Se Kiss” with Bruno Sutter, Kerry King discussed the contrast between being in SLAYER and leading his solo project.
“I still think of myself as a bandmember. Believe it or not, I never wanted to call [my new band] my name,” Kerry said (as transcribed by Blabbermouth). “I wanted to have a band name, but let me tell you something — you try to get a band name, see how far you get. I worked on it for years — years I had — and I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t do it. And then it became time to announce some of our first shows, and we had to call it something. So, everybody knew my name, the logo’s pretty cool, so we went with it.
“I still wish I could come up with a band name and maybe do like a RITCHIE BLACKMORE’S RAINBOW, because it’s really awkward for me when five of us are on stage and they’re just shouting for me… It’s weird. It’s weird. I’m not that kind of guy. I’m not that dude that needs my ego filled. I don’t need that at all. I want everybody else to get recognition too.”
Regarding criticisms that his solo project’s musical direction is too similar to SLAYER‘s, Kerry said: “The only thing I have to say to something like that, and it makes perfect sense — I want AC/DC to be AC/DC. I want JUDAS PRIEST to be JUDAS PRIEST. People want Kerry King to be Kerry King, I think. To me, it’s people that are just haters on the Internet. They have an opinion about everything, and no one gives a s**t about their opinion.”
King released his debut solo album, From Hell I Rise, in May 2024. In addition to King, the album features DEATH ANGEL vocalist Mark Osegueda, longtime SLAYER drummer Paul Bostaph, former HELLYEAH bassist Kyle Sanders, and ex–MACHINE HEAD and ex-VIO-LENCE guitarist Phil Demmel.
Source: metaladdicts.com
