Dave Lombardo

Will Dave Lombardo Get Any Songwriting Credit on the Next SLAYER Album?

I'm near positive I don't need to recap the entire "Slayer vs. former drummer Dave Lombardo" thing for you, but the most recent development is that Lombardo says he'll never go back to the group. For their part, Slayer are in the studio trying to finish their record. But they've been working on the album for a really long time, even before Lombardo quit. Lombardo was present for many of the writing sessions and had to have contributed some drum parts to the writing. But the question now is: will the band use any of his contributions? Lombardo recently spoke with Thrash Zone, and when the topic of thenew Slayer song, "Implode," came up, he had this to say. "I worked on all of the songs that are going to be on the new album with Kerry [King, guitar]. They've been working on that album… shit… for years now. 'Implode', their new radio hit, is basically the guitar tracks that were done during my session, but they've removed my drums and added Paul's [Bostaph, current Slayer drummer]." You can't be surprised that Slayer decided to re-do his drum tracks with their new, permanent drummer. I'm assuming the band wants to give Lombardo as little money as possible. But the question is, how involved was Lombardo in the songwriting process? And if he wrote core parts, how much would need to be changed for him to be kept off the songwriting credits? Could there be a major lawsuit on the horizon? We need a lawyer in the comments…

PATTON, LOMBARDO RESURRECT FANTÔMAS

Star-studded noise-mongers FANTÔMAS — who feature in their ranks FAITH NO MORE frotnman Mike Patton, MELVINS guitarist Buzz Osborne, MR. BUNGLE bassist Trevor Dunn, and ex-SLAYER drummer Dave Lombardo — have been confirmed for the first-ever RockOut festival, set to take place December 6 at Espacio Broadway in Santiago, Chile. Also scheduled to appear on the bill are DEVO and PRIMUS, among others. In a recent interview with Prog Sphere, Lombardo stated about FANTÔMAS: "It's one of the most amazing groups ever. I love that band. And I hope that Mike will say, 'Let's do this [again]!' My door is open. Mike and I, you know, we communicate. We have a great friendship." Speaking to A.V. Club in 2008, Patton was asked if there was "still action with" FANTÔMAS. "It's slowed down a little bit because we've gotten distracted with other things, but I've started writing a new record," he said. "It's gonna be a bit of a stretch for us. I want to try to make an all-electronic record. I'm trying to figure out how to do that, the practicalities of doing that. So I don't think it will be out [for some time], but the band is still very much in my mind." The brainchild of Patton, "Fantômas" is an anti-hero from a series of pre-WWI French crime novels, sometimes dubbed the "lord of terror." FANTÔMAS' latest album, "Suspended Animation", came out in June 2005. The effort contained 30 tracks, each titled after a different day in the month of April. FANTÔMAS' three previous releases regaled listeners with a sci-fi homage ("Fantômas", 1999), a celebration of the best in film composition ("Director’s Cut", 2001) and a one-song album ("Delirium Cordia", 2004). FAITH NO MORE, which reunited in 2009 for a series of sold-out performances and international festivals, is currently recording its first full-length album since 1997's "Album Of The Year". An April 2015 release is expected.

DAVE LOMBARDO Says Current SLAYER Lineup Is Missing That ‘Certain Magic’

Former SLAYER and current PHILM drummer Dave Lombardo was interviewed on episode 110 of the "Let There Be Talk" podcast with rock and roll comedian Dean Delray. You can now listen to the chat using the SoundCloud widget below. A few exceprt follow below (transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). On the musical chemistry of the original SLAYER lineup: Lombardo: "I appreciate the nucleus of the band. Like [John] Bonham. When Bonham was part of [LED] ZEPPELIN. When his son [Jason] took over, oh my God. C'mon. Really? I have respect for Jason and for what he's done, but when he put a double-bass pedal on a single bass drum, that just blew it for me. It's, like, 'Really, dude? Your dad was about single bass.' "There is a certain magic — just like with SLAYER, just like with AC/DC with Bon Scott — there's a certain magic when you have those musicians and nobody could replace that. Nobody. That's it. You can't. Yeah, SLAYER's new drummer [Paul Bostaph], yeah, a lot of fans like him. But there's that magic. It's chemistry. It's like when you meet a girl and you two get along really well, and it's like a chemistry; it's something special. Same thing with the band: you get these four guys, [and] they may hate each other, but on stage, there's magic. And that's what's missing, I personally believe." On the business disagreements that led to his latest departure from SLAYER: Lombardo: "It's not just [guitarist] Kerry [King] and it's not [bassist/vocalist] Tom [Araya]. It's who handles all the external business. "I don't wanna get into it too much… I just wanted things to be fair for not just myself, but for the band. Because I was noticing that the band was getting shafted. And it was bad. "You see, when I go on stage and I perform, I perform with all my heart. When I go up there, it's like I'm going to war. It's blood, sweat and passion. "When you do the math, it didn't make sense. You don't need a fucking college degree to do some simple mathematics. And when my attorney and I, we did the math, and we demanded the documents that were necessary to back up what my deal was about, red flags were popping up everywhere. "I mean, my statement [explaining my side of why I sat out SLAYER's Australian tour in early 2013] on Facebook is clear. And it's still there, because if it wasn't true, I'd probably be sued for defamation of character. So, no. It's true and it's backed up by fact, and it's why it's still up there. "All that shit, when it's all said and done, I can't go on stage and know that my bandmates, as well as myself, aren't being compensated for the work that we're doing. 'Cause we're out there, we're the ones out there, travelling, we're the ones sweating, peeling off our clothes that are just fucking full of sweat. And it's, like, 'Really? This is it?' So it just didn't make sense. Especially when you see other bands that are as successful as we are, especially during the 'Big Four' [shows that we played with METALLICA, MEGADETH and ANTHRAX]. And to see how SLAYER was travelling and how everyone else was travelling, it was kind of weird. [I was, like] 'What's going on here?' "It's all good. If they wanna work with that organization, then so be it. But, hey, I'm a punk, and I'll always be a punk and I'll never [be a whipping boy]. Absolutely fucking not. I'm not gonna be that. So that subject, fuck it." On SLAYER's late guitarist Jeff Hanneman, who passed away in May 2013 from alcohol-related cirrhosis of the liver: Lombardo: "I have text messages [from Jeff]… The last text was, like, a month before he passed. 'Cause I wanted to get together with him to discuss what was happening with SLAYER. He wasn't happy at all. He'd text and go, 'What the fuck is going on, Dave?'" On whether Jeff was still getting money while SLAYER was out on the road with Gary Holt (EXODUS) filling in: Lombardo: "[Laughs] Yeah. Yeah, he was, but who's to tell how much? He didn't know a lot of things that were happening, like the other guys didn't either. And it was a surprise to him. "I wanted to get together with him to discuss what was happening to me and to fill him in what I had discovered. But we weren't able to get together. And there was a time where we were gonna get together and chat, and he said, 'Dave, I had a medical scare. I can't get together. We had a couple of medical scares.' Whatever it was. I think it was leading up to liver failure. "We saw it coming. The years leading up to the spider bite, the drinking was getting heavy — very, very heavy. Including, I mean, Kerry as well. I mean, there was one show in Holland, [Kerry] said his equilibrium or something with his hearing, but I think it was that tall glass of vodka that he poured himself before getting on a ferry in London, and he splashed it with Coke. So here we have a large, 32-ounce fucking… a full bottle of vodka with a splash of soda. You're gonna wake up the next day and you're gonna tell me it was, 'Oh, my hearing. Something with my hearing. I couldn't stand up straight.' No, you were fucked up, man. [Laughs]" On playing two songs with METALL

Former SLAYER Drummer DAVE LOMBARDO Joins AMEN

AMEN, the band led by firebrand frontman Casey Chaos, is working on a brand new album for release later this year and is set for its long-awaited return to the U.K. this August. In addition, the band is excited to announce the enlistment of former SLAYER and current PHILM drummer Dave Lombardo to AMEN's ranks. The refreshed lineup — completed by John Fahnestock on bass, Duke Decter and John King on guitars — is already neck deep in work on a new album with longtime producer Ross Robinson (KORN, LIMP BIZKIT, SEPULTURA). Says Lombardo: "I am very proud to have been asked to be part of this amazing production with Casey Chaos and Ross Robinson. "My career in thrash was created from my love of the punk genre. There is an excitement in this particular style of music that's vital for me. It's aggressive, honest and needed. "I'm looking forward to performing with AMEN before returning to Europe with PHILM in September." Adds Casey Chaos: "It's great to be working again with Dave, this time in AMEN. He brought so much power, aggression and passion to the music on the new record, in a way only he could only deliver. Without question this is THE most important album I’ve ever made. I'm looking forward to unleashing it live and destroying ourselves for your pleasure!"

DAVE LOMBARDO Doesn’t Think He Will Play With SLAYER Ever Again

Former SLAYER and current PHILM drummer Dave Lombardo was interviewed on the March 16 edition of the "Radio Screamer" show. You can now watch the chat below. A couple of excerpts follow (transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). On what it is that keeps him coming back to SLAYER: Lombardo: "Oh, well, I don't think that's ever gonna happen again. Well, the reason why… I mean, time passed. It was ten years. When I returned in 2001, it had been already ten years that I was out of the band, and it felt like it was the right time. It was water under the bridge, we didn't have any grudges, but apparently that really wasn't the case, because later I find out that, 'Oh, well, he left in '92, so just get him out again.'" On the importance of learning the ins and outs of the music business while pursuing a career as a musician: Lombardo: "It's something that you learn as you go along. And it's a tough road, especially when you're told that everything's taken care of, you're well taken care of, and you trust these people and you don't think twice. But then, of course, like AC/DC says, the rock star, and the businessman gets rich. "We need to make, I think, drummers aware of their position in the band and spread the word that musicians need to educate themselves not only in their music and their chops and their style and whatever, but they need to really learn the business, because it turns out that a band ends up being a business and each member becomes a quarter shareholder, or a COO [chief operating officer] of the band. So it's very important." On his most recent split with SLAYER: Lombardo: "I really don't wanna get into the details, but I take this departure like any other change in life. You just go with it. I, luckily, had a band that I had put back together before this whole thing went down with SLAYER. And you just move forward; you don't look back." On late SLAYER guitarist Jeff Hanneman: Lombardo: "The arm, basically, they fixed it and they did everything they could do to help him [after he contracted necrotizing fasciitis, also known as flesh-eating disease, from a spider bite in his backyard in January 2011]. But I think the motor skill to play guitar just wasn't there. You know, we gave him a chance and maybe we could have put him a little low in the mix, but still, it just wasn't working right. 'Cause you have to have a certain ability to play this style of music. And it just wasn't there. It's unfortunate. "Shortly after he died, I spent the afternoon with his wife and I just hung out with her. We went out to dinner. It's rough. But, unfortunately, it was a downward spiral for him. Obviously, it was depressing for him to have this situation happen to his arm, and him not being able to play, he resorted to drinking more than he was already doing. And, like I said, it was a downward spiral." On how the surviving members of SLAYER have dealt with the loss of their childhood friend: Lombardo: "I don't know how Kerry [King, guitar] and Tom [Araya, bass/vocals] responded. By how they responded at the memorial, it was pretty shallow. It was rough for me, because Jeff and I spent a lot of time on the tour bus. We'd get picked up at the hotel and show up at the venue by 4:30 and we would stay chilling on the bus until showtime. So there was a lot of interaction, there was a lot of chatting, a lot of talking, we'd watch TV, we'd listen to music. He loved my iPod, 'cause I had so many different styles of music. He'd say, 'Dude, throw your iPod on.' We'd laugh and joke around and sometimes I'd surprise him with some music that he'd never heard of before. So there was lot of memorable times that Jeff and I had. And it sucks, dude. It's terrible when a bandmate dies, because that magic is forever lost. That band had a certain chemistry when all four of us were on stage. And not taking anything away from Gary Holt [of EXODUS] — he took Jeff's place and he's done an amazing job — but still there's something [that is missing that simply cannot be replaced]."

DAVE LOMBARDO On SLAYER: ‘They Weren’t Really My Friends. They Were Just Business Partners’

Mark Dean of Myglobalmind webzine recently conducted an interview with former SLAYER and current PHILM drummer Dave Lombardo. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below. Myglobalmind: Looking back over your extensive musical career, what have been the particular high and low points? Dave: Well, it fluctuates; up and down, you know. A low point was probably January of last year whenever [the most recent split] went down, you know, with SLAYER. It was leading up to that, you know, unfortunately. Well, not really leading up to it, because my bags were ready and packed to go [with the band to Australia for the Soundwave festival]. Myglobalmind: It still must be difficult for you on a personal level? As they were your friends, and people that you had grown up with. Dave: Yeah, it's strange. It's unfortunate as well, because I realize now that they weren't really my friends. They were just business partners. I lived and hung out with them, as if they were friends. "Wow, these guys are watching out for me," and it didn't quite turn out that way. Myglobalmind: How do you feel one year on? Has your attitude to the situation mellowed, or…? Dave: Yeah, I have, I am more, like, "Oh, well, shit happens." Move on, you know. Myglobalmind: Are you generally a modest person about your personal musical talent and ability? How do you deal, for example, with compliments. I read, for example, that Bill Ward [BLACK SABBATH] called you “one of the best drummers in metal"? Dave: Yeah, I am honored. First of all, I am honored to have Bill Ward as my friend. This is a guy that I looked at these albums and listened to this music, and played along to these albums as a child and a little kid. For me to know Bill, it is surreal, and it feels very odd, but it is awesome. Myglobalmind: How do you find being a working and touring musician in the Internet age? Is it more difficult to make a living? Dave: Well, it is. Myglobalmind: You can't do this full time? I have talked to other guys who have established careers and still have to take other jobs because life is difficult, and can't sustain a living solely from music. Dave: Well, the thing is you have to find other ways and get creative and find other ways to market your music and to recreate yourself. It's, like, once the Internet and the worldwide web came into the picture, everyone scrambled, and the first was the music industry, because everyone was downloading music, so they started scrambling ways to make a living. So you just have to get creative. Yeah, it is difficult. It's a little different. The royalties aren't the same from the physical CDs, but there are other avenues of income that you just need to sign up online and you will start receiving royalties on the songs that you have recorded. I never knew this until recently, about six months ago, and it was, like, "Woah, I got a nice check in the mail." All I did was just go online and register my name all the music that I did in my life that I have recorded. Myglobalmind: That you weren't aware of, that type of royalties thing? Dave: I was never aware of. Nobody told me, thank you fucking very much. Myglobalmind: What about your health over the years? Playing drums at the velocity and energy levels that you exhibit regularly on stage, has that had any adverse health effects? Dave: Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Thank God. I've been healthy. The only things that have been wrong was I broke my leg and I had to stop for only about three weeks 'cause I got straight on the drums again. They said, "No, you gotta stay off the leg. No, no." I worked it up. Myglobalmind: It's in the blood, is it? Dave: Yeah, I just kept going and it was great. I wrote a song and it's on the new album, the new PHILM album, with a broken leg, so… But other than that, no. I drink a lot of water. I try to stay off the booze, although I like it, but there's limits. I try to eat right and I try to walk a lot. You could really become… You could grow stagnant. You could get very lazy if you don't stay active. Myglobalmind: Playing that type of music obviously is going to have that chance of health issues… Dave: I started PHILM, you know, when I noticed that [SLAYER], in a way, health-wise, was crumbling, not only with Jeff [Hanneman, guitar], but with Tom [Araya, bass/vocals] and Kerry [King, guitar] doesn't take care of himself. He should be careful. Well, I'm not going to tell him that… Myglobalmind: Nobody would tell him that. Dave: Nobody. And I'm not either. Myglobalmind: He's quite an imposing character, shall we say. Dave: Yeah, of course. He has a lot of insecurities. Read the

Former SLAYER Drummer DAVE LOMBARDO: ‘There Is Absolutely No Friends When It Comes To Money’

Owais "Vitek" Wani of Metal Wani recently conducted an interview with former SLAYER and current PHILM drummer Dave Lombardo. You can now listen to the chat in the YouTube clip below. A couple of excerpts follow. On the status of the second PHILM album: Lombardo: "The second album was being written as we were mixing the first album. So at this point, we already have the second album written, recorded and we're just waiting for a record company. Mike Patton [FAITH NO MORE singer and owner of Ipecac Recordings, which released the first PHILM album, 'Harmonic'], from the record company Ipecac, he's only putting out three albums this year, and it's unfortunate that this one isn't one of them. He just had to scale back. Of course, the music industry isn't what it was anymore, so he had to scale back his [release schedule]. Which is all good; I totally understand. So right now I'm just shopping the record to several other companies and we'll see what happens. Hopefully it can be released as soon as possible. I'm getting really anxious to put this album out, because it's uniquely different than the other one. It's not as experimental as the first one. This particular album, the new one, the songs are a little more concise and straightforward, so there's not a lot of improvisation or a lot of places where the band decides to take off musically and improvise. So we kept it together this time on this record. And right now, as I speak, this album's done and we already have, like, five songs for the [third] record. I've got some really talented musicians, and we could come up with music fairly easy. So I'm excited about this new group." On BLACK SABBATH drummer Bill Ward's recent kind words about Lombardo's playing: Lombardo: "It made me feel really, really good. Bill Ward and I, we've established a very nice relationship. We keep tabs on each other. I always ask him how he's doing, and he's in communication with me as well. So we have a nice little thing going on. He's just a nice friend, and I'm very happy to have met him recently. The first time that I met him was in 2004 on a BLACK SABBATH reunion, JUDAS PRIEST reunion… I think that was the first time… It was, like, a festival that SLAYER played. I met him way back then; it was very brief. And then we re-met about a year ago." On whether he has listened to the new BLACK SABBATH album, "13", and what his thoughts are on it: Lombardo: "No, I haven't. I heard, like, one song. I don't know… I just can't listen to BLACK SABBATH unless it's with Bill… It's one of those things that you wanna hear it, you wanna get into it, but ahhh… it would have been soooo much better if Bill Ward was there. I mean, it's not the first time — I think there was an album Carmine Appice… no, not Carmine… that Vinny Appice played on — and that's a fantastic record, but that hit me at a different time. I was more open to the possible changes within bands. Right now, just knowing a little bit of the SABBATH situation, I just really didn't have the interest to listen to that album. But I will one day, eventually. It's gonna cross my path. I just haven't purchased it." On late SLAYER guitarist Jeff Hanneman being excluded from the list of faces and names showcased during Grammy Awards' "In Memoriam" segment this year: Lombardo: "Yeah, that was disappointing. But they're notorious for that. That organization is predominantly rap- and country-driven. And they don't wanna hear rock; they don't care about rock and metal. Metal, I think, is music for misfits, and it's played by misfits. And what do they wanna do with this kind of music? We wanna get recognized? They're not gonna do it. Let it be. Let it be. We don't need a doorstop. Metal doesn't need a doorstop or an organization to recognize who we are. We have our fans. Let the voice of the fans show how big metal is." On the most important lesson he has learned in his three decades as a professional musician: Lombardo: "There is absolutely no friends when it comes to money. That's the number one lesson I've learned."

DAVE LOMBARDO: Pro-Shot Footage Of New Drum Solo

Professionally filmed video footage of former SLAYER and current PHILM drummer Dave Lombardo performing a drum solo at his studio in Los Angeles, California on November 23, 2013 can be seen below. The clip was filmed by Rick Kosick, Benji Lanpher and edited by Rick Kosick. Lombardo sat out SLAYER's Australian tour in February/March due to a contract dispute with the other members of the group. Filling in for him was Jon Dette (TESTAMENT, ANTHRAX). Dave has since been replaced in the band by Paul Bostaph, who was SLAYER's drummer from 1992 until 2001 and recorded four albums with the group. During a recent appearance on "The Steve Austin Show - Unleashed!" podcast, SLAYER guitarist Kerry King stated about the band's latest split with Lombardo: "When Dave was in [the band] this last time, I figured I'd be on the stage with him until one of us fell off the stage, dead. Things change. He got some bad advice and listened to some bad advice, gave us an ultimatum ten days before we went to Australia [to do the Soundwave festival tour]. And I said, 'I can't have this over my head.' And I feel bad for Dave to this day; I really feel bad for him because he shot himself in the foot. Maybe he thought he had the upper hand, but you ain't gonna get me…. Before I got home, I knew exactly what I was going to do for Australia." Lombardo will join a series of exclusive 2014 Adelaide Festival concerts in Adelaide, Australia with avant-garde musician John Zorn. Lombardo will perform with John Zorn and Bill Laswell as part of the BLADERUNNER trio, featuring in Zorn's concert, Triple Bill.

SLAYER’s KERRY KING Says DAVE LOMBARDO ‘Shot Himself In The Foot’

SLAYER guitarist Kerry King was the featured guest on "The Steve Austin Show - Unleashed!" podcast last week. You can now listen to the chat using the audio player below. "The Steve Austin Show - Unleashed!" is the explicit version of the podcast hosted by former WWE wrestling champion "Stone Cold" Steve Austin. On SLAYER's early years: King: "Me and [late SLAYER guitarist] Jeff [Hanneman] would go hang out and see bands. We saw METALLICA at the Woodstock in Orange County, of all places, and we were blown away. We were already into MOTÖRHEAD and VENOM, and there was a lot of talk of the METALLICA guys. So we were, like, 'Let's go check this out.' And they were doing what we were doing the way we wanted to do it… We just weren't there yet. They were probably six to eight to twelve months ahead of us, just with shit-togetheredness. Even back then, I look at [then-METALLICA guitarist] Dave Mustaine, and to this day, I love him as a guitar player; he's one of my favorites. And then I saw him playing and it just blew me and Jeff away that he was just ripping solos and he wasn't even looking at what he was playing. And we were just like, 'Man, that's awesome.' And were just into it. Me and Jeff were six months apart in age. We were just like the same person." On SLAYER's recent split with original drummer Dave Lombardo: King: "When Dave was in [the band] this last time, I figured I'd be on the stage with him until one of us fell off the stage, dead. Things change. He got some bad advice and listened to some bad advice, gave us an ultimatum ten days before we went to Australia [to do the Soundwave festival tour]. And I said, 'I can't have this over my head.' And I feel bad for Dave to this day; I really feel bad for him because he shot himself in the foot. Maybe he thought he had the upper hand, but you ain't gonna get me…. Before I got home, I knew exactly what I was going to do for Australia." On how SLAYER has managed to maintain its camaraderie within the band for more than 30 years: King: "The only thing that we've done to separate each other purposely is when Tom [Araya, SLAYER bassist/vocalist] started coming out with his family, I don't know, maybe ten or so years ago. And I said, 'It's probably a good idea to get your own bus.' Because you never know what's gonna be going on on our bus. For the band, kids keeping you awake all night — if that's what would happen; kids stumbling in on something they really don't need to see, that's something. But that's the only thing. We fly together, we're still on the same bus. We take off on the same bus in a few days. [Editor's note: The interview was conducted a few days prior to the start of SLAYER's current North American tour.] "What took me the longest time to figure out for myself personally was what not to say to people. You have your opinion, someone is pissing you off that day? You don't need to say it. Shut up, get on with your day, tomorrow's a new day and it's all gonna be fine. And, you know, there are so many bands that break up, and the individual doesn't usually have the talent of the whole. "We're good at what we do, we've got a very strong brand, a very strong following and it would be stupid [for us to call it quits]. "The only reason I would leave SLAYER today is if Tom said he was done, 'cause then it's just me. Or if I was done and it was just Tom, I don't think Tom would wanna do it. It's now just the two of us." "The Steve Austin Show - Unleashed!" podcast (audio):

TOM ARAYA: Why DAVE LOMBARDO Is No Longer In SLAYER

During a brand new interview with Brian Aberback of New Jersey's Steppin' Out magazine,SLAYER bassist/vocalist Tom Araya was asked about the band's decision to part ways with drummer Dave Lombardo bring back Paul Bostaph. "That whole issue came down to this: Dave had been jamming with us for a while, as a working member of the band, but he wasn't a partner," Tom began. "Like all things like that, you have to have agreements, so nobody feels cheated. We had ongoing issues and finally he put us in a position where we had to find someone to replace him. He wasn't happy, so he decided to have his Facebook rant and told the world about a lot of issues going on within the band that are legally binding and private. I thought that was wrong and it was upsetting. A lot of the claims he made were untrue. Part of the agreement is you don't do that. Kerry [King, SLAYERguitarist], Jeff [Hanneman, then-SLAYER guitarist] and I got on the phone and made a collective decision and we let Dave go and gave Paul a call. Paul said he'd be happy to come back. He has brought some life back into our live performances. He's in hyper drive and kicking ass, which makes us play faster. People have commented on how energetic we've been lately. We're playing faster than we would have. It's good injection of adrenaline." Lombardo sat out SLAYER's Australian tour in February/March due to a contract dispute with the other members of the group. Filling in for him was Jon Dette (TESTAMENT, ANTHRAX). During an interview with the KZRADIO.NET alternative radio station in Israel conducted on May 1 — just one day before the tragic passing of SLAYER guitarist Jeff Hanneman — Lombardostated about his the circumstances that led to him being absent from SLAYER's current trek: "Basically, I had to renegotiate my contract two and a half years ago and I got an attorney because it was too complicated for me to do it myself. And my attorney was asking questions. And the answers she got from her questions, they weren't correct; they weren't the right answers. So we worked on it for two and a half years. And 2013 came around and SLAYER had to go on tour, and I said, 'Guys, I can't go on tour unless we resolve this, I've been advised.'" He continued: "What I need is clarity — clarity and transparency. "You go and make money for somebody, and if somebody is gonna pay you a percentage, you need to know where all this goes. They say I don't deserve to know, but I think if you're gonna pay somebody a percentage, they deserve to know. Because how are you gonna know what you got paid when you don't know everything else? "It's a little complicated, and there's more to it as well. "They feel that because I left in 1992 and I left for 10 years, they feel I don't deserve [to know all the details of their business]. "I mean, I love the guys — they're like my brothers — and I wish this didn't happen. But now there's like this wall between us." Regarding some fans' criticism that money should not get in the way of the members ofSLAYER making music together, Lombardo said: "What people don't understand is that, being a musician, you have to be a part businessman. There's contracts… If you're a musician and you don't have a contract and you don't follow up on your business, people are gonna take from you and they're gonna steal from you.