Bostaph is drumming with Slayer. Paul is endorsed by Yamaha drums, Paiste cymbals, Remo heads, and Vater sticks.

Paul Bostaph is born on the 26th of March 1964 in Newark (in the so-called "Tri-City" area) California. He grows up in the Bay Areya, during the eighties well known for the many thrashmetal bands residing there.



Paul started playing drums in 1979. In an interview with Perfect Pitch Online (april 2003) he states to have detested high school:

"The thing about high school was, there was never anyone who would sit down with me and explain to me why I was learning what I was learning at the time. I felt I had enough to get me through every day life, why do I need more? So my mind always went to things I was interested in. I wasn't interested in history until after high school. Math bored the shit out of me, then I learned that drumming and music have a lot to do with mathematics, so I started thinking: 'Wow, maybe I should've taken more of an interest in mat'."

Fortuantely for Paul he graduated from Newark Memorial High School. Before playing in metalband Forbidden, he jammed with a bunch of guys called Rick Cottingham, Ken Keeler and Eric Shmidt. They played at school and at garage parties. His first real gig was at the Old Keystone in Paloalto in 1985. Paul had a special knack for a drumkit before he really knew how to play them.



Paul learned to play drums mostly by listen to his heavy records, mostly Iron Maiden. He tried to pull off what Nicko did and eventually he developed more and more.



During the 80's Paul recorded 2 albums with Forbidden. Paul then got somewhat tired of playing heavy music; he felt that it was too limiting.



However, after the break with Forbidden, he got a call from Kerry King who found out that Paul left Forbidden. Kerry wanted Paul to join Slayer. Paul had always been a big fan of Slayer, so he accepted the offer.



Paul was then given a list of Slayer songs and he had like 12 days to rehearse them. After that, it was the plan that Paul should be "tested" in an audition that lasted 3 days. Paul passed the audition with flying colours. He even did a song that wasn't on the list - "Silent Scream", a very drum-demanding song. As Paul said:

"I ran around like a chicken with its head cut off with my walkman with Slayer in it. (...)I pretty much ate, breath and slept Slayer in 12 days."

Many people said Paul Bostaph had awfully big shoes to fill, referring to the excellent - and very popular - Dave Lombardo. To that, leadsinger Tom said: "Actually, the shoes are a little too tight". In 1992, when Paul was still new in Slayer, he was contacted by Testament who wanted him to do a show with them. It resulted in the Testament live album "Return To The Apocalyptic City" featuring Paul Bostaph on drums.



Paul left Slayer in late 1995. Slayer then hired Jon Dette but he was kicked out at the beginning of 1997. Soon Paul returned behind the drumkit with Slayer. Until 2001.



This time Paul leaves Slayer again and the original Slayer-drummer Dave Lombardo returns behind the skins.



Soon after Paul Bostaph played in Systematic until late 2003. Early 2004 Bostaph showed up in old school thrash metal band Testament.



2005 saw Bostaph join Exodus after longtime drummer Tom Hunting was taken ill and had to be hospitalized several times. Exodus' first album to feature Paul Bostaph was "Shovel Headed Kill Machine", released in October 2005 via Nuclear Blast Records.