In a new interview with Oran O’Beirne of Fistful Of Metal magazine, EXODUS guitarist Gary Holt spoke about the possibility of the band one day calling it quits, similar to the way MEGADETH recently announced its farewell tour. “Well, I don’t wanna die on stage,” he said laughing. “I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about my own mortality, but I need at least another twenty-five years with my children and grandchildren. I’m doing everything I can to get to that point, as I’ve been sober for the last five years, and if EXODUS gets to that point where we know it’s time, then we may take the route that our friends have and are taking, or perhaps we’ll just end it. Who knows?”
Referencing the fact that he has been playing with SLAYER for the past decade and a half, initially filling in for Jeff Hanneman at SLAYER’s live shows in 2011, and becoming the band’s full-time co-guitarist as of 2013, while remaining a member of EXODUS, Gary said: “With SLAYER, I watched grown men burst into tears at the final show [in November 2019 at the Forum in Los Angeles]. I burst into tears when I was playing the closing moments of my lead break of ‘Angel Of Death’ on that last big show in L.A.”
He added: “This is a huge part of our lives. When my day comes and I can’t do this anymore, I have a lot of great memories. I’m sure we’ll celebrate the right way, whenever that day comes, unless it’s something drastic like losing both of my arms in a fucked up agricultural accident”, he said in a fit of laughter. “But for now, EXODUS is stronger than ever and this album is proof that we have a lot more gas in the tank.”
Last November, Holt, who turned 62 earlier this month, was asked by Robb Chavez of Robbs MetalWorks about fellow thrash metal pioneer Dave Mustaine’s announcement that MEGADETH would release its final studio album and complete a farewell tour in support of it. Gary said: “He’s earned it. I still love doing what I do, but I’d be lying if I said, man, the idea of retirement, after two or three more years…’ ‘Cause I’m 61 now. Do I wanna go till I’m 70? I don’t know. But I can’t retire. I need to keep working. So I’m gonna keep going as long as I can. But he’s earned it, and I’m sure it’s gonna be fucking awesome for him.”
After Chavez noted that former MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson recently questioned Mustaine’s motives for announcing the MEGADETH farewell, suggesting perhaps that it was a ploy to boost ticket sales for the upcoming tour, Holt said: “I think his ticket sales are fine without it. We’re not getting any younger. And [Mustaine] said himself the tour is gonna be two to three years. I think Dave’s one year older than me, so [he’s gonna be 63 in 2026] — that’s gonna put him to 65 years old. I have three grandkids. I’d love to spend more time at home with ’em. [In 2026], when the new [EXODUS] album comes out, I’m gonna be on tour more than ever. So, I’m making the sacrifices now, so that maybe by the time I am 65 I can slow down, maybe do a festival here and there. I don’t know. We’ll see.”
Last summer, Holt was asked by Germany’s Metal.de if he and his EXODUS bandmates had thought about a possible retirement or if they are just too “full of energy” right now to call it quits, Holt responded: “No, I’m not full of energy. I’m fucking tired. But we’re gonna do this as hard as we can, as heavy as we can until we can’t. And that’s why we recorded so much music [for the next EXODUS album]. We figured, do it now while we are still able to. Who knows? I’ve had elbow problems, hand problems, shoulder problems now. Maybe in five years age will catch up and the arthritis will get bad and I can’t do it. I don’t know.”
Regarding what he might do all day if he had to stop touring and recording with EXODUS, Gary said: “I have no idea. I don’t know. Turn to a life of crime, maybe. I don’t know. I haven’t found a way to make money being charming, so I don’t know what I’m gonna do.”
Featuring cover stars IRON MAIDEN and stories on VENOM, EXODUS, LAMB OF GOD, UFO, NAPALM DEATH, CORROSION OF CONFORMITY, RAINBOW, HELLRIPPER, METAL CHURCH, DARKTHRONE, AT THE GATES and much more, Fistful Of Metal issue No. 23 is out now in all good newsagents, including Barnes & Noble (Canada & America),WH Smiths and HMV (U.K.). You can also order your copy online via fistfulofmetal.co.uk.
EXODUS’s twelfth studio album, “Goliath”, was released on March 20 via Napalm Records. The LP was produced by EXODUS, and was mixed and mastered by Mark Lewis (WHITECHAPEL, NILE, UNDEATH).
Singer Steve “Zetro” Souza was fired from EXODUS in January 2025 and was replaced by a returning Rob Dukes.
Image credit: Tomáš Kolenčík