Statement From Dave Lombardo Regarding Slayer Australian Tour 2013
I want to personally apologize to all of our fans in Australia who have bought tickets for the tour expecting to see me in my usual place on the drums.
So that you all know the truth, as of the end of the business day on February 14th, I was notified that I would not be drumming for the tour in Australia. I’m saddened, and to be honest I am shocked by the situation.
Last year, I discovered 90% of Slayer’s tour income was being deducted as expenses including the professional fees paid to management, costing the band millions of dollars and leaving 10% or less to split amongst the four of us. In my opinion, this is not the way a band’s business should operate. I tried rectifying it by letting my band mates know, and Tom and I hired auditors to figure out what happened, but I was denied access to detailed information and the necessary back up documents.
I spent the Christmas and New Year holidays realizing I had toured all over the world in 2012, but yet, had not been paid (except a small advance) or provided a proper accounting for a full year’s sweat and blood. On top of this, I was told that I would not be paid until I signed a long form contract which gave me no written assurance of how much or on what basis management would deduct commissions, nor did it provide me access to the financial budgets or records for review. It also forbade me to do interviews or make statements having to do with the band, in effect a gagging order.
Last Monday, I sat down with Kerry and Tom to rehearse for Australia and to propose a new business model that I felt was the best way forward for Slayer to confidently protect itself so we could do what we do best . . . play for the fans. Kerry made it clear he wasn’t interested in making changes and said if I wanted to argue the point, he would find another drummer. On Thursday, I arrived at rehearsals at 1 pm as scheduled, but Kerry did not show. Rather, at 6:24 pm I received an email from the lawyers saying I was being replaced for the Australian dates.
I remain hopeful that we can resolve our issues. But once again, I sincerely apologize to all of our fans in Australia who spent their money expecting to see the 3 of us original Slayer members.
I look forward to seeing you in the future.Sincerely,
Dave Lombardo
Link to the post on his Facebook page. I hold nothing against Dave at this point. After reading that it is very clear that something is going on where he is not getting, and the actual band for that matter is not getting the revenue they deserve. It is a sad day in this world where management of established bands can still take so much of their money when they are the ones out their day in and day out performing and earning the money. Hopefully Dave and the band can get this straightened out soon because like me I am sure all of you want to see him performing Raining Blood and nobody else.
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Sad. It’s what happens when business takes priority above music.I hate this shit, really. It’s something that I appreciate in the “smaller” extreme metal scene: bands playing just for the sake of it.
For me a band is not only the music, there is a lot more that makes me like it or not. Specially because now when I listen to Slayer I will not visualize a group of badass musicians but just businessmen in fancy dresses. And that kills the fun.
I wasn’t a big fan of Slayer lately, but it’s sad anyway. Well, this kills for me the only one of the Big 4 that I still happened to like a bit.
It makes me think about Black Sabbath and Bill Ward. Stuff like this happens and then you have to sit back and think if they really care. Without the two’s respective drumming styles neither band would have had the sound the did.