My Music: Slayer

Kerry King (right) with the band he co-founded

Slayer have been one of the most intense, uncompromising heavy metal bands of the last two decades.

Their 12th album, God Hates Us All, is out in July. After its release, they will tour North America as part of the Extreme Steel Tour.

Guitarist Kerry King co-founded the band in California in 1982, and tells BBC News Online about his tastes in music.

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What was the first album you bought?

All you can really say about that is getting in the era and thinking about what you might have bought. I would guess it would probably be one of the first two Van Halen records. That's about the right time and I know I bought one.

And the most recent?

Last time I was in the UK, I got the Slipknot digipak because the European one is different from the American one. I could have waited and got it for free but I couldn't wait.

Where do you most like listening to music?

Probably in the car. Because the car is a very boring place.

What do you have on your tourbus stereo?

I bring out a 100-CD folder. When we were in Vancouver - we were there for three months doing the record - I had a five-CD changer in my room and there was Slipknot, Pantera and Soulfly - the typical stuff.

Any not-so-typical stuff that you'd like to recommend?

George Thorogood! Drinking music!

Which song or artist inspires you to make music?

I don't think that really applies any more. For me, I just pay attention to music, what's going on. If there's a band I don't like and they're popular, I try to understand why they're popular, and if I can apply that to what we're doing and have nobody ever know that.

The best guitar player is Darrell from Pantera - he rules, he's just a natural - but I don't take any inspiration from him.

Which song by another artist do you wish you had written?

That's tough. Probably Get This by Slipknot.

Is there any type of music that you just can't stand?

I'm not a big fan of the whole Limp Bizkit scene right now. It's just not my vibe. When they came out, Fred Durst was screaming his ass off and now he just seems like a whiner. I don't like that kind of style.

Out of your own songs, which is the one you most cringe at now?

Oh, that's easy, the one I wish we had never recorded is Cleanse the Soul. I hate that song. I liked it at the time, but looking back it just doesn't fly for me.

Which song do you most like playing live?

Raining Blood is just an ass-kicker. We play that song every show and it seems like we get tired of it, but I look forward to that song because it's a rush.

What song always makes you cry?

I'm not a crier. What makes me cry? Looking in the sunlight for too long.

Which current artist do you most admire?

I wish I was more diverse for you because it's going to come down to Pantera and Slipknot.

What I like about Slipknot - and I get a lot of flak for this because a lot of our fans don't understand why I like them - they're chaos, and I love it. It's chaos and aggressive.