When a co-headlining tour between Marilyn Manson and Slayer was announced earlier this year, I predicted that, if nothing else, it would be fun to hear Kerry King and Marilyn Manson talk shit about one another.

Well, the tour hasn’t even started yet, and already King is already running his mouth off to the press. He tells MTV.com: “”It is completely co-headlining, except that [Manson] wanted to close every day, and we’re like, ‘Hey, knock yourself out’… I don’t have the ego that makes me — and I’m not saying Manson does — but I don’t have the ego that makes me have to close every show.”

Except here’s the thing: the closing band is, generally speaking, the “bigger” band. GN’R went on second during their tour with Metallica, Maiden and Priest had to go on before Ozzy/Sabbath every night during their Ozzfest stints, etc. King knows this; furthermore, he knows he just suggested that Manson has an ego problem, even if he tries to make sound like he didn’t just suggest that. So, things are off to a good start.

I expect Manson to retort any second now by pointing out that he’s a household name even to non-metal fans. Oh man, this is gonna be so much fun!

-AR