In a recent interview on the podcast Lipps Serviceiconic Slayer guitarist Kerry King has shared his thoughts on Eddie Van Halen’s impact on him, while explaining why his interest in the band faded over the years.
Initial admiration for Eddie Van Halen
When asked about Eddie Van Halen’s influence on his guitar playing, King admitted that he was captivated by the legendary guitarist’s talent early in his career: “At the beginning, for sure. I think I saw them six times during the tours for the first four albums. I couldn’t go to the one for the first album because I was too young.”
King, fascinated by Eddie’s technique, took an almost academic approach to concerts: “I always stood in the front row with binoculars, not only to appreciate the songs I liked, but also to analyze what he was playing and try to understand what he was doing.”
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A gradual loss of interest
Despite his initial admiration, the Slayer guitarist gradually distanced himself from Van Halen as the band evolved toward a more commercial sound: “Then they became more of a pop group, and I stopped going to their shows. Eddie was still a great player, but I didn’t care anymore.”
-This transition of Van Halen from an explosive hard rock band to a more mainstream aesthetic seems to have marked a breaking point for Kerry King.
One regret: never having met Eddie Van Halen
Despite his admiration for Eddie Van Halen, King revealed that he never had the opportunity to meet him in person, a rare occurrence for him in the music business: “I never met him. There aren’t many people I can say that about, but Eddie is one of them. We just hung out in different circles.”
