The story of two Slayers, one from Los Angeles and the other from San Antonio, Texas, is a tale of metal music, rivalry, and unexpected camaraderie. On November 30, 1984, the LA Slayer played their first gig in San Antonio, Texas, at the Villa Fontana, an old country music dancehall. The band on before them that night were a bunch of local San Antonio kids who had carved out a name for themselves in their hometown’s vibrant metal scene. Their name? Well, that was Slayer too. This wasn’t the first time two different bands had used the same name, and it wouldn’t be the last, but it’s the only time identically named bands have shared the same bill. These days, the night Slayer went head-to-head with Slayer at the Villa Fortuna has passed into legend as 80s metal’s ultimate Battle Of The Bands, a fight for the name – and the soul – of Slayer. After the dust settled, there was a clear winner: the LA Slayer stood victorious, ready to consign their Texan rivals to obscurity and write their own name in the history books. But what really happened is a little more complicated.
The teenage Don Van Stavern formed his version of Slayer with 15-year-old drummer Dave McClain in 1981. The name was a shortened version of Dragonslayer – ironically, exactly the same thing the other Slayer called themselves at first. They played backyard parties, community colleges, even an indoor mini-golf place. By early 1983, the line-up consisted of Van Stavern, McClain, guitarists Bob Catlin and Art Villareal, plus singer Steve Cooper. Texas was a hotbed of metal at the time, and Van Stavern says his band were bigger than both Helstar and Watchtower.
By that time, they had heard about another band calling themselves Slayer, 1300 miles away in California. Some low-level back and forth followed, though Van Stavern denies his Slayer were ever sent a cease-and-desist letter by the other Slayer’s label, Metal Blade. Still, Prepare To Die would ultimately be overshadowed by the LA Slayer’s debut album, Show No Mercy. The San Antonio Slayer went into the studio in early 1984 to record a full-length album, Go For The Throat, but between starting the album and finishing it, Van Stavern, McClain, and Steve Cooper had begun jamming with Mark Reale, guitarist with 80s metal hotshots Riot. There was talk that the pair would join a new band Reale was putting together, named Narita.
The San Antonio Slayer played one more show before going their separate ways. Van Stavern reconnected with Mark Reale and helped get a relaunched version of Riot off the ground; the bassist is on his third stint with the band, now rechristened Riot V, with new album Mean Streets out on February 16, 2024. McClain is currently on his second run with Arizona thrashers Sacred Reich, with a 23-year stretch in groove metallers Machine Head in between. Guitarist Ron Jarzombek went on to join Watchtower, while Bob Catlin stayed active in the Texas metal scene. Singer Steve Cooper passed away in 2006 at the age of 47.
Go For The Throat, the debut album they recorded and shelved in 1984, was finally released in 1988. It was credited to S.A. Slayer. That album would become a cult favorite among underground metal aficionados. Van Stavern and McClain briefly regrouped with Catlin, Jarzombek, and ex-Watchtower singer Jason McMaster in 2022 to re-record a couple of old songs, though they have yet to be released. When Classic Rock speaks to Van Stavern at the end of 2023, he says there has been interest in a potential full reunion from festivals. The LA Slayer played San Antonio as part of their farewell tour on August 15, 2018, and Frontman Tom Araya took to the stage that night wearing a T-shirt featuring the original ‘Slayer vs Slayer’ flyer – a sweet nod to their shared history.
In the end, the rivalry between the two Slayers never materialized. The bands hung out after the show, shared a dressing room, and even helped each other pack up. The whole ‘versus’ thing came out afterwards, about how it was a contest for the name. It was nothing like that. It wasn’t a battle for the name – they were already on their way out. The LA Slayer stood victorious, but the San Antonio Slayer had a cult following and a legacy that continues to this day.
