We’ve all seen shots (like this one) of Slayer guitarist Kerry King gettin’ his noggin tattooed by Paul Booth, and any fan of either knows the two are close friends. Here, Booth discusses how he got tight with Slayer, how King tattooed him and financed his first film and the next Slayer art project Booth has up his tattered, bloodied sleeve.
Getting to know Slayer, as I have over the years, has been an absolute highlight of my career — not only as a tattoo artist, but as an artist as a whole. Those guys have to be some of the coolest motherf—ers I know.
I don’t think there is any real starting point to how we met. It was kind of a gradual thing. I’d always kind of finagle my way backstage one way or another at the shows, and eventually we got to know each other. Maybe I was with a band that opened for Slayer, and through that I got to know them a little better. I think I first tattooed singer and bassist Tom [Araya] at Tattoo the Earth, an old tour I was involved in back when I did some tour production. I was pretty much in charge of the “Tattoo” element of the tour, but I did have some influence in getting Slayer and Slipknot to headline, so that felt good.
Anyway, that’s where I really got to know the band a lot better. I ended up doing a lot of tattooing on Kerry, and we’ve become really good friends over the years. I find myself having to keep my “fanboy” side separate from our friendship because if I think about the idea that I’m close friends with a guy who had a very direct and major impact on my art in the early years, I suppose it kind of wigs me out.
I remember one time we were in Kerry’s backyard having a barbecue, and my girlfriend at the time snapped a picture of me and Kerry flipping burgers on the grill. It’s no big deal as a friend, but as a fan it’s like, “Holy S–t! I’m flipping burgers with Kerry King!” I don’t ever want that kind of, “Hey, can I have your autograph?” side of things to interfere with our friendship, so I just try to play cool.
On a side note, I have this idea for a guitar sculpture I’ve been dying to do for. Hopefully, in the next couple months, I’ll be able to get started sculpting this Slayer monstrosity guitar that I think he’ll really dig, so that’s going to be a fun project. Oh, by the way, Kerry and Ayesha, his wife, are the executive producers of my first film. They were actually crazy enough to give me money to make the damn thing! Imagine that! Kerry King of Slayer — executive producer of an art documentary. I even got that crazy bastard to tattoo me! He did a Blobman portrait on my leg, which I’m very proud of.
Sometimes tattoos mark a point in time, or a bond with a friend or another silly moment. So, I have a leg dedicated to silly little tattoos from friends .Looking back, I shoulda had Kerry sign my f—ing hamburger!
Don’t miss Paul Booth’s other guest blogs.
Thashin’ Ink #1: Tattoo Tales From the Master
Thrashin’ Ink #2: Through the Eye of the Needle
Thrashin Ink #3: Meeting Phil Anselmo
Thrashin’ Ink #4: Cannibal Barbecue Idea Stops Paul From Tattooing Ozzy
