We’re pretty sure that Kerry King isn’t hurting for cash these days, but the Slayer guitarist admits his bank account would have a lot more money it if he had set up a different financial arrangement for his contributions to the classic Beastie Boys track “No Sleep Till Brooklyn.”
King famously played the iconic guitar riff on the Licensed to Ill track, but apparently took a singular payment for his contributions rather than a percentage of the royalties. Of course, Licensed to Ill went on to become one of the biggest rap albums of all time, selling over 10 million copies in the US alone and earning Diamond certification.
The metal legend was asked about the collaboration in a new interview with Border City Rock Talk (watch below), to which he responded, “The simplicity of it is what’s funny about it. [Slayer] were doing what became the Reign in Blood album and the Beasties were doing Licensed to Ill in the same studio, like down the hall from each other. And [producer] Rick Rubin was doing both projects. So they needed a lead on that particular song, ‘No Sleep Till Brooklyn’.”
He continued, “So, I thought about it, and I went, ‘Yeah, why not? I can use a couple hundred bucks.’ I certainly wasn’t well-to-do back then. So, that’s what I did. I went in there and I did it. And in hindsight, I wish I didn’t get paid. I wish I took a quarter point or something, ’cause now I would be a rich man [Laughs].”
Years later, King played guitar on Sum 41’s song “What We’re All About.” In the same interview, the guitarist reflected on that collaboration, saying, “How that one happened — I remember I turned it down for months and months and months. I’m, like, ‘My fans won’t get it. My fans won’t get it. My fans won’t get it.’ Then the guy from the record label — here’s another funny story, kind of full circle of what we were talking about — he comes up to me and he says, ‘Well, you did the Beastie Boys.’ And I went, ‘Motherf**ker!’ [Laughs] So I’m, like, ‘You’re right.’ So I did it.”
Fans can catch Kerry King and his eponymous new band supporting Mastodon and Lamb of God this summer on a North American tour (tickets available here). In addition, Slayer will reunite to headline three festivals this fall: Riot Fest, Louder Than Life, and Aftershock.
Listen to Kerry King’s interview with Border City Rock Talk and watch the “No Sleep Till Brooklyn” video below.
