Gary Holt / EXODUS

00:00:01: Hey,

00:00:10: how you doing?

00:00:11: Hello sir.

00:00:12: How are you?

00:00:13: I'm doing well.

00:00:14: How were you all

00:00:15: right?

00:00:16: good hanging in there.

00:00:17: hang it in there.

00:00:18: Thank You very much.

00:00:20: That's all we can ask for.

00:00:23: Thanks very much for joining us and taking the time talking to us.

00:00:26: that's really nice Cool, cool shit.

00:00:30: We never talked before so it's sort of saying

00:00:33: for everything right?

00:00:37: Before we talk about the new record I got to turn back time a year though and just start when you had an old singer coming in Back.

00:00:49: then was Rob the logical solution or easy solution?

00:00:54: both, you

00:00:54: know?

00:00:56: I mean he's remained one of our closest friends and my favorite singers.

00:01:03: The reasons why we parted ways have been addressed where.

00:01:09: like the vibe in this band energy is good as it has ever been for four plus decades.

00:01:18: We joke about maybe get some young guy who still got Visible stomach muscles, you know and can jump off the top of the drum riser without needing to go to a hospital.

00:01:31: But you know that's just kidding aside.

00:01:33: Well You know it was Rob all along And he just destroyed It.

00:01:38: on.

00:01:38: The new album did such amazing job at an on tour.

00:01:41: we're having so much fun right now.

00:01:43: We're about to do nine weeks straight in on.

00:01:46: you have To enjoy your job to Do That?

00:01:48: Now

00:01:50: when you When he started writing Goliath, do you guys have to change or had to change your style of writing just a little?

00:02:00: Just for the new singer.

00:02:02: Or doesn't that matter at all?

00:02:04: no it doesn't matter at All.

00:02:05: I mean like blood in.

00:02:06: blood out was written and for Rob You know yeah Yeah But you know We wrote every lyric on this album is written after Rob joined And um so we probably has some effect On It.

00:02:20: Also, you know the way we record is We like keep everything up.

00:02:24: The whole time we can read it?

00:02:25: We can record a new song on the last three days if he want Because the drums are still mic'd-up and they're still ready to go And then we write the whole way through in.

00:02:37: when we heard all these different like Layers that Rob has two as vocals You know.

00:02:42: um It allowed us to pivot, you don't maybe subconsciously start writing for you know for him and his, you know ability.

00:02:53: You said you have everything mic'd up.

00:02:55: I read somewhere that you guys have written a bunch of more songs Even didn't make it to the record.

00:03:01: so we probably had.

00:03:03: We have eighty percent of the next album done.

00:03:07: And yeah, we were on at.

00:03:08: we're on a creative explosion and Lee was contributing So heavily.

00:03:14: do this one.

00:03:16: Lee and I just, we said let's try to do both albums at once.

00:03:19: And then we could like quickly release the next one or we can go on vacation you know?

00:03:25: Never had one...I don't know what it is like!

00:03:30: We came close.

00:03:31: those sounds aren't throwaways.

00:03:33: i still have anxiety over which songs were selected because they're all insane but we picked a collection that was best for this album And we picked the ones that were best to put aside for next.

00:03:48: We have a little bit more work to do, by the time you get in studio will probably be more than two although thats all we need.

00:03:56: why limit yourself?

00:03:57: We'll keep writing and um...and uh..we're getting out pretty quickly

00:04:03: Which is amazing because I think people who had such career like you guys did some of them take Releasing a new or see releasing and you wreck it as a burden.

00:04:16: just to beat me go back Focus right develop create, you know.

00:04:22: And for you guys.

00:04:23: It seems to be like oh yeah Yeah We're doing this

00:04:25: well I love being in the school.

00:04:27: yo i mean You know Like people who complain about it?

00:04:30: I don't know what the hell they're complaining About.

00:04:32: your creating art, you Know if you're an honest musician you create art only for yourself anyway.

00:04:39: You know like and you hope you help people like it.

00:04:42: You need people like it, but in a minute you say I'm gonna write a song because the fans want this.

00:04:48: Then your musically dishonest...you have to make yourself happy.

00:04:52: and so you're in the studio creating art music that excites you And its fun!

00:04:59: We were recording new songs for two months straight.

00:05:05: The second song on my album Hostess Humanity Generous And I did all the rhythm guitars on the album without drums.

00:05:14: I just did it to the click track, you know?

00:05:16: Because Tom hadn't even had a chance of learning yet.

00:05:18: and they're like.

00:05:19: well why don't we record real guitars?

00:05:21: then he'll have better listening experience to record too rather than one rough guitar track.

00:05:28: so i went in and played whole song that has nothing but going through time no drums or anything.

00:05:37: After those years where do all riffs still come from?

00:05:40: This is cornucopia of something.

00:05:43: You go like, this is insane!

00:05:45: I love doing this...I don't know why anybody would have a problem.

00:05:50: if you consider yourself a riff lord-you're supposed to board over riffs right?

00:05:54: And uh and i wrote twelve songs.

00:05:57: Lee wrote six.

00:05:58: four Lees are on the album.

00:06:02: we still love doing it.

00:06:04: Love writing riffs.

00:06:06: Riffs or life.

00:06:07: they make me happy And so it never seemed hard for me, and that's not making myself out to be special or anything.

00:06:16: But we're also fearless.

00:06:18: where will try?

00:06:19: whatever makes us happy you know?

00:06:24: Not worry about whether people think we've strayed too far or anything.

00:06:29: Where does Goliath come from?

00:06:31: why did you pick this title in?

00:06:33: what three one-one-one mean For Germany.

00:06:37: Starting with three one-one, that's how many people were murdered in Juarez Mexico In two thousand and ten in the Cotahors.

00:06:46: It was a small town.

00:06:47: That's a lot of fucking people you know.

00:06:49: Yeah And uh so that's where that title came from.

00:06:53: as far as Goliath You know when?

00:06:55: When we finished this song We knew it was enormous and just kind Of spoke to me To write some like comic book fantasy about subterranean deities woken from centuries of slumber to enslave mankind.

00:07:07: And he was like, simple you know.

00:07:09: I was asked recently what the existential meaning is and said there's none.

00:07:13: it just fair fantasy.

00:07:15: but The album is so huge we just thought It represented the whole record perfectly.

00:07:21: We've never had a single word title.

00:07:24: There's always kind of a sing-songy cadence to an Exodus album titled Bonded by Blood, The Flash and Fabulous Disaster for Some Habit.

00:07:34: It's just the way we always have operated Neil.

00:07:36: so this is a change even in our title.

00:07:41: Do you guys have problems writing songs or finishing songs?

00:07:44: What was your hardest song that you had to finish there?

00:07:50: I don't know.

00:07:50: You know, we don't consider it work.

00:07:52: so yeah It's like got hard.

00:07:54: i mean Like.

00:07:55: you know the epics are harder to finish because yes So many more like tempos and tracks And things.

00:08:01: you know.

00:08:02: a song that's just a straightforward Driving song.

00:08:05: you're Just riff out and you'll record it?

00:08:08: you Know someone of the god unknown was tricky To record cuz there were so Many different Things to do.

00:08:13: You know, I wrote two epics and we saved one for the next album.

00:08:16: That was real difficult because it's like eight minutes of just punishing riffing.

00:08:20: It's like fucking it's crushing in hurts.

00:08:23: Yeah Um but you know sometimes, you know Like there were a couple songs to their next album that are like brilliant.

00:08:30: They're amazing But i thought they could use A little bit more love You know?

00:08:35: So its Just To Get Them Perfect!

00:08:36: You Know...They Were Like Really Really Good.

00:08:39: There Was A Couple That We've Set Aside Flawless and I'm like man, I should have put that on the album.

00:08:45: It's so good.

00:08:46: Like half of my favorite solos are course all in the next record.

00:08:51: Just a way it works You know like

00:08:52: is to bend.

00:08:53: when you guys writing song only you write a bunch and Lee writes amongst.

00:08:58: Do the other guy's have us saying dead?

00:09:00: Yeah, well Tom wrote lyrics Rob wrote a lot of the lyrics and Jack's not one of the songwriters But he's like one of The first people I go to for you know opinions on arrangements in things And so you know He has his say and all that we got word.

00:09:14: We're democracy.

00:09:15: no one No one says this is the way it is.

00:09:18: You know will listen each other?

00:09:20: Sometimes when Mike question someone's vision, but then in the end when the whole picture is revealed you know we realized that were right.

00:09:29: You see it now because like Lee and myself We can both envision a song where It takes multiple tracks And layers to reveal The meaning of it.

00:09:40: But yeah...we know what its gonna be.

00:09:43: Someone might say I don't Know What you're going with this.

00:09:47: Just hear me out Listen and wait, it all will be revealed.

00:09:53: When the picture is complete right now you're looking at one color out of a painting.

00:09:59: Now are we going to be here on tour with Creator in Carchus?

00:10:04: How many new songs can you play?

00:10:06: I don't know... One hour set?

00:10:08: No not

00:10:09: even an hour.

00:10:09: i think its like four minutes.

00:10:11: You've got fifty classic tracks to choose from.

00:10:16: It's hard Because we know what songs have to play, but also a band that's never shied away from playing new material.

00:10:26: We're not gonna go out and play one song.

00:10:29: then everything you expect us to play...we'll switch it up!

00:10:35: It is still learning these songs as a band.

00:10:40: so over the release of this album add more songs in, you know.

00:10:48: We want to get the part where we can if we desire switch and play any song on album.

00:10:54: but were gathering for rehearsals into summer really work all that out.

00:10:58: so will probably played two or maybe three?

00:11:02: Maybe four!

00:11:04: We might switch them up a little

00:11:08: bit.

00:11:08: is it tour like this with four bands?

00:11:11: your not headlining?

00:11:12: Is it actually more convenient to go out there and play, do your stuff but don't have two headlines?

00:11:19: Or you say like I now wish i could play two hours.

00:11:21: And then give it all.

00:11:23: no It's convenient as hell.

00:11:26: by the time creators on stage...I'll be on a bus watching reality television Have some dinner get ready for bed.

00:11:33: You know I like because he keeps me on daily schedule.

00:11:39: So what can we expect?

00:11:41: Dungeons, Dragons & Fireworks?

00:11:44: Um, musical fireworks for sure.

00:11:46: No Dungeons and Dragons.

00:11:49: Are you guys friends with creator?

00:11:51: And carcass?

00:11:51: yeah Yeah We've been friends for decades.

00:11:53: It's gonna be a lot of fun same as carcasses in our nails.

00:11:56: You know I met one of them recently But i'm sure we'll be lifelong friends out to this.

00:12:01: but yeah it's going To me.

00:12:02: great tours like.

00:12:03: well all long time friends are.

00:12:05: that can Be a lot laughs.

00:12:08: I gotta ask you again though, because for touring it's the same with recording.

00:12:13: You guys have been doing this for decades and don't ever get a feeling or that they're getting tired of it?

00:12:20: No we love playing!

00:12:22: The travel... yeah i dont like to travel.

00:12:24: when ive leave my house on tour im sad cause ive leaving home , wife kids , grandkids but as soon as i see my brothers Im happy.

00:12:35: Yeah, it's hard.

00:12:36: I'm six and one years old.

00:12:38: you have joint issues arthritis finger pain things like that.

00:12:41: It's no joke You know been stuck full of needles all over to keep my body going But this is what i love to do And so...I'll do until I can't.

00:12:52: I didn't know your were a grandpa.

00:12:54: Oh three times yeah Three grandchildren.

00:12:57: Yeah lord!

00:12:59: I am not young man.

00:13:01: That's purely insane but It's great.

00:13:05: We're not alone, there are several heavy metal grandpas out there.

00:13:10: Well you guys achieved so much.

00:13:14: You are one of the most iconic Threshmaps ever.

00:13:20: Is anything in The Exodus bucket list?

00:13:22: Did you guys haven't done it yet?

00:13:25: No we haven't achieved nothing.

00:13:28: Yes!

00:13:28: I'm sorry.

00:13:30: That way that is what we look at though.

00:13:32: Exodus operates with a huge chip on our shoulders and an attitude of like, we have not accomplished anything yet.

00:13:40: You know?

00:13:41: And so that's what pushes us to push the boundaries and continue make music actually harder-to-play than their early era stuff.

00:13:50: We're not making life easy ourselves because here is a new song and it's two hundred fifty beats per minute.

00:13:58: That's insane!

00:13:58: It's fast as fuck.

00:14:00: Um, but you know we constantly feel like We have to like prove ourselves.

00:14:06: You Know

00:14:07: do?

00:14:08: Do you think you get all the merits and all the all The praising praises whatever did you deserve?

00:14:13: actually

00:14:14: the practical part of me says yes You know people would pay homage And other musicians will like tip their hat To us and that's great at an apparently partner me says no way never good any recognition and everybody's out to get us.

00:14:29: And everyone else is just a fucking bunch of posers, you know?

00:14:34: So there's the data.

00:14:36: both are true that two things can be true at the same time.

00:14:43: Now they're the excellence bucket list.

00:14:44: but is there a Gary Holt bucket list?

00:14:46: I mean You released your memoir already so you got that done.

00:14:52: i'm living my bucket lists Survivor, you know like done enough damage to myself and I come out of it happy And healthy.

00:15:02: You know that my life is happy?

00:15:05: I'm a working musician.

00:15:06: makes the living playing music not rich.

00:15:09: But you know I'm rich spiritually.

00:15:11: if you want to go That route or not religiously no but uh yeah i'm happy My life is good.

00:15:19: now we know at this with Goliath there's new record.

00:15:21: There's another new record coming soon.

00:15:26: What does he take to end, put an end to Exodus?

00:15:29: Because I think you never end.

00:15:32: Nuclear war will still play.

00:15:35: We'll be like cockroaches the last surviving creature except we'll evolve and mutate from the radiation And it all have extra arms that can play two guitars at once.

00:15:46: Write a record about it.

00:15:48: Yeah yeah exactly!

00:15:50: Will outlive the cockroaches.

00:15:53: No seriously Uh, I mean can you actually figure out that?

00:15:57: You know do you have?

00:15:58: you have psychos.

00:15:58: Do you have touring psychs or recording psychs?

00:16:01: You've a master plan of five-year planner whatever.

00:16:04: but do you think there's like one plan where he goes and here it says end

00:16:11: No we'll keep doing as long so we're gonna be at high enough level.

00:16:15: i don't want to ever walk on stage and feel like i'm harming my own legacy in the legacy.

00:16:24: Yeah.

00:16:25: I haven't made my job easy, you know?

00:16:28: Like it's one thing.

00:16:29: if we were like a more traditional metal band and that's...I'm not knocking that where the songs aren't devastating to your physical health-to-play.

00:16:40: You know this shit is hard dude.

00:16:42: It's rough And in the performing part of its hard.

00:16:45: But as long as i can go out and play The songs are the way I want to play.

00:16:51: Not look like I should quit.

00:16:56: But there will come a time when we can't play Strike of the Beast.

00:17:00: The way it needs to be played, you know?

00:17:03: All right We'll cross that bridge one get-to-it.

00:17:06: Now your set before and you mentioned before did he never had a vacation?

00:17:09: but I think their last couple years He had paid summer vacations touring near going on shows with Slayer.

00:17:15: Yeah, but those aren't vacations they're working Vacation.

00:17:20: I've Never Had a Vacation where i left the guitar at home.

00:17:25: Okay, I've gone to some nice places but i had the play together and work my way there.

00:17:31: I never just left the guitars at home Left The Business At Home And Just Gotten On A Plane You Know And I plan on doing it one of these days.

00:17:39: you should you Should.

00:17:40: It's Good Take All Your Grammets

00:17:42: Have An Enormous Amount Of Freaking Flyer Biles.

00:17:47: Just Saving And Saving Them You know.

00:17:50: But But I Just Gotta Ask One Thing Because It seems to become a regularity, that you do all the touring with Exodus and tour the whole way through it.

00:18:01: And then in summer there's two slayer shows somewhere for all the wrong reasons or right reasons... ...and it seems continue like this!

00:18:11: Right now its year-to-year thing we're doing two shows here And I think when we first came back, the two most important things were are we going to be enjoy it and have fun?

00:18:23: Yeah.

00:18:23: We'll really be good!

00:18:25: We're really fucking good and had a great time.

00:18:30: The band earned their right to pop up for a couple of shows each year.

00:18:35: unless we focus on Exodus that lets people still get a taste of Slayer Especially since there's this whole new generation.

00:18:43: they never got too.

00:18:46: You think you're gonna make it over to the old Europe too.

00:18:48: sometimes

00:18:50: I have no idea.

00:18:52: Across that bridge when i get, yeah Yeah When they say hey we're doing this or?

00:18:58: We'll see how.

00:18:59: It does all right alright

00:19:01: i Think i have no more further questions.

00:19:04: the owner bye-bye.

00:19:05: thank you

00:19:06: Bye-bye.

00:19:07: Thank you for listening to tough stuff.

00:19:09: the rocket heavy

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