In a recent interview with Germany’s Metal.de, Exodus guitarist Gary Holt reaffirmed that the band’s classic 1985 debut Bonded By Blood remains his favorite Exodus album. When asked if this implies that Exodus has “never topped” Bonded By Blood, Holt did not hesitate.
“No. Never topped it,” Holt stated (as transcribed by Blabbermouth), deeming any such suggestion “blasphemous.” He emphasized the album’s foundational importance: “Bonded By Blood is the album that started it all. So, it’s my youth, it’s my high school yearbook. It’s the reason I’m still here. So it’s always gonna be number one. And [late Exodus frontman] Paul Baloff, despite only singing on one album, is always the voice of Exodus. That’s no insult to Zetro [Steve Souza] or Rob [Dukes]. It’s just Paul started it.”
Addressing questions about potential retirement plans for Exodus, Holt offered a candid perspective. While acknowledging he isn’t “full of energy” and admits to being “f**king tired,” he affirmed the band’s commitment to continue “as hard as we can, as heavy as we can until we can’t.” This drive has influenced their recent recording sessions for the next Exodus album, as Holt explained: “That’s why we recorded so much music. 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.”
When pressed about what he would do if he could no longer tour and record music with Exodus, Holt humorously suggested: “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.”
The interviewer then noted Holt’s supplementary income from his online store. Holt confirmed its utility, stating: “Yeah, it helps. People think, ‘Oh, you’re a rich rock star.’ No. I sell shirts, and I sell them outta my f**king closet. All right. Pack this one up, label it, send it off. But no, that just helps. It doesn’t pay the bills. It helps to keep pay the bills. It helped really a lot in the pandemic.”
He added that if he truly retired, he would likely remain involved in music, potentially focusing on producing. Despite the demanding nature of touring, Holt admitted a love-hate relationship with travel: “Sometimes I daydream about not leaving the house. ‘Cause I hate leaving — I hate getting on the plane to leave — but as soon as I arrive, I have fun.”
Holt also addressed a recent comment from Exodus bassist Jack Gibson, who described band members as “traveling t-shirt salesmen.” Holt confirmed the sentiment: “[Selling shirts is] where we make our money. We’re lucky… If you’re in a band where the money you’re paid to play covers your expenses and the t-shirt money is yours, you’re doing really well. Because everything, especially since the pandemic — tour buses cost way more money. Everything costs more. Airfare costs more. It’s f**king hard. We do okay, we do pretty good. But then when you come home and you don’t work for two months, that money you made has to cover, stretch out over all of it. So it’s not what people think.”
