S Poddar
“I wish I had taken a quarter point or something; I’d be rich now!”
Slayer’s Kerry King has expressed regret over the deal he made for his guitar solo on the Beastie Boys’ track “No Sleep Till Brooklyn.” Reflecting on the decision, the thrash metal guitarist shared his thoughts on how a different choice could have made him significantly wealthier.
In 1986, while Slayer was working on their critically acclaimed album ‘Reign In Blood’ with producer Rick Rubin, the Beastie Boys were also in the studio recording their album ‘Licensed to Ill’. During this time, King recorded the solo for the Beastie Boys’ hit single “No Sleep Till Brooklyn.” At that moment, he accepted a one-time payment, driven by the need for quick cash as he wasn’t financially well-off.
During an interview with Border City Rock Talk, King reminisced about the situation, mentioning his regret. He explained, “The simplicity of it is what’s funny about it. We were working on the ‘Reign In Blood’ album, and the Beastie Boys were recording ‘Licensed To Ill’ just down the hall. Rick Rubin was producing both albums, and they needed a lead for ‘No Sleep Till Brooklyn’. I figured, ‘Why not? I could use a couple hundred bucks.’”
Reflecting on his choice, King now wishes he had negotiated for a better deal, possibly a percentage of the song’s earnings, which would have been a more lucrative decision in the long run.
