When we interviewed Tom Araya a few weeks back, I asked him if the Megadeth/Slayer tour that hit Canada earlier this year and will now make its way to Australia and New Zealand is ever coming to the States. His response?

“You know, [Dave Mustaine is] lucky we did the Canadian dates.”

Araya chuckled when he said it – the dude is too chill to really get angry angry, or at least that was my impression of him – but there was obviously some bad blood there. Shit-stirrer that I am, I made a feeble attempt to draw more ire out of Araya, with no love.

So kudos to Mark Eglinton from The Quietus, who Blabbermouth tells me got this little exchange out of Araya:

How did the tour with Megadeth go? And was there any evidence of a rift between Slayer and Dave Mustaine?

TA: You know I ran into him on two occasions, but when you see someone and if you’re a human being you respect them and treat them as human beings — they’re another living person. Other than that the only thing we shared was that we did those four shows together. You know what I mean…nothing’s really changed for me about him, I’m just waiting for him to open his mouth. [Laughs]

Yes but what is the issue?

TA: What was that?

What is the burning issue between Megadeth and Slayer?

TA: There isn’t really a burning issue; the thing is he talks a lot of shit — then he apologises for it, then he continues [talking shit]. Did you see Some Kind of Monster? That should give you some kind of idea how he is!

Of course Araya doesn’t mention the fact that Kerry King likes to talk a lot of shit, too. But I’m generally a supporter of King’s shit-talking; it strikes me as much more sincere than Mustaine’s*.

And really, Araya is right. Mustaine can talk about peace offerings all he wants, but until he learns to keep his mouth shut and not act like such a prick all the time, it’s pretty much a moot point. What can Araya do but wait for Mustaine to open his mouth? It’s inevitable.

-AR

*And yes, I do think there’s sincere shit-talking and insincere shit-talking. Mustaine seems to do it to give himself press and/or make himself look the good guy in any given situation – this is a dude who never takes responsibility for any conflict, ever, and there’s just always too much drama surrounding him for there to be any possibility that he’s not doing something to attract all the negative energy (Let’s call it “Axl Rose Syndrome”).