Hellyeah singer Chad Gray says Slayer were one of the heavy metal bands that saved his life.
He discovered Slayer when he was an outcast kid and says he immediately knew everything was going to be fine. As he looks forward to sharing a stage with Slayer and King Diamond on the Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival, he tells California Rock News: “Slayer is one of those bands – heavy metal music kind of saved my life.
“There were so many times when I didn’t fit in, as a kid, being a metalhead, and not understanding why. And you hear heavy metal, and you’re, like, ‘Oh, I’m just hanging out with the wrong people.’
“Slayer is one of those bands that I just gravitated toward. When I was really young, Show No Mercy, Haunting The Chapel, Reign In Blood, South Of Heaven those records changed my life.
“Standing at the record store door the day that those record came out. You run in, go out with your friends, you go out in the car, you put it in, you listen to it top to bottom. And you play it again, and you drive home to it.”
Hellyeah drummer Vinnie Paul said recently that the band hoped to hit the studio again in early 2016.
ROCKSTAR MAYHEM FESTIVAL DATES
Jul 03: Phoenix Ak-Chin Pavilion, AZ
Jul 04: Albuquerque Isleta Amphitheatre, AZ
Jul 05: Denver Red Rocks Amphitheatre, CO
Jul 07: Council Bluffs Harrah’s, IA
Jul 08: Milwaukee Eagles Ballroom, WI
Jul 10: Indianapolis Klipsch Music Center, IN
Jul 11: Detroit DTE Energy Music Center, IN
Jul 12: Chicago First Midwest Amphitheatre, IL
Jul 15: Toronto Molson Canadian Amphitheatre, ON
Jul 17: Pennsauken Susquehanna Bank Arts, NJ
Jul 18: Pittsburgh First Niagara, PA
Jul 19: Hartford Xfinity Theatre, CT
Jul 21: Holmdel PNC Bank Arts Center, NJ
Jul 24: Bristow Jiffy Lube Live, VA
Jul 25: Winthrop Xfinity Center, MA
Jul 26: Wantagh Nikon Theatre At Jones Beach, NY
Jul 29: Atlanta Aaron’s Amphitheatre At Lakewood, GA
Jul 31: San Antonio White Water Amphitheatre, TX
Aug 01: Houston Cynthia Woods Pavilion, TX
Aug 02: Dallas Gexa Energy Pavilion, TX
