Tom Araya

Tomás Enrique Araya Díaz (Spanish pronunciation: [tom aɾaʝa]; born June 6, 1961) is a Chilean American musician, best known as the bassist and vocalist of the American thrash metal band Slayer. Araya is ranked fifty-eighth by Hit Parader on their list of the 100 Greatest Metal Vocalists of All Time.

This article uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Araya and the second or maternal family name is Díaz.

Tom Araya
Tom Araya performing live with Slayer in 2014
Background information
Birth nameTomás Enrique Araya Díaz
Also known asTom Araya
Born (1961-06-06) June 6, 1961
Viña del Mar, Chile
GenresThrash metal
Occupation(s)Musician, singer, songwriter
InstrumentsVocals, bass guitar, mandolin
Years active1981–present
Associated actsSlayer Rollins Band Soulfly
Websiteslayer.net

Araya was employed as a respiratory therapist in the early 1980s and used his earnings to finance Slayer's debut album Show No Mercy. Much of Araya's lyrical content is about serial killers, a subject he finds interesting; his first credited lyrical contribution was the vampire-themed track "At Dawn They Sleep" from 1985's Hell Awaits.

Early life and career

Tomás Enrique Araya Diaz was born in Viña del Mar, Chile, but his family moved to the US when he was five. He grew up in Los Angeles.[1] His older brother, Cisco, played guitar. This inspired Araya to pick up bass at age eight. The two played Beatles and Rolling Stones songs, which he would later cite as an influence on his own music.[2]

In the early 1980s, Araya's eldest sister suggested he enroll in a program to become certified as a respiratory therapist. Araya's father insisted he either find a job or enroll in the course. Araya enrolled in a two-year technical course, learning about air mixture ratios, drawing blood, and how to intubate.[2]

In 1981, Araya was approached by Kerry King, who asked Araya to join his band, Slayer. Araya accepted, using his earnings as a respiratory therapist to finance the band's 1983 debut album Show No Mercy.[3] Araya requested time off of work from his employer, the Brotman Medical Center,[4] for Slayer's first European tour in 1984 and was denied; "'We need you to come in today.' They'd call me at 5:00 in the morning and wake me, 'Someone's not coming in, we need you to come in to work.'" After a month of sporadic attendance, his employers threatened termination; Araya replied "Well, I guess I'm fired."[2] Along with King, Araya was one of the two original members to remain in Slayer for the entire length of the band's career, from 1981 to 2019.

In 2006, Araya underwent gallbladder surgery, which disrupted The Unholy Alliance tour. Originally set to launch on June 6, the tour was postponed to June 13. Araya was also unable to finish the vocals for a song entitled "Final Six," which was to be included on Slayer's 2006 album Christ Illusion; later released on the special edition of the album.[5] Araya brought his children on the tour stating "it's kind of cool to expose them at such a young age. My first concert, I was, like, 17."[6] "We [Slayer] have been fortunate- fortunate enough to have lasted as long as we have because a lot of bands don't last that long."

On January 7, 2010, Slayer announced on its official website that back surgery had been scheduled for Araya and that the planned tour would be canceled through April of that year. The site assured fans, "Slayer camp working hard to reschedule dates for later this year." Araya is known for his aggressive headbanging and began experiencing back problems while the band was on tour in Australia/New Zealand/Japan in October 2009. Araya had an Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion. "The surgeon opened up my throat from the front," he explained. "Apparently it's easier that way. They pushed my oesophagus over to one side and did the repair work. It seems to have done the trick but I can't headbang anymore."[7]

On March 12, 2010, Metal Hammer magazine published an interview with Slayer's Dave Lombardo about Araya's recovery. The drummer stated, "He's recovering extremely quickly and really well. He is just moving forward and doing all the treatments and post operation stuff that he has to go through. He's doing good."[8] On May 20, 2010, Slayer confirmed that they would play two songs on TV for Jimmy Kimmel Live![9] As a result of his surgery, Araya has significantly tempered his once aggressive on-stage movement and headbanging; now remaining relatively still during performances. On June 3, 2011, Araya received the keys to the city of his birth, Viña del Mar, Chile.[10]

In 2014, Araya made a cameo in the heavy metal horror film Hairmetal Shotgun Zombie Massacre: The Movie, directed by Joshua Allan Vargas.

From May 2018 to November 2019, with the last show being in their hometown, Los Angeles, Slayer embarked on what they called their final world tour,[11][12] and eventually dissolved.[13]

Lyrics
Tom Araya at Nova Rock 2014

Araya's interest in serial killers serves as inspiration for many of his lyrics, including the songs titled "213" about Jeffrey Dahmer and "Dead Skin Mask" about Ed Gein.[14][15] "I'm trying to see where these guys are coming from so maybe I'll understand. It's always kind of intrigued me…"[2]

Araya wrote the lyrics for the Grammy Award winning song "Eyes of the Insane" from Slayer's 2006 album Christ Illusion. The lyrics were inspired by an article in the Texas Monthly about the casualties of war and the experiences of soldiers coping with physical and psychological trauma. Araya states "At points in their tour of Iraq, they need help and the military tends to ignore that, they kind of brush it under the mat and hopes it goes away. They try to make everything seem hunky dory and fine and dandy, when in actuality there is a lot of stuff going on that people can't handle. There's a lot of soldiers coming home with mental anguish. And the sad part is, we heard about post-traumatic stress after Vietnam and the first Gulf War and the military seems to want to wipe the slate clean with every new war."[16]

Personal life

Araya has a brother, Juan "Johnny" Araya, who currently plays bass in the melodic death metal band Thine Eyes Bleed. Johnny has also occasionally worked as a roadie for Slayer.

Araya resides in Buffalo, Texas, where he owns a ranch with his wife Sandra Araya and two children, daughter Ariel Asa Araya (b. May 11, 1996) and son Tomas Enrique Araya, Jr. (b. June 14, 1998).[6] He and his wife run a family ranch that includes 60+ head of cattle among other ranch animals. Araya reports that he sings country songs to help keep his "singing chops up."[17] Araya and his wife enjoy horror films such as The Amityville Horror and The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. The two allowed their children to watch horror films, but made it clear to them that it is just a movie when they asked "Is this real?"[18] His children were homeschooled.[19]

Religion

Araya is a practicing Roman Catholic.[20] In an interview, Araya expressed his belief that "…Christ came and taught us about love, about doing unto others. That was his preach: Accept each other for who we are. Live peacefully, and love one another." When asked if he believed in God, he replied "I believe in a supreme being, yeah. But He's an all-loving God."[21] Araya explained that he has a "really strong belief system," and Slayer's images and words will "never interfere with what I believe and how I feel… People are not in good shape to where they have to question their own belief system because of a book or a story somebody wrote, or a Slayer song."[22]

Araya commented about the misconception of the band labeled as Satan worshippers, "Yeah, yeah I think that's one of the biggest misconceptions towards the band, but next to that just the fact that we're normal." If guitarist King writes a good song, Araya puts his beliefs aside, "I'm not one that's going to go, 'This sucks because it's contrary to my beliefs.' To me it's more like 'This is really good stuff. You're going to piss people off with this.'"[22]

In 2016, Araya further explained that the main reason Slayer used satanic imagery was to scare people, in particular, the "Hollywood people," wanting to separate themselves from the androgynous Sunset Strip metal scene of the '80s.[23]

Guest appearances

Equipment
Tom Araya playing his ESP signature bass in 2012

Araya endorses Marshall amplifiers and ESP-guitars which are currently marketing Tom Araya signature bass guitars.[24] He was one of the first bassists to have a signature ESP bass series.

References
  1. "Slayer's metal music gains popularity". Austin American-Statesman. September 5, 1991. Retrieved 2010-07-22.
  2. Tom Araya (January 4, 2005). "Interview With Slayer Vocalist/ Bassist Tom Araya". KNAC.COM (Interview). Interviewed by Brian Davis. Seattle: KNAC. Archived from the original on April 17, 2015. Retrieved January 3, 2016.
  3. "Live chat with Tom Araya of Slayer". ESPguitars.com. Archived from the original on May 9, 2006. Retrieved January 27, 2007.
  4. Stingley, Mick (August 21, 2009). "Rockstar Energy Mayhem Fest Special! Part 2: Platinum Records, Staying Mellow and Michael Jackson: Interview With Tom Araya of Slayer". KNAC. Retrieved February 19, 2016.
  5. "Slayer Frontman Undergoes Gallbladder Surgery, Band Reschedule Early 'Unholy Alliance' Dates". Blabbermouth.net. May 10, 2006. Archived from the original on September 30, 2007. Retrieved January 9, 2007.
  6. Nailen, Dan (January 26, 2007). "A feel-good, family side to Slayer's heavy-metal assault". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved January 28, 2007.
  7. Barton, Geoff: "The Big Four reunite"; Classic Rock #148, August 2010, p19
  8. "Dave Lombardo: "Tom Araya Is Recovering Extremely Quickly". metalhammer.co.uk. March 12, 2010. Retrieved May 27, 2010.
  9. "Jimmy Kimmel Tonight". slayer.net. May 20, 2010. Archived from the original on May 23, 2010. Retrieved May 27, 2010.
  10. "Tom Araya Receives Keys to the city of Vina del Mar". slayerized.com. June 6, 2011. Retrieved September 28, 2011.
  11. Hill, John (December 2, 2018). "BREAKING NEWS: Slayer Announce Farewell Tour". Loudwire. Retrieved January 22, 2018.
  12. "SLAYER Announces 'The Final Campaign' Tour Dates With PRIMUS, MINISTRY And PHILIP H. ANSELMO & THE ILLEGALS". Blabbermouth.net. July 9, 2019. Retrieved December 2, 2019.
  13. "There Is 'Not A Chance In Hell' SLAYER Will Ever Reunite, Says KERRY KING's Wife". Blabbermouth.net. December 2, 2019. Retrieved December 2, 2019.
  14. Stannard, Joe. "Interview with Slayer". Plan B. Frances Morgan. Archived from the original on December 17, 2006. Retrieved June 15, 2009.
  15. "Jeffrey Dahmer". ohiohistorycentral.org. Retrieved January 30, 2007.
  16. Tom Araya (May 3, 2006). "About God and Satan – Part 2: An Interview With Slayer's Tom Araya". KNAC.COM (Interview). Interviewed by Peter Atkinson. KNAC. Archived from the original on June 14, 2015. Retrieved January 3, 2016.
  17. Glessner, David (September 8, 1999). "Slayer attracts a new generation of fans". MySA.com. Archived from the original on September 29, 2007. Retrieved January 30, 2007.
  18. Tom Araya (January 25, 2007). "LiveDaily Interview: Tom Araya of Slayer". liveDaily (Interview). Interviewed by Paul Gargano. Archived from the original on February 5, 2007. Retrieved January 3, 2016.
  19. "Slayer". Kids Interview Bands. Archived from the original on November 14, 2016. Retrieved November 14, 2016.
  20. "TOM ARAYA: SLAYER's Lyrics Are 'Just Words And They'll Never Interfere With What I Believe'". BLABBERMOUTH.NET. July 9, 2006. Retrieved April 17, 2018.
  21. Tom Araya (July 2004). "Slay Ride" (Interview). Interviewed by John La Briola. Archived from the original on August 3, 2004. Retrieved January 3, 2016.
  22. Feniak, Jenny. "Slayer likes bad-boy image". Jam.com. Archived from the original on May 24, 2012. Retrieved January 26, 2007.
  23. Loudwire. "Slayer's Tom Araya - Wikipedia: Fact or Fiction?". YouTube. Retrieved May 22, 2017.
  24. "The ESP Guitar Company: Tom Araya Signature Series". Espguitars.com. Archived from the original on November 2, 2010. Retrieved November 11, 2010.
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