Exodus’ Gary Holt – New Live Album Making Me Rethink Setlists

Discovering the masters for Exodus‘ live album, British Disaster: The Battle of ’89 (Live at the Astoria) has made Gary Holt rethink the band’s future setlists. That’s part of what Gary Holt had to say about the band’s newly unearthed live album while guesting on Full Metal Jackie’s weekend radio show.

Holt was beaming about the energy of his band upon recently discovering the masters from a performance they had recently found from 1989, explaining, “The band was playing it as high a level as we ever have.”

The guitarist also addressed his return to Slayer for a handful of dates this year and gave an update on what the plan is for new Exodus music as well.

Check out the chat below.

It’s Full Metal Jackie. Very excited to say we have Mr. Gary Holt with us this week. Exodus have released a new live album, British Disaster: The Battle of ’89 (Live at the Astoria). Of course, recorded 35 years ago at the Astoria in London. It’s a unique snapshot of the heyday of thrash metal. Gary, what does this album illustrate about that time and the ascent of the genre for us?

Exodus? What it illustrates is we were badass. Listen to that. I get tired. It is 100 percent live. It’s not a single overdub and you got to remember this was 1989. What you’re hearing is also being performed by four guys who were running all over the place because we were young and super energetic. And that’s just what Exodus did.

When we stumbled upon these long forgotten master tapes, we were like, “Let’s listen to these things.” And we were shocked at what we heard because I remember the show and I remember it well. The band was playing it as high of a level as we ever had.

When we listened to it, we were like, we got to release this thing. it’s really good. It was just this really interesting circumstance. A lot of bands record a live album, it was recorded last year and they know about it. This was not. It’s decades old and long forgotten.

We’re talking about Exodus new live album that’s out, British Disaster: The Battle of ’89 (Live at the Astoria). It comes from a full multi track recording made in England back in 1989. Where had those tape reels been that they only now came to light?

I think they were at our former manager’s house for all this time. And she’s like, “I have these masters here. You guys probably want them, right?” And we’re like, “Masters from what?” “Remember that show at the Astoria? You know, that multi track truck that recorded? Well, I have them.”

And so it just all came from there. And so we, had Chris “Zeuss” Harris mix it and I couldn’t believe it. It’s like blown away. A lot of times, live albums,, they’re either repaired, so to speak, or they’re recorded to fulfill some kind of contractual obligation. But it’s not usually because somebody found something from so many years ago that was so worth sharing, you know? And we didn’t.

READ MORE: The Metal Legend Who Taught Gary Holt How to Play Guitar

We weren’t followed around by a mobile truck during our careers, recording shows. Multi track live recordings are few and far. And in between, it’s like two and one was released – Good Friendly Violent Fun. And that was to fulfill a contractual thing. This one is really special. It’s super sick and savage and, man, we’re playing the songs fast. Man, we pull them back a little bit now, but I’m 60 now.

Gary, this live album is unpolished, exactly as recorded. Why was it important to not refine the recording and leave it intact as is?

If we recorded a live album last year, we could go in and polish it up because we’re dealing with our own guitar sounds that we run now, you know, the playing and the current tunings and the style, it’s impossible to go back that far and try to replicate what you already did. You can’t do it. You can’t recreate your guitar sound from that far back. You’d have to re-record the entire thing and then it’s no longer live at all, you know? I didn’t need it. It’s just a sound of five men on the top of their musical game, you know?

Exodus, “Fabulous Disaster” (Live at the Astoria ’89)

Gary, back in the ’80s, Exodus, like other thrash bands, were upstart, irreverent kids. What do you hear on British Disaster that’s still part of your musical and personal mindset?

What do I still hear that is still part of it? You know, thrash metal? I still love this. That’s why, with every album, the songs are getting harder to play, not easier in my old age, because I still want to push the envelope.

That’s the sound of a band who certainly for 1989, was pushing it and pushing it hard. It’s furious. So many great songs on this record that we haven’t played in so long also that it’s making me rethink our setlists in the future. And we’re gonna have to bring some of these back.

And just listening to this sort of take you back to that time.

Yeah, absolutely.  I listened to it during the mixing stages, but like any album we do, I don’t really listen to them when they’re done. This one, I’m going to have to revisit it, put it on in the car and just listen to it uninterrupted.

Gary, let’s talk about Slayer for a moment. Slayer’s on the bill to play several festivals later this year, five years after a final tour that seemed to be the definitive end of the band. What makes playing together again, even if it’s just a few shows, something to look forward to?

It’s gonna be fun. It’s gonna be a lot of fun. Just now I’m in the process of relearning how to play most of this stuff. I don’t need like any tutorials on how to play “South of Heaven” or “Seasons in the Abyss” or “Raining Blood” or “Angel of Death,” but some of the other stuff. Cause we don’t know what we’re playing yet.

So my attitude, I’m just approaching this thing to where any song I ever played with Slayer, I’m going to be prepared to play it in case Kerry [King] and Tom [Araya] decide they want to do it. So I’m having to do my homework.

It’s not as easy. Five years later, some of this stuff,  the muscle memory isn’t there anymore, but it’s going to be a lot of fun.

And of course, you know, when you guys played the very last show last time around, it must have been surreal to be like, wow, this is the last time this ever is going to happen. So it must be cool to go we get another chance to play these songs again.

Yeah, the final performance of “Angel of Death,” I was fighting off the emotion. This is it. It’s never going to happen again. What a great time it was. And now we get to, for three nights, we get to do it again and share these songs live three more times. And it’s going to be a blast. It’s going to be heavy. Can’t wait.

Gary, what else is to come for Exodus in terms of new music and what are the plans for the rest of the year?

Well, I’m writing the new record right now. We were going to go in the studio in a week, but we had needed more time. We’re not ready. If we rushed it, that’d be a huge mistake. Unfortunately, due to touring commitments, our next gap to get in and do this proper, it’s the  beginning of next year.

So we’re pushing back, but it’s going to be worth it because the songs are just coming along very well. I’m super pleased. Stuff’s heavy. I’m always a fan of the idea of take your time, do it when it’s right. And Exodus is obviously so special that this can’t be rushed.

The last album we had all the time in the world due to a pandemic and the results are apparent in the record and to follow Persona Non Grata with a rushed release would be the dumbest thing we could possibly do. But that’s coming along. It’s coming along really well, actually.

I’ve got ten songs I’m working on. Lee [Altus]’s got some stuff, and we’ll take it from there.

Does it look like next year is the goal to get a new Exodus record out next year?

Oh, yeah, for sure it will be next year. It was just going to be later next year than we hoped.

Thanks to Gary Holt for the interview. Exodus’ British Disaster: The Battle of ’89 (Live at the Astoria) is available now. You can stay up to date with Exodus through their website, Facebook, X, Instagram and Spotify. You can also stay up to date on Slayer’s activity through their website. Find out where you can hear Full Metal Jackie’s weekend radio show here.