Lombardo keen to break thrash stereotype

Former Slayer sticksman Dave Lombardo says he experiments with various musical styles as he doesn’t want to be pigeonholed as just a thrash drummer.

The Philm mainman has written and recorded music with his groove metal band Grip Inc, worked with Faith No More frontman Mike Patton in experimental outfit Fantomas and collaborated with Italian classical musician Lorenzo Arruga to record Vivaldi: The Meeting.

And he says he’s always finding new music to inspire him.

He tells Music Radar: “That’s always been one thing that’s driven me: to explore and experiment because I was so pigeonholed at such an early stage in my career because of Slayer.

“I’m not just this thrash metal drummer, I have a love for all styles of music.

“There’s still more I need to discover, there’s still music I’m continually coming across that blows me away. There seems to be more on the horizon for me than ever.”

And the drummer says a reunion with Patton on the first Fantomas material since 2005’s Suspended Animation could be in the pipeline.

He continues: “Let’s just say that Mike and I have been in communication, we’ve been texting each other, like we always have. We always keep tabs on each other, which is great. I love our friendship and I hope that we do get together, that’d be awesome.”

Philm released their second album Fire From The Evening Sun last year, while the sticksman recently revealed he hadn’t spoken to Dave Mustaine about joining Megadeth following the departure of Shawn Drover.

Scott has spent 37 years in newspapers, magazines and online as an editor, production editor, sub-editor, designer, writer and reviewer. Scott joined our news desk in 2014 before moving into e-commerce in 2020. Scott maintains Louder’s buyer’s guides, highlights deals, and reviews headphones, speakers, earplugs and more. Over the last 12 years, Scott has written more than 11,500 articles across Louder, Classic Rock, Metal Hammer and Prog. He's previously written for publications including IGN, Sunday Mirror, Daily Record and The Herald, covering everything from news and features, to tech reviews, video games, travel and whisky. Scott's favourite bands are Fields Of The Nephilim, The Cure, New Model Army, All About Eve, The Mission, Cocteau Twins, Drab Majesty, Marillion and Rush.