BACK SURGERY SCHEDULED FOR SLAYER'S TOM ARAYA, BAND'S TOUR PLANS CANCELLED THROUGH APRIL. Slayer Camp Working Hard to Reschedule Dates for Later This Year.

"Tom gave various medical treatments more than a fair shot," said Slayer's manager Rick Sales, "but they just haven't handled the problem, so he's biting the bullet and is scheduled for back surgery at the end of this month."

This difficult decision made by the band's bassist/vocalist Tom Araya means the cancellation of Slayer's immediate tour plans that include the American and Canadian Carnage Tour dates that were set to kick off on January 18, as well as the band's UK/European headline tour scheduled for March and April. Booking agents for both Slayer and Megadeth are already hard at work rescheduling the tour dates; tickets already purchased for these shows will be honored at the rescheduled dates.

The headbanging Araya, known for aggressively swinging his long mane of hair while performing, began experiencing back problems while on the band's Australian/New Zealand/Japanese tour last October. In spite of his rapidly increasing pain and discomfort, he carried on with the tour, but immediately upon returning home saw an orthopedic specialist who diagnosed a Cervical Radiculopathy. The rocker initially did not want to take the major surgery route, so the specialist recommended a series of minimally-invasive procedures. While those procedures have resulted in some improvement, Araya continues to deal with intermittent bouts of severe pain, numbness and muscle spasms. The surgical procedure that Araya will undergo, called an Anterior Cervical Discectomy with Fusion, is a relatively routine practice and the recovery rate is excellent.

Sales added, "As unfortunate as this is for so many people - the Megadeth and Testament camps, the concerts' promoters, and, of course, the fans - Tom's health is the number one priority, and this has to happen."

Comments for this News article

Get well soon Tom! I'm 39 and have trouble walking because of injuries from being in the Army so I feel your pain. Take care now so we can see you again in the future. God bless.

DAMN, DAMN, DAMN!!! I do hope Tom is able to get his back fixed up, but I can't help but feel bummed, I was so looking forward to the show next weekend. DAMN, DAMN, DAMN!!!

well.. take care and good luck!!! the fans understand the situation...

was looking foward to seeing you guys in Feb for the American Carnage. would much rather Tom be healthy though so make sure you take the time to heal and don't push it. the real slayer fans understand that this is important and needs to be taken care of. until then i will be waiting for the update of good news on your health and future shows. SLAYER! \m/

awwww poor tom !!!

well get better.
are you going to be coming back?
i was looking so forward to that show =( totally bummed now =(

get well soon brother, hope everything goes good, just had neck and back surgery myself. mike

I'm reporting this article as offensive. Eye-wink

Major fuckin bummer dude! I hope for the best on Araya's surgery. Back pain is a bitch. Heal up well and heal up fast. Then get your ass to Phoenix!

Pull thru this back surgery with a quickness! I can't help but be bummed! Was ready to hit up Denver in 17 days! Hope all goes weel Tom!

I myself had back surgery a year ago this April so I totally understand!!! Please take care and heal well so we can see you!!! Jan. 26th was going to be my first ever Slayer concert. So excited for it and now I like want it even more!!!
Heal Well

GET WELL SOON TOM!! I am holding on to my Seattle tickets!! The world awaits to be painted blood.

Hey Tom,

I had the same surgery Aug. 07 fusion C5-C7 and I would never be able to head bang like I did before the surgery. Not only does it take from your range of motion it also makes the other disks go bad as well as you do not use any ligaments, tendons, mescals, and so on that used to move the vertebra you have fused together so they deteriorate and give you a lot of discomfort. I know your Dr. is much better them I could ever afford BUT I am telling you this is not going to be a “speeded” recovery. I hope the best for you \m/

Stay Heavy and Good Luck

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get well soon Tom, i want to see you Headbanging soon, in Colombia of course

get well the real slayer fans understand and you will see all of them when you get back dont rush it man take your time to get back all the headbanging we know and love take care

Tom, get better brother. We're about the same age, I'm 48 and have ulnar neuropathy after breaking both my elbows. As a guitarist it sucks because I have no feeling in my ring finger and pinky, but I work around it. But, you're in FUCKING SLAYER!!!!! And I'm a hack.You're in my prayer's tonight for a speedy recovery. Yeah, I pray, how lame am I after listening to Slayer for 25+ years? All my best to you and your Family!

Hey, it sucks that we can't see the shows like we planned, but I am sure that they will reschedule. The guy has given us over 20 years of metal that can lay waste to everything else that we know of, and has been banging that head like a madman the whole time. Badass to watch, and thank you Tom for everything thus far. The way I see it, we miss the shows for now, we get the chance to see who knows how many more in its place. Good luck Tom, and get well soon. I can't wait to spread a little hate worldwide.

it's has taken at least 20 years to see these 4 bands that should have being the first CLASH OF TH TITANS!!..."but all-in-all TOM'S surgery's far to importent not just 4 the tour. but 4 the health of a "GOD!!..."much love & respect 4-the-Band.

Tom, get well and take care of your self, take it easy when you get back on stage, we can all forgive you if you don't spin your head the whole show Smiling Just seeing you playing live and your health is more important. Get well and hope to catch one of you show on this tour.

FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK. That SUCKS! That's the second time that SLAYER cancells a concert I was gona go to. It's either my luck or I'm just not meant to see them. FUCK! I hope they do re-schedule and come to El Paso, TX. If not then fuck it. I was so looking forward to it. Damb it....get well soon Tom. FFUUCCKK!!!!

18 more days and I would of got to go to see SLAYER!!!! I was so looking forward to seeing the show up front. Well Tom heal real fast. Get well soon! FUCK!!!!!!!!!!!

Gutted again. Was going to a couple of shows in the U.K this tour. I hope the new dates suit me when they are announced!!! But the main thing is for Tom to get back to full health, so get well soon mate!!!

I was really looking forward to the concerts...Tom's health is more important of course. I wish him successful operation and quick rehabilitation!

as a fan in behafl of your music i'd like to say in my terms that I hope you get well soon and that everything goes ok... ur the shit MAN!!!! Slayer FUCK YEAH!!!

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I hope all goes well for you Tom! I am looking forward to seeing you all with my oldest son Adam. We both are big fans!

IM SO SORRY TOM THAT YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS!!!!!!MUCH LOVE AND RESPECT, AND A SPEEDY RECOVERY!!!!!! CHRIS SLAY

When Tom gets better I am gonna be here in Portland, Oregon waiting for the blood to flow and the weak to know, Slayer is in town. The 1/19/10 show is postponed. That sucks but not as much as if Tom was no longer with Slayer so Portland will wait as long as it takes. Get better Tom! We need our Slayer! D2

DAMN!! 11 days to go to the Seattle show.......my 7th for SLAYER. I have been a HARDCORE fan since the mid 80's. You are the best fucking live show I have ever seen!! Hang in there Tom we love you and wish you the best recovery that you can have. If you can't headbang like you used too, that's ok, fuck it, you have done more than most of us ever could over the last 20+ years! Your true fans will understand. Take enough time to heal so we can see the World Painted Blood!!
Slayergirl

GGGOOODDDDDDAAAMMMIIITTT!!!!!!!! Two weeks away!!! What a bummer,but its cool guys. Get well Tom just hurry the fuck up!!!

ah man that sucks i was going to order my tickets today. but i guess its for the best. i'm still goin to go when they start back though

OMG Tom!!! I hope you will feel better quickly! D: I hope the back surgery helps too.. ;__;

Its true GOD HATES US ALL (if there is a god) he dose not want this super tour to happen what a bummer my mate in america was planning on going

Take care of your back Tom, this is so important for you and your family and somehow for us fans to Eye-wink . If your body doesn`t work you can`t go and work for food, very easy. Even if this tour is delayed a third time, I don`t care as long as you come back to us.

all you haters need to get real. Tom didn't schedule this tour so he had money for back surgery. do you really think he lives from pay check to pay check? King Diamond went through the same thing. pushed himself for the fun of the shows, music and fans until he had to say enough was enough.

shit happens, things change. Get over it. Quit your bitching, you are lucky they are still touring and kicking ass. If anybody sucks its the bitchers. I have listened to slayer since 1984. I can wait another few months. I have 3 kids from 1 to 6 years old. I can reschedule and might even take the 6 year old. Hell, she liked Iron Maiden.

I am kind of bummed out as well. I have been a huge fan since hell awaits, and i have seen slayer hundreds of times, and I have tickets for next month at the oakdale in wallingford, but Toms health is most important, and i know when he gets better, him and the boys will be back out to kick our asses!!!!! Tom i send my regards to you, and your family. You have lots of support here, and from thousands of others. GET WELL BROTHA!!!!

Get well man so we can watch you fags tear it up......SSLLLLLLLAAAAAYYYYYYYYEEERRRRRRRRRRRR!!!

Man Back pain sucks I know it. Was goina see you all in July but had brain surgery, gave my ticket away to a new slayer fan. my back was broke to, crazy summer in a brace. Get well and TACK YOUR TIME! I'm not going any where! get a cool new ultra lite bass or a stand made out of bones, you know something kick ass like that!

I need to know for when is postponed the American Carnage Tour, because i bought some tickets for the concert in long beach CA, and i just stay in the US until june. Please if you can answer me...

Well Tom, what can really be said man. Take care of yourself so we can get a heathy dose of Slayer in the not so distant future I hope. Bought two tickets for my ten year old Daughter and I for the Seattle date as a Xmas present this year. I figure-my parents took me to see Kiss when I was ten-So I'm gonna take her to see Slayer!!! Been listening to it in the car with her since she was 4-she's a Slayer fan for sure. Hope you make it back to Seattle soon- May you have a swift recovery. Cheers!

Dam i got pit tickits too and the show was on my 18th birthday. So the tickits still good when they reschedul right?
Also get well soon tom and get your ass to phoenix.

I´ve heard you saying once: “Nothing can come between me and my god“. You know, nothing that happens to us in live is bigger than we can take. When this mess is over you will be bigger, better and stronger than you ever were. I wish you all the best my brother!