Slayer Suing Secret Solstice

Veteran metal band Slayer contends they still have not been paid for their performance in Iceland last year, and are suing the festival for $133,000 USD. The current festival organisers eschew any responsibility for the debt, and questions remain regarding who is ultimately responsible.

Slayer performed at Secret Solstice last June as the headlining act, and now RÚV reports that the band were not paid when they were supposed to be—July 2018—and are now seeking recompense to the tune of about $133,000 USD.

Furthermore, a representative for the band contends that festival organisers retained 20% of Slayer’s revenue to pay cash to tax authorities, but these same tax authorities confirmed that this money has not been paid.

The question of ultimate responsibility is unclear. Many musicians and contractors have said that they still have not been paid for working with Secret Solstice, but the company which runs the festival recently changed from Solstice Productions to Live Events. As such, Live Events eschews any personal responsibility for paying Slayer, as they were not organising the festival when the band performed.

Secret Solstice will be held for the fifth time this summer, and is supported by the City of Reykjavík. This year’s acts include the Black-Eyed Peas, Robert Plant, Sugarhill Gang and Rita Ora.