Metal Mayhem: Ok first up the new album Shovel Head Kill Machine is just awesome!
Gary Holt: Yeah it’s a pretty heavy one.
MM: It’s more brutal than even tempo was
GH: Well it was a question of where do I go from here really
|
MM: It’s a lot more extreme and in your face GH: People ask me how that happened, I don’t know maybe because I constantly feel despite all the years I still have something to prove. I have my doubters especially with the line up changes. I feel I can now prove everyone wrong. |
MM: you certainly don’t seem like a band just going through the motions.
GH: Oh fuck no!
MM: It’s not like some bands who come back and put out an average album and just do it for the money.
GH: Well for one the fans aren’t stupid they’d know it. Y’know if we put out an average album and only play all the classic shit. But we’re not, live we’re playing mostly new stuff, because that’s I’m having most fun playing right now.
MM: And it’s going down well?
GH: Yeah it’s fucking brutal.
MM: I have just been in the bar and people seem really up for it there’s so many people with Exodus t-shirts and jackets, People still have a lot of respect and love for the band, and you seem a real fans band.
GH: Yeah and we’re all still fans ourselves, I love metal. A lot of people my age who are still playing probably don’t listen to much metal – they do it because its all they know, but I love it..
MM: So what bands do you like now? Are you still listening to the old stuff or are there newer bands you like?
GH: I’m really excited about doing the tour with hypocrisy they are one of my favourite bands and peters a good friend, we’ve talked and bullshitted about playing together a lot, so it’s cool to make it happen.
I love the new thrash bands like the haunted, carnal forge, lamb of god, shadows fall, they’re great. Also I love black metal bands Marduk and Dimmu Borgir.
MM: Those bands seem to be taking things to a new level.
And bands like Lamb of God they seem to really respect the history of metal where as all the nu metal shit didn’t. the new wave of bands seem fans of all metal and they can really thrash too.
GH: I missed Lamb of Gods last show in the bay area but I heard they gave a shout out to exodus and said they were proud to play in the land of the birth of thrash metal,
MM: They seem to give respect to older bands like you guys Testament, Death Angel all those classic thrash bands, Robb Flynn said there would be no machine Head without Exodus.
GH: Yeah and it feels really good when people respect what you do.
|
MM: I know you probably don’t want to talk about the line up change and why people left that’s been covered a lot recently. But I do want to talk about the new guys.
You’ve got Paul Bostaph who is an awesome drummer and has played with some great bands, does he bring a new pedigree to the band? |
|
MM: Yeah you’ve got Lee Altus of Heathen who are a seminal thrash band, was he the best guy for the job?
GH: He was the ONLY guy for the job.He’s been waiting for the call for 20 years, he’s a bigger Exodus fan than I am! (laughs)
MM: So are you two buddies from way back?
GH: Yeah we’ve known each other since 1985. We have the same musical background; we grew up on the NWOBHM and worshipped Thin Lizzy. I never thought of anyone else.
MM: You also have a new singer Rob – I believe he was your guitar tech?
GH: Yeah he was.
MM: So how did you come to hear him sing?
GH: Good luck! For every bit of bad luck I’ve got some good luck bad. He wasn’t my original guitar tech on the Megadeth tour but the original guy sucked. So a really close friend of the band recommended Rob and he got the job as my tech. He mentioned he had sung in some punk bands in New York and asked for an audition. So I thought I’d just give my friend a shot but he came into the audition and made it his own from day one.
MM: His vocal on the new album are killer, he seems a real find for you guys.
GH: Yeah totally he just the perfect fucking fit.
MM: And he doesn’t bring any baggage that someone from another well known band might have done.
GH: yeah its cool we got a total unknown – a real find.
MM: Also the fans seem to be saying "yes this is Exodus" they’ve accepted the changes, unlike some bands that come back with only one original member it doesn’t work but for Exodus it has.
GH: Well I didn’t come back from retirement or a 6 year hiatus or whatever you want to call it and start it by myself. I was writing an Exodus album. Zetro was gone even if he hadn’t quit when he did we know he wouldn’t have chose to stick around. I never intended Tom to have a nervous breakdown while I was writing the album.
MM: Its just one of those things in life you can’t predict happening.
GH: Yeah, y’know Rick left because of his personal problems; I didn’t fire Rick he quit. But the band is stronger because of it, there’s no more drama, no bullshit, everyone’s happy and we’re ten times tighter than we’ve ever been, and we’re having so much fun when we play
MM: Sometimes you can tell just watching a band playing that they don’t get along.
GH: we never didn’t get along except Zetro, Rick and Tom are like brothers to me, so that was never an issue, what was an issue was Tom’s Breakdown and Rick when we got back home around his negative environment he would disappear and became totally unreliable. It never meant I didn’t Love the guys though.
|
MM: Did you talk to them? Did you ask their blessing? or did you think of calling it a day? GH: No I never thought of calling it a day I was writing and I was gonna make an album, and I was gonna fucking make it and I wasn’t gonna let people splitting on me get in the way. As for a blessing I never asked nor did I think I needed one. |
MM:This album seems like your baby did you play all the guitar parts:
GH: All the rhythm but I did all but 20 seconds on tempo too cos Rick’s playing was so sloppy. Andy Sneap himself said – and I’m not saying this to pat myself on the back- that I was quite possibly the best rhythm player he’d worked with and Rick was the worst and together we made mediocre, and that wasn’t acceptable at all.
MM: That must have been hard for you playing so well and seeing Rick not being anywhere near?
GH: Well Ricks the best all round musician the bands ever had he can play keyboards, bass and lead guitar player, but he was never a great rhythm player – its something you have to work on, and he’d spent his life soloing. He could be at a practice amp soloing and you’d tell him the place was on fire and he’d still keep on playing(laughs)
MM: As for touring you have two relatively new albums what will you be playing?
GH: Mostly stuff off the new one, about 3 or 4 off of tempo some fabulous disaster stuff and some bonded by blood. We WONT be playing toxic waltz.
MM: I suppose that songs become a bit of an albatross around your neck.
GH: yeah people keep asking for it and saying why don’t you play it, but I played it at every show from 1989
MM: If you don’t enjoy playing it and you’re sick of it what’s the point playing it?
GH: Exactly man. It would be like I was going through the motions. We will play it again some day but I just want a break from it. Other stuff we’re not playing is because Lee has had to learn so much so quickly and we ran out of time, so we aren’t doing anything off pleasures but I’d really love to.
MM: Also the set list would be never ending you’d end up playing all night!
GH: Next tour we’re gonna play a little off every album.
|
MM: Right now though this album is new and it’s what you love GH: Yeah it’s what we’re having most fun with.
MM: So where do you see Exodus fitting in now in 2005? Do you see yourselves as legends?
|
|
MM: Theres new young thrash bands in there teens too
GH: Yeah and they aren’t even old enough to remember us first time round they were just a twinkle in their dad’s eye, but they get us and that’s so cool.
MM: Hows the reaction been so far?
GH: Totally amazing the reviews have been wicked I only saw one bad review and hat just seemed to be about the line up changes. But part of what makes Exodus interesting is the drama and breakdowns and deaths and problems.
MM So now you’re all happy will the next album be about puppies and kittens?
GH: (laughing) I don’t know I need something to write about and it’s usually when I’m up against its o I don’t know what I’ll do (*laughs)
****** At this point Paul Bostaph enters the room*******
Paul: I am actually thinking of starting my drug addiction.
GH: yeah he’s gonna take one for the team! Nothing that wastes his muscles too much though so no smack..
PB: Maybe sleeping pills
MM: Vicodin is the cool one now all the celebs are on it!
PB: Yeah man may have to be Vicodin
MM: well thanks for talking to Metal Mayhem
GH thanks a lot man.
|
|
