Slayer ‘have matured as people’

Jon Dette says his stint with Slayer earlier this year was a more mature experience than his time with them in the 1990s.

Dette, who was covering for Anthrax drummer Charlie Benante, performed double duties in Australia after Slayer ditched Dave Lombardo and later replaced him permanently with Paul Bostaph.

Dette tells Heavy Metal Hill: “”Despite what’s happened with Slayer in recent years they’ve become much more relaxed as people, and maybe not so uptight with things. They’ve matured as people. I’ve matured.

“When I joined the band back in the 90s it was a tense time for them. There were a lot of things going on, not only drummer changes and things like that, but also in the music industry. Grunge was the big thing and metal was dead.”

Dette says it was an “honour and privilege” to return to Slayer, adding: “It was a reunion under such unfortunate circumstances – but under those circumstances, an amazing result happened.”

Asked what he has planned for the future, the drummer says: “It’s possible I will be working with Anthrax again later this year. So if that happens, I’m looking forward to that. That will keep me busy for the next several months.”

-Classic Rock