Mayhem Festival Co-Founder John Reese Calls For Metal Fans To Unite


rockstar mayhem fest 2015

As the acrimony caused of the apparent disappointing returns of this summer’s Mayhem Festival spills into public forums such as online music websites, Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival co-founder John Reese has waded in to the fray. Offering an olive branch to fans and the bands, Reese’s plea comes after his partner Kevin Lyman aired his grievances about the fest and metal fans, which has led to speculation the fest is in jeopardy of not coming back next year, if ever again. Then followed by Slayer’s Kerry King making a spirited rebuttal in the media. Other bands playing Mayhem Festival were then prompted to comment, as well as many other noted artists in the rock and metal community. Reese’s comments can be read below:

 

 

Dear Fans of Heavy Music and Metal Bands Everywhere,

WE ARE ONE COMMUNITY. IT IS VITALLY IMPORTANT TO OUR COMMUNITY THAT WE ALL UNITE NOT DIVIDE! Without each others support the only thing that suffers is Metal as a genre!

In the midst of our most challenging year in 8 years of producing the festival, my partner Kevin Lyman made some comments that he has subsequently apologized for. Kevin is an honorable man and has given everything he has to the presentation of music and expanding the profile of countless artists! I am proud of our partnership and our results throughout the years! We have always tried to deliver a platform for artists to expand their fan base and the genre as a whole!

In saying this, various people involved with the 2015 Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival and some from the metal community have understandably made some divisive comments regarding the event. The event has suffered as a result of these many comments. What’s done is done but I am here to say that heavy metal music is alive and well! I shouldn’t have to remind everyone that we as a culture have faced ostracism from the mainstream for decades and we should not let over-sensationalized media hype separate us!

I think we are ALL tired of all of the bullshit. I KNOW I AM!

Let’s move the conversation forward supporting each other not dividing.

Thank you to Slayer, King Diamond, Hellyeah, TDWP and every single one of the incredibly talented bands that have performed this year on Mayhem!

 

I would also just like to add a few other choice things for any media conspiracy headlines:

Can’t we all just get along!” – Rodney King 1994

Marilyn Manson did NOT cause Columbine!

Obama is not the Antichrist!! And he ain’t taking our guns!

Justin Bieber….. uhhhh… no comment!

Heavy metal does not cure cancer, but it is good to fuck to.

Hopefully I will see many of you at Knotfest 2015!

John Reese

Slayer, photo©Kevin Estrada / kevinestrada.com

Slayer, photo©Kevin Estrada / kevinestrada.com

 


Kevin Lyman Suggests 2015 Mayhem Fest To Be The Last


rockstar mayhem fest 2015

In an interview with the Detroit Free Press, Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem festival organizer Kevin Lyman has intimated that the 2015 edition might be its last, and that the fest “may need to go away”. Citing a lack of new blood for ticket selling headline acts, the aging of classic-era metal fans and the cost of paying bands as reasons the festival is thought to be struggling with ticket sales of late, thus putting the future of the fest at the very least, in doubt.

 

Excerpted from the interview:

On this years headliner Slayer:

It was the best available for what we had to work with,” “We had pressure to keep the package at a certain price and make that work, and we had pressure on headliner expenses.”

On the future viability of the festival

I mean, Mayhem, it’s at risk of going away at any given moment…”

 

Kevin Lyman, photo by Craig Sengstock

Kevin Lyman, photo by Craig Sengstock

 

About the lack of new headline-worthy acts that are a legit draw to ticket buyers, and metal bands unwillingness to take a pay cut for the betterment of the tour

The bands at the top all demand a certain level of fee to be on tour. Unlike punk rock, metal never knows how to take a step back to move the whole scene forward”. “That’s how punk rock was. That’s how we nurtured punk rock. Bad Religion would take a little less than they could on their own to bring the whole scene forward, so we could make sure we had a good (touring) package around them. Metal doesn’t seem to have that concern, never has, never has since I was working in the clubs in the ’80s. It’s always about a me, me, me thing.”

 

On the aging of Metal fans:

What happened was metal chased girls away because what happened was metal aged,” “Metal got gray, bald and fat. And metal was about danger. When you went to a metal show, it was dudes onstage; there was some danger in it.”

On the 2015 Edition

Yeah, we had to condense it,” “The expenses of putting on those shows had gotten high, so we had to push it all into the concourses. They (venues) don’t want to build a fence outside (for third and fourth stages) anymore. Those things cost money.”