| Blog Author: Alex Stojanovic It seems that 2013 was not a very good year in the Slayer camp. With the firing of drummer Dave Lombardo over financial issues, and the passing of Jeff Hanneman, many fans have turned their backs on Slayer saying that they feel it’s time for the band to hang it up. However, it seems that the band have no intentions of slowing down as they are still touring and working on the follow-up album to 2009’s World Painted Blood. Ever since Dave’s dismissal, he has been making statements in the press regarding his current relationship with the members of Slayer, and there are clearly no signs of him rejoining Slayer in the future. |
Dave recently went to Belfast, Northern Ireland to host a drumming workshop and master class, and during the Q&A, he spoke about his departure, and for the first time, he revealed the specific financial issues that led to the split.
Lombardo claimed that in 2011, Slayer made $4.4 million from touring, and of that total amount, Lombardo only earned $67,000. Lombardo’s revelation was recorded by a fan at the clinic.
“I did my best to try to keep it together, but I couldn’t go on, man,” said Lombardo. “I had to step out, because you can’t be shackled like that; nobody can take advantage of another person like that anymore. I did it for too many years, and I held my breath, red flags kept going on; and my books, it’s like, ‘Really? I’m supposed to make more money? Why am I on the same salary? I’m making the exact same thing I’ve been making the past two years. And this is back in 2004. So I knew something was up. And I tried my best to work it out with the guys. I brought Tom [Araya] into the picture. I had Tom in a hotel room with me talking to my attorney, and my attorney was telling him everything their management company had been doing to them for the past 30 freakin’ years. And we had an accountant, a forensic accountant, ready to go in there and look at the stuff.”
“Tom got bought out,” Lombardo claims. “Management flipped him over a couple of hundred grand — who knows how much? — and Kerry [King], as well, to keep quiet and go against Lombardo. So they turned their backs on me. And on the last day, when I’m at rehearsal with them — and I saved it all the way until the end — I said, ‘Guys, we need a new business plan. You guys have been on the same business plan after 30 years. Now I’m an income participant. In other words, I’m a percentage holder.’ So if you’re a percentage holder, you have the right, and you’re contracted, as a percentage holder, you have the right to see where all the expenses are going. Because here you are getting paid off of net, and then out of $4.4 million, the band gets $400,000. Where’s the four million? And that’s just 2011. [The rest of the money went to] lawyers, accountant and the manager.”
Lombardo continues, “For the past 30 years, they were doing that to the guys. And they took my information – I’ll never forget the day – I just said, ‘Guys, look at this. This came from your accountant.’ And it showed all the money. It wasn’t showing where the money was going, it was just showing ‘gross,’ ‘expenses,’ ‘net.’ And out of that net, I made, on tour, in 2011, $67,000. Kerry and Tom, that was about $114,000 they made on tour. So if you did about 60 shows, divide that up between 60 shows… Anybody have a calculator? No, not 60, let’s say about 90 shows per year: 30 in the spring, 30 in the summer and 30 shows in the winter, in the fall. So you break that up per show… Really? It’s disgusting. I bust my ass up there playing drums. I mean, I am just sweating, I’m beat. And for the guy in the Hollywood Hills, for his facials, his manicures… No, I’m not gonna play for that. No. I did everything I could. All I can say, right now my schedule is open. I can do whatever I want whenever I want.”
Lombardo claimed that in 2011, Slayer made $4.4 million from touring, and of that total amount, Lombardo only earned $67,000. Lombardo’s revelation was recorded by a fan at the clinic.
“I did my best to try to keep it together, but I couldn’t go on, man,” said Lombardo. “I had to step out, because you can’t be shackled like that; nobody can take advantage of another person like that anymore. I did it for too many years, and I held my breath, red flags kept going on; and my books, it’s like, ‘Really? I’m supposed to make more money? Why am I on the same salary? I’m making the exact same thing I’ve been making the past two years. And this is back in 2004. So I knew something was up. And I tried my best to work it out with the guys. I brought Tom [Araya] into the picture. I had Tom in a hotel room with me talking to my attorney, and my attorney was telling him everything their management company had been doing to them for the past 30 freakin’ years. And we had an accountant, a forensic accountant, ready to go in there and look at the stuff.”
“Tom got bought out,” Lombardo claims. “Management flipped him over a couple of hundred grand — who knows how much? — and Kerry [King], as well, to keep quiet and go against Lombardo. So they turned their backs on me. And on the last day, when I’m at rehearsal with them — and I saved it all the way until the end — I said, ‘Guys, we need a new business plan. You guys have been on the same business plan after 30 years. Now I’m an income participant. In other words, I’m a percentage holder.’ So if you’re a percentage holder, you have the right, and you’re contracted, as a percentage holder, you have the right to see where all the expenses are going. Because here you are getting paid off of net, and then out of $4.4 million, the band gets $400,000. Where’s the four million? And that’s just 2011. [The rest of the money went to] lawyers, accountant and the manager.”
Lombardo continues, “For the past 30 years, they were doing that to the guys. And they took my information – I’ll never forget the day – I just said, ‘Guys, look at this. This came from your accountant.’ And it showed all the money. It wasn’t showing where the money was going, it was just showing ‘gross,’ ‘expenses,’ ‘net.’ And out of that net, I made, on tour, in 2011, $67,000. Kerry and Tom, that was about $114,000 they made on tour. So if you did about 60 shows, divide that up between 60 shows… Anybody have a calculator? No, not 60, let’s say about 90 shows per year: 30 in the spring, 30 in the summer and 30 shows in the winter, in the fall. So you break that up per show… Really? It’s disgusting. I bust my ass up there playing drums. I mean, I am just sweating, I’m beat. And for the guy in the Hollywood Hills, for his facials, his manicures… No, I’m not gonna play for that. No. I did everything I could. All I can say, right now my schedule is open. I can do whatever I want whenever I want.”
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