UPDATE: ThePRP is reporting the tour will be rescheduled on an August/September timeframe.
Slayer has postponed all upcoming tour plans, including the American Carnage Tour with Megadeth and Testament, due to Tom Araya needing emergency back surgery once again.
Slayer’s manager Rick Sales released the following statement:
Tom gave various medical treatments more than a fair shot, 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. 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.
Dates for the Canadian and European Dates this coming March/April have also been postponed. Slayer and Megadeth are in the works to reschedule each date. Tickets already purchased for all of the shows will be honored at the rescheduled dates. Meanwhile, Megadeth has already announced plans to use the vacant March/April timeline for a US headlining tour.
Hit the jump for two different press releases we’ve received regarding the postponment.
From Roadrunner Records:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JANUARY 7TH, 2009AMERICAN CARNAGE TOUR FEATURING MEGADETH, SLAYER AND TESTAMENT POSTPONED
MEGADETH TO ANNOUNCE HEADLINE TOUR FOR MARCH AND APRIL
New York, NY- The much anticipated American Carnage Tour, featuring hard rock behemoths Megadeth, Slayer and Testament has been put on hold due to health issues. Slayer’s bassist/vocalist Tom Araya is in need of back surgery which cannot be postponed.
While disappointed by the tour’s delay, Megadeth are concerned for Araya and wish him a speedy recovery.
Megadeth are currently scheduling a U.S. headline run for March and April, and hope to reschedule the American Carnage tour for Summer ’10. Anyone who has purchased an American Carnage ticket should hold onto it until further notice. Please visit www.megadeth.com for the latest updates.
From Adrenaline PR:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
BACK SURGERY SCHEDULED FOR SLAYER’S TOM ARAYA,
BAND’S TOUR PLANS POSTPONED THROUGH APRIL
Slayer Camp Working Hard to Reschedule Dates for Later This YearLos Angeles, CA – Thursday, January 7, 2010 — “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 tour scheduled for March and April. Booking agents for both Slayer and Megadeth are already hard at work to see if these dates can be rescheduled, so those holding tickets are asked to sit tight as more info will be announced as progress is made.
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.”
