EXODUS Guitarist Comments On Passing Of Original HEATHEN Singer, Ruthie's Inn Promoter

January 12, 2007

EXODUS guitarist Gary Holt has issued a statement regarding the recent deaths of Sam Kress [info] (the original vocalist of acclaimed San Francisco Bay Area thrashers HEATHEN and former co-editor of early '80s underground fanzine Whiplash) and Wes Robinson [info] (founder of the legendary Ruthie's Inn on San Pablo Avenue in Berkeley, California — a mecca for San Francisco Bay Area thrash metal and punk acts in the 1980s). It reads as follows:

"I am deeply saddened to have heard about the passing of first Sam Kress (while we were in Europe) and now Wes Robinson. I have not yet had the chance to comment on Sam's passing, but he, along with a few others, was instrumental in introducing EXODUS to the world via tape trading and such. Without guys like him, the world would not have had such a head start on who the fuck we were.

"And now legendary Ruthie's Inn promoter Wes Robinson has passed away. The shows we did for him at gool 'ol Ruthie's were the stuff of legend. I'm talking the most violent shit the world has ever seen. I don't care what some kid says about the show he went to last year, they don't know shit. There was nothing like it. And the times we had when not playing were just as fun. My 21st birthday party there was insane!

"They will both be missed terribly, as they are very much a part of this band and EXODUS lore in general."

Gary Holt recently announced plans to release his first instructional DVD. "Hopefully I will be filming it sometime in January, and I am looking for some input," Gary previously said. "I am planning on focusing on rhythm technique, some lead chops, and going over the correct way to play some of the EXODUS riffs. I feel there are enough straight shred things out there, so I want to do something as bit differrent. And of course I will make it funny as hell!"

As previously reported, a video clip of EXODUS performing the classic song "Strike of the Beast" on November 29, 2006 in Belgrade, Serbia has been posted online at YouTube.com.

EXODUS recently completed a European headlining tour in support of its latest CD, "Shovel Headed Kill Machine", which was released in October 2005 via Nuclear Blast Records. Recorded at Trident studios in Pacheco, California and mixed by Andy Sneap (MACHINE HEAD, ARCH ENEMY),the follow-up to 2004's "Tempo of the Damned" is the band's first album to feature new members Lee Altus (guitar; HEATHEN),Paul Bostaph (drums; ex-SLAYER, TESTAMENT, FORBIDDEN) and Rob Dukes (vocals).

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