The Metal Files

Since today is the International Day of Slayer, I thought I’d post this Slayer memory.

February 17, 1991, 10 days prior to my 21st birthday.  Slayer and Testament invaded The Boathouse in Norfolk, VA.  Slayer was promoting Seasons In The Abyss and testament was on The Souls of Black Tour.  I had seen testament at least once before and they were awesome.  To this day they are one of the best bands I have ever seen and I try to catch them every chance I get.  I had never seen Slayer before this night and I wasn’t much of a fan of the Seasons album but liked everything before it.  I remember going to buy my ticket and complaining that it was $15.  Hell, I was only making about $6.50/hr or so at the time.

It was an awesome show though.  Both bands delivered.  Testament was phenomenal and Slayer was probably more intense than any band I had ever seen.  There were mosh pits everywhere during Slayer.  Like a fool I decided to get into one at the back of the venue.  I may have gone around the circle once or twice when I fell over some dude who hit the floor in front of me.  My face lands square on his back and I thought I broke my nose.  Luckily there was no blood but my nose has been slightly off center ever since.  Damn that hurt.

On the wall in various parts of the venue were printouts as seen below with the band’s photocopied autographs.  I snagged one immediately when we walked in.  After the show the staff was trying to clear the parking lot and a few of use were trying to ditch them and see if we could meet some of Slayer.  I was able to get about 30 seconds with Kerry King who walked out with a towel around his neck.  I asked him to sign the back of this piece of paper and he asked what I thought of the show.  I told him I thought it was great.  He signed it, shook my hand, thanked me and got on the bus after a few other folks got to talk with him for a moment.  Total class act that night.  Jeff Hanneman came out and had a group of guards around him.  No one got close so we bailed.

It was a pretty cool night and overall an awesome show.  I got to meet Lombardo several years later and will talk about that meeting some other time.

Slayer sign (click to enlarge)

Kerry King's autograph