EXODUS Guitarist: 'Emo' Bands Have Taken All The Testosterone Out Of Heavy Metal

Ellen Gager of Midwest Excess recently conducted an interview with EXODUS guitarist Gary Holt. A few excerpts from the chat follow:

Midwest Excess: You guys have assembled quite a lineup of accomplished musicians over the years that have come and gone, and come and gone. How is the band dynamic now?

Gary: "Without taking anything away from the guys that I did play with in this band for 20-plus years, this lineup feels like we've all been together for 20 years. We actually spend more off stage time together than we did towards the end with the other guys, we have a really great time and they're just a joy to play with. And they're all committed. Everybody, like Tom [Hunting], our original drummer, he had mental issues and he suffered from severe anxiety attacks and he just couldn't do this anymore And Rick [Hunolt] had his own personal problems, and it was always like pulling teeth getting him to get to rehearsal. So, you know, everything's easier now."

Midwest Excess: That brings me to the next question, how do you feel about today's current music scene?

Gary: "I think it's really good. I mean, it's better in the United States than it used to be, but it still struggles, you know? Europe and Japan and other points around the globe still remain our bread and butter. It's getting better. The whole nu-metal thing died and I was so glad about that, but now we have all these emo kids who weigh like 105 pounds and wear girls' pants that won't even stay on there, 'cuz they have no ass to hold their pants up, they left their ass in the other pants. And they got their hair covering half their face, and the crooked hat, and I'm starting to miss nu-metal, to tell ya the truth. I mean, they have taken all the testosterone out of heavy metal, these guys. Stop whining and crying... Emo. The only emotion that's supposed to be in this music is anger and rage, not sissy complaints. I just don't get it. I look at those kinds and I'm like, 'Lift some weights, eat a hamburger, go do something.'"

Midwest Excess: What about all of your record label changes? Are you guys satisfied with your current record label?

Gary: "Absolutely. We did the independent thing and that was always great, and we were like big fish in a small pond. Then we went to the major label and where it's just all about dollars and cents, and that sucked. And now we're back on a metal label that understands the music, and not just looking at your past record sales."

Midwest Excess: What do you guys have in the works, do you have any new songs recorded? Are you planning any huge new tours?

Gary: "We've got some...we're going to Europe for a couple weeks in June, and we're working on some stuff. We might be going to Taiwan in August, and then we're going some more U.S. stuff I can't really mention right now, because I'm sworn to secrecy — that's in September/October. And then we'll go to Europe again and hopefully start recording around next February."

Read the entire interview at MidwestExcess.com.