The timing of Slayers reunion was definitely strange. Slayer guitarist Kerry King announced his long awaited solo band and album on February 5, and then the Slayer reunion announcement took everyone by surprise on February 21. And when I say "everyone", that even includes King's own solo band guitarist (and one-time Slayer live fill-in) Phil Demmel.
In an interview with Good Company, Demmel said he had no idea a Slayer reunion was in the works, and thought it was a little weird that reunion shows got announced before King ever hit the stage.
"Yeah, it caught me off guard," said Demmel. "I didn't know anything about it. To have a Slayer gig announced before we've even played a show [with Kerry King's new solo band] was really weird to me."
He added: "Slayer's none of my business — the 'why's and the 'when's, it's none of my business. I had questions when I first heard [about the reunion], and they were answered. And I'm a hundred percent at peace and good with everything that's happening."
You can catch Demmel and King doing their solo thing on tour with Lamb Of God and Mastodon (playing their 2004 albums Ashes Of The Wake and Leviathan in full) alongside Malevolence at one of the dates below. Get your tickets here..
7/19 – Grand Prairie, TX – Texas Trust CU Theatre
7/20 – Austin, TX – Germania Insurance Amphitheater
7/21 – Houston, TX – 713 Music Hall
7/23 – Jacksonville, FL – Daily’s Place
7/24 – Orlando, FL – Orlando Amphitheater
7/25 – Alpharetta, GA – Ameris Bank Amphitheatre
7/27 – Raleigh, NC – Red Hat Amphitheater
7/28 – Richmond, VA – Virginia Credit Union LIVE!
7/30 – Pittsburgh, PA – Stage AE
7/31 – London, ON – Budweiser Gardens
8/1 – Montreal, QC – Bell Centre
8/3 – Uncasville, CT – Mohegan Sun Arena
8/4 – Manchester, NH – SNHU Arena
8/6 – Bangor, ME – Maine Savings Amphitheatre
8/8 – Reading, PA – Santander Arena (w/ Unearth, no Malevolence)
8/9 – Cleveland, OH – Jacobs Pavilion (w/ Unearth, no Malevolence)
8/10 – Sterling Heights, MI – Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre @ Freedom Hill (w/ Unearth, no Malevolence)
8/13 – Moorhead, MN – Bluestem Center For The Arts Amphitheater
8/15 – Calgary, AB – Scotiabank Saddledome
8/16 – Penticton, BC – South Okanagan Events Centre
8/17 – Kent, WA – accesso ShoWare Center
8/18 – Portland, OR – Theater of the Clouds
8/21 – Los Angeles, CA – The Kia Forum
8/23 – Phoenix, AZ – Arizona Financial Theatre
8/24 – Rio Rancho, NM – Rio Rancho Events Center
8/25 – El Paso, TX – El Paso County Coliseum
8/27 – Magna, UT – The Great Saltair
8/29 – Morrison, CO – Red Rocks Amphitheatre
8/31 – Omaha, NE – The Astro Amphitheater
