I started jamming to SLAYER after my friends cousin turned me on to the Reign in Blood album. I believe I was around 13-14 years old.

All I remember from the first contact of aggressive upheavel that these guys pummeled into my head, was the sound Tommy's fuckin' scream... that was that. I WAS FUCKIN" HOOKED!!!

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa-uuuuuuuuuuuuuuhhhh!!! Auschwitz, the meaning of pain..." I about pissed myself with this overwhelming fear of a new sound that had never penetrated my ear holes before. I was like.... "Man, who the HELL is this???", and my friends cousin told me... "these are the fuckers responsible for making me EVIL... this is FUCKING SLAYER".

I tell you what (anyone reading this), my life wasn't that great as a child and adolescent, but the first time I heard SLAYER, I knew that my life would never be the same again. Their music, not just the lyrics and sound, but the actual music I HEARD (because listening to music and hearing music are two different things) from these guys put me into this state of mind that I could do what I wanted to do. I could be who I wanted to be. I... could...

I understand the "Satanic" undertones, and dark imagery have gotten SLAYER into a few minor problems, and people have tried to accuse them of certain standings with the "Devil", but I have always seen them as four guys making what they heard, felt, seen, believed, and consumed into something that worked FOR them. A force to be reckoned with.

They ARE the reason I love music.