Slayer - "Black Magic"
Recently I’ve been obsessed with old Slayer concert videos. It’s fun to trace the evolution of a band over time, using one song as a control (see Sepultura with “Troops of Doom”). With Slayer, it’s particularly fun, as they’ve had so many different looks. Here’s “Black Magic” from 1983 to 1986. Even during that short time, the band changed significantly. Dig in — these videos are a blast.
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Los Angeles, 1983
http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/v/P55Ip3cGTAg&hl=en_US&fs=1&
“Ladies and gentlemen, to open our show this evening, please welcome…Slayer!”
Not something you’ll ever hear again.
When Slayer played The Woodstock in March 1983, they were still unsigned. (Brian Slagel would see them here five months later and sign them to Metal Blade.) That’s obvious from this video. Attendance is sparse, and no one is moving. But the band is — note the synchronized guitar waving. Imagine walking into this show. “Who’s this?” “I think they’re called Slayer.” “Never heard of ’em.”
Reseda, 1984
http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/v/Bx6gtKTmsmo&hl=en_US&fs=1&
Obviously, getting signed helped the band. The crowd is very up for it. Check out Jeff Hanneman banging Kerry King’s head during the intro. They don’t act so brotherly now. Note the cool inverted cross light show and the monster stage dive at 2:27. Another fun video from ’84 is the Hollywood one, which features Tom Araya wearing a spiked armband and Kerry King striking lithe spread-leg stances.
Holland, 1985
http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/v/2Vlvdv7vR04&hl=en_US&fs=1&
The band is on fire at this point. King still wears the porcupine on his left wrist. Hanneman has swapped his early Les Paul for what looks like a BC Rich. Even from a distance, his pick hand posture is unmistakable. Hanneman, Kirk Hammett, Marty Friedman — you can tell it’s them just by the way they hold their picks.
San Francisco, 1986
http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/v/kECz34HxD_E&hl=en_US&fs=1&
This video is great for its stage banter. Tom Araya is trying to get the crowd worked up — imagine that nowadays. “Shit, man, I don’t want to think I’m working my butt off here for nuthin’, am I?” The synchronized guitar waving is out, though Hanneman hasn’t worked it out of his system yet. Note how hair-ful the crowd (and Kerry King, who has left the porcupine at home) is. I wonder what year “angry, shirtless guy with a buzzcut” started showing up at Slayer shows.
