Kerry King

Kerry Ray King

“KK”

Kerry King is world-renowned as Slayer's guitarist, but for a brief period in early 1984 he also contributed to Megadeth's history. A friend of the scene and already respected for his work in Slayer, King accepted Dave Mustaine's invitation to play as second guitarist in Megadeth's first live shows, at a time when the band still lacked a permanent lead guitarist after Greg Handevidt's departure. For a few weeks, Kerry King rehearsed and performed on stage with Mustaine, Ellefson, and Lee Rausch, playing Megadeth's then-new songs in California clubs. His fierce style and signature palm muting added extra punch to those embryonic shows. However, the collaboration was temporary: King needed to focus on Slayer, which in 1984 was recording its debut album 'Show No Mercy'. Kerry amicably parted ways with Megadeth after fulfilling the scheduled concerts. Years later, Mustaine and King expressed mutual respect, though there were also colorful anecdotes (King famously criticized Megadeth's 'glam' image at the time). In his own career, Kerry King achieved global fame as a riff architect in Slayer, a band with which he released 12 studio albums and defined genre classics like 'Raining Blood' and 'Angel of Death'. His chaotic solos and stage presence (with spiked bracelets and tattoos) became iconic in metal. Outside Slayer, King has made notable cameos—for example, in a Beastie Boys video or playing live with Pantera. For Megadeth fans, his stint with the band is a curious intersection in the path of two thrash titans. Kerry King helped Mustaine in the early days, solidifying the friendship and healthy rivalry between Megadeth and Slayer that would endure for decades within the Big Four of thrash.