EXODUS Guitarist Issues Statement Following Baloff's Passing

February 2, 2002

EXODUS guitarist Gary Holt has issued the following statement following the untimely passing of vocalist Paul Baloff earlier today:

“In My Words..... by Gary Holt

“Words cannot describe the pain I am feeling, was feeling, at the sudden and oh so premature loss of Paul. As I sit here at the waters end of San Francisco Bay, I feel as if someone or something has torn my heart out of my body and smashed it on the rocks. Paul was my brother, my spirit, my soul… and he is gone. I wonder how I will ever recover, ever learn what it is to feel alive without him, and for this question, I have no answers. Paul loved EXODUS, WAS EXODUS, and we loved him for it and in spite of it. His flame burned bright, so bright in fact that in hindsight it was all but impossible to have burned forever. Still, it burns in us and we must never let that flame burn out, lest Paul's legacy and his contribution be forgotten.

“During my impending divorce, my pain has been constant, but so has Paul, in my support from him. When my depression would occasionally reach its apex, Paul was always there. No words necessary, just Paul taking action. A broken stereo receiver and an invite to launch it down the stairs, a double bladed axe and something to cleave in half. Therapy though vandalism I called it! He knew how to bring me back. Yet, I have no way to do the same for him. I love Paul, always have and always will. There was, (is) a bond that even his untimely death cannot break, but right now my spirit is. The flame in me has died, my spirit torn asunder. I will fight through this. Paul was the ultimate fighter, he fought till the end, and to fight with anything less than his tenacity would be to do his memory an incredible injustice. I miss him I love him, and will keep his memory alive. I only ask that all of you to do the same.

“To each and every one of you, from the bottom of my heart I say THANK YOU, EXODUS thanks you, and Paul thanks you.

“Sincerely,
Gary Holt

Find more on
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • reddit
  • email

Comments Disclaimer And Information

BLABBERMOUTH.NET uses the Facebook Comments plugin to let people comment on content on the site using their Facebook account. The comments reside on Facebook servers and are not stored on BLABBERMOUTH.NET. To comment on a BLABBERMOUTH.NET story or review, you must be logged in to an active personal account on Facebook. Once you're logged in, you will be able to comment. User comments or postings do not reflect the viewpoint of BLABBERMOUTH.NET and BLABBERMOUTH.NET does not endorse, or guarantee the accuracy of, any user comment. To report spam or any abusive, obscene, defamatory, racist, homophobic or threatening comments, or anything that may violate any applicable laws, use the "Report to Facebook" and "Mark as spam" links that appear next to the comments themselves. To do so, click the downward arrow on the top-right corner of the Facebook comment (the arrow is invisible until you roll over it) and select the appropriate action. You can also send an e-mail to blabbermouthinbox(@)gmail.com with pertinent details. BLABBERMOUTH.NET reserves the right to "hide" comments that may be considered offensive, illegal or inappropriate and to "ban" users that violate the site's Terms Of Service. Hidden comments will still appear to the user and to the user's Facebook friends. If a new comment is published from a "banned" user or contains a blacklisted word, this comment will automatically have limited visibility (the "banned" user's comments will only be visible to the user and the user's Facebook friends).