This page from the band’s tour notebook shows an early effort to formalize protections around their performances. This handwritten contract draft, prepared for the Combat Tour stop at New York’s Studio 54 on April 3, 1985, outlines Slayer’s terms for filming the show.
While not legally binding, the document reflects a growing awareness of the need to control how Slayer was represented and recorded. It marks the beginning of a more structured approach to the business of touring.
1-2. Formal agreements between Slayer and venues during the Hell Awaits tour. From the Collection of Doug Goodman
3-7. Behind the scenes, contracts and logistics kept the tour moving. Onstage, Slayer tore through it all with unrelenting force. These images from 1985 capture the band at full power on the Hell Awaits tour. Doug Goodman, who acted as tour manager in the early years, remembered, "Every one of the Slayer shows lived up to everyone's hopes. They never failed." Photos: Kevin Estrada From the Collection of Slayer
VIDEO:
Tom Araya recalls what it was like to collect payment from venues on the Hell Awaits tour in this Slaytanic Verses exclusive interview, 2024. From the Collection of Slayer
