Biography

When older he studied to become a respiratory therapist. He also had a job - and went to school. When he joined the band in 1982, he tried to be on top of all of it. As he said "What I tried to juggle was working, studying and also being in the band. There was a lot of nights when I'd get home in the early hours of the morning after a gig, unload the equipment, then go and get just an hour's sleep, before having to get up and go to work".

In early days in Slayer, he didn't contribute that much to their lyrics

• it was usually Jeff and Kerry that did the lyrics, even though he'd

been writing lyrics for himself for quite some time. But around "South of Heaven" from 1988, his lyrics began to appear on the Slayer records, and it was clear to everyone that Tom's main interest was in serial killers. He's written about Jeffrey Dahmer (in the song "213") and Ed Gein (in "Dead Skin Mask").

Joined Slayer when they were originally an Iron Maiden cover band.

Has a daughter Ariel Asa Araya (b. 11 May 1996)

Has a son named Tomas Enrique Araya Jr. (b. 14th June 1999)