Slayer Drummer Talks About Replacement
Thrash metal giants Slayer recently got a lot of publicity and heat from the fans for the current drummer issues the band is going through. After firing long time drummer Dave Lombardo from the latest Australian tour, the group has hired former Testament drummer Jon Dette to fill in the vacant position.
After various statements, band has admitted on doubting Lombardo for quite some time, giving the impression that the drummer even might not come back to Slayer. As far as Dette goes, he didn’t hide the happiness for rejoining metal veterans and has now even spoken about the possibility of permanently staying in the band.
“It’s baby steps right now. I think it would be too early for me to make a comment like that at this time, but all I can tell you is that we’re having a great time [during the Australian tour]. It feels great on stage and everybody that’s actually at the shows and seen the shows, not just the fans, but even the crew on the side of the stage all have smiles on their faces so I must be doing something right and I guess we’ll see what the future brings,” the drummer tells the Heavy Magazine.
Dette also pointed out that he is well aware of the fans’ anger caused by Lombardo’s firing, admitting that it’s natural for them to feel that way. He also stressed out that he most definitely holds anything against Lombardo and feels no animosity whatsoever.
“Lombardo has been such an integral part of Slayer and it’s only natural for fans to feel upset right now. I mean, I’m a Slayer fan first and, of course, I… paused a little bit when I heard the news, but… you’re never going to please everyone and the only thing that I can do… is give it the integrity that the music deserves then I feel that I’ve done my job and that’s all I can do. If the fans accept it then they accept it, if they don’t, they don’t, but that’s out of my control really.”
“I don’t know how Dave feels. I haven’t spoken to Dave in a few weeks. I saw Dave back in January at the NAMM convention, which is a large music convention in California that happens every year, and… I’ve known both of those guys for years now, obviously. I certainly don’t hold anything against them. There’s nothing to hold against them for the fact that they’ve recorded albums. There’s no reason to hold a grudge on anything like that, and as far as my history with Slayer in the past, it’s just something that was so long ago.”
Whether or not Lombardo will stay in the band still remains the biggest question among the fans. Apart from posting the initial announcement and thanking the fans for their support, the drummer still hasn’t addressed his future in Slayer, but will most likely have to do so in the near future.