Kerry King’s Top Three Things to Kill Time on a Summer Tour

Slayer's inimitable Kerry King told Noisecreep, "I don't remember what summer is like without touring! All we ever do in the summer is tour!" While that fact may bring an ear-to-ear grin to the faces of metalheads, it often means long hours with lots of idle time for bands who only spend a few hours a day performing and attending to promotional events like interviews, meet and greets and autograph signings. Slayer will co-headline this summer's Rockstar Energy Mayhem Fest and King, a seasoned professional when it comes to touring, revealed his top three ways to kill time while on the wide, open road, to Noisecreep.

He caters to his belly: "On days off, me and our tour manager will go out and find a nice place to eat, because we deserve it! Other than that, we don't do a lot on a day off. That's the first thing we do. Find food!"

Seeks out reptiles: "I am a reptile breeder, so if I know one who is in the same town where I am touring, I look them up, go hang out and check out their reptiles." King was an avid reptile breeder in the 1980s through the mid-to-late 1990s, but gave it up since "it took time away from Slayer. But then, I got back into specializing in one particular kind of reptile: carpet pythons." King digs that particular type of snake because "of their visuals, color morphs and hidden genetics." King has built up a reputation in the reptile breeding world, and said that some of his colleagues have no idea he plays guitar in an iconic metal band!

Recovery: "Usually a day off comes after three or four days of playing, so I need some time to recover."

King also dabbles in fashion. A few years ago, he launched a clothing line via his KFK Industries, but the project has since languished on the backburner. "I have not been actively pursuing that, because I am a lazy sack of sh-t," King said with a chuckle. "But I have fantastic ideas. I would not be surprised to see it on a tent for my line at the Mayhem Fest this summer."