Slayer.

THERE ARE SOME THINGS IN SKATEBOARDING that are just mandatory. If you're going to call yourself a skater, there are things you have to do. If you're a "street" skater (which are most of you) you have to try and skate vert. I don't mean start at the flatbottom and dick around doing kick-turns. Drop in and do some flicking grinds. Learn some airs. Roll in. If you skate tranny all the time, try jumping on some handrails or learn some ledge tricks. Learn some flip tricks so that you can do them when you're cruising through the streets. I also don't buy that "driving to the skatepark and back" shit. Cruising through the streets is required a few times a week, if not everyday. Every skater should be able to say they grinded a pool too. I understand that if you live outside California it can be hard to find a good pool, but flick man...make it happen. Finally, if you're gonna call yourself a skater, you gotta listen to Slayer. At least have Reign In Blood in your music collection. If there's anything I've learned, it's that Slayer has an effect on skaters. It can turn any session into utter mayhem. Throw some alcohol in the mix and things can get deadly. They've been around longer than I've been alive and they're the baddest. Die by the sword. -- Sir Moochalot

Kerry King: It bugs me. For the most part it's run by corporate people that have no idea. Fortunately, we're on a good label that understands Slayer is Slayer.

What's your opinion on the record industry?

Any comments about the album being released on Sep. 11th?

Any crazy shit happen at your shows?

Coincidence. It didn't dawn on me 'til like two days later. We had done a record store signing that night at midnight in LA. About a quarter to six my sister calls and tells me to turn the TV on. I look up and there is a tower on fire. I'm like "Whoa, I wonder where that's at?" I couldn't clue in. Duh, its right across the bottom of the TV screen--you knew all along that's in New York. My first thoughts were, "We're not going to Europe, the tour's cancelled." I wanted the US to retaliate first then see how things are from then. If things are cool, then, I'll be cool to fly. That was the end of the discussion. But the tour wasn't cancelled. Pantera had already cancelled and no one had returned tickets yet. They still wanted to see us play. That was the deciding factor. I didn't want to disappoint our fans because that would disappoint myself. The Europeans have already dealt with that shit (wars) and it happened in New York, not in California.

In New York recently some fuckin' dufus threw his beer onto the stage. It lands right on the soundboard. The soundman is freaking. It fried the soundboard and we didn't have front house sound. The crowd was getting rowdy because they couldn't hear anything but what was coming through the monitors and our amps. Jeff and I are talking about how flicking lame this is and I get up to the mic and tell the crowd, "Listen, we got a problem here, and it's a drinking problem. You guys here in New York have a drinking problem 'cause you would rather throw your beer than drink it!" In New York the club had seats around the perimeter. Once the show started the fans started tearing out the seat cushions. It was raining seat cushions while we were on stage.

At the Palladium we were playing and a riot was going on outside. We were unaware of what was going on outside. They broke the glass windows on the front part of the building. We were just going to town playing on stage. Outside they had riot police and all that. I can't say we have ever had a show get out of hand. I know we have had instances of barricades buckling. When that happens I just go out there and tell them, "Look, this is what's up. This is what we're doing, so fuckin' chill! Don't give me any problems 'cause I'll kick you out. Just mellow out because we are going to continue the show but first the barricade must get fixed." Had to do that several times.

Top five bands of all time?

Are there any bands now that you are into?

Sabbath, Zeppelin. AC/DC, Van Halen, Jimi Hendrix, Deep Purple, Priest, Maiden, Pantera. There's too many bands to name only a few.

How has being in Slayer for over 20 years affected your life?

Chimera is really cool, I like their stuff. (American) Head Charge is really good; not particularly what I am into, but not bad. They're kind of like Ministry, not bad.

You guys are around 40. How do you keep the energy on stage?

Well, it's allowed me to buy a house. It's been a good fuckin' ride.

Well they both have their benefits. The arenas reach more people so we are exposed to new fans. The clubs are hotter, sweatier and lead to more chaotic shows for the hardcore fans.

Nerves, nervous energy. All because I don't want to flick up because everyone would know. I just kind of focus in. Before we go on I find myself pacing a lot, telling myself, "You're gonna have a good show." We all do neck stretches for the head banging. We're still head banging, not as much as we used to but we still head bang. Sometimes the music takes over and you start freaking out.

See any fans that have been there since the beginning at shows?

What do you think of Fred Durst?

You see them in the back and you can see a few in the front. The rest are all in the ages of 14- to 19-years-old. And that's good; it's a cross section now, a whole generation of new faces. I hope this first part of the tour will shake the leaves off the tree. Next time, more leaves. Some fans haven't seen us in 14 years. Some of them miss us because they didn't know we were in town.

Get a new hat.