Unleash Your Headbanging Fury with Slayer’s Controversial Cover of Born To Be Wild
Metal and fast cars; a combination that seems to go hand in hand. The 2002 release of NASCAR On Fox: Crank It Up was a unique and noteworthy album that featured rock and metal icons performing covers about automobiles and high-speed locomotion. The lineup included Type O Negative covering Deep Purple’s Highway Star, Hed PE taking on Jimi Hendrix’s Crosstown Traffic, and Gov’t Mule’s Drivin’ Rain with guest appearances from Metallica’s James Hetfield and Les Claypool of Primus.
Other notable contributions came from Machine Head, Rob Zombie, Slipknot, and more. However, the most striking cover on the album was Slayer’s rendition of Steppenwolf’s Born To Be Wild, a biker rebel anthem that took the thrash legends in a new direction.
Slayer had previously ventured into covering hard-rock classics with their version of Iron Butterfly’s In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida in 1987 for the Less Than Zero soundtrack. While the song earned them recognition and radio play, it also stirred controversy within the band, with guitarist Kerry King expressing his disdain for the track, despite its commercial success.
Diving deeper into Slayer’s musical choices, guitarist Jeff Hanneman shared his regret over the Born To Be Wild cover, criticizing the decision to include it in a compilation. The band faced scrutiny from fans and friends alike, highlighting the divide between embracing experimental covers and maintaining the core sound that fans had come to expect.
The NASCAR connection didn’t end with their musical endeavors. In 2019, driver JJ Yeley planned to race in a Slayer-sponsored car as part of the band’s farewell tour promotion. Despite the initial excitement surrounding the partnership, the sponsorship was abruptly dropped due to concerns from other sponsors.
Slayer’s involvement with NASCAR and their controversial covers raise questions about the intersection of music and branding. While some fans embraced the band’s experimentation with different genres and themes, others were less enthusiastic.
As the debate continues over Slayer’s musical choices and collaborations, it seems that the band’s foray into the world of fast cars and rock music may have hit a few speed bumps along the way.
