GARY HOLT: “I only had two hecklers' at SLAYER shows in last 14 years. That's a pretty good track record”
12-11-2024
In a new interview with Greg Prato of Ultimate Guitar, EXODUS guitarist Gary Holt, who began filling in for Jeff Hanneman at SLAYER‘s live shows in 2011, and became the band’s full-time co-guitarist as of 2013, while remaining a member of EXODUS, was asked what he remembers about his first show playing for SLAYER, and whether he felt any pressure. He responded: “The first show was Soundwave Festival in Australia, and I didn’t really feel any pressure. I was super-prepared. I just went out and did my thing and had a great show. It was awesome. I mean, maybe in the back of your head, you feel a little pressure over whose shoes you’re attempting to fill. Whose seat you’re keeping warm, I should say. But I was ready. I was 100% ready for it.”
Asked if SLAYER fans are really as ruthless as some people say they are, Gary said: “In all the countless shows I did, I’ve only had two hecklers. Two hecklers that I noticed. Most people looked at my participation like this: ‘Get well soon, Jeff, ‘ which is how I looked at it, too. ‘But while this is available to me, this is cool. I’ve watched SLAYER and Gary Holt play together. Let’s check this out. This is going to be awesome.’ And I had two genuine hecklers, one in Germany, this guy with this awful skullet. He was down there, like, flipping me off the whole show. And usually, I’m super thick-skinned — this doesn’t bother me. But I sent a production manager down, and he was on the radio, and they were about to throw the guy out because he was starting to fuck up my show. And then the guy realized that, and he booked. But you know, dude, you know this wasn’t a surprise fill-in. You knew before tickets went on sale, you still bought the fuckin’ ticket. So, why are you here if it’s that bad?”
“And then we played a show in Milan (Italy), and they had a guy front row, dead center stage, just screaming ‘Fuck you!’ at me, the whole show. And at that one, I jumped down on the subwoofers at the end of the show, like a foot from his face, and asked if he had anything to say now. And he didn’t. He was pissing me off. Younger me might have thrown a punch. (Laughs) He was stuck. There was nowhere he could have gone. You know, 5,000 people behind him. But he had to get front row to make his thoughts known.”
He added: “You paid for the ticket. You’re a fuckin’ moron if you hate it that much. But two people out of, like, countless shows. That’s a pretty good track record, I guess.”
SLAYER guitarist Kerry King‘s solo band played its first show ever on May 7 at Reggies in Chicago, Illinois. He displayed 9 songs that had not been released at that stage.
The group’s 17-song setlist included six SLAYER tracks as well as 11 of the 13 songs that appear on King‘s debut solo album, “From Hell I Rise”, out since May 17 via Reigning Phoenix Music.
The setlist for the concert was as follows:
01. Where I Reign(live debut)
02. Toxic (live debut)
03. Rage (live debut)
04. Repentless (SLAYER song)
05. Two Fists (live debut)
06. Residue (live debut)
07. Hate Worldwide (SLAYER song)
08. Idle Hands (live debut)
09. Trophies Of The Tyrant (live debut)
10. Chemical Warfare (SLAYER song)
11. Everything I Hate About You (live debut)
12. Disciple (SLAYER song)
13. Shrapnel (live debut)
14. Crucifixation (live debut)
15. Raining Blood (SLAYER song)
16. Black Magic (SLAYER song)
17. From Hell I Rise (live debut)
In a recent interview with Metal Hammer magazine, King stated about the setlist for his solo band’s shows: “For this coming summer in Europe, we’re gonna do like nine or 10 tracks from the album and, depending on set length, fill it with stuff I’ve done — something I wrote in SLAYER or co-wrote. So nobody can say ‘he’s playing Jeff (Hanneman, late SLAYER guitarist) songs,’ because although I love Jeff songs and he was such a big part of my life, I don’t want to rely on it this year, this album cycle. At some point, I will play ‘Angel Of Death’, but there’s so many fucking faceless haters on the Internet, I don’t want to give them ammunition.”
All material for “From Hell I Rise” was written by the 59-year-old SLAYER guitarist, who was accompanied during the recording sessions by the rest of his solo band, consisting of drummer Paul Bostaph (SLAYER),bassist Kyle Sanders (HELLYEAH),guitarist Phil Demmel (formerly of MACHINE HEAD) and Mark Osegueda (DEATH ANGEL) on vocals. Helming the sessions at Henson Recording Studios in Los Angeles last year was producer Josh Wilbur, who has previously worked with KORN, LAMB OF GOD, AVENGED SEVENFOLD and BAD RELIGION, among others.
King‘s debut solo album, “From Hell I Rise”, will be released on May 17 via Reigning Phoenix Music. All material for the LP was written by the 59-year-old musician, who was accompanied during the recording sessions by guitarist Demmel, drummer Paul Bostaph (SLAYER), bassist Kyle Sanders (HELLYEAH) and vocalist Mark Osegueda (DEATH ANGEL). Helming the sessions at Henson Recording Studios in Los Angeles last year was producer Josh Wilbur, who has previously worked with KORN, LAMB OF GOD, AVENGED SEVENFOLD and BAD RELIGION, among others.
KERRY KING will be special guest on the upcoming LAMB OF GOD/MASTODON North American “Ashes Of Leviathan” co-headline tour. The six-week run will launch on July 19 in Grand Prairie, Texas and will wrap on August 31 in Omaha, Nebraska. KERRY KING will make the band’s 2024 concert debut in May, first at the Welcome To Rockville festival (May 9), followed by Sonic Temple Arts & Music Festival (May 16). They are also confirmed for Hellfest, in France, this Summer.
This past December, it was announced that VIO-LENCE will return to the stage in April 2024 for a special eight-date headlining tour during which they will perform their classic 1988 debut album, “Eternal Nightmare”, in its entirety. The trek runs from April 5 in Cambridge, Massachusetts through April 13 in Chicago, Illinois. Support at the dates will come from EXHORDER, DECEASED and MORTAL WOUND.
At some of VIO-LENCE‘s recent shows, the band’s touring lineup consisted of classic-era vocalist Killian alongside more recent additions, drummer Adrian Aguilar (EXMORTUS),guitarist Miles Dimitri Baker (VOIDBRINGER, INTERLOPER, ex-RINGS OF SATURN),bassist Christian Olde Wolbers and guitarist Ira Black (VICIOUS RUMORS, HEATHEN, METAL CHURCH). Notably, those dates featured only Killian from the VIO-LENCE lineup that played its first comeback gig in April 2019 at the Oakland Metro in Oakland, California.
VIO-LENCE played its first show with Aguilar in February 2023 at the Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood, California. Aguilar joined VIO-LENCE following the departure of Strickland.
Although MACHINE HEAD frontman Robb Flynn was part of VIO-LENCE‘s classic incarnation and played on “Eternal Nightmare”, he wasn’t approached about taking part in the band’s reunion.
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