On November 29 and 30, 2019, brought the curtain down on their 38-year career with the second of two consecutive shows at the 17,500- capacity LA Forum. It was a momentous occasion, but Kerry King, guitarist and co-lyricist since the very beginning of the band, shed no tears before, during or after the show. “I don’t think I had time,” he says today, casting his mind back.
“I was busy. Was it overwhelming? Yeah, probably. But tears? No, I don’t think one came out.
” The managers of the Forum had extended the curfew until 3am to facilitate a fabulously messy after-party, but even as family members, friends and VIP guests including Kirk Hammett, Scott Ian, King Diamond, rapper Post Malone and actor Jason Momoa offered their congratulations and best wishes on the night, Kerry had already mentally clocked off, eager to make his next move. Not only had he already discreetly assembled , and earmarked which unreleased songs from sessions for Slayer’s 2015 album this as-yet-unnamed group would re-record for his , he had even thrown out a handful of bespoke plectrums at the end of each gig on Slayer’s 19-date Final Campaign victory lap. These picks, collectors’ items today, displayed a silhouette of King playing guitar in front of a wall of flames on one side and the words ‘Reborn 2020’ on the other.
With this simple declaration of independence, Kerry King made it clear that, post-Slayer, he would still be taking care of business on his own terms. “I knew what m.
