The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has long been a source of debate, especially among fans of heavy music. But few voices have captured the frustration surrounding the Hall’s selection process as bluntly as Kerry King of Slayer, who is still wondering what more his band needs to do to be recognized.
In a recent conversation with Billboard Brasil, King didn’t hold back when asked about the possibility of Slayer being inducted. “Pfft. Why don’t we see them there yet? [Laughs] I don’t know. We’ve never even been on the nomination list, so I don’t know what they’re waiting for. How many more decades do we have to play? Forty years isn’t enough, I guess. I don’t know. We’ll see.”
The guitarist went on to describe his own experience visiting the Rock Hall museum in Cleveland. Initially skeptical, he admitted to being surprised by how much it impressed him.
“I went to the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame museum in Cleveland, Ohio, thinking I’d be there for, like, a half hour, and I didn’t go there until like 10, 15 years ago. It took me a while. And I’m, like, ‘Eh, I’ll go check it out for maybe like a half hour.’ I was in there for four hours, and there’s a lot of cool stuff in there.”
Still, when it comes to the idea of Slayer joining the ranks of inducted artists, King remains realistic. “Is it something that’s gonna make my career complete? Absolutely not. If my parents were alive, I would be stoked if we got in there so I can say, ‘Hey, mom, I’m in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.’ That would be cool.”
He’s quick to point out the flaws in the institution’s process, too: “To me, if it happens, it happens, ’cause, obviously, the voting process and the election process are a little faulty. So we’ll see. And I’m here badmouthing it, probably isn’t helping my situation. [Laughs]”
Yet despite his cynicism, King understands the emotional weight such an honor would carry — not just for him, but for the fans.“If we ever got nominated and the fans elected us to be in, it would be honorable, for sure, just to say these kids from Los Angeles got together and ripped the world a new f**king asshole.”
When reminded that Slayer helped change the course of heavy metal, King acknowledged their place in a larger movement. “Yeah, we were part of it, for sure. There was a movement of a lot of bands, ironically at the same time, that came out and then put thrash on the map.”
King expressed similar sentiments in a 2015 interview with VH1.com, hinting at hoping for the call. “I’m not making a ploy to get in, but it makes me think, ‘Man, I hope they call my name one of these days.’ I think it took them a long time to get Metallica in there. But Metallica basically opens the door for us, because when you think of metal, who do you think of next from that generation? Of course, there’s Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, and Iron Maiden, without question. But for the ‘Big Four,’ you think Metallica… We’ve always been number two on the ‘Big Four‘ shows. So come on, Rock Hall, give us that call! We’re ready! I’ll donate some change or something. [Laughs]”
While eligibility for induction starts 25 years after a band’s debut, many cornerstone metal acts — including Iron Maiden and Motörhead — still haven’t been recognized. That oversight continues to fuel criticism of the Hall’s inconsistent criteria and rock-genre bias.
Meanwhile, it’s up to Slayer devotees, along with Kerry King himself, to simply wait and wonder when one of heavy metal’s greatest groups will be presented with the recognition they clearly deserve.
1 Comment
RRHOF is a joke and is not worthy of Slayer. It’s a badge of honor not to be included.