Dave Lombardo Reflects on the Evolution of the Music Industry: “You Have to Go with the Flow”

In a new interview with the RRBG Podcast, legendary extreme metal drummer Dave Lombardo (Slayer, Fantômas, Testament, Mr. Bungle, Misfits, Dead Cross) shared his thoughts on how the music industry has transformed with digital technology and social media.

“We all know the negative part of it — obviously, the change we’ve had to witness. But, hey, that’s evolution. That’s life. We’re gonna be viejitos [little old men] if we start complaining about it. It’s, like, ‘Oh, you know, back in my day,’ this and that. It’s, like, no — you have to go with the flow.”

“I think there’s a lot of advantages in today’s industry. One, you could put music out — anybody could put music out and anybody could record it at home. And there are just so many advantages. The research that you can do online to clear up any questions, if you have an idea, if you have a problem. All those are brilliant advantages. And I think we should embrace those and use them to our benefit.”

“I think also if we sit around and complain about things, you’re really missing the point. You’ve been given all these great tools, and I think it’s just better for us all around. Yes, I can go down the path and complain and nitpick all these little things, but, man, I don’t view life that way. If something’s holding it back, if you fall, get up, brush yourself off, keep moving forward. If something happens, ‘Fuck. That hurt. Well, let’s go. Come on.’ So that’s just my personality.“

Lombardo also shared his perspective on artificial intelligence (AI) being used to generate melodies, harmonies, and lyrics, touching on whether AI could replace human musicianship.

“Actually, I’d like to see AI perform it live. The human element, the feeling of having a Marshall stack being played in front of you and some subwoofer and low end from a drummer on a real drum set, there’s nothing like that. It could be possible that people will forget, something will come in and take its place and people will forget what that feels like, but hopefully not. That aspect, live music, I think people need that, people need to get out and see and experience that, a live performance, so I don’t see that going away. And AI definitely can’t replace that.”

Lombardo’s latest project, Venamoris, a collaboration with his wife Paula, released its sophomore album, To Cross or To Burn, on February 28 via Ipecac Recordings.

Known for defining thrash metal drumming, Lombardo has also explored various genres, including solo percussion (Rites of Percussion, 2023), hip-hop, and classical music, in addition to working with artists such as John Zorn, Misfits, and Mr. Bungle.

In recent years, Lombardo has balanced time between projects like Empire State Bastard, crossover pioneers Suicidal Tendencies, hardcore supergroup Dead Cross, and Misfits. His departure from Slayer came in 2013 after a contract dispute, leading to his replacement by Paul Bostaph, who previously played with Slayer from 1992 to 2001.

Despite his departure from the band that helped define his career, Lombardo continues to leave a lasting impact on heavy music through his diverse projects and relentless drive.

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